National Guard Actions in ’65 Watts Rioting

As a former National Guardsman activated in the Watts riots, my interest was caught by Bob Richardson’s comments in Irv Letofsky’s May 3 article “Reliving a Nightmare.”

The first National Guard units to hit the streets were not “from places like Eureka or Redwood City or Glendale” (as Richardson says). My unit, the 1st Recon Squadron, 18th Armored Cavalry, was from Burbank, only one of many in the 40th Division activated on Friday, the worst day of the rioting. (Actually we were already mobilized because our annual summer camp began the same day the Guard was activated by the lieutenant governor, and we were on the streets of Watts within hours.)

Richardson is quoted: “The only black person (Guardsmen) ever saw was on the Aunt Jemima box. They were killing anything that moved--dogs, cats. . . . “

As a white guardsman who grew up in Compton, I had seen a lot of black people. My troop had several black noncommissioned officers. I also worked in the riot area.

We didn’t shoot any dogs, cats or, for that matter, people. When we first entered the riot area at Slauson and Vermont late Friday evening, we couldn’t shoot anyone because we did not have any ammunition; also, we had no bayonets. On Saturday we received ammunition and bayonets, but by then the worst was over.

The Watts riots were a national tragedy. The National Guard helped prevent further loss of life and destruction.

I have always been amazed at how professional and businesslike we part-time soldiers became during the riots (even though my unit had no riot training).

I was particularly impressed by our black NCOs who led white privates while being derided by their brothers. We all did our job and then went home.

DUANE L. SHELTON, Norwalk