Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Discrimination in a Frontline Dogface's Foxhole

Medically/scientifically I believe they were born that way and if God loves all his children he should love them also.

Courtesy: freestudents.blogspot.com

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - I was 21 years old and a college graduate when I volunteered to be drafted into the WWII Army. I really didn’t have to go. I ended up in a seven private section with 18-year old boys.

They were still exuberant boys and I had little in common with them except the Army BS. We worked together on Army stuff but not otherwise.

To them, I was different but we had no problems doing Army stuff. We were all round pegs in a square foxhole. Our Staff Sergeant was a jerk and we all hated his guts. He had been an Aircorps Cadet but got washed out and he hated the Air Force, the Army, the Infantry, us and everything about it. We reciprocated.

When we got into combat it seemed as if I was at the top of his S_ _T list and I seemed to get most of the S_ _ T details. All privates were expected to take the attacking point once in a while because it was almost a suicide mission and all privates were supposed to share the risk. Towards the end of the war my sergeant said “Leveque, take the point” for three or four days straight.

I was number two man. The regular infantry guys were number one for only an hour. I was not relieved all day. At the time I wondered why he seemed to hate me. I guess he could tell that I hated his guts but I knew my luck was running out. One day I and a buddy captured 26 German officers when we were on the point. That was beau coups scary!

One night on a forward observation point two of our guys were captured 5 minutes after I and another were relieved. That was double scary.

Those two were prisoners for 6 weeks and got to go home on the first boat. We visited them and Ed said “Leveque, would you have a cigarette with us before we go home”? “Sure why not”. He said, “We thought you were queer because you didn’t smoke”. I didn’t know that was part of it!^[1]

After thinking about it over the years, I figured that was the reason I was getting all the S _ _ T details. If my 6 private buddies thought I was queer they probably told the sergeant and he told my Lieutenant. That explained a lot – they were trying to get me killed and “on the point” or forward observer was the best way to do it.

I must confess, I am not gay. I love the ladies and I was married to one for 54 years. In my medical practice I had several gays and lesbians and they did have socio medical problems. I have also known many others. They don’t bother me and maybe because of the way I was treated in the Army I have empathy for them.

Medically/scientifically I believe they were born that way and if God loves all his children he should love them also.

A recent story in salem-news.com, Veterans Demand End Of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” states that 50,000 gays and lesbians have been dishonorably discharged^[2]. This is an outrageous number for persons who have volunteered – to be in “harms way”. We “straights” can not afford to lose this many people. The risk then falls on us.

LET THEM SERVE!

Related articles on Salem-News.com:

^[1]Dec-21-2007: Army Homosexuals: Let Them Serve - Perspective by Dr. Phil Leveque Salem-News.com

^[2]Feb-02-2010: Veterans Demand End of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' Policy for Gays - Tim King Salem-News.com

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Dr. Phillip Leveque has degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and minors in physiology and biochemistry. He was a Professor of Pharmacology, employed by the University of London for 2 years, during which time he trained the first doctors in Tanzania. After training doctors, he became an Osteopathic Physician, as well as a Forensic Toxicologist.

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Hope you’ll listen to my radio show on homosexuals in the military.Comments welcome.

theamericanview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4140


John Lofton, Editor, TheAmericanView.com
Communications Director, Institute on the Constitution
Host, “TheAmericanView” radio show
Recovering Republican
JLof@aol.com

From Dr. Leveque: My Sgt and my Lt. tried to kill me because they assumed I am gay but I am not.  In addition, many infantry soldiers went to their CO's and said they were homosexual to get out of the WWII Army.  Whether they were or not I doubt,  but they didn't want to Europs to get shot at or killed.  Mr Lofton, would you please read my story?

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