BODY OF SOVIET FLIER PICKED UP FROM PLANE SHOT DOWN

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 September 1950, Page 5

BODY OF SOVIET FLIER PICKED UP FROM PLANE SHOT DOWN

Aircraft Attacked Ships Off Korea; Only Identification A Red Star

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 (Reed. 6 p.m.)—The State Department announced today that a twin-engined bomber “bearing a red star’’ was shot down while attacking United Nations ships off Korea yesterday. The body of a Soviet flier was recovered from the wreckage.

The United States Note delivered to the United Nations Secre-tary-General, Mr. Lie, today, stated: “Yesterday United Nations naval forces were operating off the west coast of Korea at approximately the 38th parallel, on missions in pursuance of the resolution of the Security Council of June 27. A twin-engined bomber, identified only by bearing a red star, passed over a screening ship and continued towards the centre of the United Nations formation in a hostile manner. The bomber opened fire upon a United Nations fighter patrol which returned its fire and shot it down. A United Nations destroyer succeeded in picking up the body of one member of the bomber crew. Identification papers indicated that the body was that of Lieutenant Mishin Tennadii Vasilebiu, of the armed forces of the USSR, serial number 25054.” There was no immediate comment from the White House on the incident.

There was no indication whether the shooting of the bomber took place in waters which the Communists consider their own. The scene was near the west coast of Korea, which borders on the Yellow Sea, south of Manchuria and east of China. It is learned that President Truman and Mr. Acheson were notified immediately by the State Department and that Mr. Truman approved of referring the matter to the United Nations. There is evidence also that the United States acted speedily in an effort to get its side of the story before the world first in the hope of forestalling any Moscow propaganda. A United Press correspondent in Tokio says that a Far East Air Force spokesman stated today that headquarters had received no reports of the shooting down of a bomber with Russian markings. Asked regarding the report, the spokesman said: “No comment.” British ships have been operating off the west coast of Korea and un*. official quarters speculated that they might have been involved in the action.