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Boys at war...“I think it’s about time somebody should stop this silly war (or whatever it is supposed to be) if it just rums the lives of our young people- . .”This is an excerpt of a letter to me from a grandmother in Waynesboro who recently received a poignant letter from a grandson who is stationed.with the Army in South Vietnam- He is assigned to a military police company.The grandmother is Mrs^ Joseph E. Ringer, 35 Roadside Ave., andthe correspondent is Pfc. Joseph E. Ringer who “celebrated” his 19thbirthday in the war ____country most of us never heard of until it became the site of a war that has been referred to in almost every derogatory term known in this English-speaking nation.Young Joe (or “Butch” as he is called) is a Waynesboro native but now calls Coinjock, N. C. his home. His father, Joseph R. Ringer, is also a native of Waynesboro but moved to North Carolina about 15 years ago with his family where he is a bridge-tender on the inland waterways., “Butch” wrote his grandmother about three of his friends being killed the first part of the year. He pointed out that not only are the Americans .fighting the Communists, but there is “a great deal of fighting among the Americans themselves.”He described one incident — a riot — in which a grenade killed two GIs,4 ‘and two others will never walk again because thev are sobadly crippled in addition to being, blinded by the fragments.”Here’s another comment from this 19-year-old, who should be home with his family instead of being exposed to the horrors of this idiotic war which the United States apparently hesitates to win:“It’s really a shame when GIs start killing and wounding other GIs, but it’s part oimy job to stop that too. Last night was the only sleep I’ve had in five days — two hours, but I’ll make it.“I don’t like my duty but I’m going to do my job for this year and get out of this MP outfit and getmechanics. This shouldHfeairtb a better job when I leave the service.“Well, it may seem to you that a year goes by pretty fast — but it doesn’t on this side of the water. I’ve only been here a short time but I feel like it has been six years..Most of us — ones without relatives in South Vietnam — read . the headlines and some of the stories about the fighting (and the riots) — as well as the narcotic problem there and shudder. It is all so far away.But to Grandmother Ringer and the others with sons, husbands, fathers and other relatives there, this war becomes a personal thing.It becomes even worse when those involved in Vietnam are in their teens — like “Butch” and many thousands of other young Americans.^ 'And no one has yet come forward with a really convincing reason for all these sacrifices!
Newspaper Details
Waynesboro Record Herald
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, US
Mon, Mar 08, 1971
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Jenny M.
NA, 28 May 2023
Other Publications Near Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
Waynesboro Village Record
Waynesboro Record Herald
