I was a 2nd Lt. infantry officer attached to VMO-6 as a 3rd Mar Div AO from June-October 1969. I flew 105 missions with OV-10 and O-1 pilots. Prior to that I was a rifle platoon commander with E/2/4 for eight months in northern I Corps. I provide this information only to establish my bona fides.

I would like to communicate with anyone who knew Sgt. Joe Bangert, who claims to have served with VMO-6 in 1968-1969. In 1971, Bangert delivered some outrageous testimony during the so-called "Winter Soldier Investigation." You can read about the Winter Soldier Investigation (WSI) here: http://www.wintersoldier.com/ WSI was sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Jane Fonda and John Kerry were among the principals plus a couple others, like Scott Camill, who wanted to assassinate Senators. Joe Bangert testified for the record that he personally witnessed atrocities and war crimes committed by Marines and others and that he flew in combat operations and participated in covert "black" ops with the CIA and USAID. You can read an excerpt of Bangert's testimony here: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.war.vietnam/msg/b62cc6c87225030d?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF%978&safe=off&rnum=1

One might legitimately ask "why does all this matter now?" The answer is that another Winter Soldier Investigation, WSI 2, is planned for March 2008. The event is sponsored by the Iraq Veterans Against the War and they would like to do to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans what was done to Vietnam veterans 37 years ago. And here's the point of bringing up Joe Bangert right now. Joe Bangert is going to be one of the guys appearing and running WSI 2.

Joe has gloried in his role as an antiwar hero for 37 years. He accompanied John Kerry to Paris to meet the Hanoi communists during the war, and was the hit of a diplomat dinner party when he appeared wearing a shirt with a communist symbol and sang two communist ballads in Vietnamese for the group. In 1971, he got away with this treasonous BS unchallenged and he is still at it today. Google "Joe Bangert"... you'll be appalled.

I am peripherally associated with a couple of veterans advocate groups that would like to delve into the veracity of Joe Bangert's 1971 testimony and, if appropriate, to discredit him. If there is anyone who knew Joe Bangert and is willing to go on the record about his wild assertions please contact me as soon as possible. I realize this may be a difficult thing to do, especially after all these years. I consider it just part of continuing service, for all us who served, and most of all, for the guys on The Wall. Semper Fi,

Karl Schroeder