INTERROGATION IN HANOI

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31412, 4 July 1967, Page 15

INTERROGATION IN HANOI

(N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright!

WARSAW, July 3.

A Polish writer yesterday gave what he said was his eye-witness report of the interrogation of three captured United States servicemen last month in Hanoi, the Associated Press reported. One of the three was identified as Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon Larson, of the U.S. Air Force, a Thailand-based pilot who was reported shot down on May 5 over North Vietnam.

The U.S. State Department protested on May 8 that Larson and two other captured pilots had been paraded through Hanoi streets in violation of the Geneva Convention. The article by Wojciech Zukrowski in "Zycie Warszawy” (“Warsaw Life”) quoted Larson as saying Communist anti-aircraft fire had been terribly dense. “The worst I could imagine.” Another pilot mentioned was Commander James Stockdale, of the U.S. Navy, whose jet was brought down in North Vietnam in September, 1965.

The third American was identified only as Airman Douglas Brent Hagdahl, aged 21. Zukrowski described Larson as grey-haired, slightly lame and 40 years old. There was an indication he had

■been wounded, but no details were given. Part of the Polish writer’s account of the questioning was:

Q: Have you realised that by bombing cities you have killed women and children? A: I did not bomb women or children. I executed my battle orders. I hope I did not kill more people than was inevitable while bombing the city. Q: What were your orders?

A: To destroy ’industrial quarters of Hanoi. I led a squadron, emerging from clouds, I got into ack-ack fire. Shells burst Inside the plane. I barely had time to leave the cabin.

Q: What happened to your mates?

A: Don’t know. Probably burned. Q: How was the anti-air-craft fire?

A: Terribly dense. The worst I could imagine.

Friends who have flown for a long time said it is worse than over Germany or Korea. Q: How were you treated after being shot down? A: Good. Quite good . . . They did all they could to put me on my feet Q: What do you think of your Government’s war in Vietnam? A: I’m not a politician, I’m a soldier. Ask that question at the State Department Q: Do you count on fast destruction of your enemy? What will you do if released after the war and they let you go home? A: If the war goes on at its present rate, I will be just old enough to get a pension. It will be time to rest

Zurkowski gave few details of the other two men. He said Stockdale, aged 43, a father of four, was stubborn and tried to present himself as James Bond—the fictional secret agent so be was not questioned. Stockdale’s first name is James, and his middle name is Bond. Hegdahl was quoted as saying he became separated from his patrol when it came under fire during what was intended as a practice mission. He was quoted as saying villagers rescued him from a stream and turned him over to the Viet Cong. There were no further details of what the airman was doing on the practice mission.