ON CARMICHAEL

To the Editor of the Summer News:

Among the statements attributed by the Summer News to Mr. Carmichael at his talk last Thursday evening was a distortion as to the number of Negroes serving with the United States Armed Forces in Vietnam. Mr. Carmichael is reported to have indicated that "40 per cent of the men in the front line" and "some 20 per cent of our casualties" were Negroes. On the other hand, Mr. Gene Grove writing in the New York Timer Magazine of July, 24, 1966 reported that Negroes constitute 18 per cent of the combat units in Vietnam, rather than the figure 40 per cent given by T.H. Boyer

Although Carmichael was quoted accurately at having said that "40 per cent of the men in the front line "are Negroes, it is impossible, at this time, to ascertain his sources. Yesterday, the Defense Department said that the most recent survey (Dec. 25, 1965) showed the following percentages of Negroes in the Armed Forces in Vietnam; 14.8 per cent in the Army, 5.1 per cent Navy, 8.9 per cent Marine Corps, 8.3 Air Force. These figures, however, do not reflect the percentages of Negroes "on the front lines." -- ed.