The Altus Times-Democrat (Altus, Okla.), Vol. 41, No. 342, Ed. 1 Friday, February 2, 1968 Page: 1 of 12
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The Altus Times-Democrat
VOL. 41—NUMBER 342
ALTUS, OKLAHOMA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1968
PRICE 5c
Invasion Fails
895939
4
Saigon Still Held In
Seige State By Reds
I
SAIGON (UPD—Allied lead-
ambush
a resupply
convoy
ers
Viet Cong invasion of the cities
8,!
correspondent Richard V. Oliver
AA
.l
-
consecutive day and pinned guerrillas still were able to
Ir
—Pueblo Crew's Fa+e—
About Vietnam
U.S.-Korea
i
Talk Looms
the city the planes used only
said
Partnership' Jail
civilians killed or wounded.
Is Under Study
Groundhog
•MVVYV- government policy not to tell
Bellmon To Make Convict Who
psychological jail.
Talked Moved
Race Official
“Impress on
the American
From Prison
(UPD—An have demonstrates the great
strength that they have," he
rison farm . . 9 J
County commissioners, meet-
to discuss
the county jail dilemma, found
with its American pilots to
white prisoners
Altus Soldier
tions in August and September.
offensive this week.
"i
we must
eral election.
(See BELLMON pace 2)
(See PRISON page 2)
I
MPs Answer Soldier s
1 tte
_
Plea For Vietnam Call
ne"A
-
who wanted to fight for his
country, but ran into a “missing
P
As related by Carlson and
June brought no reply. He wrote
returned home last March 28
-
Senator Says
Nation Misled
Thursday that the United States
had accepted a suggestion by a
the Florence, Ala., recruiting
office. He was told he was not
who showed authorities Monday
where three bodies had been
buried in crude coffins in an
area being dug for a pig sty,
was transferred Thursday to
in a heavy fireight. Tonight the
rangers brought up artillery to
level the houses used as VC
December, "it was certainly
apparent to me there was a
near the Demilitarized Zone to
the Mekong Delta. President
Nguyen Van Thieu put the
(AWOL) status, but that he
should telegraph for instructions
A telegram sent at the end of
May and a letter sent in early
the
the
had failed, but the Communists
still held Saigon in a state of
in the ancient imperial capital
beat off South Vietnamese and
Altus Mayor Ryan Kerr is
willing to explore th epossibili-
ties of the city and Jackson
County entering into a partner-
ship to build a new city-county
Commodities Issued
JACKSON COUNTY Commissio-
ners have announced that com-
modities will be issued here
Feb. 5-7. The county schedule
(See SHORT STORIES pace 2)
Pueblo incident be discussed
within the framework of the
military armistice commission
at Panmunjom or possibly some
other agreed upon setting.
Bellmon, who completed a
four-year term in January, 1967
as the state’s first Republican
governor, has been campaign-
ing since for the senate post
held by Democrat Mike Mon-
roney.
Historical Society
Oklahoma City, Okla 73101
ed on a large stump near his
lair, saw his shadow to por-
tend another six weeks of win-
ter’s gloom.
settle for the release at this
time of the crew members
alone.
The two precedants involve a
United Nations helicopter pilot-
ed by two Americans which
strayed into North Korea May
17, 1963, and a South Korean
A TWO-CAR COLLISION at the intersection of Commerce and Hightower result-
ed in five persons treated and released at Jackson County Memorial hospital this
morning.
against known V.C. strong-
points.
The Americans and South
Vietnamese were reported to
have killed 200 guerrillas but a
Marine officer said the Ameri-
cans had suffered 25 per cent
casualties (killed and wounded)
among the forces flown in by
helicopter for the assault.
City Attorney Bill Ivester to
study the subject. If Ivester’s
report to the mayor is favorable,
Mayor Kerr said he would call a
special city council meeting for
next Monday or Tuesday night
to meet with Jackson County
commissioners.
Glenn Southall
To Attend Young
Farmers’ Banquet
A 32-year old Jackson County
farmer will represent the area
at the State Outstanding Young
Farmer awards program to be
conducted Saturday in Boise
City.
