Evening star., 1955-06-19
Peipiing toFree
5P0Ws Who
Behind
3 Americans Are
In Group, Only z
Ask to Go Home

chose to remain in Red China
after the Korean war have been
given permission to leave the
country but that only two had
asked to go home.
Those who wanted to go home.
a Peiping radio broadcast said.
were two of three Americans
permitted to leave. The other
American chose Japan. One Bel
gian asked to go to the United
States and the other chose Laos.
There was no hint when the
five would leave China.
The broadcast said the IT
other former American soldiers
who chose life in Red China
could leave too If they wished.
Those Who Can Leave
These are the five Peiping said
had been given permission to
leave:
Corpl. Lewis w. Griggs. Jack.
sonville, Tex.
Corpl. Ohio G. Bell. Olympia.
Wash.
Corpl. William Cowart. Dalton.
Ga.
Roger Devriendt, Westvlaand-
Ieren. Belgium.
Louis Verdyck, Antwerp. Bel
lgium.
Griggs, Bell and Devriendt, the
broadcast said, asked to go to
the United States. Cowart asked
Ito go to Japan and Verdyck to
Laos.
I'm Washington, government
officials said a decision on ad-
mitting Devriendt to the
United States would be made
when and if he files an appli-
cation for an entry permit.
They added that several fac
tors would have to be taken
into consideration including
whether he asked for political
asylum or sought admission
under the Belgian immigration
quota. Also a factor, they said,
would be his choice of COM
munism at the end Of the
Korean war;
Not Present at Meeting
The five were not present at a
gathering of other former U. N.
soldiers at which the Peiping
governments decision was an
lnounced.
| Asked by a correspondent why
the five were not at the meeting,
IPeiping quoted a Chinese Red
Gross spokesman as saying they
had been invited but had not
come.
"They were free to come or
not" he said. "But reporters can
Interview them at their hotel If
they wish and If the men are
willing"
The broadcast did not say
whether such an interview was
attempted.
There was no mention in the
broadcast Of II American flyers
captured late in the Korean war
when their B-29 bomber was
shot down. -Four jet pilots also
captured late in the war were
released last month and now are
home. It was recalled here they
reached the border at Hong
Kong only a few hours after
Peiping radio said they would be
released.
Had Refused Repatriation
The Far East command here
had no information other than
new reports on Red China's ac-
ltion and declined comment.
The three Americans who will
leave were among % POWs who
refused repatriation after
lengthy explanations" at Pan
munjom. The two Belgians. the
Red broadcast said, had crossed
over" to the Chinese-Korean
side and chosen to stay in China.
| Among the Americans one died
and two others changed their
minds and later returned to the
United States. Both were court
martialed.
/ Corpl. Claude j. Bachelor, of
Kermit, Tex, was convicted Of
collaborating with the enemy
and informing on his fellow
prisoners. His life sentence was
reduced to 20 years.
/ Corpl. Edward s. Dickinson, of
Big Stone Gap, Va, was con-
lvicted of informing on his COM
|rades. He was sentenced to 10
years at hard labor. His case
lis new before the United States
Court Of Military Appeals.
| The Americans face an un-
certain future If they return
home. A joint statement by the
State and Defense departments
Thursday said any of the former
soldiers who come back will be
See POWs, Page IA