Assembly’s Vote on Tom Hayden

As a veteran who wore the uniform (American) proudly in three wars--WW II, Korea, and, yes, Vietnam--I must respond to the column, “Image and Reality: the Vietnam Years,� (Opinion, June 22) by that illustrious patriot (Viet Kong) Tom Hayden. Mr. Hayden is far too modest. The Vietnam conflict was lost in the streets of America and Mr. Hayden and his wife Jane were instrumental in the ultimate defeat of the imperialistic American aggressors.

As concerns reality--much of my tour was at Cam Ranh Air Base. I saw the first paved roads go in and the permanent barracks. It was an open secret that Cam Ranh would be retained as a permanent American base upon the conclusion of hostilities. The reality--today Soviet bombers are stationed at Cam Ranh Air Base and Cam Ranh Bay is a Russian Naval Base. Did Mr. Hayden expect that it would be otherwise?

GEORGE McCARTY

Hollywood