letter to congress

I greet you on the eighth anniversary of Seaman Allen Schindler's murder. Allen Schindler died around midnight 27-28 October 1992 in Sasebo, Japan--the first of two highly publicized military "gay bashings" (the other, that of PFC. Barry Winchell on 5 July 1999 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky).

While the timing alone of Schindler's murder, days before the 1992 elections, should have prompted inquiry into whether the murder were political; the following facts now make such inquiry imperative--

• that Navy leaders issued a kill order to Terry Helvey in late September 1992, directing him to murder Allen Schindler; and

• that, having given the order, the same Navy leaders then inexplicably delayed the murder for about a month.

Terry Helvey and his "team" pressed for a shipboard assassination--shipboard, evidently, for control of the murder site. They were, however, overruled by Navy superiors, who insisted Schindler be killed off-ship.

This requirement--an off-ship murder--posed practical problems; since Schindler was then confined to the USS Belleau Wood, as a disciplinary measure, for his "too cute to be straight" radio message. Schindler's release from restriction, 25 October 1992, left Helvey's team a limited "window of opportunity" to kill Schindler: those portions of 25-27 October, and the early morning hours of 28 October, when Schindler was not on the USS Belleau Wood. The Belleau Wood, flagship of a battle group, sailed for the Philippines before 0600 h. on 28 October 1992.

To Mr. Helvey's knowledge, the attack upon Schindler was the only time Navy superiors dictated the place of an assault.

In my own view, Schindler's murder was intended as a warning--primarily to an incoming Clinton administration, but secondarily to gays themselves--

Included, below, is the statement of Stuart J. Kalbrofsky, USN, who spent between 13 and 14 hours with Allen Schindler 25-26 October 1992*. The Kalbrofsky statement contains the only reference I've been able to find, in the entire record, to shipboard "enforcers" (Schindler called them "gangs"). Knowing what was also going on 25-26 October 1992, I find the pathos of this statement overpowering, almost unbearable.

11\4\00 FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: I greet you on the eighth anniversary of Seaman Allen Schindler's murder. Allen Schindler died around midnight 27-28 October 1992 in Sasebo, Japan--the first of two highly publicized military "gay bashings" (the other, that of PFC. Barry Winchell on 5 July 1999 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky). While the timing alone of Schindler's murder, days before the 1992 elections, should have prompted inquiry into whether the murder were political; the following facts now make such inquiry imperative-- • that Navy leaders issued a kill order to Terry Helvey in late September 1992, directing him to murder Allen Schindler; and • that, having given the order, the same Navy leaders then inexplicably delayed the murder for about a month. Terry Helvey and his "team" pressed for a shipboard assassination--shipboard, evidently, for control of the murder site. They were, however, overruled by Navy superiors, who insisted Schindler be killed off-ship. This requirement--an off-ship murder--posed practical problems; since Schindler was then confined to the USS Belleau Wood, as a disciplinary measure, for his "too cute to be straight" radio message. Schindler's release from restriction, 25 October 1992, left Helvey's team a limited "window of opportunity" to kill Schindler: those portions of 25-27 October, and the early morning hours of 28 October, when Schindler was not on the USS Belleau Wood. The Belleau Wood, flagship of a battle group, sailed for the Philippines before 0600 h. on 28 October 1992. To Mr. Helvey's knowledge, the attack upon Schindler was the only time Navy superiors dictated the place of an assault. In my own view, Schindler's murder was intended as a warning--primarily to an incoming Clinton administration, but secondarily to gays themselves-- • that integration of gays into the Armed Forces would be forcibly resisted; and • that gays should get out and stay out of the US Armed Forces. I trust there will be an investigation into this murder. Included, below, is the statement of Stuart J. Kalbrofsky, USN, who spent between 13 and 14 hours with Allen Schindler 25-26 October 1992*. The Kalbrofsky statement contains the only reference I've been able to find, in the entire record, to shipboard "enforcers" (Schindler called them "gangs"). Knowing what was also going on 25-26 October 1992, I find the pathos of this statement overpowering, almost unbearable. Terry does also. Respectfully, BRUCE TYLER WICK 24600 Center Ridge Road #115 Westlake, Ohio 44145 Phone: 440-899-9425 Fax: 440-899-9424 Counsel for Terry M. Helvey.