'Zackly. Email didn't get developed until '71 so it'd be doubtfull some backwater had it in '72. Nevertheless, I don't think it ended up actually being germaine to the story as it was part of that spoof article.
Thanks for the reply!
I'm sure the info is out there about the availability of email to the military (when and where), but the probability is low. The possibility is there... As you said, too much other evidence to the fraudulence of these articles, however.