Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.metro From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Corps feelings conclude Clinton's gay policy is way off base Date: Thu, 19 Nov 92 15:23:03 EST Message-ID: \SE B;METROPOLITAN;O'LEARY'S WASHINGTON \HD Corps feelings conclude Clinton's gay policy is way off base \BY Jeremiah O'Leary \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES If President-elect Bill Clinton had ever served in the armed forces, he might not be so anxious to have homosexuals in the communal showers and privacy-free latrines and living spaces allotted to GIs in barracks and on Navy ships. Right out of Marine Corps boot camp in 1942, I was sent to a dismal naval air station in the jungles of British Guiana where I learned the young executive officer was gay. The man has been dead for several years now, but he rose to become a naval aviator and a lieutenant colonel until they caught him in bed with a young sailor. Under the former Articles of the Government of the United States Navy, which prevailed until the Uniform Code of Military Justice replaced it, both men were court-martialed and dropped from the armed services. The officer was a first lieutenant when I knew him. Because I could type, I was detailed to be the company clerk, along with a young and innocent Marine named Dave Kelly, who had studied for the priesthood. Once a month, some enlisted men were allowed to make the boat trip on the Essequibo River to the city of Georgetown, noted for the sultry beauty of its women. Invariably, the officer would interrogate Kelly about his romances, although Kelly was both deeply religious and a certifiable virgin. One day, the lieutenant told me to report back to the company office at 2000 hours (8 p.m.) to get started on the monthly muster roll. Instead, I headed for the civilian engineers' camp, where they sold beer. I had no intention of being in that office alone with the officer after dark and I knew if he made a pass at me, I'd punch him out. That could get me time in the brig or a term in the naval prison at Portsmouth, N.H. Finally, the big sergeant of the guard, Ed Rader, tracked me down at the engineers' club. "The lieutenant wants you right now!" he said. I told Rader he'd have to take me by force. We argued a while and I finally consented to go. Once in the office, I put on a little act. I said, "Lieutenant, I'm too drunk to work." Any other officer in the Marine Corps would have locked me up on bread and water, but this strange lieutenant just told me to go get a good night's sleep. I only encountered one other homosexual in more than 32 years with the Marines. I was being transferred from British Guiana to Puerto Rico by way of Trinidad, when a warrant officer named O'Sullivan issued me a .45-caliber pistol, a club and a grizzled old Navy chief who was to be court-martialed for organizing a ring of homosexuals. I was told not to speak to the prisoner and that if he had to go to the head, I had to go too, handcuffed to his right hand. He had hash marks indicating 12 years' service and he knew he was going to end up in Portsmouth. I felt sorry for him, but disgusted as well. He tried to strike up a conversation with me but I would not answer. It was seemingly the longest flight of my life and I was much relieved to hand him and his papers over to the naval police at San Juan. And this is the nub of the controversy. I know that the mere presence of a homosexual makes me desperately uncomfortable. There just isn't any rational way Marines, sailors and soldiers can be at ease with men who consider the rest of us to be sex objects. I say President-elect Clinton is wrong about opening the armed forces to individuals who are always on the prowl. He will regret it if he hews to this course. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM