Che Battalion
Volume 61
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1966
Number 266
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State Of The Union
Johnson Pledges
To Stand Firm
In Viet Nam War
WASHINGTON <A») — President Johnson promised Wednesday
night to pursue peace but said that in Viet Nam “we will stay
until aggression has stopped.
He backed this pledge with a new, record $112.8-billion budget
that did not call for a general tax boost.
Johnson reported to Congress in person and to the nation by
radio and television on the state of the home front and the state
of his worldwide continuing peace offensive.
He said his peace campaign so far has produced “no response
to prove either success or failure.”
Johnson sounded no threats or ultimatums. But he voiced and
repeated pledges to protect the freedom of Viet Nam from aggression.
And he said too, that, “We do not intend to abandon Asia to
conquest.”
But at the end of his lengthy address, Johnson had a somewhat
encouraging note: “I am hopeful, and I will try, to end this
battle and return our sons to their desires,” he said.
Johnson could give no slightest clue, however, as to when it
might be possible to persuade the North Vietnamese to talk peace.
Nor did he say how long the United States might continue its
pause in the bombing of North Viet Nam, now in its 20th day.
Viet Nam was the overriding item of interest and attention in
the massive State of the Union address.
This address provided his first extended, detailed public analysis
of the reasoning behind the U. S. war effort in Viet Nam.
But Johnson dealt also with the domestic scene and said
that the war halfway around the world must not halt the drive
toward what he calls the “Great Society.”
In the new budget, however, the increased spending will go
largely into military needs.
Officials said the defense budget will go up from about
$54.4 billion this year to $58.3 billion in the next fiscal year
starting July 1, the nonmilitary budget will increase by only
$600 million, they said.
Johnson said he would not hesitate to ask for more appropria
tions and revenues “if the necessities of Viet Nam require it.”
The President also set forth a 10-point domestic program in
a State of the Union message that offers something for every
American — but no general tax increase was called for at this
time.
“I believe,” Johnson said, “we can continue the Great Society
while we fight in Viet Nam.”
In his address Johnson proposed among other things:
— A four-year term for House members instead of the present
two-year term;
— Creation of a new Cabinet department of transportation;
— A speeding up of the anti-proverty program in spite of
expenses of the Vietnamese war;
— Reinforcement of civil rights and a string of other programs.
But because of the burgeoning business life of the nation, the
estimated revenues will be $111 billion and the deficit will be
$1.8 billion — the lowest in several years.
White House records showed this would be the best showing
with respect to balancing income and outgo since a surplus of
$1.2 billion was rung up on the Treasury till in 1960.
The Chief Executive wrote his annual report to Congress in
two sections, one dealing primarily with domestic affairs and the
other with international problems and policies and the Vietnamese
conflict — a conflict he said “must be at the center of our concerns.”
The White House released the text of the presidential address
one half at a time.
Through the night and all day long the President’s staff and
the President himself, much of the time, had toiled over one of
; the most important speeches of his career.
Johnson laid down these 10 points for the home front, after
! declaring the nation is mighty enough, the society healthy enough
and the people strong enough to pursue goals in the rest of the
world while building the Great Society:
1. To carry forward health and education programs enacted
last year.
2. To provide funds to “prosecute with vigor and determination
our war on poverty” on a speeded-up basis.
3. To take what he called a new and daring direction in the
foreign aid program to help needy nations to help themselves
and help those trying to control the population explosion.
4. To make it possible to expand trade between the United
i States and Eastern Europe and Russia.
5. To rebuild on an unprecedented scale central and slum
; areas of several cities.
6. To attack poisoning of rivers and to “clean completely
entire large river basins.”
7. To meet the growing menance of crime in the streets.
8. To take added steps to insure equal justice to all the
‘ people. He called for legislation to establish “unavoidable require-
| ments for non-discriminatory jury selection, with necessary en
forcement power lodged with the attorney general.” He urged
I legislation to bar racial discrimination in sale or rental of housing,
and to strengthen authority of federal courts to try those who
murder, attack or intimidate civil rights workers or others exercising
I constiutional rights.
9. To set up a federal department of transportation — the
I twelfth Cabinet department.
10. Finally, to amend the Constitution to provide a four-year
? term for House members coinciding with the presidential term,
^ to “make it possible for members of the House of Representatives
| to work more effectively in the service of the nation.”
