NEWS CONFERENCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE WITH GERALD WARREN AT 1:00 P.M. EST MARCH 8, 1970 SUNDAY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-174-3-8-7
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: August 2, 2010
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: March 8, 1970
• Content Type: MISC

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/08/02: LOC-HAK-174-3-8-7
This Copy For
N E W S C O N F E R E N C E #502
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
(Key Biscayne, Florida)
WITH GERALD WARREN
AT 1:00 P.M. EST
MARCH 8, 1970
SUNDAY
MR. WARREN: The President is returning to
Washington this afternoon.
We will find out the details of the movement
and when we can have the buses here. We will make those
details available to you hopefully before this is over.
If not, it will be soon after that we will come up with
the announcement and put it on the board.
Q About what time do you expect to leave?
MR. WARREN: I would judge mid-afternoon, which
does not give us much time. We will give you as much
time as possible. We can work out a theory that the pool
and those who wish to go out to observe the departure can.
Those others can finish filing their stories and go out
later. We will work that out when we get the timing set.
Q Jerry, I assume you have seen this story
on the front page of the Miami Herald, with the headline
"I Knew a Yank Killed in Laos".
MR. WARREN: Yes, I have.
Q It is considerably in conflict with what
the President said the other day. Is there any comment
from the White House or anything you might want to say
about it?
MR. WARREN: The only comment that we would have
would be that the President said on Friday there have been
no Americans stationed in Laos killed in ground combat
operations. A thorough check of the agency records showed
that to be correct and still shows that to be correct.
Was he not technically stationed in Laos?
MR. WARREN: Yes, he was.
He was stationed in Laos?
MR. WARREN: I don't know the full details. The
Defense Department would have those. But he was in Laos,
so I assume technically stationed there.
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We checked into this when the story was brought
to our attention early this morning and found that Captain
Bush was in his quarters in a compound approximately 10
miles to the rear of the expected line of contact with
the enemy when North Vietnam commandoes attacked the
compound.
Captain Bush was, at the time, in a command
post in this compound. He was in his quarters but he was
working with the command post in this compound. He took
action immediately to attempt to protect other persons in
the compound and by taking this action exposed himself
to enemy fire and was killed. He was not engaged in combat
operations.
Q What was he doing?
MR. WARREN: He was a military attache.
What was he doing? Did he fire a gun?
MR. WARREN: When the compound was attacked, the
compound was attacked by North Vietnam commandoes. He
did take action, firing a gun, to attempt to protect others
in the compound.
Q And you say that is not being engaged in
combat when they are shooting at him and he is shooting
at them?
MR. WARREN : When we were searching our records
to find what the figures were in the Laos situation,
we looked into every category which could possibly be
construed as persons actively in combat operations. There
are no g?-'rund combat troops, as the President said. Captain
Bush was v.iking action after this compound, which was
behr.d wbac would normally be called enemy lines, was
attacked by a commando force of North Vietnamese.
So in the definition of combat, this person was
defending other persons in the compound.
If I may go on a little bit further, to make this
clear, as you can probably imagine we have had some
conversations about this this morning. I talked to many
people, and I talked to Ron about this.
If I could take you on BACKGROUND, I would like
to so there will be no misunderstanding.
Q
BACKGROUND.
I don't know whether we want it on
Q Let's finish with some questions on the
record and then see if you can answer them.
I would like to know how many other Americans
died or are missing in this kind of operation which you
do not define as combat but which obviously results in
the death or capture of Americans.
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MR. WARREN: I am going to take you on
BACKGROUND to answer that question.
Q Do you mean by that off the record?
MR. WARREN: I mean by that attributable to
White House sources.
Just so there is no misunderstanding, a
thorough review of agency records, or records of the
agencies involved, shows us that the total number of
U. S. personnel killed or missing in Laos due to hostile
actions is 26.
Q On the ground?
MR. WARREN: Not necessarily. There are 25
civilians in this category who have been killed or who
are missing due to hostile actions. Some of those may
be in a helicopter which was shot at or which was downed
because of hostile actions.
What time period is that?
MR. WARREN: That is since July 1962.
Q This is not included in the figures that
a White House official gave us the other day.
MR. WARREN: You were given this Friday on
BACKGROUND. You were told that included in the number
killed or missing were less than 50 civilians. These 25
are those that he was talking about, the less than 50.
