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My General Court Marshal and Transfer
Edgar A. Goulet (sp00n)
2nd Bn 1st Marines
Golf Company 66-67
Apparently my transfer didn't go down as smooth as I thought? Even though I was glad I was getting out of the bush and made into a motor vehicle operator, driving a jeep, there was a problem that I was not aware of at that time but I quickly found out what was going on.
Earl had put the pressure on Captain Lynch to get rid of the spoon which no one wanted that to happen other than SSGT Earl Daniels. The other H&S company commander, Captain Copeland didn't like getting someone else's problems of someone that he didn't know either, so he wasn't happy as I was not aware of
that situation, no one said anything to me.If I had known that, I would have been more aware that Captain Copeland was already looking for another plan to get rid of the spoon as if I was a hot potato, as the Secret War Against Veterans was continuing, that's Right.
I just saved a whole squad from getting ambushed as everyone knew it and now for stepping up, backing up other Marines as we are all trained to do, as no one left behind, remember that, because in about a week or two, the spoon will be left behind in Da Nang by the 2/1 Supply SGT Robert Barrow?
It was bad enough back in Paris Island to get screwed out of a promotion for saving my friends life sacrificing my own as to get the attention needed just to find out if my buddy was still alive and then I had to swear my word of Honor to my new Drill Instructor to help cover up that incident, in order to graduate so I could honor My Oath so I could come to Vietnam and serve My Country with all of you, when I could have just gone home with a discharge.
But here I am, honoring my Oath and doing what I think is the right thing to do, despite Earl or anyone else for that matter as this chess board worked like all the rest, one move forward at a time except for the first move for the point man, the only problem was we could only move with someone else's permission even if them only played checkers, like Earl who apparently thought he was now King with his new promotion.
Thats right, why he caught that Disease called swollen brain syndrome where your head starts swelling so big to the point where enough pressure pushes the blood out of the brain, shrinking it to the point, you can't think straight any more, kind of like VD sort of in reverse coming from your ass.
Now after seven months or so, surviving many patrols, ambushes, mines, weather, and the clap, only to be told that Agent Orange only kills foliage, and were winning this war, because were the good guys, so here is a new rifle you have no choice to use it, so turn in your M-14 or your going to the brig, shit bird. Is how this Chess was used on its loyal Marines who have the balls to make important decisions without worrying about being scrutinized by their superiors.
Most of those phony career lifers can't blow their nose or wipe their ass without sucking up, just for insurance, in case they made a bad decision, that's why our political military system isn't strong anymore as those wimps are more worried about what their superiors are going to think of them.
All I know is Earl was also a short timer to, but I'm sure he didn't know it even after screwing the spoon who was a very big part of that third platoon.All I know is I wouldn't want to be in his boots out in the bush looking for Charlie after the spoon stepped up to save his brothers from an ambush.I'm sure they not very happy and want pay back with no smiley faces frowning having to deal with Earl, I'm not sure how long this relationship will last ?but If I had to bet, Earl's days are numbered as a new member of the Walking Dead.
Now, I don't even feel like I'm a shit bird anymore as I have to deal with a bunch of back stabbing cowards that are afraid to tell me anything.They can't just come out and tell you that although you were transferred there to H&S that your not welcomed, that's right, Captain Copeland was the Company Commander who seemed like a regular type of guy for an officer. But apparently he didn't like taking on somebody else's problems, and He wasn't happy about the fact that he had no choice or say about the matter as he kept this information to himself, like if it were top secret, for a reason?
Let me tell all of you how these military OCS guys operate as they act as though they are still in a frat house playing games in college. So even though the CO. didn't have a plan yet, as how to get rid of the spoon right away that was his intention right from the very beginning.I was unaware of all of this political horse trading at that time as a nineteen year old Veteran who didn't deserve this bull shit and now I'm being treated like a criminal because some of some NFG who wasn't very happy that I saved my squad from getting killed on his watch. I knew that I made the right decision but I also knew that I made a bad mistake, of feeling some compassion for this NFSplib, when I should have shot him instead. I had about six months left on my tour which started making me soft which did have some influence on my decision allowing this guy another chance to get someone else killed of which I would have felt directly responsible, knowing he didn't care about the lives of the men he was responsible for, that's not right.
I should have wrote myself up on charges for that screw up. I was one of the more experienced guys left in the whole Battalion, oh yeah, no doubt about that, I was probably the most saltiest shitbird this Corps has ever seen with a reputation of not getting ambushed or blown up if the spoon was up front with his three guys and in a few more paragraphs you will know why?
I had respect and knowledge and my opinion was always held in high regards by those other Pee on's who I served with because I respected every one of them as color or race or rank meant nothing to the spoon and everyone knew that. Even Big John La Duke respected the spoon, because he said when I first arrived to Golf, even though I had no chance of kicking his ass, I was the only guy who stood up to his abuse as a bad ass and comical clown.
