Honoring Veterans

By Leonard Robert Schmidt

PERFIDY: n. deliberate violation of trust; treachery.

TREASON: n. to betray; abandon or surrender fidelity.

Mother gave birth to me November 11, 1944 at 11:41 A.M.  Dad was at war in the South Pacific during my second and third trimester.  Mother listened intently to every radio broadcast about the war she could.

In November of 1967 I began an all expenses paid, one year "vacation" to beautiful, tropical Southeast Asia.  I was there for "Tet", returning with a drug and alcohol predilection.  This took an additional seven years of my life.  Rehabilitation and re-education began in earnest January 1, 1976.  I have not stopped.  

I share this personal information that you may know I have a burden for those who war.  

Additionally, I have gained knowledge and understanding of those who foment wars, while sending others to fight them.  Each war since World War 1 has seen some of our military members abandoned as prisoners.  It is not a trifling thing to express concern for those who have not been returned.

During the Paris "Peace Talks" of 1972-1973, Henry Kissenger negotiated away our Prisoners Of War and Missing In Action (POW/MIA) as pawns of the "New World Order".  Kissenger convinced President Richard Nixon this was required for "Peace with Honor".  In the presence of General Alexander Haig, Kissenger later stated "Military men are stupid beasts to be used as pawns in diplomacy".  Haig did not demur.

In September of 1985, U.S.A. Major Mark Smith and Master Sergeant Melvin McIntyre brought suit in Federal court for release of documents proving government knowledge of living American POW/MIA remaining in Southeast Asia.  Intense, high-level pressure brought their suit to naught on claims of "National Security", ruining two military careers.

In the predawn hours of February 12, 1991, U.S.A. Colonel Millard A. Peck attached a five page memorandum and his resignation as Chief of the Special Office for Prisoners of War and Missing in Action to his Pentagon office door.  In this memorandum, Colonel Peck accused your Federal government of willful and concerted refusal to act on even the best reports of living POW/MIA remaining in S.E.A.  Colonel Peck's memorandum was in the hands of Richard Cheney by 9:00 A.M., who ordered all charges and allegations discredited by close of business that day and the launching of an internal investigation.

Early in 2008, a first person report was made public of U.S.A. Chief Warrant Officer William P. Milliner (M.I.A., Laos, March 6, 1971) being alive as of September 2007 and held in a Laotian jungle prison.  This report with corroborating evidence was provided to several offices of the Federal government, to no avail.   Of the approximately 2,497 Vietnam POW/MIA, there are an additional 58 reliable reports of living American servicemen still being held captive.

Many of us who served in Southeast Asia during the war against Vietnam believe deep in our hearts, some of our brothers-in-arms were purposely left behind . . . and are alive today.  Henry Kissenger, Richard Cheney, John Kerry and John McCain all know some were abandoned.  Still!  Why?

How do you honor Veterans?  Cease sending them off to contrived wars, and bring them home.  

Bring them all home!