BY MR. TILSEN:
Q Did you receive any awards while in Viet Nam?
A Two Purple Hearts.
Q For injury in combat?
A Yes.
Q Do you know either of the defendants here?
A No, I don't.
Q Have you ever met them?
A No. {Odd statement. He had a major influence on Frank. Possibly an aspect
of his PTSD.}
Q Except for once, did you ever meet me?
A Except for once, I have never met you.
Q I met you in connection with questioning you about the possibility of your
testifying?
A Yes.
Q You have participated, have you not, in an organization of returning combat
veterans from Viet Nam?
A Yes, myself and John Sherman started on Memorial Day of 1969.
Q What is it called?
A Veterans for Peace.
Q John Sherman is another combat veteran from Viet Nam?
A No. He is a veteran of the Armed Forces, but not a veteran from Viet Nam.
MR. TILSEN: Well, I don't believe I can ask any other questions
without violating the Court's instructions.
THE COURT:
All right.
Mr. Kroncke, do you have any questions?
DEFENDANT KRONCKE: Yes, I do.
CROSS-EXAMINATION BY DEFENDANT KRONCKE
Q You have to enlist to become a Marine, is that right?
A Yes.
Q During boot camp, were any of the men with you trained in the language
or the culture of the country you were going to?
A No, they weren't.
Q After being in Viet Nam a year -- you were there a year, is that correct?
A Yes.
Q After being there a year, did you gain any knowledge of the language or the
culture?
A Of the language, no; of the culture, a little.
Q It's not standard practice to train people in the language or the culture?
A No, it is not. No.
Q From your experience, is it rare to find a soldier who knows the language
or is familiar with the culture?
A There were a few sent through that were interpreters that were stationed
with the different battalions and there was a small group of people that worked
with the popular forces in the Vietnamese Army.
Q Basically, the bulk of Marines you were with were ignorant of the language
and culture of the country they were in?
A Yes.
Q Where does the word "gook" come
from?
A Gook is a Vietnamese word for foreigner.
Q When you entered the Marines, what did you think they were going
to train you for?
A I really didn't have any idea what they were going
to train me for. I enlisted for the sole purpose of going to Viet Nam to find
out what was going on there. I was of draft age and my draft board had told
me that I was going to be drafted soon. It seemed to me that if I was going
to go, I would rather pick my own poison.
Q Did you feel that the Marines would make you from a boy to a man?
A Somewhat, yeah, but then I didn't consider myself a boy.
Q You stated that you were a section leader, correct?
A Yes.
Q In a certain sense, you had some authority?
A Yes.
Q And some responsibility?
A Yes, I did.
Q As an individual, do you feel responsible for what goes on in Viet Nam now?
A Very much so, yes.
Q Do you feel that many of the people that you were over felt that responsibility,
also, over there?
A No, they didn't.
Q What about the men above you, the commanders?
A No, they didn't.
MR. ANDERSON: Your Honor --
BY DEFENDANT KRONCKE:
Q You mentioned in previous testimony that an infantryman would burn a hutch
or not burn a hutch, depending upon if he was given an order, is that true?
A Yes.
Q Was there a lot of emphasizing as to doing your job?
A Yes, there was.
Q Has your experience in Viet Nam as a Marine changed your attitude toward
America's leaders?
MR. ANDERSON: I object to that. I think that his
attitude toward America's leaders might lead us into a long line
of questioning that not only doesn't have anything to do with the
events of July 10th, but has nothing to do with what might have
transpired in Viet Nam, which, as I understand it, is the purpose
of his testimony.
THE COURT: Objection sustained. His opinion as
to national leaders is not relevant here.
DEFENDANT KRONCKE: I am trying to
a principle.
THE COURT: He may have whatever beliefs he has,
but I don't believe they are relevant to this.
DEFENDANT KRONCKE: I am trying to establish
the principle that there have been cultural principles established
in America by men who participated in the war, particularly.
THE COURT: Objection sustained.
BY DEFENDANT KRONCKE:
Q Is it true and is it often said that when you go into boot camp, the purpose
of a service like the Marines is to make boys into men?
A Yes, it is.
Q Do you feel or have you experienced the fact that what they basically do
is train you to kill?
A Yes.
Q Can you think of a greater evil than war?
A No.
DEFENDANT KRONCKE: No more questions,
Your Honor.
THE COURT: Mr. Anderson, do you have any?
MR. ANDERSON: It will be very brief, Your Honor.
I might be confused on one point.
CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR. ANDERSON
Q You say that you are 23?
A Yes.
Q That means that you were 15 when you went in the Marine Corps?
A '66 to ‘68 --
Q That would be 16?
DEFENDANT KRONCKE: I will subtract it for you, if you want
me to.
MR. TILSEN: He was 19 when he went in. This is January, 1971.
MR. ANDERSON: Okay.
BY MR. ANDERSON:
Q How long is a Marine Corps enlistment?
A At the time I entered, or now?
Q Well, how long was your enlistment?
A Two years. .
Q Two-year enlistment?
A Yes.
MR. ANDERSON: I have no further questions.
THE COURT: All right. You are excused, Mr. Neilson.
(Witness excused.)
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