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LC
1
MID
ST
RO
W A
FT
ER
RO
W O
F B
ALD
ING
, p
au
nch
y m
en
, fresh
ly m
an
icu
red
po
m-
pom
girls
and a
thousand w
hite
lights
flo
od
ing
the
stag
e, R
on
Ko
vic clutch
ed
th
e s
ide o
f his
wheelc
hair. W
ith a
w
eek's
stu
bble
of b
eard
, wearin
g a
\ fra
ye
d, s
we
at-s
oa
ke
d M
arin
e s
hirt,
Ko
vic
an
d h
is tw
o c
om
rad
es w
ere
a
ll bu
t swa
llow
ed
up
in th
e ca
vern
- _
_
4. -
II r--- _
•
,
, 1_
_
p
Ill/Vt./1
11
6 L
I IC J
LC
15
C,
I I■l./ V
IL, •-1
■Alk,11C
.;VA
the s
ide o
f his
wheelc
hair. W
ith a
w
eek's
stu
bble
of b
eard
, wearin
g a
fra
yed, s
weat-s
oaked M
arin
e s
hirt,
Kovic
and h
is tw
o c
om
rades w
ere
all b
ut s
wallo
wed u
p in
the c
avern
-ous h
all. F
or a
n in
sta
nt h
e w
as
rem
inded o
f that d
ay in
Vie
tnam
, w
he
n h
e w
as a
lso
wa
lkin
g
"poin
t," and th
e firs
t bulle
t rip
ped th
rough h
is fo
ot. T
hen a
second A
K-4
7 ro
und p
ierc
ed h
is
lung a
nd c
ut h
is s
pin
al c
ord
. T
his
wa
s n
ot V
ietn
am
, bu
t the
vib
ratio
ns w
ere
the
re—
psych
ic
bulle
ts fro
m 5
000 R
epublic
an
dele
gate
s. In
a fe
w m
om
ents
th
e P
resid
en
t of th
e U
nite
d
Sta
tes w
ould
be o
n p
lat-
form
an
d K
ovic
wo
uld
ge
t the
co
nfro
nta
tion
he
ha
d c
om
e
35
00
mile
s for.
Ko
vic
ha
d b
eg
un
his
mis
-sio
n te
n d
ays e
arlie
r wh
en
his
contin
gent o
f the L
ast
Patro
l form
ed u
p in
Califo
r- 50
PH
OT
OS
BY
GE
OR
GE
BU
TLE
R
nia
. He
an
d th
e o
the
rs in th
e V
ietn
am
Ve
tera
ns
Again
st the W
ar (V
VA
W) h
ad b
een p
lannin
g fo
r m
on
ths th
eir m
arch
on
the
Re
pu
blica
n co
nve
n-
tion
in M
iam
i. Th
e p
lan
: thre
e co
nvo
ys of h
un
-dre
ds o
f vehicle
s would
trave
l acro
ss the U
nite
d
Sta
tes, c
onverg
e in
Flo
rida, a
nd s
weep in
to
Mia
mi. T
here
they w
ould
join
seve
ral th
ousa
nd
oth
ers
pro
testin
g th
e "c
oro
na
tion
of R
ich
ard
N
ixo
n."
The C
alifo
rnia
convoy w
ould
travel fo
r a
week th
rough th
e D
eep S
outh
. "I'm s
care
d,"
adm
itted Ja
ck McC
loske
y, an e
x-Marin
e m
edic,
as th
e ca
rava
n p
rep
are
d to
lea
ve S
an
Fra
ncisco
o
n A
ug
ust 1
3. "I've
be
en
on
ple
nty o
f con
voys
in N
am
an
d I th
ink th
is o
ne
will b
e lik
e th
at."
Th
e V
ets d
idn
't kno
w w
ha
t kind
of re
cep
tion
th
ey w
ould
get—
a h
undre
d lo
nghairs in
tatte
red
milita
ry fa
tigues tru
ckin
g d
ow
n th
e h
ighw
ay in
old
VW
buse
s, picku
p tru
cks, moto
rcycles, a
nd
e
ven
a n
ew
Po
rsche
. T
he V
VA
W's la
st big
natio
nal a
ction, D
ew
ey
Ca
nyo
n Ill, w
as p
rob
ab
ly th
e m
ost s
ucce
ssfu
l and d
ram
atic in
the h
istory o
f the a
ntiw
ar m
ove
-m
en
t. Fo
r alm
ost th
ree
we
eks in
late
Ap
ril an
d
early M
ay 1
971, th
e sig
ht o
f hundre
ds o
f vete
r-a
ns flin
gin
g th
eir m
ed
als b
ack a
t the
Pe
nta
go
n,
de
fyin
g th
e S
up
rem
e C
ou
rt by b
ivo
ua
cin
g o
n
the g
rounds o
f the W
ash
ingto
n M
onum
ent, a
nd
openly d
eta
iling th
e crim
inal a
cts they h
ad co
m-
mitte
d in
Vie
tna
m, c
ap
ture
d th
e a
tten
tion
of
the m
edia
and stirre
d th
e co
nscie
nce
of m
illions
of p
eo
ple
. S
ix mo
nth
s be
fore
, the
VV
AW
ha
d h
eld
the
W
inte
r So
ldie
r Inve
stig
atio
n in
De
troit. F
or th
e
first tim
e, V
ets
describ
ed fo
r a n
atio
nal te
levi-
sion
au
die
nce
.ho
w th
ey b
ayo
ne
ted
ba
bie
s, dis-
em
bow
ele
d p
risoners
, and ra
ped y
oung g
irls
in V
ietn
am
. Th
e film
ed
ve
rsio
n o
f the
eve
nt,
Win
ter S
old
ier, re
main
s one o
f the m
ost p
ow
er-
fu I in
dic
tments
of A
meric
an g
enocid
e in
In
do
ch
ina
. M
ore
recently
, fifteen V
ets
on tria
l for s
eiz
-in
g th
e S
ou
th V
ietn
am
ese
con
sula
te in
Sa
n F
ran
-cis
co
sh
ow
ed
po
rtion
s o
f the
film to
the
jury
; th
ey w
ere
acq
uitte
d. M
ike O
liver, a
n a
rticula
te
VV
AW
spo
kesm
an
, said
he
saw
tea
rs com
e to
th
e e
yes o
f one o
f the ju
rors
durin
g th
e s
how
-in
g. A
nd
at th
e v
icto
ry c
ele
bra
tion
afte
rwa
rds,
the
ex-N
avy ca
pta
in w
ho
serve
d a
s jury fo
rem
an
to
ld th
e V
ets
, "I'm w
ith y
ou
bo
ys."
be
ing
bro
ug
ht b
efo
re a
fed
era
l gra
nd
jury
, th
ou
gh
the
y we
ren
't told
wh
y. Th
en
the
go
vern
-m
en
t lea
ke
d to
the
pre
ss a
sto
ry o
f a m
assiv
e
co
nsp
iracy b
y th
e V
VA
W to
blo
w u
p b
uild
ing
s
an
d a
ttack p
olic
e s
tatio
ns—
in e
ffect, s
tart a
m
ino
r wa
r du
ring
the
Mia
mi C
on
ve
ntio
n.
Th
e g
ove
rnm
en
t ca
se
, it turn
ed
ou
t late
r, re
ste
d o
n th
e te
stim
ony o
f a V
VA
W s
outh
ern
o
rga
niz
er n
am
ed
Willia
m L
em
me
r wh
o is
, a
cco
rdin
g to
Oliv
er, "a
rea
l psych
o—
as c
razy
as th
ey c
om
e."
Le
mm
er w
as a
go
vern
me
nt a
ge
nt a
ssign
ed
to
infiltra
te th
e V
VA
W. (B
ecause a
nyone w
ho
cla
ime
d to
be
a v
ete
ran
an
d a
ga
inst th
e w
ar
has o
penly
been a
ccepte
d in
to th
e o
rganiz
a-
tion
, VV
AW
ha
s lon
g b
ee
n a
ripe
targ
et fo
r go
v-e
rnm
en
t infiltra
tion
.) Th
e V
ets
sa
y th
ey h
ave
a lo
ng ta
ped co
nfe
ssion b
y Lem
mer, a
dm
itting
that th
e g
overn
ment s
et u
p th
e w
hole
thin
g
to d
iscre
dit th
eir a
ntiw
ar c
am
pa
ign
. Be
sid
es
cre
atin
g fu
rther d
am
agin
g p
ublic
ity, th
e in
dic
t-m
ents
were
desig
ned to
blu
nt th
e b
uild
ing
mom
entu
m o
f the L
ast P
atro
l. (All te
n w
ere
re
ce
ntly
rele
ase
d fro
m ja
il on
the
ir ow
n re
co
g-
niz
ance b
y S
upre
me C
ourt J
ustic
e W
illiam
0.
Dougla
s.) T
he g
ove
rnm
ent ta
ctic was a
partia
l succe
ss —
the
Ore
go
n c
ha
pte
r ba
cke
d o
ut a
nd
oth
er
VV
AW
un
its w
ere
afra
id to
lea
ve
for M
iam
i; b
ut th
e C
alifo
rnia
, Ne
w Y
ork
, Mid
we
st, a
nd
S
outh
ern
contin
gents d
ecid
ed to
go a
head.
T M
IDN
IGH
T A
UG
US
T 1
3, n
ine
ve
hicle
s left S
an F
rancisco
, linkin
g u
p
the
ne
xt d
ay w
ith th
e L
os A
ng
ele
s
an
d S
an
Die
go
co
nvo
ys to
be
gin
the
tre
k acro
ss the
de
sert. T
rave
ling
with
}th
e a
pp
roxim
ate
ly o
ne
hu
nd
red
ve
ts
we
re s
om
e w
om
en
an
d n
on
-Ve
ts, in
clu
din
g
Ca
thy L
ero
y, the
fam
ou
s Vie
tna
m W
ar co
rres-
pondent w
ho h
ad b
een c
aptu
red b
y th
e V
iet
Cong d
urin
g th
e T
et o
ffensiv
e. T
he p
etite
F
ren
ch
wo
ma
n w
as m
akin
g a
mo
vie
of th
e
convo
y, which
she ca
lled a
"force
d m
arch
."
Th
e first fe
w d
ays w
ere
un
eve
ntfu
l—tw
en
ty hours o
f drivin
g e
ach
day w
ith th
e u
sual b
reak-
dow
ns. B
ut in
Texa
s this ch
anged.
