Evening star., 1953-05-09
Ex-P0W Felt Sure
That Only Invasion
Could Free Him


ert j. Powers, jr.. was convinced
that his desperate hope for re-
lease lay in an invasion. and he
was getting ready for it.
II never expected to be re.
patriated." he told reporters at
Walter Reed Hospital after ar
irving in Washington yesterday
with eight other former prison.
ers of the Communists.
II used to spend my time TAX
ing stick and aiming with one
eye so could join the INVASION"
he said. His right eye is covered
by bandage.
Repatriation of the Hicks
vile Oong Island) soldier came
a little more than four months
after his capture last December.
He spent his captivity in a hos
pital where he was the only
American.
The infantryman was lead
scout on a patrol when he was
hit by bullets and hand gre
nades. He rolled down a hill
and was picked up a day later.
He was wounded in the eye.
leg and chest.
Lost 50 Pounds.
Those who didn't know he
had been a weight-lifter and
physical culture enthusiast
weighing more than 200 pounds
before entering the service II
months ago would consider his
physical appearance fairly good
now. except for the eye ban
dage.
But the more than so pounds
weight loss he has suffered was
quickly apparent to his mother
and father.
The soldiers interest in health
culture, his father said, "helped
him survive-there's no question
Of that"
Mr.. and Mrs. Powers, with the
soldiers two sisters and brother,
started for Washington a little
after 4::30 am. yesterday, but
they arrived too late to meet his
plane at Andrews Air Force Base.
The reunion took place outside
the hospital, where Pvt. Powers
was taken for treatment.
Until two weeks ago, the par
ents knew only that their son
was missing.
To Build Him Up.
well build him up when he
gets home" said Mrs. Powers.
Since Pvt. Powers complains of
a lack of appetite now. she said
she didn't know what he would
want. But rice will figure no.
where in the menu, she said
positively.
The soldier himself evaded
questions about some phases of
his imprisonment. He said, how
ever. that he had a Chinese doc
tor who spoke English and was
trained at the University of
Seoul.
Explaining his reluctance to
talk about some things. he re-
marked that "all this is going to
affect everybody over there" But
he said that the hatred Of the
North Koreans for Americans is
terrific. -... ...
Pvt. Powers said he was struck
on his return to the States by the
absence Of signs of war here. He
cited a tendency to consider the
Korean conflict "a little war"
Communism, he asserted. is "a
threat, and it is a threat that I
hope the American people will
be prepared for"
All Dedicated to War.
The soldier said that in North
Korea. every man, woman and
child is dedicated to one thing
to win the war"
AS a prisoner. he said. he
argued with the Communists. He
found that "they like. to argue
back and forth. AS Communists,
their main hope is to spread it."
But he said, you don't just
sit there and listen to that
baloney." He said he thought his
talking back might have had
some effect. Communism. he
pointed out, "only has given
them death and hunger"
Pvt. Powers said that the Com
munists know only what they are
taught, and therefore, their
minds are warped"
If you could let them know
just what America means and
what democracy stands for, it
would have a terrific effect" he
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