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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-06096 to 363-06098.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-06096 to 363-06098
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Title
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Letter to Military Assisstance Command Vietnam (MACV) from accredited women correspondents
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Description
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Letter to Military Assisstance Command Vietnam (MACV) from accredited women correspondents protesting new rules banning them from combat zones at night. The letter starts with a copy of a letter from Lt. Col. John G. Rose about rules for female correspondents in combat areas. The letter claims women should be treated the same as male correspondents, but goes on to say that women should not be in combat zones at night, effectively blocking them from combat zones altogether.
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Transcript
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Covering letter from Lt Col John G. Rose, MacV 10:
Here are three tries at a policy which would cover the subject
that we discussed the evening of 20 June. Please take a look
at them and give me your thoughts next week.
can get together to kick this around again.
Subject:
1.
Please let me know when we
Visits to Combat Area by Female Correspondents
Female correspondents are not authorized to remain with, or
accompany, U.S. units overnight in exposed forward positions or
areas. They are authorized to visit or accompany during daylight
hours any unit or area which commanders authorize for male
correspondents.
2. Accredited female correspondents have the same rights and
privileges as male news media representatives in covering the war in
Vietnam, to include combat action. However, in certain tactical situations
there is an understandable concern and an inevitable sense of
responsibility on the part of commanders when a woman is present.
In these situations it is unfair to place an extra burden on the
commander. He must be free to concentrate on his mission and the
combat performance of his unit, without the distraction of concern
over the presence of a woman with his unit. Therefore, female news
correspondents will not be kept overnight at forward, exposed
positions. It is recognized that there may be unexpected situations
when it will not be possible or practicable to get a woman correspondent
out of an exposed forward position before nightfall. However, it is command
policy that commanders will make all reasonable efforts to send any
female correspondent back to a more secure area for the period of
darkness when exposed forward positions are most vulnerable to strong
and perhaps overwhelming enemy attack.
3. Female news media representatives are to be accorded the same
treatment as their male counterparts with the following exception:
Female news media reps will not be authorized to remain overnight in
forward exposed positions when in the opinion of the local commander,
their presence will cause undue concern on the part of the position
commander. This is not to be interpreted as restricting female
correspondents from covering any daytime action which a commander would
normally allow male correspondents to cover. Commanders must not
interpret this policy as restricting females from visiting forward
exposed areas during daylight when there is a reasonable expectation
of extraction before dark..
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To: Military Assistance Command, Viotran
From: Accredited Wonon Correspondents
lo, the undersigned, do not agree to or give approval to any proposed
directives or messages which establish rulos for us that are different
from those for male correspondents. He cite the following reasonet
Any directive or regulation that establishes separate treatmon for
womon is discriminatory and interferos tith free access to the news
by one group of nooredited correspondents.
The 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits job discrimination on the
bhois of DOI.
IACV rules governing public release of military information already
state, "correspondents may find that, at times, their movements may be
restricted in cortain tactical areas. Those restrictions are kept to a
minimum but they may be applied by a commanding officer whon in his opinion
the nature of an operation warrants such action." We soo no noconaity
for an arbitrary change in or addition to this rule.
The proposed directives use the words "forward and exposed" to describo
areas where wonen correspondents will not be allowed to stay overnight. In
Vietnam every area can be defined an "exposed"; domtown Saicon has boon
shelled, the 25th Infantry Division base camp at Cu Chi has been mortared,
the Denang press conter has received snipor fire, eto. Oversealous
commanders, anxious to be sure they comply with the directivo, could
keop tromon out of any area in Vietnam. Such rosations would Boriously
inhibit our coverage and provent us from functioning an effective
correspondents.
The tradition of highly professional coverage by courageous women wer
correspondents should not be destroyed by short-sighted directives. There
is no precedent for such a ruling.
If military authorities successfully restrict the movements of women
correspondents, they may try to restrict movements of male correspondento
next.
Signeds
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Sigmods
Cathy Laroy
Agpociated Press, Paris Match
Kate Wobb
United Press International
linda G. Martin
New York Times Magazine, Today's Health
Mademoiselle, Newsweek, Hacmillan Ino.
Anne Le lorrissy
Amerionn Broadcasting Company
Jurate Kasiateng
008
North Amerionn Newspaper Alliance,
Insiders Newsletter, Darbinincas
The Honorable Robert S. Kolfamara
Secretary of Defence
The Honorable Ellsworth Bunker
Denby Faucott
Honolulu Advertisor
Ann Bryan
Overseas Weekly
Karen S. Poterson
American Broadcasting Company,
Chicago Tribune
Cay Dillin
American it Ambassador, Republic of Vietnam
General Creighton H. Abrams
Christian Soionoe Monitor
Deputy Commander, U.S. Military Assistance Commend, Vietnam
Mr. Barry Forthian
Minister-Counselor of bassy for Information
Mr. John Stuart
Chief, U.S. Mission Prose Center
Lt Col J. C. Rose
Chief, Public Information Division, Haov
Mr. Philip Goulding
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affair
Col Roger Bankson
Chief of Information, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
Senator Frank Hoss
Subcommittee on Freedom of Information
Senator Sam J. Irvin Jr.
Subcommittee on Constitutional flights
Senator Margaret Chase Smith
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Date
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1967
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Subject
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Government and the press; Journalists; United States. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Office of Information; Women war correspondents
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Location
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Saigon, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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10.8231; 106.6311
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Size
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20 x 26 cm
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Container
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B189, F7
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Format
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commercial correspondence
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Collection Number
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MS 363
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Collection Title
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Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
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Creator
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United States. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Office of Information
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Collector
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Copyright Information
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These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
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Publisher
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Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
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Language
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English
