"HE NEVER ASKED FOR JUSTICE, ONLY MERCY"
                                    by
                              Kermit Vandivier
                            Troy News Staff Writer
                         Troy Daily - April 28, 1971

   CO. For some people, these letters CO, might stand for "cop out." But
for Ted Alan Studebaker of West Milton, they stood for conscientious
objector-not an excuse for dodging the danger and drudgery of military
life, but a working philosophy, deep-rooted in a genuine love and concern
for his fellow man.

   And that love and concern led Ted to Vietnam and to his death Sunday in
a tiny Montagnard village near Di Linh in the Republic of South Vietnam.
Ted was killed by enemy action, when a party of Viet Cong launched a
senseless attack on the quarters occupied by Ted, his wife of one week, a
nurse and another civilian, all members of Church World Service, a
church-supported volunteer organization.

   When the attack came, just at dusk Sunday, Ted succeeded in assisting
his wife and the other two women to escape, but was killed himself in
direct hand-to-hand contact, according to a spokesman from CSW. He
completed his two year assignment and upon his marriage on April 17 to
fellow worker, the former Miss Lee Van Pak, had decided to extend his tour
of duty for another year. Ted was in Vietnam by choice, not chance.

   "He felt compelled to share the danger and hardships of Vietnam," said
his sister, Mary Ann Mishler..."He had no quarrel with anyone and wasn't
against the military or those in the military service. It was just that he
couldn't be a soldier, yet he wanted to share the same hardships and to be 
in danger along with them. "He had really developed a rapport with the
Montagnards," she continued, "and was genuinely concerned about them."

   A graduate of West Milton-Union High School, Ted was only 25 at the time
of his death. "All his life seemed directed towards his work," reflected
Mrs. Mishler. "He graduated from Manchester College in three years, and
then went to Florida State University and got his master's degree in social
work. this was his life." Ted's own thoughts about his life in Vietnam were
expressed by him in a letter to fellow members of his church, the West
Milton Church of the Brethren. "Please know that I feel most fortunate to
be able to work here in vietnam as a volunteer agriculturist for Vietnam
Christian Service," wrote Studebaker. but, though he felt "fortunate" to be
able to work in Vietnam, he was appalled at the conflict.

   "The meaninglessness, the wastefulness, and the non-necessity of this
war is outweighed only by its inhumane effects, both here and in the
States." In a taped interview, Ted once said, "The civilian population is,
of course, in the middle of the war, and they are the ones who are losing
the war...So many times in this war, mistakes are made and it seems like
the whole war is run on a bunch of mistakes." Studebaker said he wanted to
share the grief of the Vietnamese people but couldn't really do so because,
"this is their country and their families and their bloodshed, not mine."

   Studebaker was raised in the beliefs of the Brethren Church, and his
actions received the full support of his family. His parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Stanley Studebaker of County Line Road, Union, his four brothers, Doug...,
Lowell..., Ron..., Gary..., and sisters Linda..., Nancy..., all supported
his decisions to be a conscientious objector, said Mrs Mishler, his oldest
sister. "This was what he wanted, and we were behind him 100 percent," she
said calmly, betraying no emotions. "We have no regrets. Why should we? He
died doing what he wanted to do." Mrs. Mishler said she felt sorry for the
families of servicemen who were killed in Vietnam, "because I know many of
them were in vietnam against their will."

   Her brother's body will be returned to West Milton within a few days,
accompanied by his wife, whom the Studebaker family has never met. "We're
looking forward to meeting her and the family will all be together again,"
said Mrs. Mishler. "We will have no regrets."

   A former classmate summed up Ted Studebaker's 25-year life in seven
words: "He never asked for justice, only mercy."