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ORIGIN DPW-01
INFO OCT-01 CCO-00 RSC-01 SS-15 FILE-01 SSO-00 ADP-00 /019 R
DRAFTED BY D/ PW: FASIEVERTS: GM
5/25/73 EXT. 29454
APPROVED BY S/ S: TLELIOT
DESIRED DISTRIBUTION
S/ S, S, D, P, D/ PW ONLY
--------------------- 043838
O 252208 Z MAY 73 ZFF4
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES IMMEDIATE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE STATE 101511
TOSEC 342
E. O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: SGEN, US
FOR THE SECRETARY FROM FRANK SIEVERTS
1. TED ELIOT SUGGESTED I GIVE YOU A BRIEF DESCRIPTION
OF YESTERDAY' S FESTIVITIES FOR OUR POW' S. THE FOLLOWING
ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF A MEMORABLE DAY.
2. WEDNESDAY EVENING ( MAY 23) THE SIX HUNDRED RETURNEES
AND THEIR WIVES ( OR OTHER GUESTS) FILLED THE WASHINGTON
HILTON TO BURSTING. DOZENS OF REUNIONS TOOK PLACE, IN
SOME CASES OF MEN WHO KNEW OF EACH OTHER FOR YEARS BUT
HAD NEVER BEFORE MET. THE HAPPY SCENES CONTINUED AT
THURSDAY' S BREAKFAST, COURTESY OF THE HOTEL, AND CON-
TRASTED FAVORABLY BY THE RETURNEES WITH THEIR FARE AT THE
HANOI BRANCH OF THE HILTON CHAIN.
3. AT NOON THURSDAY KEN RUSH CONFERRED THE DEPARTMENT' S
AWARD FOR VALOR ON THE SIX STATE- AID- USIA RETURNEES IN A
SMALL CEREMONY ON THE SEVENTH FLOOR. SECRETARY RUSH THEN
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HOSTED LUNCH ON THE EIGHTH FLOOR FOR THE RETURNEES AND
THEIR GUESTS, DR. HANNAH, JIM KEOGH AND A FEW OTHERS.
4. SHORTLY AFTER TWO THE POW' S ARRIVED AT THE WEST AUDI-
TORIUM FOR THEIR MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT, WHILE THEIR
LADIES TOOK TEA WITH MRS. NIXON ON THE EIGHTH FLOOR. THE
PRESIDENT RECEIVED REPEATED STANDING OVATIONS FOR HIS
HOUR- LONG EXTEMPORANEOUS REMARKS ( TEXTUSIS). THE MOST
FERVENT APPLAUSE GREETED HIS STATEMENT THAT " I THINK IT
IS TIME TO QUIT MAKING NATIONAL HEROES OUT OF THOSE WHO
STEAL SECRETS AND PUBLISH THEM IN THE NEWSPAPERS."
AFTERWARDS THE PRESIDENT STAYED FOR PERSONAL HANDSHAKES
WITH ALL THE MEN, WHO FILED ACROSS THE WEST AUDITORIUM
STAGE. THERE WAS FULL PRESS AND MEDIA COVERAGE.
5. STEADY RAIN FAILED TO DAMPEN THE EVENING' S FESTIVI-
TIES-- A SIT- DOWN DINNER FOR 1200 ON THE WHITE HOUSE
SOUTH LAWN IN THE LARGEST TENT ON THE EASTERN SEABOARD.
THE GUESTS HAD THE RUN OF THE WHITE HOUSE, INCLUDING THE
FAMILY QUARTERS, WHERE PRES. AND MRS. NIXON PUT IN A
SURPRISE APPEARANCE EARLY IN THE EVENING TO GREET SOME
OF THE MEN.
6. BOB HOPE WAS MASTER OF CEREMONIES FOR ENTERTAINMENT
THAT RANGED FROM THE NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS, JOEY HEATHER-
TON, AND SAMMY DAVIS, JR., THROUGH JOHN WAYNE, PHILLIS
DILLER, JAMES STEWART, AND ROY ACUFF AND THE SMOKEY
MOUNTAIN BOYS, TO A MOVING FINALE OF IRVING BERLIN LEAD-
ING THE ENTIRE GROUP IN " GOD BLESS AMERICA." LATER
THERE WAS DANCING IN THE WHITE HOUSE, I' M TOLD UNTIL
4 A. M. ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A MOVING AND MEMORABLE
DAY. RUSH
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NMAFVVZCZ
*** Current Handling Restrictions *** n/a
*** Current Classification *** LIMITED OFFICIAL USE