The T
exa
s Rangers m
et u
s in E
l Paso
, havin
g
alre
ady re
porte
d to
the lo
cal p
ress th
at "a
bunch
o
f hip
pie
s in
jun
gle
fatig
ue
s p
ackin
g m
ach
ine
a
ims" w
ere
he
arlin
v in
to th
eir s
tate
. Th
ere
wa
s
Fre
nch
acce
nt. T
he
n a
Ve
t secu
rity ma
n ca
lled
o
ur la
wye
r in T
alla
ha
sse
an
d h
eld
ou
t the
p
ho
ne
: "O
ur la
wyer w
ants
to d
iscuss s
om
e le
gal
matte
rs w
ith y
ou, o
fficer."
Th
e p
olice
left.
E R
EC
EIV
ED
AN
OT
HE
R p
olice
esco
rt in
to T
alla
hassee, a
ll the w
ay u
p to
th
e fro
nt d
oo
r of a
sym
pa
the
tic lo
ca
l lib
era
l who h
ad p
lanned a
party
for
us. H
am
bu
rge
rs an
d co
rn-o
n-th
e-co
b
—
"taste
d g
reat a
fter d
ays o
f peanut b
ut-
ter a
nd
sard
ine
s. Be
fore
we
ha
d le
ft Ca
liforn
ia
we h
ad s
earc
hed e
very
vehic
le fo
r weapons
an
d d
op
e, fig
urin
g th
e g
ove
rnm
en
t wo
uld
like
noth
ing b
ette
r than a
bust o
n o
ur w
ay to
M
iam
i. No
w w
e s
avo
red
ou
r first to
ke
s in
a
we
ek.
Thro
ughout th
e trip
, Ron K
ovic e
merg
ed a
s th
e u
plifte
r of s
pirits
. Wh
en
ou
r mo
rale
wa
s
low
, afte
r one o
f the in
num
era
ble
car b
reak-
dow
ns, w
hen w
e g
ot lo
st, or w
hen ro
tten ro
ad-
side
ho
tdo
gs le
ft lum
ps in
ou
r stom
ach
s, Ko
vic w
ould
race
aro
und in
his w
heelch
air, sla
ppin
g
people
on th
e b
ack, o
r sim
ply
sayin
g, "M
an,
I feel g
ood." P
ara
lyzed fro
m th
e w
ais
t dow
n,
with
out co
ntro
l of h
is bla
dder o
r bow
els, h
avin
g
to p
ull h
imse
lf up
by h
is a
rms to
ge
t into
his
w
he
elch
air, K
ovic b
eca
me
the
drivin
g fo
rce o
n
the co
nvo
y. A
s we
ne
are
d M
iam
i, ou
r rela
tion
s with
the
F
lorid
a p
olic
e im
pro
ved. T
he h
ighw
ay p
atro
l-m
en
ad
dre
ssed
ea
ch V
et a
s "sir," an
d h
elp
ed
w
ith c
om
munic
atio
ns w
ith th
e o
ther c
onvoys
strun
g o
ut a
lon
g th
e sta
te.
Mia
mi B
each
had n
eve
r seen a
nyth
ing like
it. A
hundre
d c
ars
of a
ll types, w
ith w
hoopin
g
Ve
ts in flo
pp
y jun
gle
ha
ts loo
king
like a
gu
errilla
b
an
d o
ut o
f the
Dirty D
oze
n, d
riving
do
wn
Co
l-lin
s Ave
nu
e w
ith th
eir o
wn
esco
rt of b
iker V
ets.
Old
people
waved, y
ounger o
nes s
alu
ted,
moto
rists
honked in
a g
estu
re o
f friendship
, a
nd
seve
ral p
olice
ga
ve u
s the
pe
ace
sign
. "Y
ou k
now
," rem
ark
ed K
ovic
, "i thin
k lo
ts
of p
eople
are
with
us."
And th
ey w
ere
. When th
e c
ity c
ouncil o
f M
iam
i Be
ach
de
cide
d to
ba
r the
Ve
ts an
d o
the
r dem
onstra
tors fro
m F
lam
ingo P
ark fo
r the co
n-
ve
ntio
n, a
de
leg
atio
n o
f se
nio
r citiz
en
s w
en
t dow
n to
the co
uncil ch
am
bers a
nd d
em
anded
Indochin
a.
More
recently
, fifteen V
ets
on tria
l for s
eiz
-
ing th
e S
outh
Vie
tnam
ese
consu
late
in S
an F
ran-
cis
co s
how
ed p
ortio
ns o
f the film
to th
e ju
ry;
they w
ere
acquitte
d. M
ike O
liver, a
n a
rticula
te
VV
AW
spoke
sman, sa
id h
e sa
w te
ars co
me to
the e
yes o
f one o
f the ju
rors
durin
g th
e s
how
-
ing. A
nd a
t the v
icto
ry c
ele
bra
tion a
fterw
ard
s,
the e
x-Navy ca
pta
in w
ho se
rved a
s jury fo
rem
an
told
the
Ve
ts, "I'm
with
yo
u b
oys."
HE
N, L
AS
T S
UM
ME
R, a
dele
gatio
n o
f V
ets
met in
Paris
with
repre
senta
-tiv
es fro
m th
e N
LF
, the P
ath
et L
ao,
and th
e K
hm
er R
ouge—
the firs
t tim
e in
the w
ar th
at s
old
iers
of b
oth
sid
es h
ad g
otte
n to
geth
er. T
he v
ery
exis
tence o
f the V
VA
W h
as b
een a
consta
nt
thre
at to
the g
overn
ment's
atte
mpts
to d
e-
ceiv
e th
e p
ublic
about th
e w
ar. T
hese m
en,
many b
earin
g v
isib
le e
motio
nal a
nd p
hysic
al
scars
from
the fro
nt lin
es o
f com
bat, c
ould
not
simp
ly be
dism
issed
as "b
um
s, ag
itato
rs, com
-m
unists." A
nd th
e V
ets w
ere
reach
ing th
e M
id-
dle
Am
eric
ans. In
the P
hillip
s B
ar, a
local
hard
hat h
angout lo
cate
d n
ear th
e V
VA
W o
ffice
in S
an F
rancisco
, I saw
Arch
ie B
unke
r types b
uy
the V
ets b
eer a
nd sla
p th
em
on th
e b
ack.
In M
iam
i the V
ets p
lanned to
contin
ue th
eir
battle
with
the A
meric
an g
overn
ment fo
r the
"hearts
and m
inds" o
f the A
meric
an p
eople
.
To b
lunt th
e V
VA
W's in
creasin
g e
ffective
ness,
the g
overn
ment h
as fo
ught b
ack b
y b
randin
g
the V
ets
vio
lent c
rimin
als
, despite
the c
redo
of n
onvio
lence w
hic
h h
as in
varia
bly
chara
c-
terize
d th
eir sta
tem
ents a
nd a
ctions.
Seve
ral w
eeks b
efo
re th
e L
ast P
atro
l was to
sta
rt, Scott C
am
il, a b
ushy b
eard
ed V
VA
W
org
aniz
er in
Flo
rida w
as h
anded a
sum
mons
by U
.S. m
arsh
alls.
Back in
1968 C
am
il had b
een a
war h
ero
.
A M
arin
e in
Vie
tnam
, he v
olu
nte
ere
d fo
r the
dangero
us p
ositio
n o
f poin
t man o
n p
atro
l and
volu
nte
ere
d to
exte
nd h
is to
ur in
the c
om
bat
zone. H
is h
om
eto
wn n
ew
spaper, th
e M
iam
i
New
s, d
ecla
red: "W
e g
ive th
anks fo
r Am
erica
n
patrio
ts lik
e S
cott C
am
ii." N
ow
Cam
il alo
ng w
ith n
ine o
thers
, who
52 w
ould
late
r be ca
lled th
e T
alla
hasse
e T
en, w
ere
were
som
e w
om
en a
nd n
on-V
ets
, inclu
din
g
Cath
y Lero
y, the fa
mous V
ietn
am
War co
rres-
pondent w
ho h
ad b
een c
aptu
red b
y th
e V
iet
Cong d
urin
g th
e T
et o
ffensiv
e. T
he p
etite
Fre
nch w
om
an w
as m
akin
g a
movie
of th
e
convo
y, which
she ca
lled a
"force
d m
arch
."
The first fe
w d
ays w
ere
uneve
ntfu
l—tw
enty
hours o
f drivin
g e
ach
day w
ith th
e u
sual b
reak-
dow
ns. B
ut in
Texa
s this ch
anged.
The T
exa
s Rangers m
et u
s in E
l Paso
, havin
g
alre
ady re
porte
d to
the lo
cal p
ress th
at "a
bunch
of h
ippie
s in
jungle
fatig
ues p
ackin
g m
achin
e
guns" w
ere
headin
g in
to th
eir sta
te. T
here
was
no
co
nfro
nta
tion
, ho
we
ve
r, un
til Au
stin
wh
en
Jo J
o, o
ne o
f the V
ets
, was s
ingle
d o
ut d
urin
g
a s
top to
refu
el. A
n A
ustin
polic
em
an s
potte
d
his
huntin
g k
nife
and to
ok h
im to
the p
olic
e
statio
n. T
he co
nvo
y held
a m
eetin
g o
n th
e sid
e
of th
e ro
ad a
nd d
ecid
ed n
ot to
leave w
ithout
him
. W
e s
ent w
ord
to th
e w
ire s
erv
ices, a
nd a
TV
cre
w w
ent d
ow
n to
the s
tatio
n. W
ithin
min
ute
s Jo Jo
was o
ut a
nd w
e w
ere
on o
ur w
ay
again
. A
s we g
ot d
eeper in
to T
exa
s, som
eth
ing u
n-
expecte
d w
as h
appenin
g. In
ste
ad o
f bein
g
hassle
d b
y th
e p
eople
, every
where
we w
ent
we
saw
pe
ace
sign
s an
d cle
nch
ed
fist salu
tes.
An o
ld m
an p
resse
d th
ree d
olla
rs into
one ve
t's
hand a
t a tru
ck s
top, s
ayin
g h
e w
ould
be w
ith
us if h
e w
ere
younger. In
a s
mall to
wn h
igh
school g
irls aske
d fo
r the V
ets' a
uto
gra
phs.
But in
Louisia
na w
e w
ere
met b
y sixteen sta
te
police
cars, a
nd n
ear B
ato
n R
ouge a
snip
er sh
ot
out a
tire o
f our le
ad c
ar. W
hen w
e c
am
ped
near N
ew
Orle
ans o
ne o
f the d
eputie
s in
the
polic
e's
all-n
ight v
igil to
ld u
s th
at th
e K
u K
lux
Kla
n w
as o
ut to
get u
s. In
Louis
iana, s
uch a
sta
tem
ent c
om
ing fro
m a
cop c
an b
e s
traig
ht
from
the h
ors
e's
mouth
. T
he fifth
nig
ht fo
und u
s in
a s
mall to
wn in
north
ern
Flo
rida su
rrounded b
y a d
oze
n p
olice
cars
. The tro
opers
took a
ll six
Chic
ano V
ets
asid
e a
nd sta
rted h
asslin
g th
em
with
ID ch
ecks,
until C
ath
y L
ero
y ru
shed u
p, c
am
era
in h
and,
to th
e h
ead co
p a
nd b
egan sh
ootin
g a
bout tw
o
feet fro
m h
is n
ose.
