The Odessa American from Odessa, Texas • 1

AMI RICAN HE "The better part of one's life consist! of his friendships." Abraham Lincoln AN INDEPENDENT FREEDOM NEWSPAPER SUNDAY EDITION TWENTY CENTS VOL. XLV, NO. 105 ODESSA, TEXAS, SUNDAY APRIL 19, 1970 72 PAGES 6 SECTIONS NEA Feature! (AP) Associated Prets 450 Viet Cong Killed 23 Persons Reported IX i I led CLARENDON, Tex. (AP) Tornadoes skipped along two 175-mile corridors of Texas' vast Panhandle-Plains country Friday night and Saturday killing 23 persons, injuring more than 100 and damaging millions of dollars in property. pp Task Pane Hits GttBiboditt Basa frontier by Cambodian border SAIGON (AP) Two South officials.

At least 16 persons died and 50 to 60 were Injured as one tornado battered a trailer camp and lakeshore village near this Panhandle town. Most of the residents, including many elderly retired persons, were caught in their sleep. Elsewhere, South Vietnamese Vietnamese task forces smashed two enemy bases across the border in Cambodia last week, killed 450 Communist military headquarters reported a series of clashes around Dak Seang, the besieged Green Be The death toll climbed slowly tC command soldiers, and seized ret outpost the central huge stores of supplies, informed sources said Saturday. late Saturday as more bodies were found at scattered points. The Texas Department of Public Safety said" that identifications WHITEFACE DESTROYED This aerial viewof The South Vietnamese began returning Saturday after plung downtown Whiteface shows most of the-town" destroyed than 100 injured, along with millions of dollars in property damage as it cut a 175-mile long corridor' through the Panhandle-Plains.

See Pictures, Page 5-D) AP Wirephoto) were proving difficult to ing as far as 10 miles beyond establish in the general chaos by a tornado which passed through here late Friday night. The twister left at least 23 persons dead and more the border and tne bourn Vietnamese command said the oper Mild Weather Due For Basin This Weekend to partly cloudy skies of the great area stricken by the storms. WilliaJn G. Ellis, a telephone ations had ended. But it continued to insist the fighting took place inside South Vietnam.

It put South Vietnamese losses at lineman, was killed Saturday Sniper Fire Fatal To One In California SANTA BARBARA, Calif. Odessa Marine Due Nation's while attempting to repair tornado torn lines north of Whitharral. 13 killed and 104 wounded. A communique said 37 prisoners were captured, more than and mild temperatures are in pDl Crew, Amines 'Omited- Officers said he came in con store for the Odessa Midland tact with high voltage lines. 100 weapons were seized, and 80 tons of rice and 2 tons of medi A.

fellow employe, D. Cox, Highest Honor area today with the high expected to be about 70 degrees. (AP) A college, senior was was severely burned and is suf shot and killed Saturday as po fering from shock after at The' mild weather will con lice and snipers exchanged gunfire during renewed violence at tempting vainly to rescue Ellis, the Texas Department of Public Safety said. Marine Pfc. Alfred M.

Wilson, 22, Odessa man killed in action in Vietnam last March, has been awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest decoration cine and other supplies were taken. The communique reported more than ,500 straw huts and enemy bunkers were destroyed and "friendly forces freed 17 Vietnamese families consisting tinue through Monday although tonight's low is expected to be around 38. an ll-decree dron HONOLULU (AP) The Swigert. Their wives joined the men on the podium, wearing While Mrs. Nixon lunched with the wives of Lovell and Haise, the parents of Swigert American space pilots who Many died in Isolated farm the University of "California campus in Santa Barbara.

white leis. for bravery, the White House from a Friday night's low of 49 degrees. spent four perilous days feeling so far away from earth returned Kevin Moran, 22, of Saratoga, Lovell, the flight commander, of 17 adults and 44 children." announced Saturday. to the arms of their iamiles was fatally wounded in The presentation will be made Field reports said South Viet houses, or what was left of them. At Plainvlew, another hard-hit city, a sheriff's deptuy said, "There's a line demolished houses for 8 to 10 miles northeast of us." spoke on behalf of his two rookie crewmates.