I still think of him everyday after he was killed with five guys in a mine explosion that was probably a two hundred and fifty pound bomb that was a dud, and never went off. The VC would dig them up and re-rig them.That Veterans Day Reality Check has that story how that incident went down, Gary Williams describe that story in detail as he was in charge of that short handed nine man squad that day where five guys died and Big John was one of those guys as I knew him the best except for Gary Machine gun Williams.
I knew I would be missed but I was getting somewhat short but your never short out in the bush as everyday, any-day, could be your last day on Earth.The shit bird card was the joker who's was like my ace in the hole like a Trump card as rank didn't mean a thing, as I was so close to being a recruit again as one could get. It did however have it's advantages to especially when my two year voluntary enlistment was more than half over so I had to hang in there tight without lousing it which seemed harder to do now having to face a General Court Marshal that could ruin my military career
While my time serving in H+S was very short, I did learn a few things that went on in the rear was another reason why an experienced solder like myself wasn't wanted. The guys in the bush were in need of jungle boots and other things to that were not available, supposedly, but those who were in that rear company didn't seem to have that problem getting what they wanted
The need for jungle boots in the rice paddies was a must have, for those who were privileged enough to have spent time in the heat, mud, water, sunlight which equals boo-cu rice. Although those boots were always in short supply, those guys in the rear all had them and some guys had more than one pair.
That was another reason that the sp00n wasn't welcomed because I would notice more things that were going on that were not right than some NFG would never have noticed that, if he never had been in the bush before so I could understand why the CO. Treated the spoon like an Enemy spy.
Those in charge didn't want any witness to there criminal behavior. The black market was thriving as everything we had was for sale apparently, including jungle boots and probably those M-14 that we had to turn in could have been sold to but I didn't know that as that was my gut feeling as I didn't stay around long enough in H&S company to find out very much.
Captain Copeland made sure of that as I didn't realize that I was a pawn in this game, as they wanted no one from any-other one of the four grunt companies around at all, not even for one night of rest without night lines.In fact if you just came in from a two day patrol they assigned us night lines on the perimeter just to give those guys in the rear a break, from what?
I don't think that I slept on that cart in the tent where my sea bag was two dozen times during my whole tour and you guys know that true because you were expendable pawns to, but if anyone got night lines it was a Pee on for sure.
Robert Barrow was the supply SGT., I think that was his name but close enough if it wasn't. He was a back stabbing two face kiss ass weasel. I remember him well as and one day I seen his name on a sight called together we served, something like that, where Bob was seeking contact from other members of 2/1 to contact him and I thought that I would surprise him.This information might still be available, back then when this sight started that original sight was for all veterans but it got so big that those who ran the sight broke
it into individual organizations Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines.
Well when old Bob heard from Me, he didn't respond, and the reason why is because He had intentionally had dropped me off at the PX in Da Nang one day and never picked me up. He was supposedly doing a deal at the Air Force Base trading captured weapons for Hard Liquor and mattresses for the brass, that's what He told Me, wether that was true or not, I doubt it but a few sea bags in back of the jeep did have something in them.
The entry that I made on that sight along with his should still be there I'm sure.This was the scam that Captain Copeland had come up with to set me up for an Article 15 as an excuse in order to have me transferred back to Golf Company, or someplace else as to get rid of me no matter where I went.
I was the driver and a one man security for the good SGT to make sure that He got too that Air force base. We left mid morning and during that trip the good old boy SGT decided that He would rather drive as He said that I was better with that rifle an AR-15. He was in charge as I couldn't argue with Him about the gun issue either so he drove into Da Nang and suggested that he would drop me off at the PX where I could get a burger and fries and after he finished his business that He would pick me up on his way back to 2/1.
.
He said that it should take him a couple of hours maybe three hours as it was raining pretty good and latter on, he used the rain as an excuse not to pick me up as the roads were all wash out which means flooded, but apparently he made it back to the Battalion CP.
Well he never picked me up and I knew right there that I was set up, if you want my opinion, he dropped me off and headed back to the unit as fast as he could after his business was over. So now my life was at risk and I was going to be facing another charge of authorized absent probably with that General Court Marshal at the same time as two charges together makes it look more convincing for a conviction.That was if I made it back at all, as I was about twenty five, thirty miles away from 2/1 in Da Nang, alone as I was intentionally left behind, does this mean anything? so I was stuck in Da Nang for the night by myself. I had some of my gear even a poncho that I needed for a regular patrol except I had no pack or an E- tool but I had two grenades and eight magazines helmet and flack jacket so I was finally in charge of my first one Man recon patrol of finding my way back to 2/1 and I would destroy any MF who tried to stop me.