"He
y, wh
at're
you
do
in'?
" aske
d th
e a
ma
zed
cop, s
quin
ting fro
m th
e g
lare
of a
CI" craw
spotlig
ht.
"Takin
g p
icture
s," smile
d C
ath
y in h
er liltin
g
Vets in
floppy ju
ngle
hats lo
okin
g like
a g
uerrilla
band o
ut o
f the D
irty Doze
n, d
riving d
ow
n C
ol-
lins A
ven
ue w
ith th
eir o
wn e
scort o
f bike
r Vets.
Old
people
waved, y
ounger o
nes s
alu
ted,
moto
rists
honked in
a g
estu
re o
f friendship
,
and se
vera
l police
gave
us th
e p
eace
sign.
"You k
now
," rem
ark
ed K
ovic
, "I thin
k lo
ts
of p
eople
are
with
us."
And th
ey w
ere
. When th
e c
ity c
ouncil o
f
Mia
mi B
each
decid
ed to
bar th
e V
ets a
nd o
ther
dem
onstra
tors fro
m F
lam
ingo P
ark fo
r the co
n-
ventio
n, a
dele
gatio
n o
f senio
r citiz
ens w
ent
dow
n to
the co
uncil ch
am
bers a
nd d
em
anded
that th
ey b
e a
llow
ed to
cam
p in
Mia
mi B
each
as lo
ng a
s they w
ere
peace
ful. T
he co
uncil d
id
an a
bout-fa
ce a
nd tu
rned o
ver th
e p
ark, w
hich
was d
ubbed "th
e L
and." It w
as a
mig
hty
wel-
com
e sig
ht w
hen w
e a
rrived—
the V
ets a
lready
there
stream
ed o
ut to
gre
et u
s; em
bra
cing, w
e
exch
anged ta
les o
f the ro
ad a
nd sta
rted p
lan-
nin
g fo
r the d
ays a
head.
TH
E L
AN
D
Alo
ng w
ith th
e V
VA
W, th
ere
were
severa
l
oth
er g
roups w
ho h
ad jo
urn
eyed to
Mia
mi, a
ll
sharin
g F
lam
ingo P
ark
. The Y
ippie
s, a
nd a
n
anarc
hic
spin
-off g
roup th
at d
id n
ot b
elie
ve
Yip
pie
s w
ere
milita
nt e
nough, c
alle
d th
e Z
ip-
pie
s; th
e P
eople
's C
oalitio
n fo
r Peace a
nd
Justic
e (P
CP
J), a
loose a
malg
am
of a
ntiw
ar
activ
ists
led b
y R
ennie
Davis
, whic
h h
ad
org
aniz
ed th
e M
iam
i Conventio
n C
oalitio
n
(MC
C); th
e A
ttica B
rigade, a
gro
up o
f dis
ci-
plin
ed yo
ung re
volu
tionarie
s, many o
f them
left-
overs
from
the M
ayday a
ctio
ns in
the S
prin
g
of 1
971; a
nd th
e P
rogre
ssive L
abor P
arty (P
LP
),
whic
h fo
r the la
st th
ree y
ears
has in
sis
ted o
n
callin
g itse
lf SD
S.
[This w
as a
nam
e th
ey h
ad w
on b
y defa
ult
wh
en
the
We
ath
erm
an
factio
n o
f SD
S k
icke
d
out th
e P
LP
, and th
en d
ecid
ed it h
ad n
o u
se
for th
e n
am
e, a
nyw
ay. T
he title
was m
ost u
sefu
l
to th
e P
LP
because m
ost p
eople
—and p
ress
—do n
ot m
ake
such
fine d
istinctio
ns. T
he P
LP
wa
s rescu
ed
from
the
brin
k of o
blivio
n b
y call-
ing itse
lf SD
S, a
chie
ving a
legitim
acy w
hich
a
decade o
f rantin
g a
bout "b
osses" v
ers
us
"work
ers
" and a
ccusin
g th
e V
iet C
ong o
f "s
ellin
g n
ut" h
ad n
ever g
iven it.]
Under a
n e
labora
te p
eace
treaty a
mong th
e
vario
us g
roups o
f dem
onstra
tors
and R
ocky
Pom
era
nce, M
iam
i Beach's
portly
but s
uave
po
lice ch
ief, th
e p
olice
ag
ree
d n
ot to
com
e o
nto
th
e L
and a
s lo
ng a
s e
very
thin
g ra
n s
mooth
ly.
HE
LA
ND
GO
VE
RN
ME
NT
wa
s a lo
ose
"p
eople
's g
overn
ment." T
he ru
les:
no d
eath
dru
gs, s
uch a
s s
peed a
nd
smack; n
o h
asslin
g p
eople
, esp
ecia
lly w
om
en. Y
ou c
ould
genera
lly d
o a
ny-
thin
g y
ou
wa
nte
d ju
st a
s lo
ng
as y
ou
did
not fo
rce it o
n a
nyone e
lse. W
ould
it w
ork?
T
he
Lan
d g
ot its first te
st tha
t Sun
da
y wh
en
Matt K
oehl a
nd h
is m
edia
-freakin
g A
meric
an
Nazis
sto
rmed in
to th
e c
am
p a
nd s
eiz
ed th
e
stag
e in
the
old
ba
seb
all d
iam
on
d. T
he
y ran
ted
again
st J
ew
s, s
ayin
g, "T
hat's
what w
e're
up
again
st." Wearin
g kh
aki sh
irts, bla
ck pants, a
nd
helm
ets
, the N
azis
kept e
very
one e
lse o
ff the
stag
e.
"Call th
e V
ets
," som
eone s
houte
d. T
he
Nazis w
ere
hara
nguin
g th
e cro
wd w
hen th
e V
ets
arrive
d a
nd a
blo
ody fig
ht b
egan. O
ne V
et w
as
hit in
the
face
with
a c
ha
ir, bu
t the
Na
zis
we
re
driv
en o
ff the s
tage. W
hen th
e c
row
d th
en
be
ga
n to
atta
ck th
e N
azis
, the
Ve
ts p
rote
cte
d
them
by ru
nnin
g th
em
out o
f the p
ark
. T
he
Ve
ts' a
ctio
n w
as th
e firs
t in w
ha
t wa
s
to b
eco
me
a s
tere
oty
pe
d ro
le a
s th
e "c
op
s o
f th
e L
an
d."
The V
VA
W o
ccupie
d o
ne co
rner o
f the p
ark
and tu
rned it in
to a
milita
ry-type e
nca
mpm
ent,
surro
un
de
d b
y a w
ire fe
nce
with
secu
rity gu
ard
s p
oste
d a
t the
en
tran
ce
s. T
he
re w
ere
ab
ou
t a
tho
usa
nd
pe
op
le in
the
ca
mp
, mo
st d
resse
d
in s
om
e k
ind o
f rag
ged
milita
ry u
nifo
rm. In
a
dd
ition
to th
e tro
op
s' ten
ts, the
re w
as a
ho
spi-
tal te
nt, s
taffe
d b
y m
edic
s, a
n o
live d
rab
ad
min
istratio
n te
nt, a
nd
eve
n a
pre
ss rela
tion
s' te
nt. It lo
oke
d a
little lik
e a
fireb
ase
. T
he Z
ippie
s, b
y c
ontra
st, s
eem
ed to
have
no o
rder to
their e
nca
mpm
ent a
t the o
ther e
nd
of th
e p
ark. T
he P
LP
and A
ttica B
rigade a
reas
were
more
cle
arly
defin
ed. T
he "P
ot P
eople
's
Party
" cam
ped a
round a
big
tree, a
nd s
tayed
up m
ost o
f the n
ight b
low
ing w
eed. T
he
wom
en's e
nca
mpm
ent b
arre
d m
en.
The M
iam
i Conventio
n C
oalitio
n (M
CC
) le
ad
ers
did
no
t ca
mp
on
the
La
nd
at a
ll, bu
t
onto
the g
rounds o
f the h
igh s
chool. T
he
Guard
smen sla
mm
ed sh
ut th
e g
ate
and p
ulle
d
back in
sid
e th
e s
chool a
s th
e V
ets
sw
arm
ed
ove
r the
law
n a
nd
up
to th
e g
ate
an
d s
ide
s
of th
e b
arric
aded b
uild
ing. D
ow
n th
e s
treet,
blo
cks of h
igh
wa
y pa
trol ca
rs wa
ited
, ea
ch w
ith
fou
r me
n in
sid
e. T
he
Ve
ts s
at d
ow
n a
nd
Ro
n
Kovic b
egan to
speak in
to th
e lo
udsp
eake
r. T
he
gu
ard
sme
n, in
full rio
t ge
ar, p
ee
red
ou
t fro
m b
eh
ind
sh
ut w
ind
ow
s o
n th
e to
p flo
or
of th
e h
igh sch
ool a
nd liste
ned a
s Kovic sp
oke
. H
e ca
lled th
em
his b
roth
ers, a
nd to
ld th
em
that
he
wa
s o
nce
for G
old
wa
ter, b
ut th
at th
e w
ar
had tu
rned h
is h
ead a
round.
"Th
ey m
ad
e m
e k
ill, the
y to
ok th
ree
-quarte
rs o
f my b
ody...b
ut th
ey d
idn't ta
ke m
y
min
d. W
e h
ave
free w
ills. Join
us!" h
e p
leaded.
He tu
rned a
round in
his
wheelc
hair a
nd
looke
d u
p a
t the g
uard
smen, th
e ro
w o
f medals
on
his
Ma
rine
Co
rps s
hirt g
liste
nin
g. "T
he
y
forc
ed
me
to fig
ht a
nd
giv
e m
y le
gs fo
r a w
ar
we
did
n't w
an
t. If I eve
r ha
ve
to fig
ht a
ga
in,
it will n
ot b
e a
gain
st th
e p
eople
, but w
ith th
e
people
—and th
is tim
e it w
ill be a
people
's
arm
y!"
One o
f the G
uard
smen in
the w
indow
gave
a
cle
nch
ed
fist s
alu
te. T
he
lifers
qu
ickly
sh
ut
the b
linds a
nd m
oved th
em
back.
