^ WASHINGTON (AP) — President PACIFIC Johnson said Sunday, "I shall not seek and I wiil not accept the nom- ination for another term as presi- AN AUTHORIZED PUBLICATION 1 U.S, ARMED FORCES IN THE FAR dent/ (88^034^4 ft 21 BS 3ifiSii*K5i.g'iiJ) He said he does not believe that Vol. 24, No. 91 Tuesday, April 2, 1968 with war in Vietnam he should "de- vote an hour or a day of my time" to any partisan cause, Johnson made his dramatic with- drawal at the end of a nationally broadcast speech in which he dis- closed he is ordering a halt in nearly all air and sea action against North Vietnam in a move to bring peace talks. Johnson recalled that 52 months and 10 days ago he came into the Presidency through the tragic death of President John F. Kennedy. Now he said there is divssiveness in the country and made an appeal for unity. "I would ask all Americans to guard against divisiversess and its ugly consequences/' In announcing the AP Radlophoto moves, Johnson said there will be a CAPT. ROBB KISSES WIFE LYNDA GOODBY AT NORTON AF8, CALIF. pause in asr attacks on North Viet- nam, except in the area near the de- militarized zone. He called this "the first step to de-escalate" the war, say'mq the U.S. NORTON AFB, Calif. (AP)— to be there a full 13 months," December. They stayed in the ' / vj President J o h n s o n's eldest said the tall, handsome former San Clemente, Calif., area while wiil substantially reduce "the present daughter, Lynda Bird, stood White House aide. he underwent four days of inten- composed Saturday as her hus- He asked for a moment alone sive training for combat that level of hostilities." band, Marine Capt. Charles S. with Lynda and they embraced ended Friday at Camp Pendle- Robb, departed for 13 months' each oilier, saying nothing. ton, Calif. Johnson appealed anew for im- duty in Vietnam. Again they headed for the Meanwhile in Da Nang, South After embracing her husband, gate, Robb was dressed smartly Vietnam, Marine Corps officials mediate peace talks, saying: "There Lynda Bird told a wife of anoth- in his greens. He carried no said Capt. Robb will be assigned er departing Marine, "I hope I baggage. to the 1st Marine Div. can be as brave as the rest of Neither offered any comment, is no need to delay the talks that yoii women here." but when asked Lynda Bird said Robb, arrived in Naha Oki- The couple arrived at the base she planned to return to Wash- nawa, early Monday. He will could brinq%f an end to this lonq%j and shortly before 6 and stayed to- ington "on the next commercial spend two or three days at gether in a room separate from flight." Camp Butler getting processed bloody war." the rest of the departing service- Robb, an infantry officer, for Vietnam, officials said. men. boarded the jet liner with 165 He is expected to arrive in Da The chief executive called on the They emerged from a hall other Marines. Nang in two or three clays. On leading to the gate, faced news- The plane lifted off the ground. arrival he will be interviewed by Soviet Union and Great Britain, as men silently arid then walked to Lynda watched, her face com- the division's personnel section, the gate. posed and then turned on her then assigned according to the co-chairmen of the Geneva confer* "I do not know what duty I heel for a waiting limousine. "needs and availability in his wiil have in Vietnam, I expect The Robbs were married in field," Marine officials said. ((.'oniimu'd on Buck Page, Co!. I) w , Thfeu fyts Genera/ A/!obi//zafion SpoTVC ^K f •^^ • ~~ ' f\CuMtJE jJHk. jtf*tf uJUffl V^Mi Ok
SAl&ON (UPI) -* South Viet* nam's President Nguyen Van Thieu threatened Sunday to decrees a general mobilization By SPEC, 5 a'nd towed his nation would con- MClLtlANEY tinue fighting the Communists S&S Staff CSrfespbnctent even if the United States should SONG BE, Vietnam withdraw its support. The Viet Cong have quiet- . Thieu said nothing could force ly built 34 miles of road his government into accepting through Phuoc Long Pro- a coalition with the Communists and denied rumors that the vince heading toward Sai- United States was pressuring gon. him to make such a move. Complete with fuel dumps foi* the heavy equipment being used "Even if the allies were to to build it and two bridges, it say if you don't accept a coali- discreetly bypasses allied mili- tion, we'll leave the country, tary bases. we'll cut off aid; even if our It Was discovered in early allies should no longer be wilt- March by Mai Glenn L. Adams, ing to assist us, we will make Air Force liaison officer to the -sufficient sacrifices to carry on 5th ARVN Div. here. our struggle and achieve our "We figure we caught the aims," the Vietnamese president road before they moved more declared. than a dozen vehicles," Adams In an impromptu speech to said. "Shortly afterwards we 2;000 cheering university stu- received a 15-hour mortar at* dents, Thieu said that if the tack." Communists keep fighting after Since then traffic has inten- the government carries out its sified, deeply rutting the road. current plan to mobilize 135,000 A Vietnamese recon team re- fresh troops, he will declare a ported sighting ' six trucks and general mobilization next Octo- two bulldozers at work. There b.er. This would put all able-bodied is also a footpath running par- Vietnamese between the ages of allel to the road. 18 and 40 in the armed forces, Air strikes have destroyed six he said. Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu in- weeks of military training. About 2,000 students trucks, one fuel dump and a .Thieu spoke at ceremonies spects students who have just completed two heard Thieu speak in Saigon. (AP Radiophoto) bridge along the road. marking completion of a mili- tary training course for Saigon university students. U.S. Am- Jefs Pound bassador Ellsworth Bunker at- tended the session. Recent Operations Increase '"There are students through- Hanoi Port out the world who don't believe S8.S Vietnam Bureau our struggle is legitimate," SAIGON — Target areas in Thieu told the students. "Our Allies' 6-1 Kill Ratio Over Foe answer to them will be the North Vietnam were pounded blood you shed when you rise by 118 U.S. air missions Satur- SAIGON (AP) — Allied forces gunships have been used exten- weeks in the last part of Feb- up to defend our country." day despite continued overcast in South Vietnam are killing an sively in the Quyet Thang offen- ruary and early March, just af- He was loudly cheered. weather. average of six enemy troops for sive. W h i 1 e some observers ter the Viet Cong's Lunar Now It was Thieu's first public ap- every man they lose in overall question the high number of Year offensive, the ratio in- pearance since Bui Diem, the Air Force Phantoms and combat, military officials said enemy claimed killed, Sidle in- creased to 8 to 1 and 10 to 1. Vietnamese ambassador Thunderchiefs bombed storage Sunday. sisted that all figures on enemy "We do not consider this sig- to Washington, returned to Sai- areas in the Dong Hoi area, the casualties are obtained by a nificant," Sidle said. "It is a Chuc Son Army Barracks near But some operations in recent normal fluctuation, The 8-to-l gon to brief him on the political weeks have been producing dou- body count. situation in the United States. Hanoi plus communications "Armor, air or catching them ratio has been standard for lines throughout the panhandle. ble and even triple that ratio some time, even before the Viet Bunker was given an enthu- in favor of the allies if the U.S. running in the open always siastic reception by students iii Intruder jets from the carrier adds up to a high kill," Sidle Cong's Lunar New Year offen- and South Vietnamese reporting sive." the crowd after Thieu's speech Enterprise braved heavy flak system is accurate. said. "Firepower makes the dif- was over. and SAMs to hit the Hanoi port ference on our side." Sidle emphasized that the kill facility and intercept convoys The most prominent example Sidle said that for the past ratio is a fluctuating figure that between Vinh and Thanh Hoa. is Operation Quyet Thang (Re- several months the overall kill varies weekly, but that the Bridges at Thanh Hoa and Hai- solved to Win), a thrust by 50,- ratio has remained on the aver- overall average has remained More Firings phong were bombed. 000 American and South Viet- age of 6 to 1. But during some about 6 to 1. namese troops to clear five USS Ticonderoga pilots struck provinces around Saigon of Viet Hinted in Viet at fortified positions and troop Cong. SAIGON (AP) — Reports cir- concentrations in and north of cuiated widely in Saigon Sunday the DMZ. It was launched March 11. Reefs May Be Quitting of a nidjor South Vietnamese Since then, the U.S. command Raids by Marine Corps, In- says 2,147 enemy have been government' reshuffle within the truders touched off explosions killed compared to 206 allied next two weeks. in a convoy above Con Thien Khe Sanh Baffle Site Informed government sources soldiers killed. This is a ratio besides hitting artillery posi- of 10 to 1. said high-level changes were in tions, river shipping, communi- SAIGON (UPI) — The North ficials are unsure how to inter- the works but that nothing was cations and road traffic as far Brig. Gen. Winant Sidle, the Vietnamese are withdrawing pret the move. definite yet. north as Dong Hoi. U.S. Military Command's infor- elements of two regiments from "On the one hand it could The reports and government mation chief, said operations of- the Khe Sanh area, informed mean that the North Vietnam- sources indicated that President ficers had analyzed some of the military sources disclosed Sun- ese are moving out of the area. Nguyen Van Thieu was contem- larger actions such as Quyet