Brig. Gen. Fortunato C. Corachea, Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations, has criticized Joel C. Paredes’ article for implying, among other things, that United States military personnel "may again engage ‘in small-scale civic action in guerrilla areas’ as the Green Berets allegedly did in the mid ‘70s" (Malaya, Feb. 19).

From General Corachea’s use of the word, "allegedly," I gather that he is going only by hearsay and has neither first-hand knowledge nor reliable documentary evidence that the Green Berets did engage in civic action activities in the Philippines.

The general might consult the book written by Charles M. Simpson III, USA (ret.), Inside the Green Berets: The story of the U.S. Special Forces, which was the main selection of the Military Book Club. Berkeley Books published the paperback edition last September.

In the chapter titled, "Civic Action around the world," Colonel Simpson relates the disaster and relief operations conducted in Luzon, the school building program implemented in Panay, and the comprehensive civic-action program planned and carried out in Samar.

These three operations were carried out under Colonel Simpson’s command. This is as close as one can get to first-hand documentary confirmation.

These were not the only Green Beret operations conducted in the Philippines. In the preface of the book, Lt. Gen. William P. Yardborough, USA (ret.), recalls his visit to Cebu where Green Beret doctors and dentists were working. At the time, General Yardborough was head of the Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg.

RUBEN N. MUEGO

P.S. I am attaching hereto xerox copies of the relevant pages of the book. Please pass them to Mr. Paredes.