Johnson suggested that this should not be done before 1972.
With respect to taxes,—Johnson said that if the necessities of
f Viet Nam dictate it he will return unhesitatingly to Congress for
1 more appropriations and additional revenues. But at this point
| he called for no general tax increase.
And without raising taxes or increasing the total bill paid,
| Johnson said that we should “improve our withholding system so that
f Americans can more realistically pay as they go.”
Aides said this would mean an increase in the amount of taxes
| withheld from paychecks but not in the total amount of taxes due.
Johnson did say it is desirable, because of increased military
expenditures, to restore temporarily auto and telephone excise tax
cuts that took effect only 12 days ago, on Jan. 1.
“I do not come here tonight,” Johnson told the Senate and
House members, “to ask for pleasant luxuries and idle pleasures.
I am here to recommend that you — the representatives of the
richest nation on earth — the elected servants of a people who
dive in abundance unmatched on this globe — bring the most
(Urgent decencies of life to all Americans.
“I believe we can continue the Great Society while we fight in
;;Viet Nam. But if some do not believe this then, in the name of
Ijustice let them call for the contribution of those who live in the
Sfullness of our blessing, rather than strip it from the hands of those
in need.”
RIDGWAY GIVES TUFFY EXAMINATION
Dr. Sam Ridg^yay, veterinarian at Point one of three distinguished speakers who will
Mugu, U.S.N. Missile Research Center, gives be on campus during Hydro-Space Fiesta
Tuffy, the porpoise used in Sealab II ex- set for Feb. 6-11. Assisting Ridgway is
periments, an examination. Ridgway will be Tuffy’s trainer Wally Ross.
Company Walks Bloody Mile
During Viet Nam Operation
Editor’s Note—This is what the
war in Viet Nam is like—no
major battles but a daily grinding
away at the enemy in many small
actions. AP correspondent Peter
Arnett and photographer Horst
Faas were along with a U. S. rifle
company on Operation Crimp,
near the Viet Cong’s Iron Tri
angle.
By PETER ARNETT
TRUNG LAP, South Viet Nam
(A*)—It was a long, bloody mile
we walked.
At times it was an inferno.
Riot gas drifted through the trees,
burning where it touched a man’s
sweating skin.
Wounded writhed on the
ground, looking grotesque in
their black gas masks.
It was a walk where death
lurked in the trees where the
enemy snipers hid, and under the
ground where their mines lay.
It was a walk that a company
of U. S. 1st Division riflemen
made—the kind of walk that is
much of a part of the Viet Nam
war.
A squad from C Company, 2nd
Battalion, 28th Regiment, located
a mine hidden in the jungle be
side a dusty track. An American
lieutenant colonel came up and as
he stood there at 9 a.m. consult
ing his map, sniper fire snapped
out.
He fell to the ground three feet
from me, his hands to his chest
and moaning. For some awful
minutes there was fear that he
would die.
But his heart, fluttering from
the severe neck wound, picked up
a rhythmical beat. He managed
to whisper to me, and to AP
photographer Horst Faas who
came running up: “Don’t get hit,
don’t get hit.”
But the rifle company was
fated to get hit and remain virtu
ally powerless.
They had a portent from a
point man with another company,
Sgt. Louis Milano from Bayshore,
N. Y. Milano pointed to the way
C Company was going, and said:
“The Viet Cong tried to fence
us up there two hours ago by
jumping out on the track and
waving black flags at us. We
brought in mortars on them.”
The mortars apparently drove
the Viet Cong off. But it didn't
get their mines.
Pfc. Johnny Coffey from Elli-
jay, Ga., tripped the first mine,
a powerful mine that spews
hundreds of lead pellets in the
direction it is pointed.
A rifleman, Coffey was moving
on the right flank when he
tripped the fuse and saw it burn
ing. He shouted a warning and
dived to the ground.
The roar of the exploding mine
20 feet away deafened Faas.
Coffey wasn’t even knicked. But
his platoon sergeant lay dying in
the tall grass off the road waiting
for a medical evacuation heli
copter, an unopened letter from
his wife sticking in his helmet.
Capt. George F. Dailey, com
pany commander from Fort
Atkinson, Wis., a big man who
carries his rifle as tenderly as
he would a baby, barked out
orders to his men who were
sweating in the dust and the high
noon sun.
