GI Movement Calendar - April 1971

Combat Refusal and Refusal of Orders
Desertion and Unauthorized Absence
GI Press and Movement Organizations
GI Press
n.d.		First issue of Confinee Says published.		Camp Pendleton
n.d.		First issue of Whack! published.		Fort McLellan
n.d.		First issue of The Liberty Call published.		San Diego
Movement Organizations
n.d.		Service People for Peace and Justice founded.		Pease AFB
Protests and Demonstrations
11		Protest and all-night vigil , organized by the Navy's Concerned Officers' Movement, as the Navy supercarrier USS Constellation (nicknamed "Connie") set sail from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for a scheduled bombing mission in Southeast Asia. The Connie would become the focus of larger protests during a stop in San Diego, and en route, as crew members became part of the "Save Our Ship" (SOS) antiwar movement and held protests on board ships.		Bremerton
13-14		USSF/FTA Show performs at Haymarket Square coffeehouse.		Fayetteville
14		Members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War stage a mock search and destroy mission at Boston City Hall. 30 men dressed in army fatigues and armed with toy M-16 rifles “attack” a subway exit and take “prisoners” who are also members of their group		Boston
18		John Kerry and Al Hubbard appear on Meet the Press.
19-23		VVAW stage operation Dewey Canyon III, 5 days of demonstrations, street theatre and lobbying Congresss		Washington DC
20		Dewey Canyon III 100's of Vietnam veterans lobby the Congress to end the war. 200 veterans march back to the Arlington Cemetery, which had been locked to keep them out. Officials are forced to back down and give them access. Veterans perform guerilla theater “search and destroy” missions on the steps of the Capitol and in the streets, bringing the war home to thousands of tourists. The US Supreme Court announces that the 1000 veterans camped on the Mall must leave the next day.		Washington DC
21		Dewey Canyon III Vietnam veterans vote to defy the Supreme Court’s eviction notice and continue their encampment in the Mall. The Court backs down and allows them to stay. 50 Vietnam veterans march to the Pentagon to turn themselves in as war criminals. They are not arrested. Other vets continue in what is obviously becoming a fruitless anti war Congressional lobbying effort. Veterans perform guerilla theater in front of the Justice Department and leaflet in the streets with their anti war message.		Washington DC
22		Dewey Canyon III 110 Vietnam veterans are arrested after a large group of them march to the steps of the Supreme Court demanding to know why the Court has not ruled the war “un-constitutional.” Over 1000 veterans make an anti war march around the White House.		Washington DC
23		Dewey Canyon III Nearly 2000 Vietnam veterans end a week long series of anti war actions in the nation’s capital at a ceremony with 800 veterans making short statements and throwing their war medals into a pile labeled “trash” on the steps of the US Capital building.		Washington DC
24		Nearly 1000 active duty GIs lead an anti war protest march of 750,000 through the streets of Washington DC and 250,000 in San Francisco to demand “total and immediate withdrawal from Indochina”.		San Francisco, Washington DC
24		GI-civilian antiwar demonstration		Tuscon
30		Fort McClellan GI’s and WAC’s United organize a large contingent of soldiers to march in solidarity with striking hospital workers		Anniston
Harassment andf Reprerssion
n.d.		Lt. Bob Brown (Concerned Officers Movement) given early out.