The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-07-26
STATE DEPT.
CONTINUED from PAGE One)

munStS would be more careful
ABOUT plane incidents in the future,
Stump said:
i would hope so but I don't
Know how much trouble they
want"
stump said a number of planes
mad been attacked or shot down
III MS command in the past but
added each of these incidents had
been fully reported.
There have been incidents in
Vovlng US. reconnaissance or
weather planes and Soviet aircraft
IN the Far Pacific.
First Word
First word of the latest incident
came from the State Department.
A department announcement said
there were no casualties on the
American side, and emphasized
that Red planes made their attack
"over the high seas"
1t said:
The United States plans to pro-
test vigorously against this further
evidence of Chinese Communist
brutality and their belligerent in
reference with a humanitarian
rescue operation being conducted
on the high seas.
The American fighters were
from the two United States air
craft carriers ordered into the
area Saturday to protect further
rescue and search operation"
launched after Chinese Communist
fighters shot down a British Cathay
Pacific airliner on a flight from
Bangkok to Hong Kong. y
Red Radio Message
The Communist Radio announced
today that the Peiping government
was apologizing to Britain for the
attack on the airliner. 1t said the
Red pilots thought the plane was
Chinese Nationalist.
Ten persons, including three
Americans, apparently lost their
lives after the airliner crashed in
to the sea. Latest reports indicate
eight survived.
Following is the text of the
State Department announcement,
made in the name of Secretary
Dulles and read to a news con-
ference by Press Officer Henry
Suydam:
las l announced on Saturday,
July "a, the secretary of defense
has ordered two United States
aircraft carriers to proceed to the
scene of the Chinese Communist
assault upon the British CONNER
cial airliner which resulted in the
death of three Americans and the
Woundlng of three others.
THE, mission as stated then of
these ships and their >planes was
to conduct and protect further res
cue and search operations in the
vicinity of the tragedy.
Attack Told
This government is now in
formed that two United States
planes of the rescue
type, while conducting their mis-.
SlonS OF mercy and seeking posi-
bic survivors, we're attacked over
the high seas by two Chinese
fighter aircraft, ap-
of the same type as shot
down the Cathay Pacific CONNER
cial airliner.
The United States planes re-
turned the fire and the two Chinese
Communist planes were shot down
mere were no casualties on the
United States side.
The United States plans to pro-
test most vigorously against this
further evidence of Chinese Com
mumSt brutality and their bellig-
erent interference with a humani-
tartan rescue operation being con-
uucted over the high seas"
The announcement did not iden-
TRY the area of the shooting. But
the British airliner was shot down
some 80 miles south of the Red.
ruled island Of Hainan.
Compensation Demanded
over the weekend, top American
officials had made it known thew
would demand stiff compensation
Ior the three Americans lost:
Leonard Lee Parish, of Iowa Park
Eek and his two sons Lawrence
4, and Philip, 2.
, MS wife and daughter, Valerie,
D. also were aboard the plane hut
White House Press Secretarv
James Z. Hagerty told newsmen
PRESIDENT Eisenhower was fully
informed regarding the new plane
incident in advance of Dulles pub
nc announcement.
Hagerty added that Eisenhower
has Kept in close touch with the
entire sltuation"-both the shoot
ing down of the British airliner
ana the shooting down of the two.
Chlnese Communist planes.
Ha9erty said FisenhoyUer die