Temperatures climbed to 71 Friday afternoon. Monday's high should be Saturday and a heroes' welcome Monday in White House the side, witnesses said, after namese troops esconea iw Vietnamese refugees, fleeing It is a very proud day for the ceremonies by Vice President extinguishing a fizzlinfe fire three of us to be here on earth Spiro Agnew. the wrath of hostile Cambo about 75 degrees with 10 to 20 mile per hour winds out of the west-northwest Meanwhile, widespread sec dians, across the border into Receiving the medal will be again. we ve nan a very bomb in a Bank of America branch, a temporary structure Fred 221 Neal, who trying three days." tions of the state were under tornado watch and severe South Vietnam in the past two davs. Forecasters at Terminal said rested.

Afterwards, Mrs. Haise took a nap in the presidential stateroomshe is expecting in June. Nixon expressed his concern that the astronauts get some time to relax and ease up as soon as their debriefing is over, perhaps at sdmespot in Florida, the Virgin Islandsor even Camp David, Md. "They were under constant pressure for these days like no one else ever was," Nixon said. He said Lovell lost 14 pounds erected after rioters burned the "The secret was that fact that will leave Odessa this morning no frontal activity, is in sight thunderstorm alert Saturday Witnesses reported South we have in America something for Washington, accompanied by original building to the ground for this area.

flight. that has always been part of us a daughter. Marilyn Sue Feb. 25. Vietnamese troops and armored personnel carriers were returning to South Vietnam Saturday a team," he said.

On behalf At mid-evening Saturday two lines of heavy thunderstorms Whitehead, also of Odessa. from then: President. Marilyn Lovell met her astronaut-husband on the steps of the plane that brought the three men from Pago Pago and rushed to his arms. Mary Haise, seven months pregnant embraced her husband too. And bachelor Jack L.

Swigert "hugged his mother and father. Everyonft was smilng and the President beamed at the scene. The plane carrying the astronauts, James A. Lovell Fred W. Haise Jr.

and Swigert landed only moments after Air Wilson will be the second of the three of us we're glad to Deputies said a sniper's bullet killed Moran. menaced the state and a third be home and we re glad to be Thunderstorms struck late in the afternoon in the Crystal City area of Southwest Texas and moved eastward. At dusk big storms were centered in the San Antonio area and spread on Highway a mnes norm-west of Saicon. Odessa youth within a two-week period- to tie recognized with part of. America.

area of storms was developing. A massive cell of storms moved eastward along a line west The shooting occurred about 1:30 a.m. after a second night of violence in Isla Vista, a student Informants reported earlier the Medal Of Honor. Lovell, the veteran astronaut and Haise somewhat Iessr that there were 3.000 South Viet President Nixon April 7 who has logged more hours in "In a battle on the ground," of Denison, Fort Worth, and 40 and 50 miles around the city. namese troops and hundreds of presented the Medal Of Honor community of about 13,000 adja cent to the campus.

space than any other human, said earlier, on the recovery he said, "you can a break." A massive section of to. Marvin (Rex) Young, who tanks and armored personnel carriers taking part in the turbulence stretched from 30 was killed in action Aug. 2, Despite a curfew, the disturbance began as it had the night ship: Ziegler said Nixon noted that Force One bearing the President and their familes. 1968. A sister, Mrs.

Perry Max "Coming back from Apollo 8 miles northwest of Austin to Dallas-Fort Worth to Dcnison there not only had been more before with youths pelting the On at least one of the opera at Christmas in 1968, 1 remem Some 2,500 spectators gath bank with rocks. and Sherman and into messages from heads of state connection with the Apollo 13 bered how much we don't real ered at sunny Honolulu Interna About 200 deputies and high Oklahoma. Davis, 1501 East 57th was on hand for the occasion. Like Young, Wilson was a graduate of an Odessa school, being graduated from Odessa tions, witnesses at the border saw 100 Cambodian soldiers fighting alongside the South flight, but also a different tone tional Airport to welcome them Scattered thunderstorms way wearing helmets and black jackets and car from those that were sparked all. ize what we have on earth until we leave it.

"Looking back at all the color in the world, at the ocean and Austin. A second line of storms bore down on Travis, Hayes, Bastrop, Williamson, and Caldwell counties. The third Ijnc" developed in an East Texas area bounded roughly by points near Tex-arkana, Longview, and Tyler. As the storms intensified, the Weather Bureau posted a severe thunderstorm watch for -a wide area of Central and East Texas until 4 a.m. this morning.

