more proof spike killed babies

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Dellums (House of Representatives) War Crimes Hearings Wednesday,
4-28-71, Washg'tn, DC Testimony Of John Beitzel 1/20, D Comp, with
Bgd, Americal Div Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

BEITZEL: My name is John Beitzel and I was in D Comp and we were
working in support of Echo Company. I would just like to corroborate
the testimony that he gave. We were, for some reason, on the same
frequency at that time.

Our radio was on the same frequency as Echo Company and I remember
distinctly hearing a body-count of 13.

Later on 1 of our platoons - I think the 1st Platoon - they went in
support of E-Company and they went in and they saw what happened and
they called back over the radio that E-Company, they could confirm the
body-count that they gave.

They said there were 9 women, 3 children and a baby. Now from what Dan
Notley said, I believe they saw only 1 section of the group of people
that were killed. I distinctly remember it was around 4-18. That's all
I can say. We were in contact with the company. We were in the same
area. We were about 3,000 meters away though. We were in radio contact
with them. Most of our company knew about the incident. That's all.

DELLUMS: Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

CONYERS: Can I ask a question?

DELLUMS: Yes, Mr Conyers.

CONYERS: Mr Beitzel, you heard Dan Notley's statement here today?

BEITZEL: Yes, I did.

CONYERS: Is there any part of it about which you have personal
knowledge that you think may be such that it would be in error, that
you disagree with part of his statement or there is a question?

BEITZEL: The only thing I remember afterwards was that there was a
debate as to whether they called in artillery in on the vill and
whether it was the artillery that killed the civilians or whether it
was the squad that killed the civilians, as though the artillery, you
know, was less of a crime or something. But we knew about it. I mean,
everything that he said as far as my knowledge was concerned was
correct.

CONYERS: The massacre, the deaths that resulted occurred from weapon
fire from Amer soldiers?

BEITZEL: Well, what I am saying is later on there was a debate in our
company whether it was artillery or was it the squad that had done it.
Because we were not right there. So we didn't know what actually
happened.

CONYERS: Okay.

BEITZEL: We heard the body-count on the radio. We were on the same
frequency.

DELLUMS: Thank you. There have been some requests to have Mr Notley go
back through this incident 1 more time, but - I frankly am not
disposed to ask you to do that. I think it much too painful for you to
even have to account this incident the 1st time. I have tried to sit
here for 2 1/2 days of hearings so far.

As everybody knows, I think you know where I am on the war, and the
insanity of it. I have tried to sit here as an objective chmn, but it
seems to me that to look at this table and these young people, and
they haven't been on this earth very long, they're not yet I believe
23 years old as human beings. My question is, what the hell is this
country doing to young people to train them to go out and kill other
innocent people? The question is, what the hell is wrong with this
country? What is wrong with the military establishment? The
Administration? and the representatives to the US Congress? and other
people who are responsible for involvement in Indochina who haven't
stood up and said 1 damn thing about the fact that we are sending
1,000's of young people to SEA to get killed, or be killed, because
many of them don't understand and don't desire involvement in it. I
think it is cruel and shocking and horrible that we find 435
congressmen in the USA with only a handful of them having the guts to
stand up and say the involvement in Indochina is insane.

What do we care about our young people when we send them to go to SEA
and then have the self-righteous guts to get up on the floor and vote
down $750 million in revenue for education? How patronizing can the
leadership of this country be when it says that Amer is wonderful and
we are concerned about the future of this nation, and we don't give a
damn about our young people except how much can we find, how many
rounds can they pump into innocent men, women and children?

I think it is shocking and insane. The question everyone in Amer ought
to raise is, where are the 435 congressmen who sit around with
political ambitions positioning themselves for reflection? People
involved on ego trips and personal aggrandizement. They couldn't care
less except for the votes.

I am very sorry, but I tried desperately, I did not want to use this
chair as a platform, but when you hear the young people come forward
and give these horrible stories, then I think the establishment has to
be challenged and challenged very fundamentally. and those petty
personalities, and those mediocres who call themselves US congressmen
ought to get off their behinds and get us out of Indochina.

(applause) Well, we have 2 people now who will testify before the
Committee.

I might add 1 other thing, that we have a time factor here, But I
don't care about the time factor this morning. a would like to say to
you young men that we will sit here no matter what rules of the House
might be that we will break, and we will sit here until you have said
what you have to say and the Amer people hear you. I don't give a damn
what the leadership of this Congress does about it because I think
they have been too weak - kneed about our involvement in Indochina in
the 1st place and we will be here all day if necessary.

(applause) Our next 2 witnesses will be 1st, Mr Guadalupe G Villarreal
and Mr Daniel Barnes. Mr Villarreal.



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