Q Is Bush the 26th?
MR. WARREN: Bush is the 26th. In addition to
that, there is one dependent of a U. S. Government official
or a person working for a U. S. Government contractor, who
has been killed or missing as a result of hostile action.
Let me clear that up. It is one dependent who
has been killed.
A woman, a man, a child?
MR. WARREN: I don't have that.
One dependent of a soldier?
MR. WARREN: No, one dependent of a person
working for the U. S. Government or for a U. S. Government
contractor.
Q That makes it 27.
MR. WARREN: Twenty-six persons working for the
U. S. Government or for U. S. Government contractors, and
one dependent.
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How many of the 25 were on the ground?
Let's go back on the record now, can we?
MR. WARREN: All right.
How many were on the ground, of the 25?
MR. WARREN: I am going to have to take you
back on BACKGROUND.
That is all right.
MR. WARREN: I don't know.
Jerry, can you define combat activity?
MR. WARREN: I didn't use the words "combat
activity." I said hostile actions. Those could be
ambushes. They could have been the result of long-range
artillery attacks.
MR. WARREN: I am not certain about that, but
I would assume that that would come into that
category.
Q Jerry, still on BACKGROUND, I am a little
confused on these figures. Dr. Kissinger told us two days
ago that slightly less than 400 persons had been killed as
a result of air activity.
MR. WARREN : No, I don't think he told you that.
He said the total number of killed and missing personnel
is somewhat less than 400.
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Q Yes, as a result of airc activity in Laos. What
are these?
AR. 'ARR N: The persons that he told you about were
airmen. Included in there he said there were something less than
50 civilians.
Q These 27 that you are talking about now are people
involved in ground operations in Laos?
R. v 'A:RREN : These were not involved in ground combat
operations,no. They are people who are in Laos working for the
agencies. In Captain Bush's case, Captain Bush was an
assistant military attache.
Q Going back on the record, was the President aware
of Captain Bush's death and the circumstances of it when he
made this statement?
Q Are the 26 part of the 50?
All. WARREN: Back on BACKGROUND, yes. The 26 are part of the
less than 50 that were referred to Friday when they were
talking about civilians.
Q They said that those some 400 were air.
.IR. WARREN: And than he came back to say there were
included in this somewhat less than 50 civilians.
Q Air?
A9. ':NrAfIREN: Not necessarily air, no. Ile was taking
away from the air part of it for those somewhat less than 50
persons.
Q This disignation of civilian bothers me a little
bit because for a long time we have known that military personnel
resign their military status and go to work for CIA. Are these
the type of people you are calling civilians? Are these
civilians,as you out it, employees of CIA:
AR. WAI EN: I don't have the breakdown of the agencies
that they are employes of. I know that some of them are
employes of the AID. Some of them are employes of international
voluntary services. I just don't have a full breakdown.
Can you say were some of them CIA?
Q Is there a chance there are more cases like
Captain Bush that are not known, or are you completely
satisfied now that that is it?
L1(. WAR1REN: I will take you back on BACKGROUND, if I may.
I cannot stand up here and flatly say that there are no more
cases. There may be.
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Q Was the death of Captain Bush known to the
official who prepared the statistics for the President
initially?
AR. WARREN : As I said earlier, the records were
thoroughly checked before the statement was made.
Q That would indicate he was.
AR. WARREN: No, that would indicate that he was not,
that it was not.
0 Can you tell us when?
A,IR. 7ARREN: On February 10, I believe, 1969.
John, to go back to your question, I cannot answer
that question.
Q The story says Febarury 11.
bvAR. WARREN: You might have some dateline difference.
Q what was John's question?
Q What is this February 10? Is that the date of
the death?
AR. WARREN: The date of the attack, as I understand it,
on the compound.
,hat was John's question?
.?1R. 'e,IA ZREN : John's question wa,s : Was Captain Bush's
situation and the circumstances known to the persons who
compiled the statistics initially?
I cannot answer for the agency but I do know that a
thorough check of the agency was made.
Q Jerry, do you consider that the President was
furnished misleading information in the way he phrased this
AR. WAR_ EN: No, I don't, really, because
Captain Bush falls into the category of tliese civilians who
have been killed in Laos as a result of hostile action.
Q Jerry, do you want to stand on the statement
that when guerillas or commandoes attack an American outpost
and the Americans there fire back and they are in the military,
that is not combat?
iR. WARTEN: I don't accept the word "outpost"" when this
is some 10 miles behind.