day. If this is the case, then this plating the removal of among Bus Hits Mine; Thang in efforts to find an ex- The pullback, if such is the probably means the beginning others, Premier Nguyen Van planation. case, has been in progress for of the end of the battle of Khe Loc, four or five ministers, the 12 Viets Killed "The analysis indicates it is the last three weeks, according Sanh," one officer said. chief of the National Police, the SAIGON (AP) — Twelve more a matter of coincidence," to the sources. "On the other hand, it may "ttornmander of the 3rd Military South Vietnamese were killed Sidle said. "In certain types of The North Vietnamese have be some kind of feint by the Corps area and the Mayor of and 14 wounded when a civilian actions, your armor (tanks and been moving small elements of North Vietnamese. Or they Saigon. bus ran over a Viet Cong mine armored personnel car- the two regiments in an easter- might only be swapping these If the reports are true, and seven miles southwest of Da riers) catches the enemy in the ly direction, apparently toward two units for fresh ones. .Right Thieu goes through with the Nang Sunday, U.S. officials open. Or helicopter gunships the city of Quang Tri and other now we are in a period of 'wait changes, they would be the said. catch the enemy on the run and Marino bases. and see.' " strongest moves to date to They said the bus was going hit them hard." Though the withdrawals have However, there are indica- strengthen his hand as presi- south "on Route 5 when the mine Armor, artillery, tactical been confirmed through various tions that, in fact, the North dent. fighter-bombers and helicopter intelligence sources, of- Vietnamese are hurting, they detonated at 4:30 p.m. have begun to pull out, and probably will stay out. Otto Hahn Hurt in Fall Recently, allied patrols have GOETTINGEN, 0 e r m a n y been venturing further and fur- (UPI) — Prof. Otto Halm, 89- ther from the perimeter. year-old discoverer of nuclear Montagnard tribesmen trick- fission, has been hospitalised for DA NANG, Vietnam (UPI)— enough as "Elephant Valley." phants love to roll in. ling into the base say incessant a back injury suffered in a fail. This is no April fooling or tall Because the trails are too The Marine captain reluctant- B52 raids are taking a terrific The Nobel Prize-winner's condi- Texas story. Houston's Al Ban- narrow for trucks, the Viet ly attacked the three giant toll of Communists, as are al- tion was described by doctors did kill a pink elephant. Cong use elephants as freight beasts and downed all three lied artillery and lighter bomb- as "satisfactory under the cir- Ban', 2o, stopped the three carriers. The three Ban1 spot- with his heavy guns. He is cred- ers to a lesser degree. cumstances." elephants from his helicopter ted were laden with VC weap- ited with at least one elephant Not only are North Vietnam- gunship while patrolling 20 ons and ammunitions and all kill and has a pink elephant ese dying, but their supply lines •A Pacific Stars & Stripes miles northwest of Da Nang— were a pink hue from the pink painted on his helicopter sig- are being severely hurt, ac- Tuesday, April 2, 1968 an area known appropriately dirt of the area, which the eSe- nifying the mission. cording to the tribesmen. Chief Kosner Confident I
WASHINGTON
(Continued- FroM Page 1) Minh to respond positively, , "to do all they can to favorably* to this new stepto* move from the unilateral act of ward peace. tte*esealatioh I. have just an- "But if peace does not eonle nounced toward genuine peace now through negotiations, it will i« Southeast-Asia." come When Hanoi understands In still another major an- that our common resolve is un- nouncement the President said shakable and pur common some 13,500 support troops will, strength is invincible/' be sent to Vietnam during the The chief executive voiced next five months—some of them also a new appeal for early to be reserve units that will be congressional passage of an in- called to active duty. This would come tax increase, saying that indicate only a small reserve without higher taxes or budget call-up. cuts, next year's deficit would Johnson also disclosed new es- again be around $20 billion. timates on financing needs for "Yet Congress has not acted,*' the war* He said additional ex- he said. "And today we face the penditures in the fiscal year sharpest threat in the post-war that ends June 30 are estimated era—a threat to the dollar's role at $2.5 billion and, for the corn- as the keystone of international ing bookkeeping year, $2.6 bil- trade and finance.'