TU
ES
DA
Y N
TH
E M
OR
NIN
G a
PL
P c
on
ting
en
t m
arc
he
d o
n th
e F
ou
nta
ine
ble
au
H
ote
l, the
ma
ssiv
e e
dific
e h
ou
sin
g
Republic
an a
risto
cra
cy. O
n th
e w
ay
the d
em
onstra
tors
bro
ke s
om
e w
in-
dow
s on th
e m
ain
street. I w
ent d
ow
n
afte
r the
y p
asse
d a
nd
wa
tch
ed
a g
rou
p o
f eld
erly
people
lookin
g a
t the b
roken w
indow
s
of th
e s
treet's
burle
sque h
ouse.
"They s
hould
n't h
ave d
one th
at," s
aid
one
wom
an. "W
hy d
id th
ey d
o it?
" Afte
r this
, the
moocl o
f the k
4i=
rni 11,-a
ch
citic
mry
ch
nn
gP
d;
alth
ou
gh
no
t ye
t ho
stile
, it wa
s n
ot a
s frie
nd
ly
to th
e d
em
onstra
tors
. People
still b
rought
lem
onade to
the p
ark a
nd fla
shed p
eace
signs,
but th
e a
tmosp
here
was n
otice
ably m
ore
tense
. In
the a
ftern
oon, th
e V
ets d
ecid
ed th
at th
ey
too w
ould
marc
h o
n th
e F
ounta
ineble
au, o
nly
Th
e V
ets a
pp
lau
de
d e
ach
spe
ake
r, inclu
din
g
natio
nal c
oord
inato
r Barry
Rom
o, w
ho s
aid
: "W
e w
ant a
n e
nd o
f the V
ietn
am
war, n
ot a
ch
an
gin
g o
f the
colo
r of th
e skin
s of th
ose
wh
o
are
dyin
g." B
ut it w
as K
ovic
, the
twe
nty
-six-ye
ar-o
ld e
x-Ma
rine
serg
ea
nt, w
inn
er o
f the
bro
nze s
tar, w
ho b
rought th
em
to th
eir fe
et,
che
erin
g a
nd
stom
pin
g.
"We
're tire
d o
f a g
ove
rnm
en
t tha
t ha
s lie
d
to u
s, tha
t sen
t us o
ff to a
wa
r an
d fo
rgo
t ab
ou
t us w
hen w
e c
am
e h
om
e." L
ookin
g u
p a
t the
ga
ud
y wh
ite a
nd
turq
uo
ise fa
cad
e o
f the
ho
tel,
he y
elle
d o
ut: "Y
ou h
ave lie
d to
us to
o lo
ng,
you h
ave b
urn
ed to
o m
any b
abie
s, b
ut y
ou
have
n't ta
ken o
ur m
inds." S
om
e V
ets w
ere
cry-in
g o
pe
nly.
A h
ard
rain
be
ga
n to
fall a
nd
the
Re
pu
blica
n
dele
gate
s who h
ad b
een w
atch
ing fro
m b
ehin
d
polic
e lin
es s
currie
d fo
r shelte
r. The p
olic
e,
the
ir face
s h
ard
, clu
bs in
the
ir ha
nd
s, s
too
d
rigid
, thre
e d
eep.
Kovic
, beads o
f rain
stre
am
ing d
ow
n h
is
face, lo
oked u
p a
t the d
ele
gate
s p
eerin
g o
ut
from
behin
d th
eir w
indow
s.
"That's
okay," h
e y
elle
d. "W
e d
on't m
ind
the ra
in." H
e sh
oute
d th
at th
e V
ets h
ad co
me
from
all o
ve
r the
na
tion
, sle
ep
ing
in th
e ra
in
an
d o
n th
e g
round.
"We lik
e to
sle
ep o
n th
e g
round b
ecause
the L
and b
elo
ngs to
the p
eople
!" The V
ets
ju
mp
ed
to th
eir fe
et, s
ho
utin
g in
ap
pro
va
l. S
pirit w
as h
igh
. T
he
re w
as a
qu
ick con
fere
nce
with
McC
los-
key a
nd a
scenario
work
ed o
ut. M
cC
loskey
would
ask th
e p
olic
e if a
dele
gatio
n o
f thre
e
Vets
, thre
e m
en w
ho h
ad g
iven th
eir le
gs fo
r L
ynd
on
Joh
nso
n a
nd
Rich
ard
Nixo
n, co
uld
pa
ss th
rou
gh
the
po
lice
line
s in
to th
e lo
bb
y o
f the
hote
l. McC
loskey a
gre
ed to
go w
ith th
em
. In
side th
e th
ree w
ould
dem
and th
at th
eir P
resi-
dent se
e th
em
and liste
n to
them
. M
any o
f the V
ets d
ug th
e scrip
t: it was like
ch
eck in
a ch
ess g
am
e. T
he o
ne th
ousa
nd w
ould
w
ait o
uts
ide
, as o
ne
pu
t it, "un
til he
ll free
ze
s
ove
r," wh
ile th
e th
ree
po
int m
en
wa
ited
insid
e
for N
ixo
n. N
ixo
n, o
f co
urs
e, w
ou
ld n
ot w
an
t to
con
fron
t thre
e a
ng
ry Ve
ts on
tele
vision
—th
at
wo
uld
up
se
t his
ne
atly
wo
rke
d o
ut s
crip
t of
harm
ony a
nd h
appin
ess, w
ell o
rchestra
ted b
y an a
rmy o
f PR
men. B
ut h
e w
ould
n't lik
e to
th
row
thre
e d
isable
d V
ets
in ja
il—th
at w
ould
IT
/N/1
/4 .1 ttl.r
1
tal te
nt, s
taffe
d b
y m
edic
s, a
n o
live d
rab
adm
inistra
tion te
nt, a
nd e
ven a
pre
ss rela
tions'
tent. It lo
oked a
little lik
e a
firebase.
The Z
ippie
s, b
y c
ontra
st, s
eem
ed to
have
no o
rder to
their e
nca
mpm
ent a
t the o
ther e
nd
of th
e p
ark. T
he P
LP
and A
ttica B
rigade a
reas
were
more
cle
arly
defin
ed. T
he "P
ot P
eople
's
Party
" cam
ped a
round a
big
tree, a
nd s
tayed
up m
ost o
f the n
ight b
low
ing w
eed. T
he
wom
en's e
nca
mpm
ent b
arre
d m
en.
The M
iam
i Conventio
n C
oalitio
n (M
CC
)
leaders
did
not c
am
p o
n th
e L
and a
t all, b
ut
staye
d in
a h
ote
l on th
e b
each
. It appeare
d th
at
the M
CC
was a
n a
rmy o
f all g
enera
ls a
nd n
o
priv
ate
s. T
here
were
als
o a
bout a
thousand
independents
who b
elo
nged to
no o
rganiz
ed
gro
up. In
additio
n, th
ere
were
assorte
d J
esus
freaks, g
ay a
ctivists, and o
thers.
Again
st this m
otle
y conglo
mera
tion o
f about
4,0
00 p
erso
ns, th
e g
ove
rnm
ent h
ad m
asse
d a
n
arm
y o
f 8,0
00, w
hic
h in
clu
ded th
e 2
50-m
an
Mia
mi B
each
police
force
, backe
d u
p b
y seve
ral
thousa
nd D
ade C
ounty sh
eriff d
eputie
s, Flo
rida
Hig
hw
ay P
atro
lmen, a
nd o
ther sta
te e
mplo
yees
such a
s w
ard
ens fro
m th
e F
ish a
nd G
am
e
Departm
ent. T
here
were
also
500 se
cret se
rvice
agents
, a la
rge c
ontin
gent o
f the N
atio
nal
Guard
, plu
s a
unit o
f Marin
es a
nd th
ousands
of cra
ck para
troopers o
f the 8
2nd A
irborn
e D
ivi-
sio
n.
"Ma
n, I o
nly
ho
pe
the
y b
ring
in th
e 8
2nd
,"
said
a V
et w
ith a
para
trooper ta
ttoo. M
any o
f
the V
ets
were
eith
er e
x-p
ara
troopers
or
Marin
es, a
nd th
ey w
ere
convin
ced th
at if it ca
me
dow
n to
it, the a
irborn
e tro
ops w
ould
refu
se
to tu
rn th
eir g
uns o
n a
bro
ther p
ara
trooper.
But w
e g
ot w
ord
that th
e a
irborn
e u
nits
were
m
ade u
p o
f lifers
, with
no o
ne b
elo
w th
e ra
nk
of s
erg
eant. "S
till," said
one e
x-p
ara
trooper,
"I don't c
are
, I don't th
ink th
ey w
ould
shoot
the V
ets
."
MO
ND
AY
The th
ree th
ousand N
atio
nal G
uard
sm
en
were
quarte
red in
Mia
mi B
each H
igh S
chool,
a fe
w b
locks fro
m th
e co
nve
ntio
n site
. It would
be h
ere
that th
e V
ets
would
make th
eir firs
t
confro
nta
tion. If th
ey c
ould
win
over th
e
Guard
sm
en it w
ould
be a
n im
porta
nt v
icto
ry.
Kovic
and tw
o o
ther d
isable
d V
ets
led th
e
marc
h, fo
llow
ed b
y a
bout a
thousand o
thers
.
They m
arch
ed p
ast th
e co
nve
ntio
n ce
nte
r and a
fter th
ey p
assed a
nd w
atc
hed a
gro
up o
f
eld
erly
people
lookin
g a
t the b
roken w
indow
s
of th
e s
treet's
burle
sque h
ouse.
"They s
hould
n't h
ave d
one th
at," s
aid
one
wom
an. "W
hy d
id th
ey d
o it?
" Afte
r this
, the
mood o
f the M
iam
i Beach c
itizenry
changed;
alth
ough n
ot y
et h
ostile
, it was n
ot a
s frie
ndly
to th
e d
em
onstra
tors
. People
still b
rought
lem
onade to
the p
ark a
nd fla
shed p
eace
signs,
but th
e a
tmosp
here
was n
otice
ably m
ore
tense
.
In th
e a
ftern
oon, th
e V
ets d
ecid
ed th
at th
ey
too w
ould
marc
h o
n th
e F
ounta
ineble
au, o
nly
their m
arc
h w
as to
be d
iffere
nt fro
m th
at o
f
the P
LP
. They w
ould
walk
in s
ilence, c
arry
ing
no fla
gs, in
milita
ry fo
rmatio
n, fo
ur a
bre
ast.
While
the V
ets' m
arch
was n
earin
g th
e co
n-
ventio
n, p
olice
were
bustin
g o
ver 2
00 Z
ips a
nd
PLP
ers a
t the m
ain
gate
. Acco
rdin
g to
witn
esse
s,
the d
em
onstra
tors
had to
rn d
ow
n b
untin
g a
t
one h
ote
l on th
e strip
and sm
acke
d a
Republi-
can a
ltern
ate
, Dr. H
aro
ld B
arto
n, in
the m
outh
.
