The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 1

BEMIIMG JGU WILMINGTON, DELAWARE THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 1973 VOLUME 41, NUMBER 75 FIFTEEN CENTS mt hrls lr liy Oualt Saigon Illllllililllllillllillllllli lllilllra Gen. Weyand Calls It Day We Waited for And Last 67 POWs Are Free Nixon on TV At 9 Tonight WASHINGTON (ff) President Nixon will make a major radio-television address at 9 p.m. EST tonight on America's post-Vietnam role in the world and on the economy at home, the White House AP Wirephoto American Flag is furled today in Saigon ceremonies Military Assistance Command Vietnam is at end Viets Go on Looting CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines (UPI) -The last 67 American prisoners of war held by North Vietnam flew to freedom today. The men wore big smiles and one senior POW called it "an unforgettable day." The release means all 594 prisoners both military and civilian, American and foreign that were named on the original Communist POW list are free. An Army captain remained in Viet Cong hands but was expected to be released next week.

COUPLED with the withdrawal of the last U.S. troops in South Vietnam, the release ended U.S. military involvement in Vietnam. The last troops departed shortly after the POWs were freed in Hanoi. The first of two C141 ambulance planes, carrying 40 POWs from Hanoi, landed here at 6:39 p.m.

(5:39 EST). A second plane with the final 27 returnees landed 43 minutes later. The last man released by the Communists since the start of Operation Homecoming Feb. 12, Lt. Cmdr.

Alfred Howard Agnew, 32, of Mul-lins, S.C., came off the hospital jet with a wave to the crowd and a broad smile. "As the last prisoner of war on the list released by Hanoi, I'd like to speak for all the prisoners of war and simply say we're mighty happy to be home," Agnew said. Exuberant at his freedom, Agnew embraced one of his former shipmates, and then moved into the crowd to thank welcomers and newsmen who have been on hand for nearly all the arrivals. Part of the crowd sang "God Bless America." The 67 joined another 72 former prisoners at Clark who had been released during the past two days. Some of the earlier group were expected to be heading back to the United States by the weekend.

THE release came one clay later than specified under the cease-fire agreement signed in Paris Jan. 27. The delay was caused mostly by a Communist reluctance to turn over nine Americans and a Canadian captured in Laos. UPI reporter Robert Kaylor reporting from Hanoi said Agnew yelled "Let's hit it!" as he approached the ramp of the medical evacuation plane that took him to Clark. He was greeted with shouts of "yippie" by the American crew that came to get him.

"It's great to be here," said Agnew, whose wife and daughter live in Albany, Ga. He is no relation to Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. AT least four of the men came back with visible injuries. And Navy Adm.

Noel Gayler, the commander of all U.S. forces in the Pacific, spoke briefly in a planeside speech about the 45,000 military men who didn't come back. "Especially. I want to thank the prisoners for SAIGON tfi The last American forces pulled out of South Vietnam today after more than a decade of military intervention that cost 46,000 U.S. lives.

The departing commander said the United States had acomplished its mission of stopping a Communist takeover. As the last 2,500 GIs flew home or to other bases in Southeast Asia, strong American air and naval forces remained on the perimeters of Indochina to keep up the war in Cambodia and to discourage a resumption of major fighting in South Vietnam and Laos. THE 7th Fleet was reported to have four carriers with a total of 200 strike planes within range of Vietnam, and the Pentagon said there are 202 B52 bombers at Guam and Thailand and more than 40Q Air Force and Marine fighter-bombers in Thailand. Today's departures left 1,034 uniformed American military men in Vietnam, including 825 members of the U.S. delegation to the Joint Military Commission, 159 Marine guards at the U.S.

Embassy and 50 military attaches at the Embassy. The Joint Military Commission made up of the United States, North and South Vietnam and the Viet Cong is scheduled to be replaced today by a commission made up of South Vietnam and the Viet Cong, and the 825 men of the U.S. delegation are scheduled to leave the country tomorrow and Saturday. The United States has been trying to extend the life of the four-party group, but so far nobody else has agreed. AT a 20-niinute ceremony closing down the U.S.

Command after, more than 11 years of operations in Viet-nam, the departing commander, Gen. Frederick C. Weyand, declared: "The rights of the people of the Republic of Vietnam to shape their own destiny and to provide for their self-defense have been upheld." He called the Command "one of the most unique and significant military-civilian organizations in our military history. "Unique, because it was activated to assist an ally in a manner and to a degree never previously attempted by U.S. military forces.

Significant, SAIGON (B) Several hundred Vietnamese civilians invaded the departure camp for American GIs today on the final day of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Vietnam and went on a looting spree while Vietnamese guards stood by. The civilians broke through the chain fences around Camp Alpha, at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, three hours before the last planeload of GIs was scheduled to leave and cleaned out the mess hall. "THEY took anything that wasn't tied down," said one out. THE U.S.