The greatest threat thunderstorms was along a 140-mile-wide line from 20 miles hereby declare that this by the Apollo 11 and 12 ven Vietnamese. The South Vietnamese were invited across the wracked the area from northeast of Junction to Wichita High in January 1968. rying carbines, lobbed tear gas grenades into milling crowds of tures. was a successful mission," the He was killed March 4, 1969, the earth, the blues and browns President Falls and moved to the northeast. Small hail ac Meanwhile, doctors said tflat up to 700 persons, The youths of land and sky.

you realize that when struck by mortar fragments in the head and body the earth really is unique." "I think I can truthfully say that never before in the history of man have more people companied the heaviest storms, some striking downtown Fort Haise had shed the low fever that accompanied the urinary tract infection he brought back cut off electrical power to the bank, smashed the glass door with rocks and threw gasoline while serving with the Third The flight from Houston to Good Chance For Experts Worth. watched together, prayed to Marine Division near the Laotian border. Honolulu was a busy one on the Presidential plane. bombs inside. See APOLLO, Page 2-A gether or rejoiced together," he Broken lines of storms stretched from Lake Buchanan said.

in Central Texas to Adamsville atepnen Uoodspeed, campus vice chancellor, and six witnesses said Moran was shot as he left the bank after extin southwest of Tyler to Victoria near the Gulf Coast. The three astronauts standing to Evant to Hamilton to Cran fit attention to his left, the Pres fills Gap, Walnut Springs, Cleburne and into the outskirts ident said, "This safe return is Inside Today's Odessa American- a triumph or the human spirit, of Fort Worth. guishing one firebomb. The other firebombs did not catch fire. The witnesses said Moran cried, "My God, My God, help me!" Friends bandaged his A funnel cloud was reported the special qualities a man can rely on and rely on all those things that machines cannot 15 miles southwest of Fort Worth but apparently dissipated do." without touching the ground.

wound. He was dead on arrival at a hospital. Meanwhile, more sniper fire He turned and hung the na The big thunderstorms were tion hiehest civilian honor, the to continue late into the night, Medal of Freedom, around the the Weather Bureau said, as Everybody is guessing about the population of Ector County and now there's a chance for the experts to cash in on their knowledge. The Odessa American is announcing the beginning of a Census Contest and it's open to everyone. Just fill out the coupon on Page 7-B and mail it in, postmarked no later than May 2, 1970.

To the person who comes closest to the preliminary figure to be released by the San Angelo District Office of the U. S. Census Bureau there will be a $100 first prize. Second place is worth $50 and third place is worth $25. necks of each of them.

came from beach apartments a block west of the bank. Officers returned the No injuries a cold front pushed in East JURY Harris County Has Started Selecting Its "Prospective Juries With Computers And Officials Claim It Is Saving The County Money. (Page 5-A) TEACHER A Grandmotherly El Paso School Teacher Says Male Teachers Should Be Allowed To Wear Beards. (Page 13-C) AMUSEMENTS 3D HORSE SENSE 3D Lovell, first, then Haise, then Texas and Central lew. The South Plains area from were, reported.

Occasional gunfire could be heard through the night, but or FORECAST FROM THB U.S. WEATHER BUREAU AT TEMMINALt Claor la partly cloudy today through Monday. Mild todoy, lllll cooler tonight, and a Hill warmer Monday. Wlndi Monday from th wltnorthwlt at 10-20 mlltl par hour. Mi oh today 70.

low tonight high tomorrow 75. Yaitarday high 71. ovarnlghi low 4t. TEMPERATURES CITY MAX. MIN.

Abll.no Jt 42 Amanita 4 Chicaqo 40 Donvtr 42 El Pilo 41 SO Fort Worth HO 70 Calvnlon 7J Ntw York 42 47 Oklahoma City 10 45 Son Antonio 72 St. Louia 44 si Plainview to Lubbock, harried pIMt Jfi L- by twisters Friday nicht, caught The Quipster more light thundersnowers dur- me the late afternoon. An aging actor who der was restored by daybreak. Officers lifted roadblocks that had sealed off the area. Six persons were arrested, none in connection with Moran's death.

Officers agreed there might still be bodies in the tornado BUILDING NEWS 10B CAREER CORNER 7B DATELINE 10C DEAR ABBY 16C EDITORIALS 4D FINANCIAL NEWS 8-9B FINE ARTS 2D OIL NEWS 11B SCHOOL MENU 7B SOCIETY NEWS 1-9C SPORTS 1-7B TV LOG 10B YOUR STARS 3D rubble or in isolated sections. Sheriff's Capt. Fritz Patterson was about to become a father quipped, "By the time the baby is old enough to talk I'll be too deaf hear him." Fred Wortham of the Amaru Sun Mil todoy 7:21 P.M, RUM A.M. Precipitation termed the outbreak "pure, unadulterated warfare." Monday at 4 IS last 24 houn .02. PFC.