He is Glenn Southall of 818
East Elm street, Altus. South-
all was the recipient of the an-
nual Outstanding Young Farmer
award announced last week by
the Altus Jaycees. The program
which recognizes the achieve-
ments of young farmers is spon-
sored by the U.S. Jaycees and
the national L-P Gas Associ-
ation.
time Oakland said a port call
could not be issued for him
because it had no records of his
orders.
He was told to write to the
Army Support Services at Ft.
Benjamin Harrison, Ind. He did
so on Jan. 19, and, as a result,
the adjutant general’s office
had him picked up by the MPs.
the woodchuck or whistle pig,
according to tradition crawls
from his lair each Feb. 2 to take
a look at his shadow, the story
goes, it will be another six
weeks before galoshes and tire
chains can be stashed away. If
there is no shadow—spring is
just around the comer.
A touch of winter returned
to Oklahoma today, but bright
sunshine quickly chased away
the chill.
an agreement with the county
now, since the county voters
approved a bond issue for a
county jail last fall." This is
what the mayor asked the city
attorney to check, he said.
“If Bill Ivester finds that this
can be done,” the mayor said,
“as mayor, I am willing to ex-
plore the possibilities and would
call a special city council meet-
ing to meet with the county
commissioners no later than
Tuesday of next week."
Mayor Kerr said the city jail
is inadequate. "And we have
(See CHAMBER page 2)
Otto Sez:
Women are usually looked at
—looked over—or over-looked.
United States hopes to hold
talks shortly with the Commu-
nist North Koreans which could
lead to the release of the 83
crew members of the hijacked
USS Pueblo.
State Department spokesman
AF Association Speaker To
Get High Military Award
Air Force Col. Robin Olds, top U.S. MIG-killer in the Viet-
nam war. will be decorated Saturday with the Nation’s second
highest military award for his actions in the Southeast Asian
conflict.
The 42-year-old fighter pilot, who brought down four enemy
jets, will receive the Air Force Cross during ceremonies at the
Air Force Academy where he now is commandant of cadets.
He also will be given the Legion of Merit, the third oak leaf
cluster to the Silver Star, the fourth oak leaf cluster to the
Distinguished Flying Cross and the 33rd through 37th oak leaf
clusters to the Air Medal.
The Honolulu. Hawaii, native, who graduated from the U.S.
Military Academy at West Point in 1943, was on 152 mission
over Vietnam while stationed with the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing
in Thailand. He returrned to the United States in September.
1967.
He also is credited with 107 missions and 24% enemy aircraft
destroyed in World War II.
The colorful fighter pilot is married to actress Ella Raines.
They have two teen-aged daughters.
Col. Olds will speak at the Altus Air Force Association ban-
quet Feb. 8 at Altus AFB Officers Club. Tickets, at $3.50
each, are on sale at the National Bank of Commerce, the Offi-
cers Club, NCO Club and the bank facility on the base.
Not Ended
Don’t put away your winter
clothing or snow tires yet—for
that furry little creature, the
and a half years with consistent
gains, is a graduate of Okla-
homa State University. Prior to
attending OSU, he served four
years in the U.S. Navy. In addi-
tion to an outstanding record in
agriculture, Southall is active
(See BANQUET page 2)
ident committee in Washington, stun
Bellmon will appear on the inmate at Cummins prison farm e 1
...UL XT:___1____ mL t,L, _____Sdid.
Viet Cong agents circulated
through the almost dead city of
(See SAIGON page 2)
Chicken Dinner
THE NAVAJO Senior class is
sponsoring a chicken dinner at
11:30 a.m. Sunday at the cafe-
Short Stories In Traffic
Collision
MARINA OSWALD Porter, with her husband, Ken
Porter, leaves the judge's bench in Dallas after
Judge John Mead ordered Mrs. Porter, widow of as-
sassin Lee Harvey Oswald, to obey a summons from
a New Orleans Court and go there to testify before
a grand jury next week. The judge declared her a
"material and necessary" witness in New Orleans
District Attorney Jim Garrison's investigation of the
Kennedy assassination. (UPI Telephoto)
OKLAHOMA CITY (UPI) -
Former Gov. Henry Bellmon
will announce his candidacy for
the U S. Senate Saturday, it
people that they really haven’t
been told the full story” about
the strength of the Viet Cong.
“The fact that they could
mount as many attacks as they
A
The rangers firing from an
old cemetery called in U.S.
today from 48 to 62, lows to-
night from 25 to 35 and highs
Saturday mostly in the 60s. High
in Altus Thursday was 59 de-
grees followed by an overnight
low of 29 degrees. The tempera-
ture climbed to only 42 degrees
by noon today.
The five-day outlook is for
temperatures to average 10 to
15 degrees above normal in the
northwest and 4 to 9 degrees
above normal elsewhere, with
little or no rainfall.
Many competitors of the
groundhog will disagree with his
forecast of 42 more days of icy
blasts and cold weather.
The weather prophet, who has
been forecasting the weather for
more than 85 years, wasted no
the American people what was
going on," Percy said. “I think
they (the Viet Cong) have won
The filing period is July 8-10,
and primary and runoff elec-
emshu
Bellmon has served the past |
several months as national
chairman of the Nixon for Pres-
adtc
North Korea in February 1958.
In both cases, crew members
rines with heavy losses.
The Communists were paying
a fearful price as U.S. and
government forces struck in the
cities with divebombers and
tanks and rolled artillery into
Saigon to use against a V.C.
strongpoint near the home of
Gen. William C. Westmoreland.
Allied spokesmen said that in
the first four davs of the battle
of the cities the Communists
lost 10,593 kil'ed. 3.076 suspects
captured and 2 000 weapons
I seized. They said 917 allied
troops were killed and 2,817
wounded-including 281 Ameri-
can dead and 1,195 wounded.
Untold thousands of civilians
were killed or wounded in the
(
AV
Moore will stay there while 1966, and went in August to
the Army tries to puzzle out the Germany. He volunteered there
snafu which caused him to send for duty in Vietnam and
AAAAAA
U.S., Soviet
Ships Collide
WASHINGTON (UPI) - A
U.S. destroyer had a "minor
collision” with a Russian mer-
chant ship in the Sea of Japan,
the Defense Department said
today. No injuries were re-
ported.
The Pentagon said the USS
Rowan collided with the So-
viet merchant vessel Vislobo-
kov at 1:35 p.m. EST Wednes-
day 95 miles off Pohang,
South Korea.
The American destroyer re-
ported a three-foot hole was
torn in its rull above the wa-
ter line. The Russian ship
signaled "damage to my stem
two meters in length."
The Defense Department
said the 3,500-ton Rowan was
on an easterly course when
the accident occurred and had
the right of way over the Vis-
lobokov, which was on a sou-
therly heading.
The heaviest fighting was
reported from Hue where UPI
The General Accounting Office
is checking into the federal fi-
nancing of a booklet containing
seven photographs of Republi
can former Gov. Henry Bell-
mon. the director of the agen-
cy which produced the booklet
disclosed Thursday.
center of the city. They were
pinned down in a six square
block area, braced for an
expected counterattack tonight.
The situation was so serious
that the I Corps commander in
Da Nang ordered dive bombers
against the city, but Oliver said
there were so many refugees in
idence and at the An Quang moving through the city streets
pagoda in the Chinese quarter and to kill a number of rangers
of Cholon.
siege and guerrillas holding the said Viet Cong units entrenched
heart of Hue beat back attacks
by Vietnamese and U.S. Ma-
The sources stressed that the
United States would not give up
its claim to the ship but they
conceded that in view of the
•,5 4
H 533k-
machinegun fire from
citadel, the fortress in
Pa ; <«
W '3
%
near the Westmoreland res-
’ their exact outcome.
Judging by past precedants—
they are are least two—it
appeared that the United States
probably stands to gain the
release of the crewmen but not
LITTLE ROCK
victory."
U.S. Marines for the third
tacked. Whether the vision dam-
age is irreparable had not been
| determined.
Currently Miller is undergoing
treatment in a hospital in the
Philippine Islands.
Millier is a 1965 graduate of
Martha High School.
/l
al • a
A U.S. military communique
said the thousands of invaders
“are rapidly being driven out”
of the cities. Thieu, in a
nationwide broadcast said the
Red offensive had failed. U.S.
Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker
went on the radio to deny Viet
Cong claims the United States
Viet Cong offensive that swept their rockets and machine guns
into every major city along a
600-mile line from Quang Tri
Five persons were treated at
the emergency room of Jackson
County Memorial hospital this
morning following a two-car
collision at the intersection of
Commerce and Hightower.
A 1965 Chevrolet driven by
Evelyn Laveta Knox, while
traveling north on Hightower
was struck by a 1958 Oldsmo-
bile driven by Fannie Mae
Branch, 1718 W. Cypress, who
was traveling east on Com-
merce.
Mrs. Branch was cited for
failure to yield to the vehicle on
the right.
Injured were Mrs. Knox, and
the pasengers in the Branch
auto, Terry Branch, 13, Sharon
Beaver, 11 and Julia Branch, 5.
Mrs. Branch was also treated.
None were believed seriously
hurt.
Estimated damages were $300
to the Knox and $200 to the
Branch auto.
ready indicated he would make -----
Korean agents and forced to fly his formal statement on his OKLAHOMA CITY (UPI) —
with ite Amerinon nilete m candidacy this weekend. — -
at 1,882
that Oklahoma law allows cities
and counties to enter into agree-
ment to build a jail. Commis-
sion Chairman Roger Brown
telephoned the mayor, and
Mayor Kerr agreed to have Ives-
ter check into the matter.
Mayor Kerr said he had
knowledge of the provision in
the law allowing the county and
city to enter into agreement on
construction of a jail. “How-
ever,” the mayor said, "I don’t
know if we could enter into such
airliner hijacked by North
Vietnamese Al Skyraiders
used as dive bombers struck
again today on the outskirts of
Saigon. Two major fights raged
between South Vietnamese Ran-
gers and VC holed up in houses
In fact, Mayor Kerr said Fri-
Percy said the attacks should day morning that he will ask
from Oakland Army Base,
Calif.
a stream of letters and
The weather bureau said and passengers were released
temperatures would reach highs after tedious negotiations at the
was learned today. --------- appea ....................... puovu ana said
Bellmon’s headquarters here platofrm with Nixon here Feb. who told authorities murder IThev’ve demonstrated they County commissioi
announced he will hold a news 7 when the former vice presi- was a way of life in Arkansas have strnth not Onlv through- ing Friday morning
conference^ at, 1 p. m. in the dent addresses a Republican prisons has been transferred out the countryside. ’ but they "-----" - -
announcement did not disclose Nixon will be accompanied by Reuben Johnson, 59, a Negro we" "consider willceren.in Percy
his intentions, Bellmon had al- his wife, Pat. who showed authorities Monday said.
Percy said that when he
ranking North Korean Commu- - -
nist, Kim Kwang Hyop, that the Saigon toll alone
is willing to make a deal with
said today the five-day-old the Communists and get out.
Mr. Groundhog, also called politicalsituation at home the
- United States would probably
Two other Republicans have Robert L. Haught, director of
expressed an interest in the the Oklahoma Division of the
nomination but have made no Office of Economic Opportunity.
helicopter gunships to strafe the strongholds.
Communist strongpoint in the
heart of Saigon but the
visited South Vietnam in
eyesight Wednesday when his
] was at. | Southall, who has farmed eight
a tremendous
WASHINGTON (UPD-Sen.
Charles H. Percy charged today
that the Johnson administration
has deliberately misled the
American people about the
“great strength” of the Viet
Cong.
The Illinois Republican joined
Senate Democratic Leader Mike
Mansfield in calling on Pres-
ident Johnson to “reassess the
whole picture” of U.S. involve-
ment in Vietnam.
Percy said the current
Communist offensive against
Saigon and other key South
Vietnamese cities was dramatic
evidence that “what we have
been told about the strength of
the enemy—their weakening
position—is simply not true.
"I think it was a matter of
take a new look and a harder headquarters in Saigon
look at the situation in.....- ■ -
emn .
military armistice commission
or a somewhat less formal
confrontation in Korea.
Furthermore, in the case of
the heli copt er the North
Koreans demanded and received
both a written and an oral
apology from a senior UN.
representative to the armistice
commission.
At any future U.S.-North
Korean talks on the Pueblo, the
North Koreans are almost
certain to insist that the United
States admit its ship ventured
into North Korean waters with
hostile intent, that it produce an
apology, and that it promise to
punish the authorities who
authorized such a mission.
teria. Tickets are $1.25 for a-
dults and 75 cents for students.
• • ♦
Warrant Issued
A WARRANT has been issued
for the arrest of Victor Dowdy
of Altus on the charge of em-
bezzlement of a rented machine
from Rent City.
♦ $ •
Civil Employes
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of
Retired Civil Service Employes
will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in
the home of Charles Sumrail,
316 Mockingbird Drive North.
Groundhog, emerged from his
burrow this morning and perch- the intelligence ship.
Tucker prison farm. Prison d; • aritg between the official
Superintendent Thomas O. Mur-drsprinity ht"n thralton
ton saw Johnson feared for his oroptimism,andsthesbriefingsf
1 e ! arranged on my own with other
Murton said the threats were officials and the workers out in
circulated via prison grapevine j the field.
and the report was that Johnson "I think the press is trying to
would be “wiped out” by some tell a very conscientious story
white prisoners because he and trying to report accurate-
talked. ly," Percy said. "But they
“It’s obvious that some of constantly have to try to see .
through and penetrate what the Hurt in Saicon
official figures.” | PFC Robert Miller, son of Mr
Mansfield told reporters that, and Mrs. Eugene Miller, 605
announcement. They are Pat said the two GAO men making
Patterson and state Atty. Gen. th® check did not sav who re- ______
G. T. Blankenship, both of quested the investigation, or its those individuals may be
Oklahoma City. purpose. implicated, or thought they may real story is as opposed to
Haught said $728.66 in federal be implicated, in court action official figures.”
funds was used to print 1,000 arising out of this,” Murton I.—.0 .-r-'— Mjanu avao, uugene miun, uuJ
an >■> augus. anu oepvesue copies of the 67-page booket, said. “The threats certainly on the basis of the Viet Cong W. Walker, reportedly lost his
leading to the November gen- which included two pages de- lend credence to his (Johnson's
FT MCCLELLAN, Ala. (UPI) I that time, he married and. When it didn’t come by the
—The Army said Thursday an worked with his father, a end of April, Moore contacted
Alabama soldier volunteered for plumber
Vietnam service and then spent u Col. Lane Carlson, infor-
10 months at home awaiting a mation officer here, said
“port call" that never came. Moore’s documents "seem to
What did finally appear at the back up” his story of a soldier
Sheffield. Ala., door of Pfc. - -.....
military policemen. They picked ime"& Army red Upe.
up the soldier Tuesday and ‘
confined him for 24 hours. Then . .... . uunuugiwepiy.wU
he was transferred to Head- Moore’s relatives, this is his again in December, and this
quarters Company at Ft. tale of frustration:
McClellan. Moore enlisted March 15,
Authoritative U.S. sources
e said they expected U.S.-North
Kv W nter Korean talks may begin soon
•-Y 3 vv iiilvl but they declined to predict
WASHINGTON (UPI) - The Robert J. McCloskey
down one Marine force near the
Perfume River.
The Americans stormed,
across a bridge and into the j
Communist-held area but were
driven back by mortar and
telegrams asking—in vain— with orders to await a "port
about his departure date for call” for shipment to Vietnam.
Vietnam while he stayed at Moore’s orders said he would
home for 10 months. During I get the call within 30 days.
time in returning to his den for Pive H.r
six more weeks of slumber. I IVE 11 UI I
in an absent without leave
u
* ■
------- ---
Vietnam.”
__
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Ferguson, George W. & Hale, James H. The Altus Times-Democrat (Altus, Okla.), Vol. 41, No. 342, Ed. 1 Friday, February 2, 1968, newspaper, February 2, 1968; Altus, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc2119519/m1/1/: accessed July 3, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.