Military Command had turned the camp area over to the U.S. Embassy. Its future use has not been announced. The mob in mess hall was the second crowd of scavengers. Earlier in the day the camp's Vietnamese maids moved in to snatch up the departing soldiers' leavings and some things they hadn't planned to leave.

Sgt. Charles Dennis of Eas-ton, bound for Thailand, was in a sweat. McCord Testifies Mitchell OKd Watergate Bugging, Paper Says because its mission was to prevent an all-out attempt by an aggressor to impose its will through raw military force. That mission has been accomplished." ORDER No. 1290 was read officially, inactivating the Military Assistance Command Vietnam, or MACV.

The colors were eased at 1:23 p.m. A C141 Starlifter roafed overhead in the blazing sun, carrying some of the last American soldiers homeward. Weyand shook 1 the hands of the color guard one man each from the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force and then declared: "For all of us, it is a happy day and one we have been waiting for a long time." Several cables were read during the ceremony, including one from Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who said 2V2 million Americans had served in Vietnam but did rot enjoy the full measure of public support they deserved.

WEYAND later delivered a brief address in Vietnamese at Tan Son Nhut Airbase before leaving for Honolulu to take up his new job as head of U.S. Army forces in the Pacific. He said he was departing "with a strong feeling of pride in what we have achieved and in what your achievement represents. All American men and women who have served in this struggle join me today in wishing you well. It is our sincere hope that the peace with honor that has been our goal will last forever." Gen.

Cao Van Vien, chief of the South Vietnamese joint military staff, replied with a message from President Nguyen Van Thieu addressed "to all of the American officers and men who have fought in Vietnam. "The United States made great sacrifices for a noble cause in Vietnam. Freedom would have been doomed if they had not taken this courageous action." took effect Jan. 28. Command spokesman Lt.

Col. Le Trung Hien said today the communists committed another 133 truce violations yesterday, raising to 8,855 the number of infractions alleged since the truce began. Sources in Vientiane said today the Laotian government has ordered its armed forces to reoccupy all positions taken by the Communists since the Feb. 21 Laos cease-fire and will ask U.S. bombing support if there are any moremaior truce violations.

The government sources said Acting Defense Minister Sisouk Na Champassack told cabinet yesterday that fresh North Vietnamese battalions have been spotted in the Thatom area 100 miles northeast of Vientiane and near Hin Boun 150 miles southwest of the capital. A Laotian government radio broadcast today accused the Communist Pathet Lao of obstructing the formation of a coalition government and of violating the truce 337 times since it came into effect. WASHINGTON victed Watergate conspirator James W. McCord Jr. testified under oath to a Senate investigating committee that former Atty.

Gen. John N. Mitchell personally approved plans to bug Democratic National Headquarters, the Washington Post reported today. The Post, the New York Times, and -the Los Angeles Times all said in their morning editions quoting unnamed informed sources Spree "I took two of my bags over to the terminal and came back five minutes later, and the other two were gone," he said. "I've lost all my clothes and my shaving gear." DENNIS wandered through the piles of Army green leftovers, coat hangers, paperbacks, cans of shaving cream, and, found his shaving kit and a couple of sets of underwear.

He talked to one maid in pidgin Vietnamese and she told him the Vietnamese guards had taken away the rest. the acting chairman of the Senate committee, emerged from the tightly guarded hearing room in the Capitol and told reporters that McCord had "covered a lot of territory. He gave us a lot of information. It was significant information." Later, at the Washington Press Club, Baker said McCord, a former CIA agent and security chief for the Committee to Re-elect the President, had "named names." Baker refused to say whether McCord had provided any documentation to substantiate his testimony, or whether he actually had elaborated on the unnamed others he said last week were involved in the Watergate affair. IT was learned that at least one member of the committee had "independent evidence" to support McCord's reported allegations that White House Counsel John W.

Dean III and Jeb Stuart Magruder, a former White House aide and deputy director ot President Nixon's re-election campaign, had prior knowledge of the See McCORD Page 2, Col. 4 N.J. Lottery 357643 TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -The winning number in this week's New Jersey State Lottery is 357643. Tickets with the following numbers are winners: 357643 $50,000 X57643 $4,000 XX7643 $400 XXX643 $40 Qualified for Million Dollar Drawing 35XXXX XXXX43 U.S.

officer. The last American MPs guarding the camp had just left when the crowd burst in. A Vietnamese MP helped the looters pass tables and chairs through the fence, and other Vietnamese guards stood by while the mob grabbed bread, sugar, other foodstuffs, chairs, tables, cooking uterisils and cabinets from the kitchen and 1,000 seat dining hall. The few. American officers left in the area called out a dozen GIs waiting for planes home, and they drove the mob that McCord testified that Mitchell had been involved.

