Remember fragging incidents in Vietnam?

[unhappycamper]

Sgt. Joseph C. Bozicevich is accused of killing Staff Sgt. Darris Dawson and Sgt. Wesley Durbin in Iraq.


Bozicevich lawyers want 9-month trial delay
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Mar 25, 2010 18:37:57 EDT

FORT STEWART, Ga. — A military judge is telling attorneys to prepare for a June court-martial for a Fort Stewart soldier charged with slaying a superior and a fellow soldier in Iraq, despite requests for a delay.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys for Army Sgt. Joseph Bozicevich asked for more time Thursday. Fort Stewart spokesman Kevin Larson said prosecutors asked for an October trial date. Defense lawyers wanted to postpone until next March.

The judge, Col. Tara Osborn, says she would release a final schedule later. But she told attorneys to be ready by June 7, a date set months ago.

Bozicevich could face the death penalty if convicted of murder in the slayings of Staff Sgt. Darris Dawson and Sgt. Wesley Durbin at a patrol base in Iraq in September 2008.


Article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/03/ap_army_bozicevich_court_martial_032510/

[stray cat]

1. People murder people - why should the military be an exception to the rest of the US?

[ThomWV]

7. Fragging implies more than simple murder

It implies mutiny, and mutinies always spring from a reason.

Yes, this may have been a simple murder, or multiple murder as it seems it may be. But just that, that there were two superiors involved, may point to a deeper problem.

[Bucky]

2. will read later

I'm sure this is a very complicated situation that defies the usual oversimplifications that discussion boards can handle.

[unhappycamper]

3. Here's the wikipedia take on fragging:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragging

And a few more links:

"Fragging" and "Combat Refusals" in Vietnam
1961-1973: GI resistance in the Vietnam War

[dashrif]

4. Long time ago

when I was still in my platoon got a new butter bar that was a total f-up and got us kia'ed over and over again in training exercises I remember in one AAR his exact words where "Ah Ah Sir I had Ah Ah mental block resulting in a complete and total breakdown of clarity Sir" we just looked around at each other in disbelief and knew the deal we never talked about it but we all knew if we all got deployed with him if he made it back the rest of us would not, we where so happy when he got promoted to another co.

So I can relate to feelings like this, not to say that this is what happened and I in noway condone anything like this. At the end of the day you put your life in your buddy's hands and your buddy the same with the deepest sense of friendship and brotherly love with the highest responsibility to each other so don't be a BLUE FALCON. Again I don't condone this and this may not be the case it is sad any time one of our troops does not make it home and especially disheartening when fratricide is the cause.

[Gaedel]

6. In Vietnam

Most of the cases of fragging or attempted fragging in Vietnam took place in rear area units and not as a part of combat refusal. There was a lot of boredom in the rear area units plus a slow but steady rise in marijuana and hard drug use. Officers and NCOs who attempted to enforce discipline in their units or who tried to crack down on drug usage often became targets of fragging. Dec 31,1967, I was commanding an engineer company in Vietnam. At midnight, the troops were a little bit tipsy from alchohol and were firing their rifles up in the air. My officers and I moved out of our tent and took the rifles away and told the troops to go to bed. They did without complaint. When I went back to Vietnam in 1972, I would not have dared to do that. One or more of the soldiers would have shot me for interrupting their fun. The troops were totally out of control by 1972. Fortunately, there were not many troops in Vietnam at the time. Most of the units were made up of officers and NCOs managing contracts with contractors doing most of the grunt work. Then "Henry the K" declared "peace with honor" and we all went home in March 1973.

[gratuitous]

5. I'm sure the survivors of Haditha will be interested in this

When an American military man kills two of his comrades, what happens? When a group of military men massacre a couple dozen civilians, what happens? Compare and contrast. You know the Iraqis and other observers will. And they'll draw their own conclusions without reference to Fox News or Pentagon press releases.