When th
e V
ets
were
about a
blo
ck fro
m th
e
Zip
s, the Z
ips le
t out a
loud ch
eer, b
ut th
e V
ets
veere
d rig
ht, m
arc
hin
g a
way fro
m th
e m
ele
e.
I went a
head a
nd sa
w th
e p
olice
herd
ing p
eople
into
yello
w va
ns. T
he Z
ips, so
me n
ake
d, sa
ng:
"We a
ll live in
a y
ello
w s
ubm
arin
e." T
he c
ops
took a
pola
roid
shot o
f each d
em
onstra
tor.
Innocent b
ysta
nders
, inclu
din
g a
bew
ildere
d
young R
epublic
an g
irl, were
als
o s
wept u
p b
y
the p
olic
e.
It's n
ot c
lear w
heth
er th
e V
ets
knew
about
the b
usts. I sa
w th
e V
VA
W a
dva
nce
men w
atch
-
ing th
e a
rrests
, but th
e m
ain
body o
f Vets
see
med to
know
noth
ing a
bout th
em
. T
he V
ets m
arch
ed o
n to
the F
ounta
ineble
u
and w
ere
met b
y seve
ral h
undre
d p
olice
arm
ed
with
guns a
nd c
lubs. T
he V
ets
sat d
ow
n a
nd
liste
ned to
speeches. R
ep. P
ete
McC
loskey
cam
e o
ut to
meet w
ith th
e V
ets
. McC
loskey
was a
t that tim
e w
agin
g a
losin
g fig
ht to
get
his
nam
e in
nom
inatio
n. H
e h
ad b
y la
w o
ne
dele
gate
vote
, so h
e w
as tryin
g to
take
the issu
e
of th
e w
ar b
efo
re th
e c
onventio
n a
nd th
e
natio
nal te
levisio
n a
udie
nce
. M
cClo
skey ta
lked w
ith a
bout a
doze
n V
ets,
and se
vera
l aske
d if h
e w
ould
addre
ss the e
ntire
VV
AW
dele
gatio
n. H
e a
gre
ed, b
ut V
et le
ader
Al H
ubbard
said
no. "If h
e w
ants
to ta
lk to
us
let h
im c
om
e o
ut to
our c
am
p." H
ubbard
's
oppositio
n s
quelc
hed th
e p
lan fo
r McC
loskey
to sp
eak.
Insid
e th
e tn
ree w
ouiu
uein
atiu
M
al
1 C
31-
dent se
e th
em
and liste
n to
them
. M
any o
f the V
ets d
ug th
e scrip
t: it was like
check in
a ch
ess g
am
e. T
he o
ne th
ousa
nd w
ould
wa
it ou
tsid
e, a
s o
ne p
ut it, "u
ntil h
ell fre
ezes
ove
r," while
the th
ree p
oin
t men w
aite
d in
side
for N
ixon. N
ixon, o
f cours
e, w
ould
not w
ant
to co
nfro
nt th
ree a
ngry V
ets o
n te
levisio
n—
that
would
upset h
is n
eatly
work
ed o
ut s
crip
t of
harm
ony a
nd h
appin
ess, w
ell o
rchestra
ted b
y
an a
rmy o
f PR
men. B
ut h
e w
ould
n't lik
e to
th
row
thre
e d
isable
d V
ets
in ja
il—th
at w
ould
not lo
ok g
ood e
ither.
McC
loskey h
aggle
d w
ith th
e p
olic
e u
ntil
they fin
ally
agre
ed. B
ut th
en H
ubbard
and
Rom
o a
nd o
thers in
the V
VA
W n
atio
nal le
ader-
ship
decid
ed th
ey w
ere
again
st the id
ea. R
om
o
gra
bbed th
e lo
udspeaker, s
ayin
g, "W
e'll p
ut
it to a
vote
." But h
e p
ut it in
a w
ay to
make
sure
it would
be tu
rned d
ow
n: "T
he p
olic
e
agre
ed to
let th
ree V
ets g
o in
, but d
o yo
u w
ant
thre
e to
go in
or a
ll of u
s to
go in
?" O
f cours
e
the v
ote
was a
gain
st th
e th
ree g
oin
g in
sid
e.
Next, R
om
o a
nnounce
d th
at "w
e're
goin
g b
ack
to c
am
p." T
FIR
ST
NO
BO
DY
move
d, th
en o
ne
Vet s
houte
d, "s
tay!" A
nd th
en a
n-
oth
er a
nd a
noth
er. R
om
o a
nd H
ub-
bard
sto
od u
p a
nd s
aid
again
that it
was tim
e to
leave
. This tim
e th
e V
ets
-----ista
rted c
hantin
g, "V
ote
! Vote
! Vote
!"
But it w
as to
o la
te. S
om
e V
ets
got u
p to
go, w
hile
oth
ers
sta
yed s
eate
d. T
here
was a
lot o
f arg
uin
g a
nd g
enera
l confu
sion. M
any V
ets
starte
d sh
ufflin
g b
ack to
wa
rd ca
mp
in d
isarra
y,
while
oth
ers m
illed a
round in
front o
f the h
ote
l. A
ll the w
hile
the V
VA
W le
adersh
ip w
as ca
lling
into
the b
ullh
orn
s to
move o
ut. A
fter a
bout
half th
e V
ets w
ere
gone, th
e th
ree d
isable
d m
en
went in
to th
e h
ote
l anyw
ay to
deliv
er a
lette
r
to N
ixon
, alth
ough it w
as to
o la
te fo
r the a
ction
that w
as o
rigin
ally p
lanned.
The e
vents a
t the F
ounta
ineble
u p
rove
d to
be th
e h
igh p
oin
t of th
e L
ast P
atro
l, the c
rest
of th
e w
ave. A
fter T
uesday a
ftern
oon, th
e
mom
entu
m w
as g
one.
On th
e w
ay b
ack th
e V
ets
whis
tled a
song
that w
as to
beco
me th
eir th
em
e, "W
hen Jo
hnny
Com
es M
arch
ing H
om
e A
gain
." Many w
ere
bit-
54
ter, fe
elin
g b
etra
ye
d b
y th
eir o
wn
lea
de
rs.
"They s
hould
have p
ut it to
a v
ote
, about s
tay-
ing
," on
e s
aid
. "Th
at w
asn
't righ
t, ma
n."
TU
ES
DA
Y N
IGH
T
As th
e V
ets
ma
rch
ed
ba
ck to
wa
rd th
eir
cam
p, th
ey m
et a
noth
er m
arc
h c
om
ing fro
m
Fla
min
go P
ark—
the S
treet W
ithout Jo
y pro
ces-
sio
n. T
he
Fre
nch
calle
d a
blo
od
y c
oa
sta
l strip
o
f hig
hw
ay in
Vie
tna
m w
he
re th
ey lo
st so m
an
y m
en
the
"stre
et w
itho
ut jo
y," a
nd
the
MC
C
decid
ed to
line th
e e
ntra
nce to
the c
onventio
n
with
dem
onstra
tions to
sham
e th
e d
ele
gate
s
com
ing
to th
e T
ue
sda
y eve
nin
g se
ssion
. It w
as a
som
be
r ma
rch o
f silen
t, wh
ite-fa
ced
m
en
an
d w
om
en
in V
ietn
am
ese
ga
rb, s
om
e
hold
ing b
loodie
d, d
isem
bow
ele
d d
olls
. It lo
oke
d like
the
pro
cessio
n o
f gu
ilt-ridd
en
relig
-io
us ze
alo
ts in B
erg
ma
n's film
, Th
e S
eve
nth
Se
al.
Wh
en
the
two
ma
rch
es m
et, a
bo
ut th
ree
-quarte
rs o
f the V
ets
, tired a
nd s
om
ew
hat d
is-
pirite
d, c
ontin
ued o
n b
ack to
the c
am
p. B
ut
Kovic a
nd 3
00 o
thers d
ecid
ed to
join
the S
treet
With
out Jo
y pro
cessio
n, w
hich
the M
CC
leaders
pro
mis
ed w
ould
be n
onvio
lent.
The V
ets
form
ed u
p a
nd m
arc
hed, a
lso in
sile
nce. W
hen th
ey g
ot to
the c
onventio
n h
all,
they w
ere
assig
ned g
ate
one, to
the le
ft of th
e
main
entra
nce. T
he M
CC
pla
nned to
main
tain
a
sile
nt v
igil a
rou
nd
the
ha
ll, bu
t afte
r an
ho
ur
or s
o a
ll ord
er b
roke d
ow
n.
At g
ate
two, d
em
onstra
tors b
egan to
punch
, kic
k, a
nd
sp
it on
the
de
leg
ate
s try
ing
to m
ake
th
eir w
ay th
rou
gh
the
mo
b, w
hic
h n
ow
nu
m-
be
red
se
ve
ral th
ou
sa
nd
. Th
e c
on
ve
ntio
n h
all,
su
rroun
de
d b
y a
hig
h fe
nce
and
man
ne
d b
y a
p
ha
lan
x o
f po
lice
, wa
s lik
e a
pris
on
in th
e n
o-
ma
n's
lan
d o
f Mia
mi B
ea
ch
. Ou
tsid
e th
e
perim
ete
r there
was n
o la
w o
r ord
er. A
s th
e
atta
cks on d
ele
gate
s at g
ate
two in
crease
d, th
e
polic
e c
am
e c
harg
ing o
ut, s
win
gin
g c
lubs a
nd
sh
oo
ting
stre
am
s o
f fou
l liqu
id o
ut o
f the
ir m
ace
canniste
rs. A
t thp v
ptc
' ga
tp—
ga
tP n
r1P
—th
p cro
wd
ha
d
gro
wn to
ove
r a th
ousa
nd, w
ith a
larg
e n
um
ber
of Z
ippie
s and P
LP
mem
bers a
s well a
s a tro
op
of th
e A
ttica b
rigade
. Som
e trie
d to
hit th
e fra
n-
tic dele
gate
s, while
oth
ers sp
it or th
rew
wate
r. A
s th
e s
ituatio
n w
as d
ete
riora
ting, K
ovic
d
ecid
ed
to ta
ke ch
arg
e.
Un
de
r his d
irectio
n, th
e V
ets fo
rme
d a
line
,
fronta
tions—
and it w
as ju
st a
s te
rrifyin
g.
Th
ing
s w
ere
ge
tting
wo
rse
, an
d K
ovic
w
heele
d o
ver to
the p
olic
e lin
es w
here
a ta
ll polic
em
an w
ith a
majo
r's o
akle
af in
his
lapel
wa
s s
tan
din
g. "I d
on
't kn
ow
ho
w m
uch
lon
ge
r w
e c
an
ho
ld o
ut," s
aid
Ko
vic
. He
aske
d fo
r a
few
pla
insclo
the
sm
en
to h
elp
ho
ld th
e lin
e b
ut
the
po
lice
ma
n s
aid
tha
t it wa
s a
ga
inst o
rde
rs.