I've been lost in bush a few times before where I didn't have a clue where I was, getting separated from the squad during the night moving to an ambush location if its real a dark night with a lot of rain making visibility near zero.That happened a few times before that was another reason why I had the rear a lot, not just because I was a wise ass? But I didn't panic as I move off the trail far enough where no one could walk into me without making a racket, as I was just going to sit and listen, hoping to hear my squad in the morning would back track and come looking for the sp00n.
That was one of the worst feeling that I ever had in Vietnam because I could of been shot by my own guys as back then we had those M-14 and if you pulled that trigger the gun fired every time, amazing.
I tried getting some information at a tourist center but they hadn't built them yet I spoke some French as some of those people did to, so I found out that there was a tank unit a few miles away and I started heading that way as I took point, and I had also the rear at the same time, which must have been the first time I ever had both the led and the rear as I never thought about it until I noticed I was going out alone.
I was more afraid getting captured as everyone could see that I was by myself, so I straighten both cotter pins on both of those frags just in case.There still hard enough to pull out even straight. I think I had a death wish or something was seriously wrong with me with that kind of mind set?I don't know why ? It must of been the training or programing because I thought My service seemed kind of normal?
Anyway, I found the Army tank unit thank God, and those guys were somewhat surprised that I was alone.
Yes sir, my driver forgot to pick me up, intentionally. Could you contact 2/1 H+ S Co. And let them know that I'm OK and I will be back as soon as possible, which will be some what disappointing as I should be back there sometime late morning. I'm not sure if those two conspirators thought they would never see me again as they both deserved a beating and prison time, you just don't do that?I think those Army guys had a strange feeling that something wasn't right ? I would bet that call got Captain Copeland some what shook up. As I knew how Rambo felt in that movie where he got betrayed after finding those POW that he wasn't supposed to find, I did have some evil thoughts for sure but it had to wait after that General Court Marshal.
But I slept on a cart that night off the ground which seemed kind of odd.I was so used to digging a hole like a rat, laying on a folded up poncho listing to the rain hammering that poncho with a pack for a pillow on a helmet wasn't bad, you do get use to it and getting under that poncho looking into the only direction of a possible approach by anyone, I liked to be in the thickest brush but it was a pain in the ass because you had to crawl like a worm in the mud.
Anyway I had to wait for those guys who swept Anderson trail as I wasn't in no hurry getting back because I was having so many very bad thoughts about two of my favorite guys as the problem was I was only going to be worst as already facing two charges and I could make it three and make a statement but I was about half done my tour as what could they do send me to Vietnam with a defective rifle? Even going to the brig was a big improvement from going on patrols, at least your dry.
Anyway I was told that I would be facing another charge but that was it. I don't think anyone wanted to get me rattled up as everyone was out of sight as I got some rest and that Court Marshal with the additional charge had already been planed out as to happen as fast as it could giving me no time to think about how they fucked me over but I knew that already that.
So the following day I had both hearings which took about five minutes or so. But I can't remember which charge they did first? I think it was a three man panel and I explained to them that it wasn't my intention to disobey anyone's order but after I got this order which was virtual suicide and the guy who gave that order not only did he not know what he was doing because he had no experience and a new guy who didn't know anything and we all knew that.After SSGT Daniels told us that he did not care if we all got killed as long as we all followed his order, so no one else followed his orders so where are they?Of course I said nothing about those evil thoughts that I never towards one of our own brother's. but this guy had his own agenda as he had no regards towards life and safety for no individual who had a family back home who cared if their loved one got killed on this idiots ignorance.
I was found not Guilty under these circumstances, which was a no brainer But I was surprised, never the less as getting a fair trial is rare.Even though I knew I did the right thing as everyone knew it to but I still had to be the fall guy with the cahunas big enough to stand up and make a statement that Earl took personally , I'm sure of that, I'm a white Dude, a Pee on with no rank just a shit bird war criminal and a wise ass to boot,My guess is Earl got promote to Staff Sargent for re-upping and got sent to Vietnam .
The Article 15 I was found Guilty on no matter if God himself was my Attorney in order for My transfer back was what all this was aboutI knew that because Earl must of made a scene pulling rank that He recently acquired as I'm sure Captain Lynch wasn't to happy getting rid of one of his best men, and if you think I'm bragging, well yes I Am, because I had no fear and a death wish, as the reaper didn't like taking wises ass guys like me as there wasn't much negativity as to feed on, even though I was still scared, I took chances that made some guys nervous but that all ended when I received that AR -15.
I went from an aggressive super soldier to a mercenary who never got paid enough.Between getting left in Da Nang, intentionally , Earl, and that defective Rifle, I didn't want to kill anyone or destroy anything, as this was when I started feeling as if I were the Enemy, and to this day, I still feel the same way.Than, I discovered that there was actually a real secret war being waged against the American Grunt Combat Veteran and I started documenting more proof of these fact's.
Edgar A. Goulet (sp00n)
My General Court Marshal and Transfer
