1.
GV PAN..FLAGS TO CHECKPOINT, CROWDS WAIT IN FOG
0.10

2.
SV SIGN "ALLIED CHECKPOINT"
0.12

3.
GV PAN..AMBULANCE THROUGH CHECKPOINT
0.26

4.
CU AMBULANCE
0.27

5.
SV AIRMAN CARRIED FROM AMBULANCE
1.01

6.
SV AIRMAN CARRIED ABOARD AIRCRAFT
1.17

7.
LV AIRCRAFT
1.20



Initials DE/V/AW/ES


EDITORS: REFER ALSO TO PROD NO 2788/64 OF 21 MARCH. "FILM OF A.S. SURGEON RETURNING TO BERLIN VISITING AIRMAN"

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: LIEUTENANT HAROLD WELCH, WHO WAS INJURED WHEN AN AMERICAN RB-66 RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN OVER EAST GERMANY LAST WEEK, WAS FREED BY THE RUSSIAN LAST NIGHT (SATURDAY), AND FLOWN TO THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE HOSPITAL AT WIESBADEN. LIEUTENANT WELCH WAS BROUGHT BY AMBULANCE TO THE ALLIED CHECKPOINT "BRAVO". HE WAS LATER FLOWN FROM HANOVER TO WIESBADEN IN A U.S. AIR FORCE PLANE.

A BULLETIN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL SAID LATER THAT THE AIRMAN WAS "FOUND TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION".

LIEUTENANT WELCH -- WHO IS TWENTY-FOUR -- HAD BEEN HELD IN CUSTODY WITH THE TWO OTHER CREW OF THE RB-66. SOVIET AUTHORITIES HAVE SO FAR NOT OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY ARE HOLDING THE TWO OTHER MEN -- CAPTAIN MELVIN J. KESSLER AND CAPTAIN DAVID HOLLAND. AN AMERICAN SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THEIR WHEREABOUTS WAS STILL NOT KNOWN. CAPTAIN HOLLAND WAS PILOTING THE AIRCRAFT WHICH THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INSISTS STRAYED ACCIDENTALLY ACROSS THE BORDER WHILE ON A TRAINING FLIGHT FROM ITS BASE IN FRANCE. THE PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN NEAR GARDELEGEN ABOUT FIFTEEN MILES EAST OF THE EAST GERMAN FRONTIER.

(THIS WAS THE SECOND AMERICAN AIR FORCE PLANE TO BE SHOT DOWN OVER EAST GERMANY IN SIX WEEKS. AN UNARMED T-39 SABRELINER JET TRANSPORT WAS BROUGHT DOWN BY A SOVIET FIGHTER ON JANUARY 28 OVER THURINGIA SOME SIXTY MILES ACROSS THE BORDER. THREE AMERICAN AIRMEN ABOARD WERE KILLED.)