Evening star., 1961-01-26
FLYERS

Lney nave Deen uVlng, Dy MAJ
Gen. E. B. Broadhurst, chief
Of staff of the Strategic Air
Command, and Col. w. D. Kyle,
commander Of the 25th Wing
at Forbes Air Force Base to
which the two captains were
assigned when in this coun-
try.
The wives were to remain
overnight at Andrews and Mr..
Zuckert said every hospitality
would be afforded them.
The flyers. when they ar
rive, also will remain for awhile
and rest "as they deserve. /"
Mr.. Zuckert said.
Interviews Banned
Interviews with the wives
other than passing comments
were banned on what Air Force
officials said were White House
orders.
White House Press Secretary
Pierre Salinger said interviews
also would be banned with the
flyers. He explained that the
State Department felt this
would be in the best interest
of our relations with the Soviet
Union"
He refused any elaboration.
But it was presumed that the
State Department wanted to
guard agains any news stories
that might be considered often
sive by Soviet Premier Khru-
shchev.
Mr.. Salinger said it is planned
for the two flyers to go into the
hospital at Andrews All Force
Base for a couple Of days rest
and observation after their re-
turn here.
He told reporters he thought
the flyers would arrive early
tomorrow afternoon, but the
time would depend upon
weather conditions here as well
as upon how early they were
able to take off from Labrador.
DOnned Last July
The two flyers were shot
down in their RB-47 recon-
paissance plane by a Russian
fighter last July.
Their wives received the
word that their husbands
were freed just five minutes
before President Kennedy an
nounced it during his televised
news conference last night. The
President telephoned Mrs. Nc
Kone after the conference and
she said he told her how happy
he was that the flyers had
been freed.
There also was Joy in Elmira,
N. Y, where Capt. Olmstead's
parents got the news "like a
bombshell out of the blue" as
they watched MIR. Kennedy
on Tv.
I'VE simply broke down in
tears" said the father. 1T is
the most marvellous birthday
that I have ever had" He is
"a today.
When the six-jet RB-47 was
shot down last July 1, Capts.
Olmstead and McKone para
chuted to safety, though Capt.
OlmStead received a serious
back injury.
The missing men from the
plane are Capt. Eugene E. Posa,
80, Of Santa Monica, Calf; 1st
1t. Dean B. Phillips, Is, OF
Inwood. N. Y. 1st 1t. Oscar L.
Goforth. The body of Pilot
Willard B. Polin of Oak Bridge,
Tenn, was returned to the
United States.
U. 8. Denied Charge
Coming just two months af-
ter the U-2 spy plane was shot
down deep inside Russia, the
RB-47 incident was seized on
by the Soviets to add fuel to
that fire. They said the RB-47
had violated Russia's frontier
and said it showed United
States aerial spying was con-
tinuing in spite of President
Eisenhower's assurance that il
was not.
The United States declared
the RB-47 was on an electro.
magnetic mapping mission anc
had never been closer than sc
miles to the Russian border.
Russia carried the RB-47
case to the United Nations, but
failed to get it before the U. N
Security Council.
Missed Connection
Capts. Olmstead and McKone
were to phone their wives ir
Topeka last night from Am.
sterdam, but they missed con-
nectionS somehow and didn't
Their first greeting to theil
wives therefore may be at Their
face-to-face reunion here to.
morrow.
Mrs. McKone said she'll cook