O IT
WA
S o
ne
of th
e s
tran
ge
st d
em
-stra
tion
scen
es im
ag
ina
ble
: the
Ve
ts, so
me
of w
ho
m (in
clu
din
g K
ovic
) ha
d
gone to
jail in
oth
er d
em
onstra
tions,
we
re fig
htin
g th
is tim
e to
sa
ve
Nix
-o
n's
de
leg
ate
s; a
nd
the
po
lice
we
re
sta
nd
ing
by d
oin
g n
oth
ing
. S
om
eth
ing w
as g
oin
g to
happen so
on—
we
all kn
ew
it—th
ere
would
be b
lood sp
illed. T
hen
it happened. A
huge b
lack C
adilla
c ra
ced
thro
ug
h th
e c
row
d.
"Hey m
oth
erfu
cker, s
low
dow
n!" s
om
eone
shoute
d, b
ut th
e d
river s
tepped o
n th
e g
as.
Th
e c
row
d b
eg
an
to b
ea
t on
the
sid
es o
f the
ca
r as it sp
ed
up
. Th
en
the
re w
as a
du
ll thu
mp
and a
wom
an scre
am
ed.
Lyin
g m
otio
nle
ss on
the
gro
un
d, b
loo
d o
oz-
ing
ou
t of h
is still bo
dy, w
as a
figu
re in
com
ba
t fa
tigu
es.
When I sa
w th
e b
lood, m
y min
d fla
shed b
ack
to V
ietn
am
. Lik
e a
n a
cid
trip, v
isio
ns o
f dead
Marin
es in
Arizo
na te
rritory, ch
arre
d in
fants a
t B
en H
et, d
eco
mposin
g N
orth
Vie
tnam
ese
, flies
bu
zzin
g a
bo
ut th
eir b
od
ies...it a
ll ca
me
ba
ck
in s
tacca
to b
urs
ts. I fe
lt like
pu
kin
g b
ut th
e
vo
mit w
ou
ldn
't co
me
. T
he
sig
ht o
f the
Ve
t, his
face
blo
od
ied
, his
w
orn
unifo
rm tu
rnin
g re
d, s
hocked th
e c
row
d.
While
severa
l Vet m
edic
s h
overe
d o
ver th
e
bo
dy o
f the
ir wo
un
de
d c
om
rad
e, o
the
r Ve
ts
pushed b
ack th
e c
row
d. T
he T
V c
am
era
men,
like
vu
lture
s s
me
lling
the
sce
nt o
f rottin
g c
ar-
rion
, rush
ed
ove
r. "Ge
t the
fuck o
ut o
f he
re,"
snarle
d o
ne e
nra
ged V
et, p
ushin
g b
ack a
ca
mera
man.
So
me
of th
e n
ew
sm
en
he
lpe
d p
ush
ba
ck
the c
row
d; th
en Z
ips, Y
ips, P
LP
, and A
ttica
Brig
ade m
em
bers
who ju
st m
om
ents
befo
re
were
tryin
g to
get a
t the d
ele
gate
s, jo
ined th
e
Vet lin
es a
nd lin
ked a
rms.
ic
sta
te w
ould
com
e u
p w
ith its
ow
n s
cenario
, ta
ke th
e p
lan to
the tw
enty-six-m
an ru
ling b
ody,
ha
sh
it ou
t, an
d th
en
pre
se
nt th
e b
est p
lan
to
the
full m
em
be
rsh
ip fo
r a v
ote
. In th
eo
ry it
sounded g
ood, b
ut in
pra
ctic
e it d
idn't w
ork
. C
alifo
rnia
vote
d to
hold
a sile
nt ca
ndle
light
marc
h to
the c
onventio
n. N
ew
York
haggle
d
for h
ours
, unable
to d
ecid
e o
n a
ny p
lan.
Mic
hig
an
wa
nte
d to
join
the
Zip
s in
"mo
bile
a
ctio
ns," b
lockin
g s
tree
ts a
nd
the
n ru
nn
ing
w
hen th
e p
olic
e a
ttacked.
Ou
tside
the
Ve
ts' cam
p, o
the
r gro
up
s we
re
also
trying to
decid
e o
n a
course
of a
ction. T
he
MC
C w
ante
d a
massiv
e s
how
of c
ivil d
is-
obedie
nce
, and th
e Z
ips w
ante
d to
trash
. Both
g
rou
ps w
an
ted
the
Ve
ts to
join
the
m.
Rennie
Davis
and D
ave D
ellin
ger, le
aders
o
f the
MC
C, c
am
e o
ve
r to th
e V
ets
' en
ca
mp
-m
en
t to lo
bb
y for civil d
isob
ed
ien
ce. D
ellin
ge
r, a s
oft-s
poken, d
edic
ate
d m
an w
ho s
erv
ed in
priso
n fo
r his p
acifist b
elie
fs durin
g W
orld
War
II, me
t with
Ve
t lea
de
rs a
nd
pro
mis
ed
to g
o
back to
the Z
ippie
side o
f the L
and a
nd a
rgue
for n
on
viole
nce
. Th
e V
ets sa
id th
ey w
ere
afra
id
tha
t the
PL
P a
nd
the
Zip
s wa
nte
d to
use
the
m
as a
shie
ld, in
citing th
e p
olice
to a
ttack, w
hich
w
ou
ld le
ad
to a
cla
sh
be
twe
en
the
po
lice
an
d
the
Ve
ts. M
ea
nw
hile
, the
Zip
s we
re h
old
ing
a ch
ao
tic ra
lly on th
e b
ase
ball d
iam
ond. A
long lin
e w
as
wa
iting
to u
se
the
lou
dsp
ea
ke
r. On
e s
pe
ake
r u
rge
d rip
pin
g o
ut c
ars
' wirin
g s
yste
ms a
nd
sla
shin
g tire
s. O
thers
sim
ply
ram
ble
d. F
inally
D
ellin
ge
r go
t his
ch
an
ce
an
d to
ld th
e c
row
d
tha
t trash
ing
wa
s a "m
ale
ma
chism
o trip
" an
d
cou
nte
r-pro
du
ctive. H
e w
as b
oo
ed
. Th
e m
oo
d
was fo
r trash
ing a
nd th
e V
ets liste
nin
g re
porte
d
tha
t ba
ck to th
e V
VA
W ca
mp
. T
he fe
elin
g a
mong th
e V
ets w
as th
at tra
shin
g
wo
uld
simp
ly turn
the
pe
op
le o
f Mia
mi B
ea
ch,
wh
o h
ad
thu
s fa
r be
en
frien
dly
, ag
ain
st th
em
. T
he h
ours p
asse
d. D
ellin
ger a
nd D
avis d
id
not live
on th
e L
and b
ut a
t a b
each
hote
l, and
many in
the p
ark
resente
d th
at. T
he e
ulf
betw
een th
e M
CC
and th
e Z
ips w
as w
idenin
g.
Fin
ally a
t two
o'clo
ck, afte
r five h
ou
rs of p
re-
limin
arie
s, the
Ve
ts' ge
ne
ral m
ee
ting
go
t un
de
r w
ay, a
nd
the
re w
as still n
o p
lan
of a
ction
. Th
e
lea
de
rship
, it ap
pe
are
d, w
an
ted
to le
ave
Mia
mi
and
he
ad
for G
ain
esville
wh
ere
six of th
e T
al-
lahasse
eT
en m
em
bers w
ere
bein
g a
rraig
ned th
e
atta
cks on a
eie
gate
s at s
ate
two
11R
-fed
beU
, use
polic
e c
am
e c
harg
ing o
ut, s
win
gin
g c
lubs a
nd
sho
otin
g s
tream
s o
f foul liq
uid
out o
f their
mace
canniste
rs. A
t the V
ets' g
ate
—gate
one—
the cro
wd h
ad
gro
wn to
ove
r a th
ousa
nd, w
ith a
larg
e n
um
ber
of Z
ippie
s and P
LP
mem
bers a
s well a
s a tro
op
of th
e A
ttica b
rigade. S
om
e trie
d to
hit th
e fra
n-
tic dele
gate
s, while
oth
ers sp
it or th
rew
wate
r. A
s th
e s
itua
tion w
as d
ete
riora
ting
, Ko
vic
d
ecid
ed
to ta
ke ch
arg
e.
Under h
is dire
ction, th
e V
ets fo
rmed a
line,
linkin
g a
rms so
the d
ele
gate
s could
get th
rough
to th
e h
all. K
ovic
the
n la
id d
ow
n g
rou
nd
rule
s
for g
ate
one: y
ou c
ould
say a
nyth
ing y
ou
wante
d to
a d
ele
gate
but y
ou c
ould
not to
uch
him
.
HE
MO
B S
TR
AIN
ED
again
st the V
ets'
lines e
ach tim
e a
dele
gate
tried to
get th
rough. A
t first th
e d
ele
gate
s,
man
y d
ressed
in d
ap
per b
laze
rs o
r lo
ng
eve
nin
g g
ow
ns trie
d to
loo
k
co
ol, b
ut a
fter th
e firs
t pu
nch
or
wa
d o
f zip
pie
sp
it the
y lo
st a
ll co
mp
osu
re.
Th
ere
wa
s te
rror in
the
ir face
s. S
om
e w
ere
old
wom
en, o
thers
looked lik
ed s
care
d s
hop-
keepers
from
the M
idw
est—
they w
ere
sim
ply
frig
hte
ned h
um
an b
ein
gs.
Ko
vic
race
d u
p a
nd
do
wn
the
thin
line
of
300 V
ets
in h
is w
heelc
hair, e
xhortin
g th
em
to
"hold
the lin
e." S
om
e o
f the d
em
onstra
tors
jo
ined th
e h
um
an ch
ain
. Kovic's m
otive
s were
not e
ntire
ly h
um
anita
rian; h
e h
ate
d w
hat th
e
de
leg
ate
s s
too
d fo
r as m
uch
as th
e m
ost
en
rag
ed
Zip
pie
. Bu
t if the
mo
b h
urt a
de
leg
ate
it w
ou
ld b
e a
po
litica
l vic
tory
for N
ixo
n, e
sp
e-
cia
lly if it h
ap
pen
ed a
t the
Vets
' gate
. It wou
ld
also
give
the p
olice
an e
xcuse
to co
me ch
arg
ing
out fro
m b
ehin
d th
eir b
arrica
des. S
ince
the V
ets
would
fight b
ack, it c
ould
easily
lead to
a b
ad
scen
e.