ALFRED WILSON See 23 PERSONS, Page 2-A Trailer Village Obliterated, 15 Persons Dead Sherwood Shores Was Peaceful Retreat Before Friday loo, were bown into splinters. Cattle near the development were killed by the wind-driven debris. Half-filled cold drink bot- ties, the caps intact, were found scattered. Straws' were driven into utility poles by the wind. One rescuer pulled a telephone out the wreckage anoV-momentarily had a dial tone.

It didn't last long. By mid-morning, many of those trying to gather up what was left of their possession, including many adults, began to fold up and fall across the piles of debris. About fifty retired couples were "wiped out," developeta said. About noontime, the quiet of Sherwood Shores returned. The only noise was a soft wind blowing pieces of sheet metal against other wreckage.

of an embankment. Mrs. Pitts' body, mangled, was found about 150 yards south of the The second floor of the Pitts home was scattered over about a 2-acre area. Debris was scattered as much as' three miles. Much of it is bits and pieces of the new homes.

Gates to Sherwood Shores were closed Saturday to the public. Residents not at the lake when the storm struck could do little except shrug their shoulders and look1 at the site where their homes once stood. Some, foundations were still intact, but that wasrCt always the case. Nobody knows how many people are missing because authorities were -having difficulty ascertaining how many were at home. Automobiles, said he thought "I was back in combat again after I went out there to look.

I decided it was worse than Vietnam." Only two outside telephones lines connected clarendon to the rest of the world Saturday. Texas High Patrolmen said they "had to wade through the mud and poke around flashlights when we first got here. We just hunted out the dead and injured as best we could." Perhaps the hardest hit area was the village's northwest section. That area was most heavily populated, too. That's where most were killed or injured.

Near this area was the permanent home of the Travis Pitts family. Pitts, and young son made it to comparative safety on the lower floor, which had 'been built into the side Mr. and Mrs. Robert O'Dell Osborn, said her family went to. a storm cellar, decided the storm threat was over and reentered their house.

"When we heard it coming, we ran for the cellar and got caught I'ight in the middle. Daddy told me, 'Get down. Shorty' and then threw himself on top, of me. That's the only thing that saved my The plucky teeri-agcr, who talked from her hospital bed here, had not yet been told by an older sister that her father was dead and that her mother was in critical condition. The small hospital here was condemned several years ago and is to be replaced soon by a new medical facility.

One of the dotors who worked there for more than 10" hours Saturday Mrs. Rountree said she walked about a mile and a half and found a pickup truck parked next to a house. "I turned on -the truck lights and blew the horn, but nobody was at home," she said. VTused lightning flashes to guide me through the hot wires and all the stuff piled up all around." 1 1 A Highway Patrol unit finally found Mrs. Rountree about 4 a.m.

while she sat in the pickup with the lights, on. Her husband and a. brother-in-law, W.T. Robertson, 70, wandered into the development office Saturday. Mrs.

Rountrees' sister, Mrs. Robertson, was (found dead about 200 yards from the trailer home, of Mr. and Mrs. Woody Johnson, where the domino party had been held. Judy Osburn, 15, daughter of A brick building, housing management offices for the development corporation, also still stands, Some of the 150 residents at their homes Friday night are uninjured.

Some had left about midnight and driven 20 miles to Jerico but had returned home when they believed thejornado threat ended. Mrs. R.7I. Rountree was on? of the several elderly; persons who had just ended a domino game and left the development only to return before4he twister hit. "We hadn't been back very she said, "when the roar, began, like a hundred trains, and' we dashed for the door.

I guess it have pulled me from they trailer. I came to in the mud and water, holding jh tight to a CLARENDON, Tex. (AP) Sherwood Shores was a quiet, peaceful and pretty retreat for retired people and younger folks who sought a place to find respite from the. daily grind. It was a pretty place.

At 2 a.m. a tornado spawned five hours earlier near Whiteface, 125 miles southwest of here, killed at least 15 people and obliterated the village. At least 66 are hospitalized, many in critical condition and another 60 were injured and walking around. The development was on the north shore of Greenbelt, Lake, six miles north of Few of the homes, most of them semi -permanently installed-trailer houses, still stand. Most oL those left are frame dwellings and can be repaired.

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