DETROIT: Allegations of torture and murder by American troops in Viet-Nam have been made by 35 U.S. ex-Servicemen at a mock trial here. The men appeared yesterday [Jan 31] at the start of the three-day “trial” into the alleged American atrocities in Viet-Nam. Attended by about 350 people, it is sponsored by a peace group, Viet-Nam veterans Against The War.

Mr. Jan Crumb, President of the group, charged that a million South Viet-Namese had died because of war crimes…. Mr. Kevin Delay, 20, a former marine corporal, said that ... one of the companies in his brigade staged an ambush, killed people and found only one weapon on the dead. Because of this, he said, all marines who had souvenir guns were ordered to produce them, and three were scattered around the bodies.

Mr. David Bishop, 21, a former marine, said he saw U.S. troops turn over four Viet-Cong nurses to Korean troops. The nurses were tortured and killed, he alleged. Mr. Kenneth Campbell, 21, a former corporal, told the trial “he saw artillery fire brought down on undefended villages while he was in Viet-Nam from 1968 to 1969”. Mr. Scott Camil, a former Marine sergeant, said men in his unit cut the hands of dead Communist soldiers — but were told not to do it when newsmen were present. — Agency

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2021