GI Movement Calendar - April 1968

Combat Refusal and Refusal of Orders
Desertion and Unauthorized Absence
n.d.		Edward. Arnet, Andrew. Callicote, Charles Kennette, Joseph. Knetz, Mark Shapiro and Terry Whitmore travel trough the Soviet Union, en route to Sweden after deserting their iunits in Vietnam. They make public statement to the press, while in Moscow on May 4		Moscow
GI Press and Movement Organizations
GI Press
n.d.		First issue of Where It’s At published		Berlin
Movement Organizations
n.d.		GI Association founded		San Francisco
2		Union of American Exiles founded		Toronto
Protests and Demonstrations
n.d.		Federal Judge orders military to allow Seaman David Crane to resign from the military as a conscientious objector.
3		Pvt. John Welty goes on hunger strike to protest US involvement in Vietnam.		Presidio Stockade
3		Jeffrey Goldin goes on hunger strike in protest. To draw attention to his actions, he contacts the local paper in Marysville, who write a story about his action.		Beale AFB
7		53 GIs sign petition, written by Walte Kos, calling for “day of mourning” for Dr. Martin Luther King		Heilbronn, West Germany
11-12		On-base riot		Fort Campbell
27		GI-civilian antiwar marches.		New York and San Francisco
Harassment and Repression
3		Navy annlounces court-martial of PO/3 Dennis Ciesielski for refusing orders to board ship headed for Vietnam.
3		Jeffrey Goldin arrested for "not going through proper “chain of command” and any statements I make, without going through the “information office”, would result in additional charges carrying a punishment of 3 years for each statement made" after he had contacted his local newspaper to announce he was going on hunger strike to protest the war.		Beale AFB
5		Berlin Brigade “locked down” to protect GIs from antiwar leafletters		West Berlin
6		President Johnson orders 5,000 Federal troops to Chicago, at the request of Lieut. Governor Samuel H. Shapiro who told him they were needed to combat an "insurrection." 4 months later 43 of these same GIs would refuse orders to Chicago to maintain control and order at the 1968 Democratic Convention		Chicago
9		The brass announce they will court martial Pvt. Kenneth Stolte and PFC Daniel Amick for having passed out an anti-war leaflet to their fellow GIs. The charge is '' promoting disaffection among the troops and civilian populace,'' and carries a possible penalty of three years imprisonment		Fort Ord
13		On-base curfew declared in response to two nights of rioting.		Fort Campbell
16		Pvt. Paul Gaedtke given undesirable discharge		Fort Sill
17-18		PO/3 Dennis Ciesiesky court-martialed for refusing to board a Vietnam-bound ship, sentenced to one year at hard labor and given a bad conduct discharge.
18		Cpl. Mary Burns given undesirable discharge.
19		Pvt. Andy Stapp given undesirable discharge		Fort Sill
22		Civilian priest barred from the base for giving antiwar advice to GIs		Fort Knox
23		On-base curfew imposed to halt “scattered acts of rebellion.”		Fort Campbell
23		Jeffrey Goldin given an "undesirable discharge" for statements he made to the press announcing his hunger strike in opposition to the Vietnam War		Beale AFB