MARIJUANA PENALITIES WOULD SNARE HERO

On April 1, 1970, Specialist 4th Class Peter C. Lemon was serving as an
assistant machine gunner with the U.S. Army at Fire Support Base
Illingworth, in Tay Ninh Province, South Vietnam when the base came under
heavy enemy attack.

Specialist Lemon fought off a numerically superior enemy with machine gun
and rifle fire from his defensive position until both weapons
malfunctioned. He then used hand grenades to fend off the intensified enemy
attack launched in his direction. After eliminating all but one of the
enemy soldiers in the immediate vicinity, he pursued and disposed of the
remaining soldier in hand-to-hand combat.

Despite fragment wounds from an exploding grenade, Specialist Lemon
regained his position, carried a more seriously wounded comrade to an aid
station, and, as he returned, was wounded a second time by enemy fire.
Disregarding his personal injuries, he moved to his position through a hail
of small arms and grenade fire and was wounded a third time, but his
determined efforts successfully drove the enemy from the position.

Securing an operable machine gun, Sgt. Lemon stood atop an embankment fully
exposed to enemy fire, and fired upon the enemy until he collapsed from his
multiple wounds and exhaustion. After regaining consciousness at the aid
station, he refused medical evacuation until his more seriously wounded
comrades had been evacuated.

Peter Lemon was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions at
Fire Base Illingworth. After receiving this nation's highest honor he
told reporters that he was stoned on marijuana the night of the battle.*

I don't know if Mr. Lemon still uses marijuana but if he does, he should
be aware that the Republican Party wants to put him in jail. The Republican
Party's national platform on drugs states that "We support strong penalties
for drug-related crimes." That includes engaging in the moderate use of
marijuana -- and that includes Vietnam veterans like Peter Lemon.

Walter F. Wouk