Loretto Ferguson holds children Deborah and
Keith ond wonders what: effect their, father's
disappearance will rrave on their lives. Airman
rJfcwiw rVgusorf (hAJ was shot flown by the
Reds, who deny having information on him. - I
Back.
The next thing I knew, Margaret was sitting on
the bed beside me. Shortly after Captain Tarbucks
had left the office, she told me, a second report had
come through. Sergeant Kresge had rushed home
to bring it to me. The Russians reported, finding
only six bodies! They knew nothing about the other
five crew members.
Like someone in a dream, I got up off the bed and
walked back into the living room. I felt hope swell
ing again. Jim had to be among those five! The med
ical officer helped me to a chair and reached into
his pocket for a small white envelope.
"You're doing very well," he said, "but in case it
gets too bad, these will help you sleep a little."
I never did use the pills, but it was good to know
that I had them.
Thirteen days later, Russia returned the six
bodies, which were flown to Frankfurt for the
slow job of identification by military doctors.
It had now been nearly a month since Jim disap
peared. Captain Tarbucks suggested I return to the
States. I didn't want to. It seemed like deserting Jim.
I knew I must be there when he came home. The
captain left it up to me.
"But supposing Jim does come out alive," he said.
"He would be flown to the States immediately.
You're getting closer to the time when the baby will
be born. A few more weeks and the doctors won't
let you go. Jim might be sent to the States and you'd .
have to stay here." -
That convinced me. Three days later, Deborah
and I, with an escort sergeant, boarded a chartered
plane for the United States. It was a rough trip. The
plane was jammed with returning military wives
and children, and Debbie was restless. At New
York, bad weather closed in the airport and I be
came violently airsick. Then came another flight to
Indiana, a missed connection, and worst of all, the
feeling of being farther and farther away from Jim.
Debbie and I moved in with my folks in La Porte,
ft,
kl A
fiir7 . ilf'i tCV-J7-" ." iff .
. rv Hf- --$K''r
V -'v' r .Jr..
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and I began to learn to live with telegrams. I feared "
each would contain the fatal words that would finish
my hopes for Jim. But they were all . painfully
similar and impersonal:
"REFERENCE YOUR HUSBAND A2C JAMES
E. FERGUSON JR . . . PROCESSING OF UN
KNOWN REMAINS IS STILL NOT COMPLETE..."
"REFERENCE YOUR HUSBAND ... NO FUR
THER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ..."
- "REFERENCE YOUR HUSBAND ... NO IN
FORMATION IS YET AVAILABLE ..."
"REFERENCE YOUR HUSBAND , . . REMAINS
WILL NOW BE MOVED TO UNITED STATES
FOR FURTHER PROCESSING ..."
"REFERENCE YOUR HUSBAND . . .'SPE
CIALISTS ARE STILL PROCESSING THE UN
KNOWN REMAINS ..." -
Fof a month I received two or three torturous
telegrams a week. Then on Nov. 3 came welcome
news: "REFERENCE OUR PREVIOUS CORRE
SPONDENCE CONCERNING YOUR HUSBAND
-. . . PROCESSING . . . HAS BEEN COMPLETED
... YOUR HUSBAND WAS NOT AMONG THOSE
IDENTIFIED ..."
A letter followed stating Jim would be "held in
missing-person status until his exact status was
determined or a review of his case by the Secretary
of the Air Force indicated he could not have sur
vived." Then he would be listed as "presumed
dead," and I would be declared a widow. -,
MY baby boy was born on Dec. 14, and I named
him Keith Edward as his father had wished.
The birth was rapid though complicated. He was a
big baby, and the doctor did not get there till it was
half over.
Haying a baby when you don't know if your hus
band is alive or dead is intolerable. My self-control
dissolved under the anesthetic. I screamed and cried
for Jim. The next day, I began to hemorrhage. Ten
days and four transfusions later, I was released from
the hospital, but I am still under a doctor's care.
The Government announced a special report to
the nation for noon, Feb. 5, last year. We gathered
at Jim's folks to hear it over the radio. The an
nouncer was excited. The Government had a tape
recording of the Russian fighter- planes shooting
down Jim's unarmed transport.
Jim's mother and I just looked at each other. We
had been sure the plane had been shot down and
that the Government had known it all the time. We
began to wonder if they would ever do anything.
We couldn't understand why they had waited until
after Anastas Mikoyan's visit to the United States -to
release this information. -
- With Jim missing, presumably behind the Rus- -v
(Continued)
Family Weekly. March 6. 1960