AMERICANS HELD IN CHINA GETTING KIN'S PARCELS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000200410039-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 4, 2000
• Sequence Number: 39
• Publication Date: December 26, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

CPYRGHT.
,aft
&P 94
ace
By. Nicholas Daniloff
ni
The telegram from Hong Kong contained only the two
words "Delivery routine." But that message brought
glad tidings to American Red Cross headquarters this
Christmas.
it meant simply, but elo-
quently, that American prison-
ers held in Communist China
? - - -- - mow.,.
John T. Downey of New
i_ T
inn., and Hichard T'..
I'cctcau of Lynn, Mass., were
cap ire y e inese w on
their aircraft was forced down
Christmas parcels. I on a flight from Korea to
The routine delivery wasl-.Tapan Nov. 29,' 1952. Thee
? made Nov. 30. Actually, it is .'were convicted of espionage,
just one more in a series of!" Downey was sentenced to life)
monthly deliveries that began imprisonment and Fecteau to-
in 1954 when Peking held 50I 20 years.
Americans. Huge F.' Redmond Jr. of
Today the Communist Chi-. Yonkers. N.Y., was an Ameri,
nose hold five. The others have. can businessman in Shanghai,
Neon released over the years until arrested in March, 1952.
apo:r completion of prison He was sentenced to life im-
tc.:a for alleged activities' prisonment.
I The Red Cross and the Com-
mmunist state
C
h
.
o
e
against t
Capt. Philip E. Smith of Vie-I munist Chinese officials fi-
important matters, it will still
reement at
n
h
d
ag
e
a
torville, Calif.,' was the latest) nally reac
American to fall into Commu- Geneva in 1954 for American be there, and it can be used,",
gist Chinese h gds when his prisoners to receive regular he said.
plane was shot wn over the parcels. Thus, every month a Red
Gulf of Tonkin in September; 'Each prisoner is now Cross office` flies to the Brit-
1965 allowed two 11-pound parcels
Red Cross authorities man= a month. Prepared . by the ish crown colony of Hong
aged to get a message to him r' prisoners' families in the Kong from Tokyo.
1 on Christmas bay last year United States and by the Red There he opens every pris-
that his wife had given birth '.Cross, they contain such items oner parcel, inspects it, and
to a baby. , as canned meat, crackers, makes sure that its list of con-
The Red Cross got word coffee,. sugar, candy, tooth tents is precise. down to the
prom the Red Cross Society of paste, shaving cream and the smallest item.
China just a few days agog like. On the appointed day-the
that Smith was "well and in The Red Cross reports that .30th of every month-he
good health." They said per- the Chinese have fully lived crosses the bridge of Wo-lu.
mission had been granted for up to the agreement. But they At precisely 11 a.m., an of-
Sam Krakow, to receive parcels, too, are strict about it.. ficial of the Chinese Red
The American prisoners 'area , director of the Cross appears on the other
a varied bunch, and are held; Red Cross's international side.
in 'different places. Little is services, said that efforts to I side.
accordance with the
known of their daily lives, but, establish a similar agreement agreement reached between
? with the North Vietnamese
word reaches Washington our two national societies, I
from time to time that they and the Vietcong have yielded hereby deliver packages for
are not being mistreated. Also,, no results. the American prisoners de.
they have occasionally been' Quiet Satisfaction tained in China. Will you ac-
permitted visits from' rela- Krakow looks on his con- cept them?" The American
fives in America4 tacts with. the Communist, asks.
Bishop Is Oldest Chinese over. the last 12 years The Chinese repeats a
with quiet satisfaction. standard statement accepting
Oldest among she prisoners' We are constantly in touch them.
is Bishop James E.Walsh, 75, with the Chinese. This is a lit- American' returns to
a Zlaryl:noll Father from Cum- The
I tle bridge, and there is not Hong Kong, and as the first'
Berland, Md. He has served as much traffic on it now," he order of business goes to the
a Catholic missionary in Chin: said. "We want to be very, telegraph office. There he dis-;
on and off since 1918. He wass. careful and iaintain?the chan-
d r am a t i e
patches the two
sentenced March 18, 1960, to
, 20 years' imprisonment for, words
ne One day, if there are morei "Delivery 'Routine;'
"esnipnae and subversion... j a ..:~.;:.,,, ,_.. .., .. ,,..,, .,....
Approved For Release 2000/05/24.: CIA-'RDP75-00149R0002004100'39-6 ''