There
were
runnin
g stre
et b
attle
s at a
ll the
oth
er g
ate
s s
o th
e o
nly
ga
te o
pe
n to
the
dele
gate
s w
as th
e o
ne h
eld
by th
e V
ets
. The
crow
d co
ntin
ued to
gro
w a
nd p
ress a
gain
st the
thin
line
. Th
e h
atre
d a
nd
frustra
tion
of th
e Z
ips
sho
we
d o
n th
eir fa
ces—
a lo
ok I h
ad
see
n b
efo
re
in th
e d
eep
Sou
th d
urin
g th
e fre
ed
om
rides
and in
Uls
ter d
urin
g P
rote
sta
nt-C
ath
olic
con-
body o
f their w
ounded c
om
rade, o
ther V
ets
p
ush
ed
ba
ck th
e c
row
d. T
he
TV
ca
me
ram
en
, lik
e v
ultu
res s
mellin
g th
e s
cent o
f rottin
g c
ar-
rion
, rush
ed
ove
r. "Ge
t the
fuck o
ut o
f he
re,"
sn
arle
d o
ne
en
rag
ed
Ve
t, pu
sh
ing
ba
ck a
ca
mera
man.
Som
e o
f the n
ew
sm
en h
elp
ed p
ush b
ack
the
cro
wd
; the
n Z
ips, Y
ips, P
LP
, an
d A
ttica
B
rigade m
em
bers
who ju
st m
om
ents
befo
re
we
re try
ing
to g
et a
t the
de
leg
ate
s, jo
ine
d th
e
Ve
t line
s a
nd
linke
d a
rms.
"Th
e a
mb
ula
nce
is c
om
ing
, cle
ar th
e w
ay."
Pro
teste
rs and d
ele
gate
s alike
move
d a
side to
le
t the
veh
icle th
rou
gh
. La
ter w
e fo
un
d o
ut th
at
the in
jure
d V
et w
ould
be o
kay.
Th
e e
ntire
mo
od
at g
ate
on
e c
ha
ng
ed
. We
had a
ll seen w
here
the vio
lence
was le
adin
g a
nd
no
bo
dy w
an
ted
an
y p
art o
f it. As th
e la
st d
el-
egate
work
ed h
is w
ay in
to th
e h
all, th
e e
x-
hauste
d V
ets h
eaded b
ack to
cam
p.
It was a
bad n
ight fo
r all o
f us.
When w
e g
ot b
ack to
cam
p th
e re
gio
nal
coord
inato
rs w
ere
hold
ing a
meetin
g a
nd
pla
nnin
g to
censure
Kovic
for "p
layin
g c
op"
at g
ate
one. B
ut a
t a m
eetin
g o
f all th
e V
ets
, th
e m
ajo
rity d
isa
gre
ed
with
the
ce
nso
rsh
ip
motio
n a
nd it w
as d
ropped.
That n
ight, w
hile
F w
as s
leepin
g o
n th
e
gro
und, I w
as s
tartle
d b
y a
stra
nge s
ound. O
n
the s
treet o
uts
ide th
e p
ark
, bus a
fter b
us w
as
passin
g n
ois
ily. W
e c
ould
hear c
hantin
g a
nd
sto
mp
ing
insid
e th
e b
use
s. W
e c
ou
ld n
ot h
ea
r w
hat th
ey w
ere
chantin
g, b
ut it s
ounded lik
e
an
an
cie
nt trib
al ritu
al. W
e fo
un
d o
ut la
ter th
at
they w
ere
the D
ade C
ounty
sheriff d
eputie
s,
psych
ing
the
mse
lves u
p fo
r Nixo
n's a
ccep
tan
ce
spe
ech
the
ne
xt da
y.
WE
DN
ES
DA
Y
The V
VA
W e
ncam
pm
ent w
as lik
e a
sm
all
conve
ntio
n. E
ach
state
had its o
wn se
ction a
nd
lobbie
d fo
r its o
wn p
lan o
f actio
n. T
here
was
a re
volt o
f the m
em
bers
bre
win
g, b
rought o
n
by th
e le
aders
hip
's a
rbitra
ry d
ecis
ion to
leave
the F
ounta
ineble
u w
ithout p
uttin
g th
e m
atte
r to
a vo
te. T
he n
atio
nal le
adersh
ip b
egan to
dis-
inte
gra
te b
ut th
ere
wa
s n
oth
ing
to fill th
e v
oid
. B
efo
re, a
ll tactic
al d
ecis
ion
s h
ad
be
en
left
to th
e tw
enty-six re
gio
nal co
ord
inato
rs and th
e
na
tion
al le
ad
ers. N
ow
it wa
s de
cide
d th
at e
ach
thu
s w
ho h
ad th
us fa
r been frie
ndly, a
gain
st them
. T
he h
ours p
asse
d. D
ellin
ger a
nd D
avis d
id
not live
on th
e L
and b
ut a
t a b
each
hote
l, and
ma
ny in
the
pa
rk re
se
nte
d th
at. T
he
gu
lf b
etw
ee
n th
e M
CC
an
d th
e Z
ips w
as w
ide
nin
g.
Fin
ally a
t two
o'clo
ck, afte
r five h
ou
rs of p
re-
limin
arie
s, the
Ve
ts' ge
ne
ral m
ee
ting
go
t un
de
r w
ay, a
nd th
ere
was still n
o p
lan o
f actio
n. T
he
lea
de
rship
, it ap
pe
are
d, w
an
ted
to le
ave
Mia
mi
and h
ead fo
r Gain
esville
where
six of th
e T
al-
lahasse
eT
en m
em
bers w
ere
bein
g a
rraig
ned th
e
next m
orn
ing.
OV
IC, H
OW
EV
ER
, AR
GU
ED
ag
ain
st le
avin
g, s
ayin
g th
at th
e G
ain
esville
arra
ignm
ent w
as a
care
fully
timed
move b
y th
e g
overn
ment to
get th
e
Vets
out o
f Mia
mi d
urin
g N
ixon's
ac-
ce
pta
nce
sp
ee
ch
. Th
e V
ets
vo
ted
o
verw
he
lmin
gly to
stay, b
ut th
ey still co
uld
no
t decid
e o
n a
particu
lar co
urse
of a
ction. A
s the
ho
urs p
asse
d, sp
ea
ker a
fter sp
ea
ker u
rge
d o
ne
pla
n o
r anoth
er b
ut n
one w
on g
enera
l accep-
tan
ce
. Th
e F
lorid
a d
ele
ga
tion
wa
lke
d o
ut,
headin
g fo
r Gain
esville
by its
elf; th
en M
ichi-
ga
n s
torm
ed
ou
t to jo
in th
e Z
ipp
ies in
the
ir "m
ob
ile ta
ctic
s."
On th
e o
ther sid
e o
f the L
and, th
e Z
ips w
ere
gath
erin
g sticks, a
nd B
osto
n's S
acco
-Vanze
tti brig
ade, s
houtin
g "S
acco-V
anzetti," w
as
march
ing o
ff to w
ar, re
d b
anners flyin
g.
Gra
dually m
ost o
f the V
ets, d
isguste
d w
ith
the d
iscord
at th
e m
eetin
g, w
andere
d o
ff. Som
e
were
even h
eadin
g h
om
e. T
he V
VA
W w
as
ho
pe
lessly sp
lit an
d im
po
ten
t. R
ep
orts
from
the
co
nve
ntio
n c
en
ter w
ere
om
inous. "It's
weird
man," s
aid
one V
et. "I
saw
aw
hole
bunch
of co
ps in
side p
oundin
g th
eir
clubs o
n th
e p
ave
ment. T
hey a
ll starte
d sh
out-
ing 'ju
st w
ait, w
e're
gonna g
et th
e fu
ckin
' queers
' and s
tuff lik
e th
at."
Anoth
er V
et sa
id h
e trie
d to
talk w
ith a
cop,
but w
as w
arn
ed, "I d
on't c
are
what y
ou d
o,
but if y
ou c
om
e o
ver th
is fe
nce y
ou're
gonna
get th
is." H
e w
as th
um
pin
g h
is c
lub a
gain
st
his p
alm
. O
bvio
usly th
e e
arlie
r rapport w
ith th
e p
olice
h
ad
bro
ke
n d
ow
n a
fter th
e
the n
ight
befo
re. N
one o
f the [C
on
tinu
ed
on
Page 6
2 1
Th
e L
ast P
atro
l
[Contin
ued fro
m P
age 5
6 .]
Vets
wante
d a
repeat o
f gate
one, b
ein
g
sa
nd
wic
he
d b
etw
ee
n th
e Z
ips a
nd
th
e c
ops, h
avin
g to
govern
an
ungovern
able
situ
atio
n ... S
o it
wa
s fina
lly de
cide
d, a
fter te
n h
ou
rs of ta
lking, th
at e
ach
Vet w
ould
have
to
decid
e h
is o
wn a
ctio
n.
McC
loske
y had m
anaged to
get
thre
e p
asse
s th
e n
igh
t be
fore
for
the
disa
ble
d V
ets. B
ut th
e R
ep
ub
li-ca
ns h
ad
sh
un
ted
the
m o
ff to th
e
up
pe
r rea
ch
es o
f the
ba
lco
ny
wh
ere
the
y w
ou
ld n
ot b
e s
ee
n.
No
w, K
ovic
de
cid
ed
he
wo
uld
try
to g
et in
to th
e c
onventio
n its
elf, s
o
I pu
sh
ed
him
do
wn
to th
e c
on
ve
n-
tion
ce
nte
r. Alo
ng
the
wa
y, o
ld
pe
op
le w
ate
ring
the
law
ns o
r sitting
on th
eir p
orc
hes w
aved to
us.
As w
e n
eare
d th
e c
onventio
n,
we
sa
w th
ou
sa
nd
s o
f de
mo
n-
stra
tors
run
nin
g to
wa
rd u
s. S
om
e
we
re ca
rrying
ble
ed
ing
frien
ds a
nd
o
the
rs w
ere
ga
gg
ing
from
the
ga
s.
When th
e c
onventio
n c
ente
r cam
e
into
vie
w w
e c
ou
ld s
ee s
wirlin
g
clo
uds o
f ga
s a
nd w
e c
ou
ld h
ea
r th
e p
oppin
g o
f gas g
renades. A
girl
wa
s sitting
on
the
curb
ga
gg
ing
an
d
crying
an
d a
you
ng
ma
n w
as h
an
d-
ing
ou
t wa
ds o
f we
t tissu
e p
ap
er,
ple
adin
g, "D
on't to
uch y
our e
yes."
We k
ept h
eadin
g fo
r the h
all.
