News

DATE=7/20/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-235741 TITLE=CNN - NERVE GAS - PREVIEW - L BYLINE=JIM RANDLE DATELINE=PENTAGON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A PENTAGON INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS THAT U-S FORCES USED NERVE GAS DURING THE VIETNAM WAR IS DUE TO BE RELEASED TOMORROW (TUESDAY). THE ALLEGATIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN RETRACTED BY THE CABLE NEWS NETWORK. AND V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY A THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE ARCHIVES OF THAT ERA SHOW NO EVIDENCE THAT SUCH WEAPONS WERE EMPLOYED. TEXT: THE ALLEGATION WAS THAT U-S FORCES USED DEADLY NERVE GAS TO KILL NORTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS AND U-S DEFECTORS DURING THE RESCUE OF A U-S UNIT FIGHTING FOR ITS LIFE IN THE JUNGLES OF LAOS. PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS THE AMERICANS INVOLVED IN 'OPERATION TAILWIND' WERE EXHAUSTED AND HARD PRESSED BY THE ENEMY. HE SAYS THE AMERICANS WERE SEEKING INFORMATION, NOT DEFECTORS. /// BACON ACT /// EVERY SINGLE MAN IN THAT MISSION WAS INJURED. THEY WERE RUNNING LOW ON AMMUNITION BY THE END OF THE MISSION. THEY BELIEVE THAT THE MISSION WAS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IN COLLECTING VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOGISTICS PROCEDURES OF THE NORTH VIETNAM ARMY, THE WAY THEY RE-SUPPLIED THEMSELVES UP AND DOWN THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL. /// END ACT /// IN A HIGHLY PUBLICIZED STORY, THE CABLE NEWS NETWORK HAD CHARGED THAT AIR CRAFT DROPPED NERVE GAS ON ENEMY TROOPS DURING THE DESPERATE RESCUE MISSION. THE ALLEGATION WAS IMMEDIATELY CHALLENGED BY SOME VETERANS OF THE MISSION, WHO SAID NON-LETHAL TEAR GAS WAS USED, NOT DEADLY NERVE TOXINS. MILITARY EXPERTS SAID IT WOULD HAVE BEEN STUPID TO USE DEADLY, DRIFTING, UNPREDICTABLE NERVE GAS ANYWHERE NEAR TROOPS YOU WERE TRYING TO SAVE. LATER, PEOPLE CITED IN THE STORY SAID THEY HAD BEEN MISQUOTED BY C-N-N. AFTER AN INTERNAL C-N-N INVESTIGATION, THE NETWORK SAID IT HAD MADE A MISTAKE. C-N-N ANCHOR JEANNE MESERVE READ AN APOLOGY ON THE AIR. /// MESERVE ACT /// WE ACKNOWLEDGE SERIOUS FAULTS IN THE USE OF SOURCES WHO PROVIDED (THE C-N-N PROGRAM) NEWSSTAND WITH THE ORIGINAL REPORTS, AND THEREFORE RETRACT THE TAILWIND STORY. /// END ACT /// SEVERAL C-N-N EMPLOYEES RESIGNED OR WERE FIRED, AND A SENIOR CORRESPONDENT WAS DISCIPLINED. BUT THE FIRED C-N-N PRODUCER MOSTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STORY, APRIL OLIVER, INSISTS THE STORY IS CORRECT, AND SAYS THE NETWORK GAVE IN TO PRESSURE FROM VETERANS AND THE GOVERNMENT. WHEN THE NERVE GAS STORY AIRED, DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN ORDERED PENTAGON HISTORIANS AND OTHER OFFICIALS TO COMB THE ARCHIVES, INCLUDING SECRET ONES, TO FIND ANY RECORDS THAT COULD SHED LIGHT ON THE ALLEGED INCIDENT. HE IS SET TO BRIEF REPORTERS ON THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY ON TUESDAY. SEVERAL OFFICIALS FAMILIAR WITH THE REPORT SAY IT CONTAINS NOTHING TO SUPPORT THE NERVE GAS ALLEGATIONS. (SIGNED). NEB/JR/LTD/MMK 20-Jul-98 1:44 PM EDT (1744 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .