Tuesday, June 13, 1972
THE MICHIGAN DAIL^,
Page Nine
Ouste' dm. geeral ditsto
unla t orized air strikes
WASHINGTON (') - A re-
tired Air Force general fired as
a top commander in Vietna u
last spring confirmed to con-
gressmen yesterday that he
"chose to make a very liberal
interpretation" of the rules and
ordered strikes on North Viet-
namese targets.
Retired Maj. Gen. John La-
velle told a House Armed Serv-
ices investigating subcommittee
he ordered the then unauthoriz-
ed air strikes because of t h e
heavy North Vietnamese buildup
preceding its attack on South
Vietnam April L
'With this air defense build-
up," Lavelle said, "increased ag-
gressiveness of the North Viet-
namese and the large number
of North Vietnam regular army
units had infiltrated south or
moved into position to m o v e
across the demilitarized zone, I
chose to make a very liberal in-
terpretation of these rules of en-
gagement."
He referred to rules of en-
gagement that at that time pro-
hibited U.S. air strikes i n t o
North Vietnam in line with the
1968 bombing halt except f or
"protective reaction" retaliatory
strikes.
Lavelle referred to the a i r
strikes he ordered as isolated in-
stances.
"These rules of engagement
had not changed substantively
since we ceased bombing nlorth
Vietnam in 1968," ie told the
subcommittee.
The retired general said the
buildup of North Vietnamese
forces "and their massive infil-
tration into Laos and S o u t h
Vietnam which eventually result-
ed in the heavy fighting and
eventual overrun of the Plain of
Jars in Laos and the more re-
cent invasion of South Vietnam"
began shortly after his assign-
ment to Vietnam Aug. 1, 1971.
As commander of the 7th Air
Force he was in charge of all
tactical air operations in Viet-
nam, including protective reac-
tion strikes against the North
from bases in South Vietnain and
Thailand.
"If I had to do it over I would
do the same thing," Lavelle told
a congressman "but I w o u I d
check into the reporting pro-
cedure better."
Gen. John Ryan, Air Force
chief of staff, told the subcom-
mittee he fired Lavelle as com-
mander of the 7th Air Force in
Indochina because of 28 missions
involving 147 planes he said vio-
lated rules prohibiting all b it
"protective reaction 'strikes into
North Vietnam in line with the
1968 bombing halt.
The retired general said he
could understand Ryan's view-
point from Washington that "I
had exceeded my authority."
But he added: "At that time a
commander on the spot concer'i-
ed with the safety of the crews
and at the same time trying to
stop the buildup that was going
on, I felt that these were justi-
fiable actions."
-Associated Press
RETIRED MAJ. GEN. John Lavelle, right, sits with Air Force
Gen. John Ryan yesterday during a hearing of the House Armed
Services investigating subcommittee.
news briefs
by The Associated Press
HOUSE LEADERS in Washington yesterday postponed for
the second time consideration of a bill to direct $5.3 billion a
year of federal revenue to state and cities, conceding they lack
the votes to pass the measure without change.
The bill in its present form has aroused opposition from
Democratic liberals who want to attach tax loophole-closing
amendments and from conservatives who oppose the principle
of diverting federal funds to states and cities.
Wilbur Mills, (D-Ark.) Chairman of the House Ways and
Means Committee has indicated that he would agree to re-
wording the bill to meet Appropriations Committee objections
if this were necessary to save it.
FILIPINO STUDENT ACTIVISTS and other youths con-
verged on the U.S. Embassy in Manila yesterday to demonstrate
against what they termed "the rising tide of U.S. imperialism."
. The demonstrators, who numbered in the thousands, car-
ried red flags, sang the Filipino national anthem and gave
speeches denouncing the United States during their day-long
demonstration which coincided with the nation's independence
day celebrations.
The mass demonstration in Manila was the climax of a
'six-day march by many of the young people protesting the
presence of U.S. military bases in the Philippines, U.S. capital
in the Philippine economy and U.S. policies in Southeast Asia.
THE SUPREME COURT yesterday unanimously turned
down an appeal by John Patter from his conviction in the 1967
sniper slaying of George Lincoln Rockwell, commander of the
American Nazi Party.
Rockwell was shot from a rooftop on Aug. 25, 1967, in Ar-
lington, Va.
Patler had been a captain in the American Nazi Party
and the editor of "Storm Trooper," one of the group's publica-
tions. He was thrown out by Rockwell several months before
the shooting.
Patler's appeal was rejected without comment.
A SOVIET JEW was picked up by Moscow police last night
shortly after his American bride flew homeward because Soviet
officials refused to extend her visa.
Gabriel Yakovich Shapiro was detained at the Moscow
airport by two plain-clothesmen and a uniformed policeman.
Shapiro, a chemical engineer, is an admitted draft dodger
who emerged from hiding only last Thursday for the religious
wedding ceremony.
It was not known where Shapiro was taken.
Ms. Shapiro, a 27-year-old native of Cincinnati, Ohio, said
hr husband had been hiding from Soviet authorities for 27
months.
"For some years Gabriel has tried to get out of Russia,"
she said, "but authorities have refused, saying he knows too
many Soviet secrets."
COME TO A
BENGALI BENEFIT VEGETARIAN DINNER
FOR BANGLADESH
FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1972-6:30 p.m.
Speaker: THE REV. WARREN DAY of the United Ministries in
East Lansing, who has just returned from a fact-finding mission
in Bangladesh will talk of his experiences
Cost: $1.50 Call 662-5529 Days
Ecumenical Campus Center, 769-1505 Evenings
921 Church Street
Reservations must be in by Wednesday, June 14th
PRE-INVENTORY SALE
(SUN., JUNE 1 I-JUNE 17)
off every item
PLUS: 50% off many cards, 50% off many posters,
20 off all children's books, 20% off all bibles
LOGO'S
1205 S. UNIVERSITY
Open till 10 p.m.