Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-06-26
Gavin Is Assured
Army Will Probe
| Beating Of Air Cadet

The War Department Is expected
to make = thorough investigation Of
charges by Representative Gavin,
Republican, Of Pennsylvania that
an air cadet from his State was
brutally beaten at the Lincoln
tNebr.) Army Airbase. following
his arrest for . minor infraction
Of regulations.
Secretary Of War Stimson, Mr..
Gavin said, had Been given full de-
tails on the case and the War De-
partment had assured him that
proper disciplinary action" would
be taken against those involved in
the assault. In recounting the
episode to the House late yesterday,
Mr.. Gavin did not name the cadet,
but said the beating occurred In
April. 1914, and that Is result the
young man was hospitaltsed for
10 days.
H. Ralph Burton, counsel for the
House Military Affairs Committee,
told reporters that 4 subcommit-
tee held several closed hearings on
the case and had brought before 1t
witnesses from overseas as well "a
from camps in this country.
Punitive Action Taken.
Meanwhile, the Associated Presa
reported, Col. Herbert H. Anderson
commanding ofiicer Of the Lincoln
airbase, said that as q result OF
intensive investigation Of charges
involving the mistreatment Of pris-
oners there, punitive action had been
taken against several persons at
tached to the guard. Since he as
sumed command last March, the
colonel said, there have been no ir-
regularities and "the guard and the
provost marshals activities are con.
Quoted on a very high standard"
Col. Anderson, the report said
recalled that S/Sergt. Odus L. Yves,
Of Hermitage. Mo-, was convicted by
4 military court last November Of
six out of eight charges of mistreat-
ing prisoners. He was sentenced to
two years imprisonment and dis
honorable discharge. The colonel
was unable to say whether West
was involved in the beating OF the
Pennsylvania cadet.
Gives Account Of Incident.
Representative Gavin gave this
account OF the incident to the
House:
The air cadet was standing at
attention in morning formation dur
ing subzero weather with his hands
in his pockets. He was wearing
gloves. His corporal called his at
tention to the infraction Of regula-
tons.
Several days later the incident
was repeated and he was court
martialed and sentenced to three
months in the guardhouse.
He was reported for not working
fast enough and for talking to
guard. Again he was court-mArtialeo
and sentenced to a hours on the
rock pile. to break rocks with
short-handled sledge At a cadence
Of 100 blows per minute.
After four or five minutes the
guard told him to work faster -
Mr.. Gavin said. And he could not
work any faster. As I recall his
story, the corporal dismissed the
guard and commanded the boy to
stand at attention with the sledge
at his side, which he did.
Beaten Into Unconsciousness.
"EIe was then smashed across the
Jaw with an M. P.'s club. which
raised q welt on the left side Of his
face as big as a fist. which knocked
the filings out OF his teeth, was
knocked down and on arising he
was knocked down and smashed in
to Inconsistencies and beaten
around the shoulders, arms and legs.
He was then dragged on to the
guardhouse and placed In solitary
confinement, which was a room
with q concrete floor, his clothes
taken from him.
"He bled profusely through the
mouth and the nose and by the
boys statement 1t might be inter-
esting to know that he testified 4
captain and lieutenant stood by
and observed this performance"
Mr.. Gavin said the soldier who
welded the MP's stick Is now q pri.
vate, but he believes he was q cor.
poral at the time.