“Be careful! Be watchful!” he
yelled.
He told his men not to bunch
up around the radio operators,
prime Viet Cong targets. An
operator, Spec. 4 Benjamin Scol-
ley from Frankfort, Ind., said
seriously:
“They can get me, but they
mustn’t get the radio. The radio
is our link with the outside. It’s
more important than any of us.”
One of Dailey’s scout platoons
far ahead had been pinned down
for three hours by Viet Cong
troops firing machine guns from
a concrete bunker reinforced with
steel. They had taken some
casualties and Dailey was hurry
ing to relieve them.
Fallout Theater
Sets Variety Show
A musical variety show, fea
turing classical, popular, and folk
music, will be presented at 8
p.m. Friday in the Fallout Theat
er.
The program will feature Ed
Reyna at the piano; two flute
solos by Marilyn Dieckert, and
two contralto solos by Jo Anne
Piermattei, both accompanied by
Marge Heilett.
George Clarke and Dick Gus
tafson, members of The Way
farers, and Dave Spangler, gui
tarist, will provide folk music,
along with Jan and Jay—Jan
Gannaway and Jay Ferguson.
The Glory Gems of College Sta
tion will sing spirituals.
Admission is 50 cents.
Upcoming in the Fallout The
ater is “Two Looks at Hope,”
featuring two one-act plays.
“Hope Is the Thing With Feath
ers,” by Richard Harrity, and
“Dope,” by Maryat Lee, both di
rected by Allan Pierce, will be
presented Jan. 19, 20 and 21.
Armed helicopters came swoop
ing down to assist the beleaguered
platoon. A hoarse shout came
over the radio: “Stop firing, stop
firing. You’re too close.”
Helicopters carrying gas came
in to assist. They plastered the
Viet Cong bunker with scores of
tear gas grenades. As the
pungent fumes drifted back up
the trail, Dailey yelled: “Gas
masks on, everyone!”
The tight, rubber masks are
terrible to wear in the heat of
Viet Nam. Breathing is difficult
and sweat builds up inside.
It was while the rifle company
was stumbling forward in the
masks that the next mine ex
ploded, booming from the edge of
a house being burned down, fell
ing two sergeants.
The medics peeled the clothes
off one of the wounded. He lay
there, his head thrown back, as
they bathed his torn thighs, his
moans barely audible through the
jutting nose of his mask.
Dailey was ordered to return to
base camp. Headquarters had de
cided to plaster the area with
heavy artillery in hope of explod
ing the mines.
So Dailey’s company moved
back the way it had come, back
over the Bloody Mile. Next day
it would return.
3 Speakers
To Highlight
Space Fiesta
By MIKE BERRY
Battalion Staff Writer
Three distinguished speakers, including Cmdr. Scott
Carpenter, will highlight the Hydro-Space Fiesta Feb. 6-13,
Issues Committee member Bill Gross said Wednesday.
Astronaut - aqanaut Carpenter, of the Manned Space
craft Center in Houston, will speak on his experiences in
the Sealab II experiments Feb. 7.
Rear Admiral O. D. Waters Jr., the Oceanographer of
the Navy, will speak on the importance and implications of
oceanography in national security Feb. 9.
Dr. Sam H. Ridgeway,
who was graduated from
A&M in 1960, will tell of
the experiments with por
poises during the Sealab II
experiments Feb. 10.
Cmdr. Carpenter was one of
the pioneering Mercury astro
nauts. He served as backup pilot
for Col. John H. Glenn. Later,
on May 24, 1962, Carpenter pilot
ed the Aurora 7 specacraft to
an altitude of 164 miles and an
orbital velocity of 17,532 miles
per hour. Carpenter was as
signed the lunar excursion mo
dule in the Apollo moon project
as his special responsibility in
January, 1963.
Carpenter was assigned tem
porarily as executive assistant to
the director of the Center. In the
spring and summer of 1965, he
participated in the Navy’s Sea
lab II project. He was the train
ing officer for the crew and of
ficer-in-charge of the diving
teams during the operation.
He was a member of the crew
that remained submerged at 205
feet for 30 days. His participa
tion in the experiment earned
him the Navy Unit Commenda
tion and the Legion of Merit
decorations.
Carpenter also served in Korea
as a test pilot before joining the
Mercury program.
Adm. Waters is a 1932 grad
uate of the U. S. Naval Academy.