The Post said that Mitchell approved the plans and budget for the bugging when he was still attorney general in February 1972. ACCORDING to the sources, the Post said, McCord indicated that he knew of additional' illegal wrietaps. But he would not discuss them with the Senate investigators unless he is granted immunity from further prosecution. What has been billed as total American withdrawal has taken place in South Vietnam, but U.S. presence, particularly in Saigon, is poorly concealed.

Page 4 Michigan psychiatrist tells Senate investigators that drug some users believe is an aph- dangers than heroin. Page 6 Congress setting up new attack against Administration plans to close six of the eight Public Health Service hospitals within six months. Page 7 Prospects are that the revenue study report's most immediate result will be more study. Page 8 Peronists, vielcrious in Argentine election, now face a struggle within: Old guard vs. younger element.

Page 8 Nation's crime rate takes first dip in 17 years, but violent crimes, especially rape, continue to increase. Page IN TODAY'S JOURNAL 'Peace' Still Rages As Last GIs Leave INDEX McCord, at his own request, spent iA hours yesterday before the Seante's 1 ct Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, and was to return for more questioning Wednesday. Another convicted conspirator, E. Howard Hunt testified for about four hours yesterday before a fed-eral grand jury, after a federal judge granted him immunity from further prosecution. SEN.

Howard H. Baker Boston Globe reports that Tex-a research team repeats nutritional experiment with 428 infants and seven of them die during project. Page 10 Philosophy of Christian religion in India, which is practiced by only 2.5 per cent of the population, fYplninod by bishop of MarThoma Church. Page 27 The National Labor Relations Board rejects union complaints that Sun Oil Co. officials engaged in unfair labor practices.

Page 34 Hog and beef prices drop, the National Farmers Organization tells its members to withhold hogs, cattle and lambs from market, and consumers warm up for next week's meat boycott with rallies and gifts of bologna to President Nixon end California Gov. Rona'ld Reagan. Page 34 International Institute for Strategic Studies says U.S. is repeating from its role as world policeman. Page 45 Astrological Forecast 63 Area Date Book 26 Bridge 59 Business 34-36 Comics 50 Crossword Puzzle 58 Daily Record 38 Editorials 30 Fun Outdoors 23 Obituaries 46 People 40-43 Sports 16-22 Television, Radio 52-53 Theater, Arts 47-49 their faith, their devotion to duty, their courage.

It's been an inspiration to us all," Gayler said. "We can all be thankful for the return of our prisoners and ever mindful in remembering those who did not return." THE crowd, which included Navy men from Subic Bay in the Philippines and several fliers from Andersen Air Base on Guam, gave one of its loudest cheers to a plucky Air Force Captain who came off the first plane on crutches and managed a hand shake and a salute to the four official welcomers. He was Capt. Keith H. Lewis, 33, whose wife Patricia and two children live in Goldsboro, N.C.

Despite his injury, Lewis displayed a set of flight wings and a big smile. His F4D Phantom was shot down last Oct. 5 over North Vietnam. Air Force Lt. George F.

Latella, 25, of New York City, came down the plane ramp looking fine. But then he saluted left-handed, keeping his injured right arm stiff and close to his side. Navy Lt. John C. Ensch, 35, of Springfield, had an injured left hand, two of his fingers splayed.

LT. Col. Louis H. Bernasconi, 31, a B52 navigator, with a wife and daughter in Northridge, spoke to the crowd as the senior man on the last plane he was shot down last Dec. 22 and then limped away on an injured left leg.

Bernasconi said, "On behalf of all of us, we thank you for this glorious moment. Those of you back home and, of course, those of you here, you've answered our prayers. Thank you so much." The Viet Cong announced yesterday it will release next week an Army captain captured in the Mekong Delta in 1969. Although the Communists identified him as Robert Wheme, a name that appeared on no U.S. military lists, the Pentagon identified him as Robert Thomas White, 32, of Newport News, through his Social Security number.

White had been listed as missing in action one of the 1,334 men listed as such. He was the first POW the Viet Cong admitted capturing in the southern part of South Vietnam and the announcement raised hopes that others listed among the missing would turn up. By United Press International As the United States ended its military role in Vietnam today, peace was still largely on paper. A U.S. helicopter crashed in South Vietnam, U.S.

bombing continued for the 22d day in Cambodia and the Laotian government threatened to ask for U.S. warplanes in its battie against Communist truce-breakers. WITHIN an hour after rere-monies marking the pullout of the last U.S. troops from South Vietnam, field reports said an American helicopter assigned to the Joint Military Commission crashed due to "unknown causes." At least two of the crewmen suffered minor cuts, apparently from scrambling out of their burning aircraft. The reports said the choper went down on a flight from Hue to Da Nang and was hit 20 miles northwest of Da Nang over territory described as Communist-held.

THE Saigon command reported 18,932 Vietnamese on both sides have been killed in combat since the cease-fire WEATHER TONIGHT TOMORROW TONIGHT: occasional rain developing, low in tow 403.. TOMORROW: Cloudy, cance of rain, higli in lev Weather map, detain on Page gg.