Wanting to show my support, and learn what it’s like in the Gulf right now, last month I dropped a postcard to our troops.

Now I would like to share a few excerpts from the response I received today from a third-class Navy petty officer (E-4) named Vince who manages the boiler on the USS Denver off the shore of Kuwait.

Vince is from Carbondale, Illinois, twenty-four years old, and was quite appreciative of the thousands of letters of support they have been receiving from Americans each day.

He writes, “It was very nice to get all that mail from kids to old folks. I guess there are a lot of people back home who do care.”

However, Vince also is disgusted with those who are wasting their time getting arrested due to their futile protesting.

He continues, “What is this, another Vietnam? … We’re over here for those people who are protesting against us … I don’t want to talk about those people—they make me sick—they’re cowards to the fullest extent.”

Vince closes by saying he has to go so he may write his wife, who is at home with their young son. He thanks me again for my letter, and for supporting and caring about our fellow Americans.

He includes this P.S.:

“P.S. Tell the people that are protesting our actions to go to hell and that they’re commie bastards. Sorry so cruel, but that’s not very American.”

It was nice to get a response from a serviceman like Vince. I would like to see more people write letters to these men and women, instead of wasting time and effort with silly protests and marches which only deteriorate our country’s morale.

Daniel J. Brandt

Junior

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