From the Front Lines

Here is a letter to Jeff Nuttall from a United States Marine during Vietnam.  It is a fascinating letter that shows how the spirit of the mimeo revolution penetrated the Armed Forces.  The thought of Ed Sanders' Peace Eye sent to Camp Lejeune is pretty mind-blowing.  As I wrote earlier, the mimeo revolution started in the camps at Waldport and continues on in the military setting to the present day.  The Vietnam Era was the height of the Underground Press in the military.  Private Ryan (it really is too good to be true, but there you have it) mentions The Gargoyle.  Another mag associated with Camp Lejeune was Head-On, run by ex-Marines.  Other GI papers include:  Last Harass (Fort Gordon), Duck Power (San Diego), Fed Up (Fort Lewis), Ultimate Weapon (Fort Dix), Top Secret (Fort Devens)Left Face (Anniston, Ala.).  This is only a partial list.  Roger Lewis' Outlaws in America has a chapter on the Underground Press in the military.  The Sir No Sir website also has a library of  mimeo material.  See http://www.sirnosir.com/archives_and_resources/library/pamphlets.html.

It is not just long haired freaks who question the actions of the military.  I would suspect that as long as the United States has had an Armed Forces, there has been an active underground voice within it that tries to keep its power and abuse of power in line.  The mimeograph prints military directives, but it also gives voice to the military's conscience.

JB