* lion, He called also for Congress to "We have no intention of wi* do some sharp budget-cutting. dening this war," Johnson as- Johnson declared that "no one serted, "But the United States can foretell the precise terms of will not accept a fake solution to an eventual settlement" in Viet- this long and arduous struggle nam; But he went on to reaffirm and call it peace." limited objectives on the part of As he frequently has done in the United States: recent public utterances, John- "Our objective in South Viet- son once again cautioned that nam has never been the annihil- Hanoi "must not miscalculate ation of the enemy. It has been the pressures within our democ- to bring about a recognition in racy in this election year." Hanoi that its objective—taking In announcing the halt to,most over the South by force—could air and sea action against North not be achieved ... Vietnam, Johnson gave no indi- cation of how long the pause "Tonight I also reaffirm the pledge we made at Manila—that U.S. troops pass Vietnamese villagers who have rages hi the area near Trang Bang, 25 miles north- would continue. temporarily abandoned their homes as fighting west of Saigon. (AP Radiophoto) But he did say that even the we are prepared to withdraw limited bombing of the North our forces from South Vietnam that would continue under his as the other side withdraws its present policy "could come to forces to the North, stops infil- an early end—if our restraint is tration, and the level of violence Communists TV Copter matched by restraint in Hanoi," thus subsides." He said only events will deter- Johnson restated, too, his mine whether a complete bomb- "San Antonio formula" offer of Crashes at ing halt becomes possible. At last September—"that the Unit- the moment, he said, "I cannot ed States would stop its bom- in conscience stop all bombing bardment of North Vietnam By SPEC. 5 RAY BELFORD bunkers. so long as to do so would im- when that would lead promptly S&S Staff Correspondent An hour after the battle be- Texas Rally mediately and directly endanger to productive discussions—and SAIGON—U.S. and Vietnam- gan the Marines reported the ORANGE, Tex. (AP) - A hel- the lives of our men and our that we would assume that ese force killed 377 Communists enemy withdrawing. When the icopter carrying an NBC televi- allies." North Vietnam would not take Saturday in three major battles Marines searched the battle- sion crew lost power and spun Indicating the scope of the military advantage of our re- in south Vietnam's five most field they found 115 enemy to the ground Saturday while a bomb halt he announced, John- straint." northern provinces and other bodies. Marine casualties were action. Texas political candidate and son said: Johnson said he believes "that nine killed and 61 wounded. 200 assembled supporters "The area in which we arc a peaceful Asia is far nearer to The day included some of the Early the same morning an- watched in horror. One of the stopping our attacks includes al- reality, because of what Ameri- heaviest fighting near the DMZ other patrol from the base craft's three occupants was most 80 per cent of North Viet- ca has done in Vietnam." He since the Tet offensive. killed 15 Reds when they tan- killed. nam's population, and most of said: The savage fighting continued gled with an unknown-sized ene- its territory. Thus there will be "Tonight I have offered the into the early morning hours my force a mile west of the The victim was Bruce H. no attacks around the principal first in what I hope will be a Sunday as an estimated 150 perimeter. Three Marines were Powell, 50, of Arlington Heights, populated areas and in the series of mutual moves toward enemy soldiers attacked two wounded. 111., a Chicago suburb. Powell food-producing areas of North peace. major bridges along Highway 1, Vietnamese infantrymen from was a cameraman for NBC in Vietnam." "I pray that it will not be re- seven and eight miles south- the 1st ARVN Div. reported kill Chicago. Should peace talks begin, he jected by the leaders of North west of Phu Bai. They were ing 132 North Vietnamese sol- The pilot and another NBC said, he is designating Ambas- Vietnam. I pray that they will defended by U.S. Marines and diers during a bloody, all-day employe walked away from the sador Averell Harrunan "as my accept it as a-means by which Vietnamese infantrymen. battle six miles north of Dong crash. personal representative for such the sacrifices-of-their own peo- The Reds attacked at 3:20 Ha. The battle brought the to- The helicopter had just taken talks." He went on: ple may be ended. And I ask a.m. and succeeded in over- tal number of enemy killed in off after filming the opening of "In addition, I've asked Am- your support, my fellow citi- running the northern bridge a ' 27-square-mile area north of headquarters in this South Tex- bassador Llewellyn Thompson, zens, for this effort to reach and a U.S» Marine security ele- Dong Ha to 916 for March. as City for Waggoner Carr, a who returned from Moscow for across the battlefield toward an ment defending it. They de- The battle reportedly began