Evening star., 1951-12-28
Hungarian Reds Finally Release
q U.S.. Flyers Held for 40 Days;
Liberty Obtained for $4,000
American Envoy
In Vienna Meets
Men at Border
BY the Associated Press

N1CKELSDORF, Austria, Dec
28.-The four American airmen
jailed by Communist Hungary for
40 days came back to freedom to-
night.
The flyers crossed the Hungarian
frontier into Austria at SOL pm
u1:01 am, EST. Within a few
minutes they were sped on their
way back to their base at Erding
Germany.
United States officials at the
border kept the four men under
wraps, but as they were starting
to drive to Tulln Air Base, outside
Vienna, one of them was asked
by reporter how he was treated
in Hungary.
"All right" was all that Sergt,
Jess Duff of Spokane. Wash, re-
piled. He was the mechanic
aboard the CAT transport forced
down on Hungarian soil by Soviet
fighter planes November 10.
Eager for Coffee and Sandwiches.
The four men appeared through
the mist of the raw, damp eve
ming, looking tired. They were
hustled into a room of the Aus
trian border police building.
Eagerly they drank the coffee and
ate the sandwiches provided by
the welcoming party. Two stiff
Russian officers and the American
party joined in the snack.
Walter J. Donnelly, the United
States Ambassador in Vienna.
came to the Austrian frontier
to greet the flyers. The United
States had agreed to pay $120,000
in fines levied against the men on
a charge of violating the Hun
garian border, provided the men
were promptly released. The
alternative was three months in
jail.
Mr.. Donnelly announced in
Vienna earlier today that the
flyers would be released at 4
pm. 90 am, EST. He then sped
to the frontier, but it was not
until 4:38 o'clock he received So
Wet permission to cross through
the frontier barrier paSt Soviet
guards.
The flyers were accompanied
across the border by 1t. Col Will
liam Alden Somerby, United
States air attache in the American
Legation at Budapest. Col. Somer-
by wore civilian clothing.
Wearing Their Uniforms.
Immediately upon reaching the
Austrian side of the frontier, the
flyers went into a police post
building, accompanied by High
Commissioner Donnelly and Col.
John Guillett, commander of the
United States Air Force base at
Tulln, along with other members
of the American welcoming party.
The airmen wore their Air
Force uniforms,
The four flyers went into room
from which photographers and
reporters were barred.
The airmen appeared tired.
Mr.. Donnelly brought the men
through the border barrier in his
big car, bedecked with the Ameri-
can flag and his blue ambassador S
banner.
The car stopped just outside the
door of the police post building.
The flyers were rushed inside by
American officials.
Forced Down November 19.
Besides Sergt. Duff, the flyers
are:
Capt. John ]. Swift of Glens
Falls, N. Y. pilot.
Capt. Dave H. Henderson OF
Shawnee, Okla, co-pilot.
Sergt. James A. Elam Of Kings
land, Ark, Radio man.
They were forced down near
Papa, Hungary, November 10 by
Soviet fighter planes stationed in
Communist-ruled Hungary under
the World War II peace treaty
In a twin-engine CAT they were
en- route from Erding, Germany, to
Belgrade, Yugoslavia, on a routine
delivery of supplies. when they re-
ported themselves lost.
They were not heard from until
December when TasS, Russian
news agency, announced they had
been forced down and were being
held on charges of violating the
iron curtain for the purpose of
planting spies and saboteurs. !"
The United States promptly
denied the charges and demanded
the flyers be released. American
diplomats in Budapest tried with
out success to see them. Two
days before Christmas Hungary
announced secret military court
had tried, convicted and sentenced
the four flyers.
Families Waiting.
Capt. Henderson's wife and
three children and Sergt. Duff S
German bride were waiting at
Erdipg,
There had been speculation
that the Russians had finger
in the delay of the flyers release,
which had been expected yester-
day following American agreement
three days ago to pay the $780,
600 in fines.
George Abbott, American charge
daffaires in Budapest, reported tt
Mr.. Donnelly twice this morning
by telephone, after conferring
fcao Cu UrDc nooo hoA