FREED AMERICANS SANG TO AMUSE RED CAPTORS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000300050003-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 1, 1998
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: January 6, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP
AMU' C J~ tnnq''
.By John Randolph
Lon Angela Times
workers kidnaped by the Viet
cong and held for 'sever
months told today of being
ordered to whistle, sing, an
"be happy" in a jungle priso
amp where another prisoner
a young Filipino aviatio
mechanic, was dying of beri
beri.
After the sick man died Dec
30, the two Americans and th
ilipino's weak and distraugh
idow were given a certificat
against recapture for 15 days
arched through the jungl
nder guard, and turned loos
n a village. They were take
by a friendly villager to
Vietnamese A r m y . outpos
Wednesday morning. .
"They told us we woul
have to 'repent' or they woul
eep us five years," explaine
Thomas R.. Scales, 44, of Mata
oras, Pa.
"They, told us to show goo
ill . .?. They asked us to 'b
appy' and they made us sin
nd d whistle all day. We sang
Jingle Bells' and 'Able's Iris
Rose.'
Scales and a fellow-worker
obert W. Monahan, 41, o
ellport, N.Y., were capture
ast May 28 at the seaside tow
of Vungtau, 50. miles dow
iver from Saigon. .
Both men were constructio
experts with Pacific Architect
and Engineers, Inc., which ha
a number.. of U.S. contracts i
letnam. The dead Filipino
'Vincent Gaza, was an employ
of. Air America. He and hi
wife were : captured. .in June
Mrs. Gaza, 31, is being treate
for shock at a 'hospital 'flea
Xuanloc, 40,miles from Saigon
e alive."
Scales and Monahan,. wear-I
onahan 75.
[A U.S. Embassy spokesman:
any information and a tremen-;
o U.S. debriefing officers, the,
ssoicated Press reported
ewsmen were asked not to
uestion the men about the
amp's location:] ` . '
Scales said the Vietcong re-
used to accept their argument,
hat they were civilians, and'
herefore should not, be held,
"They told us there were no
ivilians ... that every Ameri-
echnically a soldier," he said.
The two men said.that aside
rom the poor living condi-
ions they were not positively
o lecture them or attempt
eipt.
In the first 14 days of cap-
ivity they were moved through
heir final destination deep in.
he ? jungle. Once their group'
if eight. including _-iv guard.
raft and they were attacked'
iss, from a rocketr..?
CPYRGHT
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP75-00149R000300050'003-4