Medford mail tribune., March 06, 1960, Image 43

Help Me Get My Husband Back!
(Continued)
THE WHITE HOL'SE
VftSKlNGTOK
October 29. 1959
Dear Mrs. Ferguson:
As you know, several tiines during the past year I have taken
up with the Soviet Government the case of the C-130 Air Force
transport plane shot down over Soviet Armenia on September 2,
1958. In each instance the answers have revealed no new
facts.
After meeting Mr. Khrushchev in Washington, 1 again reminded
ham of the grief and the anxieties of thefamilies of those still
missing from this plane and of the continuing hope held by the
families that some indication of the fate of these men would yet
be uncovered. .1 requested him, as Vice President Nixon bad
done in an earlier message, to ask the appropriate Soviet au
thorities to look again into this question with a view to providing
further information which 1 could furnish to you. .
To my deep regret, Mr. Khrushchev's reply has failed once ' "
'again to provide any new information. This means that the pos
sibilities of obtaining any information from the Soviet Govern
ment now appear meager indeed. In spite of this, I assure you
mat the Government of the United States will continue to do
everything that can be done to determine the fate of these missing
I know that there is no consolation that I can offer you in your
sorrow, but I want to express to you on behalf of the American
people my heartfelt sympathy.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Lorctta K. Ferguson
Route II
Hulit, Indiana
The President's letter tells of failures yet offers hope.
sian border, I became highly suspicious of strangers. After -.
the special report, his mother and I were contacted by many
outsiders. There were newsmen and writers who wished to
do the story. There were the genuinely sympathetic and the
openly curious. There were even those who wished us to
circulate petitions demanding our Government sever rela
tions with Russia. ' - .
Whom can we trust? I study each offer carefully, afraid
it may be Communist-inspired, and we will harm where
we wish to help. It is difficult for us to know where to turn .
for help. Of course, we have relied on the Government Taut
without success, as far as we know.
When Mr. Khrushchev, for example, told Mr. Eisenhower
he was free to go anywhere in Russia, we asked the Presi
dent to accept the invitation and take along his own inter
preter and Gen. James Van Fleet, who has said his own
son is among the 400 U.S. soldiers believed held by the Reds.
On Mother's Day, we wrote the White House again, asking
that the nation not forget the men who are. serving their
country even as prisoners.
In return, Jim's case has been pursued by the President
(see letter above), the State Department, and the Air Force.
When Vice President Nixon toured Russia; he also asked
Mr. Khrushchev directly about the missing airmen. The
replies have never varied: "No information."
The Government has informed me that, in accordance
with the Missing Persons Act, Jim's case will be reviewed v
each year on the anniversary of his disappearance, or when
ever further information develops. That means that, unless
something is learned about Jim sooner, there will be another
official review next September.
It will be meaningless, routine. That is why I am pinning
my hopes, despite all previous experience, on President
Eisenhower's visit to Russia in June. What else is there?
I still believe Jim is alive. I have bought a home. When
Jim returns, we will have our own place in which to pick up
the threads of our lives. He will be able to catch up with
the family he has missed through scrapbooks I have kept
faithfully these long months.
But that is about as much as I can do for him now. His
freedom depends on others, and I pray that they will not
give up that they will help me get my husband back.
Family Weekly, March B, I960 9
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