He has commanded the Destroyer
Clearance Needed
For Fee Refund
Students who will not register
for the spring semester must
secure a clearance form from
their Civilian Counselor for a
refund on the student activity
fee, property deposit and room
deposit.
The form is to be turned into
the housing Office with the
room key. The clearance form
must be in order, with the re
quired signatures and the room
key.
A $5 penalty will be charged
to dormitory students who have
not properly checked out.
Students living in civilian
dormitories have until Friday for
reserving their present rooms.
Rooms not signed for by 5 p.m.
Friday will be available on a
first-come, first-served basis on
Monday.
Flotilla One, the Naval Weapons
Laboratory and the Mine Force,
Pacific Fleet. He was awarded
the Bronze Star Medal for his
antisubmarine planning work
during World War II.
Dr. Ridgway is a research vet
erinarian with the Marine Sci
ences Division of the U. S. Naval
Missile Center at Point Mugu,
Calif. He is also a staff member
of the Institute of Environment
Stress at the University of Cali
fornia.
In June, 1963 while working
for the Navy and the Institute,
he supervised the training of an
Atlantic bottlenose porpoise to
work untethered in the open sea.
The animal, named “Tuffy”,
was used in the Sealab II project
to carry tools, messages and res
cue lines to the aquanauts.
Twenty groups will sponsor
exhibits at the Hydrospace Fiesta.
Among the exhibitors will be
U. S. Divers Corp., North Ameri
can Aviation, Brown & Root Con
struction Company, Texas In
struments Co., the Electrict Boat
Division of General Dynamics,
the Office of Naval Research, the
Naval Ordnance Laboratory, the
Naval Research Laboratory, the
Office of the Chief of Naval
Operations and the Naval Ocean
ographer’s Office.
The Hydro-Space Fiesta will
feature speakers, exhibits, semi
nars by the A&M Oceanography
department and a film program.
One of the films to be fea
tured is the winner for the best
technical film at the Cannes
Film Festival, “Oceanography,
The Science for Survival.”
Final Exam Schedule
Final examinations for the Fall Semester 1965
will be held Jan. 24 - Jan. 29, according to the
following schedule:
Date
Hours
Series
000 students within the next two
24,
Mon.
8-11
a.
m.
MWF8
years.
24,
Mon.
1-4
P-
m.
TThSFl
The study will determine the
25,
Tue.
8-11
a.
m.
MWF9
extent of reconstruction and the
25,
Tue.
1-4
P-
m.
MWThl
time and cost of the operation.
26,
Wed.
8-11
a.
m.
MWF10
An early estimate calls for
26,
Wed.
1-4
P-
m.
TF1
around $230,000 for each dormi
27,
Thu.
8-11
a.
m.
M3TThlO
tory and $200,000 for the dining
27,
Thu.
1-4
P.
m.
MWTh2
hall.
28,
Fri.
8-11
a.
m.
MWF11
Although no action has been
28,
Fri.
1-4
P-
m.
M4TThll
initiated as yet, a proposal for
29,
Sat.
8-11
a.
m.
TTh9F2
the construction of six new dorm
29,
Sat.
1-4
P-
m.
TF2 or
TWF3 or
TThF3
itories in the Duncan area is
expected next fall to account for
the expected enrollment increase.
NOTE: Final examinations in courses with only
one theory hour per week as shown in the cat
alogue will be given, at the discretion of the
department head concerned, at the last meeting
of either the theory or practice period before the
close of the semester. Evening classes are to be
worked out on individual arrangements.
Duncan Area
Renovation
Under Study
A study of the proposed re
novation and air conditioning of
the 12 dormitories and Duncan
Dining Hall in the south dorm
area is underway, Auxiliary
Services Director Howard Vestal
announced Wednesday.
The Board of Directors has ap
proved $45,000 for an engineering
study and plans with a detailed
report expected to go before the
Board late in the spring semes
ter.
“The next meeting of the Board
of Directors will be the first
week of March,” Vestel remarked,
“but I doubt if anything will be
submitted on this project then.”
He said there is a time element
involved, because the University
needs facilities for housing 12,
Dean of Students James P.
Hannigan points out that the
proposed housing projects would
not force an immediate tuition
increase.
Vestal also emphatically denied
rumors concerning construction
of co-ed dormitories in the near
future.