Democratic candidate for gov- consultations, to be available early peace." stroyed the bridge with satchel about 9:30 a.m. when a battal- ernor of Texas. to join Ambassador Harriman The Communists, it appears, charges and retreated. ion from the 1st Regt. met the The Carrs, who had arrived in at Geneva or any other suitable are trying to make 1908 the year The Communists also took North Vietnamese force about the aircraft only 30 minutes ear- place just as soon as Hanoi of decision in South Vietnam, he part of the Truoi River Bridge three miles southwest of Gio lier, watched the crash along agrees to a conference." .said. a mile to the south and blew out Linh. with other onlookers. The Carrs In a passage that seemed to But he said their Tet holiday the center span. The bridge was The government troops kept were not hurt but one bystander summarize his approach, John- attack on the cities "failed to defended by U.S. Marines and the pressure on the enemy and suffered an injury from a spin- son said: achieve its principal objec- a company of Vietnamese rail- were supported by artillery dur- ning piece of debris. "I call upon President Ho Chi tives," which he listed as Com- road security men. ing the day. The crash came on a loading munist hopes to collapse the Fourteen Marines were killed At about 4 p.m. a battalion of dock near the downtown area. Saigon government or shatter and ,30 wounded. Nine enemy Vietnamese infantrymen from Kenneth Jones Harmon, 31, of Weather its army, to produce a general soldiers were killed. Govern- the 2nd Regt. and units from Houston, pilot of the helicopter, Asian Wenlher Central uprising and to retain control of ment casualties were said to be the U.S. Marines and the U.S. said it lost power, apparently in TOKYO AREA at least some cities. light. Army's 1st Air Cav. Div, ar- the tail rotor that keeps the > Monday Night: Cloudy; Low: 50 •i Tuesday: Pa. tly cloudy; Hinh: 66 In the heavy fighting in the rived. body from spinning with the TEMPERATURES I Corps tactical zone Saturday, The fighting continued past force of the overhead rotor. *, March 31 U.S. Marines killed 115 Com- nightfall as Air Force AC47 Also in the craft was Bryan H L H L Fill Missions Bangkok 94 Bl Naha 66 64 munists during a bloody, hour- Dragonships lit the way for the Wright, 54, of Chicago, an NBC Chitose 54 32 Saigon 93 79 long battle a mile south of the infantrymen on the ground with sound technician. Wright was Guam 83 — Seoul 63 41 In Viet Halted Khe Sarih combat base. flares and for an air observer slightly injured, Mazuke 66 46 Taipei 64 57 Manila 93 77 Tokyo 70 59 SAIGON (AP) — The Air The battle began at about to direct artillery fire. Arthur Black, 53, of Orange, H L H L Force kept its controversial Fill 8:30 a.m. when a reinforced At about 9 p.m. the enemy was the only one of the some 2'Ji) Albany 76 43 L.A. 83 58 Anchorage 33 16 Melbourne 65 51 fighter-bombers on the ground company from the 5th Marine was beaten into retreat. bystanders to sustain harm Boston 53 47 Miami 74 70 Sunday as officials investigated Div. ran up against an estimat- Fifteen Vietnamese infantry- from the fljing debris. Black Chicago 66 46 Moscow 57 43 Cincinnati 79 50 N. Orleans U 57 the loss of two of the itsfi-million ed enemy battalion in a bunktv men, four U.S. soldiers and one was hospitalized in good condi- Cleveland 74 30 NYC 66 48 planes during the first week and trench complex a mile out- Marine were killed. Five U.S. tion. Denver 74 36 Paris 70 45 side the Khe Sunn perimeter. soldiers and 75 Vietnamese Harmon said the craft was Detroit 69 32 Phila. 78 52 they have t'losvn in Vietnam War Fort Worth 76 63 Phoenix 90 55 operations. The two forces slugged it out troops were wounded. some 150 feet up when it lost Hong Kong 68 63 Singapore 88 71 It was the first clay since the with small arms and automatic South Vietnamese infantry- power and began spinning eraid- Honolulu 78 73 St. Louis 83 52 Houston 76 66 Salt Lake 75 49 Fills began flying against tar- weapons fire while mortarmen men from the 2nd Div., sup- ly. The crowd on the ground at Kansas City 79 59 Seattle 53 34 gets in North Vietnam last Men- on both sides sent .shells crash- ported by air strikes, reported first thought it was a bit of trick K. Lumpur 91 74 Sydney 7C 56 London 54 40 Wash. 82 58 day that the Air Force an- ing down on each others posi- killing 76 enemy soldiers five flying. nounced no missions for the ul- tions. miles southwest of Tarn Ky dur- Debris was spread over a tra-modem jets that are based The Marines called for heavy ing another day-long battle. One three-block area. Pacific Stars & Stripes at Tahkli Itoyal Thai Air Force artillery support to help rout government soldier was report- Carr canceled the rest of his Tuesday, April 2, 1968 Base. the Communists from their ed killed. day's campaign activities.