"Yo
u b
ette
r no
t go
the
re, th
ey're
co
min
g," c
ried
a y
ou
th ru
nn
ing
to
ward
us, h
is fa
ce c
onto
rted w
ith
fea
r. Th
ere
wa
s n
o fo
rm o
r ord
er
to th
e d
em
on
stra
tion
, just m
asse
s
of p
eople
fleein
g fro
m th
e p
olic
e
wh
o co
ntin
ue
d to
fire te
ar g
as ca
n-
nis
ters
at th
em
. M
an
y o
f the
Ve
ts w
ere
actin
g
as m
edic
s. O
ld p
eople
were
stre
am
ing o
ut o
f their h
ote
ls, chok-
ing a
nd c
oughin
g. M
y e
yes w
ere
begin
nin
g to
bu
rn a
nd
my th
roa
t fe
lt like s
andpaper; K
ovic
too w
as
ga
gg
ing
, bu
t we
de
cid
ed
to k
ee
p
go
ing
. W
e fin
ally
rea
ch
ed
the
po
lice
lin
es b
eh
ind
the
fen
ce
at th
e m
ain
g
ate
. Ko
vic
ca
lled
ou
t, ho
ldin
g u
p
his
pa
ss to
the
co
nve
ntio
n, b
ut
no
ne
of th
e p
olic
e, lo
okin
g lik
e
mo
tion
less ro
bo
ts in
the
ir ga
s
ma
sks, w
ou
ld h
elp
him
. "Ple
ase
, I h
ave
a p
ass, c
an
I ge
t in?
" N
o o
ne m
oved. W
e w
aite
d.
Then a
big
cop c
am
e o
ver to
the
ga
te, lo
oke
d a
t Ko
vic
, an
d s
aid
, "W
e'll g
et y
ou in
." We re
cogniz
ed
him
from
the
nig
ht b
efo
re—
he
wa
s
the
co
p w
ith th
e m
ajo
r's o
akle
af
wh
o h
ad
se
en
Ko
vic
tryin
g to
pro
-te
ct th
e d
ele
ga
tes g
oin
g in
ga
te
on
e. A
sym
pa
the
tic n
ew
sm
an
offe
red to
push
Kovic's w
heelch
air.
I did
n't k
now
wheth
er h
e w
ould
actu
ally g
et in
, and if h
e d
id, w
here
he w
ould
be a
ble
to g
o.
Th
e p
olic
e w
ere
form
ing
up
to
ch
arg
e a
ga
in a
nd
I join
ed
the
re
treat. W
e w
ere
herd
ed a
round
the s
treets
like c
attle
. "It's a
trap,"
so
me
on
e s
ho
ute
d, a
s m
ore
po
lice
appeare
d fro
m a
noth
er d
irectio
n.
Sm
all g
roups o
f pro
teste
rs esca
ped
in e
very
dire
ctio
n.
Up o
n C
ollin
s A
venue Z
ippie
s
we
re k
no
ckin
g o
ve
r ga
rba
ge
ca
ns
and b
lockin
g tra
ffic, p
oundin
g o
n
the h
oods o
f cars
and s
houtin
g.
Ea
rlier in
the
eve
nin
g, a
ccord
ing
to
witn
esse
s, the
y ha
d sto
pp
ed
a b
us,
sla
shed th
e tire
s, a
nd trie
d to
put
a b
urn
ing
Am
eric
an
flag
in th
e g
as
tan
k. T
he
po
lice, to
o, w
ere
go
ing
be
r-serk
, corn
erin
g is
ola
ted g
roups o
f dem
onstra
tors a
nd b
eatin
g a
nyo
ne
the
y c
ou
ld c
atc
h.
As th
e Z
ipp
ies b
locke
d tra
ffic,
a c
row
d o
f old
people
, touris
ts a
nd
resid
en
ts, g
ath
ere
d to
wa
tch
. W
hen a
Zip
pie
jum
ped o
n a
car fu
ll of ch
ildre
n, o
ne b
ystander sh
oute
d
for h
im to
sto
p. A
Zip
pie
girl th
en
charg
ed a
t the b
ysta
nder, y
ellin
g,
"Go fu
ck y
ours
elf!"
'
A lin
e o
f polic
e c
am
e m
arc
hin
g
up, tw
o d
eep. T
he Z
ips fle
d, o
nly
to
run rig
ht in
to a
noth
er c
olu
mn
of c
op
s c
om
ing
from
the
-oth
er
dire
ctio
n. T
he
y w
ere
trap
pe
d a
nd
som
e fra
ntic
ally
escaped in
to th
e
big
ho
tels
alo
ng
the
strip
. A p
an
ic-
stric
ken o
ld w
om
an trie
d to
run
past p
olic
e lin
es, b
ut s
he w
as h
eld
b
ack b
y a
co
p h
old
ing
up
his
clu
b.
Th
e p
olic
e h
alte
d fo
r a m
om
en
t, th
en m
arc
hed fo
rward
, trappin
g
eve
ryin
g in
the
ir circ
le, y
ou
ng
an
d
old
, innocent a
nd g
uilty
. No o
ne
was a
llow
ed o
ut.
"I have to
go h
om
e," th
e o
ld
wom
an p
leaded. T
he c
ops s
aid
noth
ing, b
ut ju
st h
eld
their c
lubs
vertic
ally
in b
oth
hands.
I walke
d b
ack to
the p
ark. T
here
w
as a
pa
ll of g
as in
the
air a
nd
p
eo
ple
we
re m
illing
ab
ou
t in c
on
-fu
sio
n. B
y n
ow
the g
ood v
ibes o
f th
e p
revio
us d
ays w
ere
co
mp
lete
ly
gone. T
he e
xperim
ent o
f the L
and
wa
s fin
ish
ed
. T
he C
alifo
rnia
convoy m
et
about a
mile
from
the p
ark
for its
fin
al tre
k to
Gain
esville
. Alth
ough
we d
rove
all n
ight w
e g
ot to
Gain
es-
ville
too
late
for th
e a
rraig
nm
en
t. T
he
go
ve
rnm
en
t wa
s a
nd
is n
ow
cla
imin
g th
at th
e V
ets
we
re p
lan
-nin
g to
overth
row
Nix
on w
ith "w
rist
rockets
," Kafk
aesque te
rmin
olo
gy
for s
ling
sh
ots
. If it we
re n
ot fo
r th
e V
ets
waitin
g to
be trie
d, it
would
be fu
nny: th
e V
VA
W, a
rmed
with
slin
gsh
ots
, co
nq
ue
ring
the
m
igh
tiest m
ilitary
ma
ch
ine
of a
ll tim
e.
We re
gro
uped a
t a c
am
psite
in
a w
oo
de
d a
rea
ou
tsid
e o
f tow
n. It
was ra
inin
g h
ard
but n
obody
seem
ed to
notic
e. I h
ad a
lways
wo
nd
ere
d w
ha
t it wa
s lik
e to
be
in
retre
at, like
Wa
shin
gto
n a
t Va
lley
Fo
rge
—to
be
de
fea
ted
in b
attle
an
d
dow
n in
spirit. T
here
were
about
400 V
ets
left—
the b
atte
red
rem
na
nts
of th
e L
ast P
atro
l. N
o o
ne
sp
oke
mo
st o
f the
da
y.
But e
very
once in
aw
hile
som
eone
would
ask, "W
hat h
appened?" T
he
an
sw
er w
as a
lwa
ys th
e s
am
e: "I
don't k
now
." Late
in th
e a
ftern
oon s
om
eone
starte
d
pla
yin
g
the
h
ar-
mo
nic
a...'W
he
n J
oh
nn
y C
om
es
Ma
rch
ing
Ho
me
Ag
ain
, Ho
ora
h,
Ho
ora
h."
I fou
nd
Ro
n K
ovic
an
d lis
ten
ed
a
s h
e to
ld w
ha
t ha
pp
en
ed
the
last
nig
ht in
the c
onventio
n h
all. K
ovic
a
nd
his
two
co
mra
de
s in
wh
ee
l chairs
had g
otte
n in
to th
e c
onven-
tion a
nd, b
y s
heer d
ete
rmin
atio
n,
ma
de
the
ir wa
y rig
ht u
p to
the
fro
nt.
Kovic
waite
d fo
r Nix
on to
begin
his
speech. T
hen h
e s
houte
d o
ut
with
eve
ryth
ing
he
ha
d, "S
top
the
w
ar!" N
ixon p
aused fo
r a m
om
ent,
an
d a
ga
in th
e th
ree
of th
em
sh
ou
ted
, "Sto
p th
e w
ar!"
Th
ey h
eld
up
sig
ns, a
nd
ea
ch
tim
e N
ixo
n p
au
se
d, th
ey s
ho
ute
d,
"Sto
p th
e w
ar!" H
oard
s o
f new
s-
me
n a
nd
secre
t service
ag
en
ts sur-
rou
nd
ed
the
m. S
om
e d
ele
ga
tes
booed; o
thers
sto
od u
p a
nd
clapped fo
r the P
resid
ent, tryin
g to
ke
ep th
e p
ress fro
m th
e th
ree V
ets.
Lik
e a
vo
ice
in th
e w
ilde
rne
ss
Ko
vic
stre
tch
ed
as fa
r as h
e c
ou
ld
in h
is w
he
elc
ha
ir, he
ld u
p a
sig
n,
and c
alle
d o
ut, "S
top th
e w
ar!"
Then a
dele
gate
ripped th
e s
ign
from
his h
an
ds a
s po
lice a
nd
ag
en
ts q
uic
kly
pu
sh
ed
the
thre
e o
f the
m
out o
f the h
all. W
alte
r Cro
nkite
peere
d d
ow
n fro
m h
is p
erc
h lo
ok-
ing th
rough b
inocula
rs, b
ut n
ot
on
e h
int o
f wh
at w
as g
oin
g o
n e
ver
go
t on
tele
vis
ion
. Th
e A
me
rica
n
pe
op
le n
eve
r kne
w. It w
asn
't in th
e
Nix
on s
crip
t—th
e w
hole
thin
g w
as
too m
essy, to
o u
nple
asant—
it d
idn
't fit into
the
Ve
ts-F
or-N
ixo
n
driv
e o
r the
we
ll-pla
nn
ed
, wh
ole
-so
me
yo
uth
rallie
s. R
on
Ko
vic
ha
d
been u
sefu
l when N
ixon n
eeded
can
no
n fo
dd
er, b
ut n
ow
he
wa
s just
in th
e w
ay, s
o h
e th
rew
him
out.
With
the
Ve
ts o
ut o
f the
ha
ll, th
e o
nly
hitc
h in
the "c
oro
natio
n"
wa
s g
on
e. T
he
ren
om
ina
tion
of
Ric
hard
Nix
on p
roceeded o
r-derly
, accord
ing to
schedule
and
with
ou
t an
y m
en
tion
of th
e b
ruta
l w
ar in
Indochin
a.A
62
