The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-05-04
Ten Returning
BY TOM BRADSHAW
and BILL Al ExANDER

into the public spotlight at Vail
Forge military hospital to de-
they had been tainted by comm
nism while prisoners of war
Korea.
They were b5tter-and tn
made it plain they felt they b
reason to be.
The stage for their tense dram
was set yesterday at the hospl1
here-a short drive from the Rev
lutionary War memorial park tn
gave the hospital its name. 1t h
its origin in he circumstanc
surrounding their flight home aft
release by their Red captors.
While the 10--anc 10 comps
ions-were en- .oute from Tok
by plane last Thursday, an 4
Force spokesman said the PEN
gon had ordered a veil of secre
thrown around the flight "becau
of the position taken by the Arr
and others that these men M
have been misled under conditY
of duress and hardship durlngF
period of their captivity"
And the Pentagon said Wy
Forge Hospital had been desF ~
ed the best spot for treatme1
The 20 reached the hospitf ate
Friday night, rested for dI anu
then were asked if they"eis,
ready to meet the press. Y saio
they were anxious for thei ance.
Four refused bitterly. res.
were too i'll or just dig want
any publicity. II.
The 10 interviewed wetDrougn.
into a small auditorium TWO ny
two. The first pair weIIpi. yer,
non l.. Warren, q, st Puis, anu
Pfc. Roger Herndon, 'acAson-
vile, Fla. ,.
+, Warren and HerndI sald fiauy
they felt they had EN- oiL,y
deal' in being laeo possible
Communist sympaHe rS.
Herndon, whose mt arm was
amputated by the nese because
of machine-gunO ISeeiveu
AT the time Of nifpture In Nov
ember, 1850, 81 ne Iouno no
reason to accept inmunis' iuuoc'
trination. 49, -.
"They showqps tne pest tnsy
had" he said ana II was HULL
ing" .,x :.
nm arm did1stand in the way.
ha would haEady to 60 back to
K Re M0a. s.fop5 Other crack at the
Reds"
cnI IarL. Ball, 81, Bellburn,
w va III: ..rhis Red label
maLss !, yel like criminals. We
ara All ebletely innocent" And.
aftar . INT pause, he added, II
never 81 heard the term brain
wash, bre | got back home"
Snn the staff officers at the
bnsnit Jssmed as militantly con-
fused I the situation as the men
themes,
~ mt know where this idea
stara said one Army doctor,
..hnhere's one thing for sure
we,Inot running q damned lann-
drdt here
1ther officer. who asked
Hlhis fellow staff member-that
hJame be withheld. said, there
hlbeen 4 big fou.up somewhere
aIg the line
hi. Robert H. Hickox, %, SYRIA
de, N. Y, who was serving with
65th Engineers when captured
". e7, 1850, said he considered
L suggestion he or any other
temtnr of the group was Red
kintel ''an insult.
"It lidn't make homecoming any
letter he said. ~
Cpl. Richard, O. Morrison, q,
BurliRton. La, said his reaction
was b same as Hlckox-'' insult
ed.
A ayear-old corporal from Ok.
lahonl City. Okla. Marvin /.
Browi- said the Communists had
forcehim to back up Red charges
cf VI. germ warfare in Korea
undeipain Of death.
Brtn, who lost his right arm
aftereing wounded and captured
on night patrol March 5. 1852.
said Chinese officer told him he
woulbe shot unless he admitted
knoedge Of germ warfare--bnt
Brot FASTENED TO add he felt
thet was no basis for q belief
anyDf the repatriated prisoners
had succumhed to Communist
proganda
NSgt, Walter McCoilum, -.
Lal Charles. La. said his ordeal
in "a hands included a forced
msh to Communist Prison Camp
No at Wewon, North Korea. On
thamareh, he said, he suffered
q se of frozen feet. Despite his
exrience, he said. he intends TO
rem in tae Army.
lSgt. Robert W, Shaw. a.
Vapuver, Wash, SAID he didn't
euhelieve the Communists when
thttuld HIM be was 10 be sent
hu.
l. Paul +. Clements, ~. In
diApoliS, said IN several oeca-
So prisoners ot war we're made
toaand fer noars IN the camp
We be vas held The PoWs.
~ a Atrf