European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 21, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Pc 4 the stars and stapes in Many f ass. Tot offensive raised spirits morale of combat troops remains High by George me Arthu Saigon a for three years of Ever intensifying War fare in Vietnam the morale of the american fighting Man has never flagged. The communist offensive i february which wrought so much damage had Only a Peri pheral effect on the spirit of the . Troops. In Many instance the offensive improved morale. Associated press correspondents in the Field have , my Guys Are raring for More a battalion commander told newsmen. This was demonstrated by countless tales of heroism like the Young Marine officer on leave who flew Back and swam the Phu Cam canal in darkness to rejoin his outfit in embattled  would be oversimplification to contend that three years of mounting warfare has not resulted in some erosion. The dictionary defines Morales a moral or mental condition with respect to cheerfulness Confidence Zeal  most observers would agree that by this definition the comparative handful of american advisers Here in 1965 surpassed the average morale level of the500.000 americans now in Viet Nam. This decline however is hardly significant and is Proba Bly due As much to the leveling influence of the number of me involved As any other Factor. Personnel officers Psychia Trist and other concerned with the problem consider the .12-month rotation policy the big Gest Factor in maintaining morale. Another is the policy of giving every Man at least one rest leave outside the country during his Vietnam tour. Reluctant watchdog a Youn Marine Cpl. Paul Maynor of West Mon Roe sleeps at Khe Sanh As his dog lady keeps watch. He found her a few months ago but still has to use a Leash to keeper from running off. A photo a is x name is a superlative 5fk becoming Saint in Africa by Peter d. Lynch cans speak of Kennedy As one Douala Cameroon up � the greatest White men i history and hold him up As a Model in their civil War wit Nigeria. In Nigeria he is hailed As the greatest Friend the Black Man Ever had and held up As Amodel for the struggle against  Christian churches in both halves of the bitterly divided and most populous nation in Africa a whole new generation of Young africans is emerging with the Given names John fit Gerald Kennedy. At a recent civic dinner Inthis steamy banana port in the Cameroon Republic an English in the Depths of Black Africa the name of John f. Kennedy lives in fact and in growing legend As the one True White hero. Here Whites Are  Butin the More than four years since his death what amounts to a Kennedy cult has risen. The biafran and the nigerians Are at War but they agree that John f. Kennedy is a Saint.  his name has become part of Day to Day language. On the steamy West coast the word Kennedy in both pidgin English and in French is superlative. It is used to de scribe anything from a great event to a pretty girl. La Belle Femme to French speaking Afi icons in came run is now la k needy , la Kennedy is a favor Ite expression. To Bear his name or even his initials is an Honor. In  Iii Fra Afi i the West cameroonian  banker went on to make Clear that Kennedy apart reconsidered White men in general expendable. Here the Kirdle people who wander about their terraced Mountain slopes in a near nude state have no use for White men and very Little for the Cameroon authorities. They live As they have live for centuries tiling the slopes to grow Maize and Millet an patiently replacing the Stone Ter races after the Rains Wash the away each year. They guard their wives and a the assassination of Kennedy. Through an interpreter the chief was asked Why he kept the stories which he could no tread. He was a great White chief and a great Friend of the Black Man the chief said  killed him because of  the War itself affect  mentally Odd ways m � ample of this is the rarity what psychiatrists in wart termed combat there 1 not that much. Trained combat As a Rule there one doctor said. What we Haw is often the absence of combat the feeling that the enemy u by. Ery where and the inability Roget him. This causes ome prob lems even so the psychiatrist feel there Are no serious morale problems among the troops la Vietnam. While official Statis. Tics Are inconclusive oae doctor estimates that Only one tenth of one per cent of the patient evacuated from the country Are mental patients. The civil rights and Ace Dis orders in the United states frequently enrage the soldiers inthe Field. But this is considered an insignificant Factor so far a morale is concerned even among negro soldiers who might be influenced the most. Since the commune s began their offensive at the or. I of Jan uary the . Casualty to has been running close to 50 dead per week. Combat off. Is Point out that casualties As Uch Donot necessarily lower a Raie of Well indoctrinated sold a. Frequently they fight Evn harder. The communist offer Ive did raise serious in -.r. Hin ions among Many m i 1 a eve american officers and civilians in Vietnam and Cau tvs  evident reappraisal in. Head quarters of Gen. V. I. N . In i. This feeling of apprehend. May seep Down to the in Iii a troups but so far it has not Dor / so. What has affected the fighting men is the erosion of the 12 month rotation policy Winch has taken place. An example is the brigade of the 82nd airborne division which was flown to Vietnam Las month. Many of the men were veterans of previous Tours i Vietnam and openly unhappy to be Back. Similar situations of i in other specialized Fields. The de Mand for helicopter up i great that Many Are second tour and som third. A similar sit is building up among fixed Wing aircraft. M.-. Like it among the Ordina men however moral slightly less a Iii the i three years ago. Their i their son is y do n t Norv a Only it was speaking West cameroonian had chief May have As Many As eight by keeping them at night in Large Clay jars seven to eight feet tall and about four to five feet in diameter. An Entrance about two feet Square allows the wife to crawl inside. In one chief s potted harem pages from american and Continental magazines decorate the Walls. They All dealt with one theme two main complaints to relate one was the French habit of drinking bottled Mineral  a banker trained in , he could see no logical reason to import water to Africa. His second complaint was that his wife has presented him Only Usu girls i must have u boy to Call him John f. Kennedy Abanda european edition col. James w. Campbell a a Elut. Col. F. 8. Michael jr., a of  i j Mert Proctor a i Elmer d. Frank prod Henry 8. Epstein. 1.cirvl.ut.c--. An unofficial new Pap a of and for the u. Armed Force pub i Ca Timander in chief . European command and Prinus daily � Germany. Military add Rem the 8ur and strip. Apo 09 76. Internal. The 6ur� and Stripe Pott Fach 1gj4, 61 Darnt Tadt a run any. To. G it endorsement by the department of Defene or any of Lucci in ". The l it d of fifis is rim i n society a which the i to know u Fhy Nuhad Una you amid Freak Pietu a Doii m j chief tha " " a. C _ l