April 26, 1971: 125 Students Take Part In Peace March

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on April 26, 1971.

125 Students Take Part In Peace March

An estimated 125 Valparaiso University students marched on the courthouse Saturday morning in support of Vietnam Solidarity Days.the students carried flags, placards and sang patriotic songs as they walked from the university, via Lincolnway, to the courthouse war memorial where a brief rally was held.

Gene Gross, VU junior from East Lansing, Mich., a march coordinator, explained to the crowd that the United States government policy in Southeast Asia was immoral, unnecessary and a failure. Gross stated that it was part time for the American people to take matters into their own hands and sign a separate peace with the Vietnamese.

Following Gross’s talk, marchers divided into groups and passed out copies of the People’s Peace Treaty, described as “a joint treaty of peace between the people of the United States, South Vietnam and North Vietnam.”

According to this peace treaty, Americans will set a date of total withdrawal of troops, the Vietnamese will agree to an immediate cease fire, all military prisoners will be released, Vietnamese will form a provisional coalition government to organize elections, all parties will guarantee the safety and political freedom of persons involved in the war and all parties will respect the independence, peace and neutrality of Laos and Cambodia.

Police Chief Lee Miller later described the marchers as “well-behaved” and reported the only incident occurred when an unidentified local resident jumped from his automobile, tore down a make-shift Viet Cong flag from a flag pole and drove away.

The turnout of 125 was far below the estimated 500 expected. Various students said the low number was because of chilly weather the general feeling of hopelessness on college campuses, the alleged inability of citizens to influence government policy and the memory of Kent State.

To Courthouse

Nearly 125 Valparaiso University students marched down Lincolnway Saturday protesting American involvement in Vietnam. Group held rally at courthouse. Copies of People’s Peace Treaty were distributed to members of community. Demonstration was noisy but peaceful, police said.

Feb. 3, 1966: Valparaiso Shows Heart

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 3, 1966.

Valparaiso Shows Heart

The second chapter in Valparaiso’s effort to help the peasants of a small village in Viet Nam was written Wednesday.

Three weeks ago The Vidette-Messenger ran an article which challenged the people of Valparaiso to contribute whatever they could in the way of clothing or daily necessities for the purpose of shipping them to Viet Nam for distribution to the peasants of Gia Nghia, Quang Duc province.

This request for contributions came in reply to a letter from Sgt. Frank Giannascoli, of advisory team 32, Gia Nghia, in which he asked for these items so that he might distribute them to the small farmers in his area.

As a result of this invitation to the citizens of Valparaiso, a sizable portion of local Army recruiter Sgt. John Robinson’s office at 151 South Washington has been occupied by a collection of cartons and bags of all sizes. Roughly speaking, more than 500 pounds of lightweight clothing, medical items and supplies have been contributed by various individuals and groups.

Wednesday afternoon these items were packed in uniform cartons and addressed for shipment through the assistance of Mrs. James Mullinax, Mrs. Robert Whitney and Girl Scouts Paige Glidden, Sandy Ray, Mary Morris and Sandy Bowman.

Sgt. Robinson reported that the cartons were slated to be picked up today at 1 p.m. by the Landgrebe Trucking company and to be driven to Glenview Naval Air station for late shipment by the US Navy.

One cannot but wonder at the expression on Sgt. Giannascoli’s face when a chopper sets down in Gia Nghia with the large cartons of supplies from the City of Valparaiso.

HELP VIET PEASANTSーGirl Scout Paige Glidden peeks over the top of boxes of clothing containing about 500 pounds of clothing and daily necessities to be shipped from local Army Recruiter Sgt. John Robinson’s office to peasants at Gia Nghia, Quang Duc province, Viet Nam at the request of Sgt. Frank Giannascoli, currently with Advisory Team 32 in Viet Nam. other Girl Scouts on service project from left Sandy Ray, Mary Morris, and Sandy Bowman.