Evening star., 1962-05-19
Monsoon in ThaiIand
Forces Marine Shift
Gen.Hurkins
Finds roops
Ready to Go


UDON, Thailand, May 10
(AP) Gen. Paul D. Harkins
flew on an inspection round of
United States forces sent to
bolster Thailand's defenSes
along the border of Commu-
nist-menaced Laos today and
praised the speed with which
the American Marines were
digging in.
Heavy rains of the monsoon
season lashed the rice paddy
field where the Marines we're
camped near this town 80 miles
from the Laos border, and the
American general declared they
must soon be moved.
THE local That's have been
very generous" he said, but
we've got to get the men to
suitable high ground. Where
they are now 1t floods too
easily.
There are lots Of snakes in
the area" he added.
Moving Farther East
The Marines are expected to
move to more permanent
camp % miles east Of Udon
near Nong Lanan. The present
site is about 8 miles east of
Udon.
Gen. Harkins. top COM
mander Of United States forces
in Thailand and South Wet
Nam, was accompanied in his
rounds by 1t. Gen. James L.
Richardson, jr., chief Of the
Thailand command.
Gen. Harkins said the Ma
rines "are we'll settled and
know what to do. They are
professional soldiers and this
makes all the difference"
Asked about reports the Ma
rines now here were due TO
return home In mid-June, Gen!
!, Harkins said, Sometimes plans
get changed. They are. in the
service. They know. But If
they go. they would be replaced
by other Marines"
The commander took off
early from Bangkok in a Beech
craft plane and inspected a unit
OF the Air Forces 60I0th Tao
tical Group and its F-l00 ST.
persabre Jets at Ia Khli, 100
miles north of Thailands cap
ital.
Sees Thai Commanders
At Phitsanuloke, 200 miles
north Of the capital, he con-
ferred with 1t. Gen. Praphan,
commander of Thailand's Sd
Army, and the 4th Divisions
commanding general, Samran
Patakayul. He then took an
Air Force C-1l8 to Udon where
he boarded a helicopter for the
hop to the Marine camp.
Torrential rains lashed the
rice paddles where the bulk of
the 1,800-man Marine battle
group is camped only 80 miles
from the Mekong River border
with Laos. The Marines plodded
through deep mud this morning
to clean up their impressive
array of shooting iron.
No immediate program for
the battle-ready leathernecks
was announced, but United
States military sources said
they are expected to join Thai
troops in field exercises this
weekend to familarize them
selves with the surrounding flat
and scrubby terrain.
Harkins In Laos
Gen. Paul D. Harkins, over
all commander of the United
States force in Thailand, flew
to northeast Laos today to in
spect the situation, which
Soviet Premier Khrushchev
warned might explode into a
shooting match like the Korean
War.
Gen. Harkins, also head of
the United States Military As
sistance Command in South
Wet Nam, declared that the
American forces in Thailand are
under hold-fire orders. But he
warned that danger still turks
from pro-Communist forces in
Laos whose recent offensive
brought American troops rush.
ing to Thailand to discourage
any further Communist ad-
vances.
1t. Gen. James L. Richard
son and United States Ambas-
sador Kenneth T. Young ac-
companied Gen. Harkins on
the flight to Udon. $50 miles
northeast of Bangkok. They
arranged to drive to the town
Saa nANcxnu p,