Evening star., 1960-05-26
Soviet I reotment Good
9 on Downed CAT Soy

at Grevesmuehlen a short time
later.
Treated Good
Our treatment was good.
The food was good. The Rus
slams helped us out in any way
they could for our comfort"
Capt. Lundy said.
The Americans were in Soviet
hands the entire time except
for the short period under Ger
man police guard after they
landed.
This action of the Russians,
and the rapid release of the
Americans, was in sharp con-
trast to previous such cases.
Two years ago another group
of nine American airmen were
held AZ days in East Germany.
At that time the Russians
washed their hands of the
affair and forced the United
States to negotiate their re-
lease with the East German
Communist regime, which the
United States Government
does not recognize.
THE Russians told us that
our families had been notified
that we were safe and that
we would be returned as soon
as possible" Capt. Lundy said.
The pilot said that when the
/ Soviet interceptors appeared,
he tried to radio Hamburg, his
destination, "but they did not
hear us because we were too
low" He explained he was
using very high frequency
equipment which operates
better at higher attitudes.
Co-PilOt Absent
Capt. Lundy said his co-pilot,
Capt. George A. Jordan, of
West Lafayette. Ind. was at
the controls of the transport
when the MICS appeared. Capt.
Jordan was the only one of the
nine who did not appear at the
press conference. 1t was un-
press conference. He said later
he had severe sinus headache.
He said he had nothing to add
to what he had heard about the
news conference.
Asked who actually landed
the plane. Capt. Lundy replied:
Il think I brought it down.
Capt. Jordan then took over
the brakes Immediately. Every
thing happened so fast there
wasn't much time to think
about it."
Capt. Lundy said the Rus
slams never accused him or the
group of espionage. He said
his interrogators mentioned the
U-2 spy plane incident over
Russia, saying "the Americans
should not have done it," but
did not connect it with the
CAT.
He said he was questioned
several times the first day he
was in Soviet custody. The
Russians wanted to know why
the plane crossed the border
and tried to learn as much as
possible about his home base.
Wheelus Field, in Libya. When
he refused to give such infor-
nation, no pressure was put
on him, he said.
Woman Frightened at First
}. Mrs. McCash, the first Amer
lean woman involved in such
an incident behind the Iron
Curtain, told the news con-
ference:
Il was frightened at first
because of things I have read
in the past. However, the Rus
slams treated, me as a lady at
all times and did not try to
search me. I realized that they
would not try to harm me-"
! She and her husband were
| quartered in a room of their
own at Soviet headquarters
Adjoining their room was a
larger one in which the seven
other Americans lived and
, slept.
: Capt. Lundy said the room
| was comfortable. There was a
yard at the back, and the
American airmen and Russian
! soldiers played volleyball.
Il was the cheering section
for the game" Mrs. McCaSh
/ said. 1T seemed that our men
: won most Of the time. don't
know the score"
, Another passenger, Airmar
&c James c. Garvin of Wood
: hine, Iowa, said he was on 80
!. days leave in Europe. He said
he wondered whether the Ali
S Force would regard the fiv;