Medred & Veterans

Meanwhile, I visited your “blogspot” and note that the “myth” of the way that Vietnam Vets were treated is really widespread, including in Craig Medred’s April 1 story in the Daily News (about free halibut charter trips in Seward; see: http://www.adn.com/outdoors/craig_medred/story/8757662p-8658003c.html). It was a bit much, and also addressed halibut charter stuff, about which I have dealt professionally, so I wrote him an e-mail, as follows. Of course, he hasn’t responded!

I enjoyed your article in this morning’s ADN (about Bob Candopoulos and Keith Manternach). However, it suggested to me that you might have expended a modicum of effort to explain to the public the existence of the Seward Military Resort (http://www.sewardresort.com/) where, at significantly discounted rates, and for the price of an Alaskan fishing license, military personnel have access to FOUR halibut charter vessels, upon which they may slay halibut to their heart’s content during the entire season. This has been a technical issue the North Pacific Fishery Management Council has been dealing with as they develop a way to deal with the charter halibut issue.

It is also too bad that you continue to spread the mythology of the way American GI’s were treated during the Vietnam war. As an Army veteran, who was honorably discharged in 1967, I can assure you that I was never mistreated, spat upon, called a “baby killer,” or anything of the sort. Even if, very rarely, such reprehensible behavior may have occurred, it serves little purpose (other, perhaps, than purely political) to continue to focus attention on what should, at best, be an obscure historical footnote.

I wish Mr. Candopolous and Mr. Manternach the best and hope the GIs have a grand time. And I also hope that, in the future, you fine-tune your reporting to include facts and not hyperbole.