Well, an American installation, whatever it is.
A. WARREN: He was with a neutralist group as a
military attache some ten miles behind a line that would have
been the line of contact with the enemy. It was not an
outpost.
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Q Does the President think there are well
developed front lines over in Laos?
.All. ,1ARRN : That is why I phrased it the way I did.
What normally was thought of at that time as the line of con-
t act between the enemy and the Laos troops was a line some
ten miles in front of this compound.
Q 11hen the President made hip; statement you said
he was not aware of Captain Bush's death. Do you think now
that he is; aware of Captain Bush's death, that he would
modify the statement that no Americans stationed in Laos
have been killed in ground combat operations?
All. 4ARREN : No, I don't, because of the categories
that I have gone through with you.' This was a result of hostile
fire in a compound which was behind what normally would have
been a line of combat with the enemy, ten miles back.
In Vietnam when our U.S. personnel, military
personnel, are killed in such circumstances, are they not listed
as combat deaths?
A, R. WARREN: The White house does not normally
respond to questions about combat deaths and about Vietnam
casualties, so I can't get into that. The Defense Department
could perhaps answer that cues tion for you.
Q Jerry, I don't quite understand, and this was
an answer on BACKGROUND that you gave so I guess I have to
ask my question on BACI(GROUND. Did you say that there may be
other cases like this that you don't know about?
AR. 424R_R ;N: Bob, on BACKGROUND, I can't stand here and
aay there are none because a further check of the records
,bowed that Captain Bush was killed in February 1969 when
attacked by North Vietnamese commandoes. He was in his
quarters when they were attacked. So in that category of deaths
resulting from hostile action, we have found the case of
Captain Bush.
You found that after the report came out.
R. WARREN: Exactly.
Q Is this saying in effect that the United States
will not tell us of others until others come out in
published reports?
4R. WARREN: No, I am not saying that at all. I am
saying this is the only case we know of. I cannot say flatly
there are no others.
Q Of the 27 killed or missing, we know that two are
killed. How many of the remaining 25?
AR. WARREN: I don't have the answer.
Can't we say that so many are dead?
iR. ;'WARREN : I don't have the answer.
:TORE
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Q Jerry, if Captain Bush were ali"e, he
would he be one of the 320, therefore 321, military advisors
mentioned the other day?
14R. 'ARREN : I don't know the answer to that. The
Defense Department might know the answer to that.
Q Jerry, is the White House taking any
corrective or dinc.Ll-linary action to make sure that the Presi-
dent gets more accurate information in this category in the
future?
:SIR. WARREN; I know of no such action.
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Was Captain Bush getting combat pay?
MR. WARREN: I don't have the answer to that.
The Defense Department might have it.
Do you know where he is from?
MR. WARREN: No, I don't. The Defense
Department can give you details on that.
Q Can you describe the circumstances under
which these others were killed? You mentioned helicopter.
MR. WARREN: That is a possibility. I am not in
a position to respond to any detailed questions on that.
Q Back to Gene Risher ?1 question earlier,
I didn't understand your answer.
Does the President still stand on the statement
that no American has been killed in ground combat?
MR. WARREN: The statement was no American has
been killed in ground combat operations.
And he stands on that statement?
Q Did you assume he was stationed in Laos
technically?
MR. WARREN: Yes, I assume that. I don't know
where his orders had him stationed.
Q Jerry, can we go through this once again,
the distinction that the President draws between ground
combat operations and hostile enemy actions, responding
to hostile enemy actions?
MR. WARREN: I have said everything I can say
Q Jerry, are you in effect saying that he
was killed in combat but not in a combat operation and
that is the distinction the President drew, using the
term "combat operations"? Is that what this boils down to?
MR. WARREN: I didn't say that. I said he was
killed as a result of hostile actions and he was responding
or trying to respond to an attack by North Vietnamese
commandoes. That is what I said.
Q How can the 27 that you mentioned have not
been part of the 400 that were killed in the air and yet
not have been killed in the air or as a result of air action?
MR. WARREN: When you were told on BACKGROUND
Friday about the overall total, the distinction was made, in
the questioning following the BACKGROUNDER, when the source
came back up here -- when they asked how many were civilians --
that less than 50 of these were civilians. Those weren't all
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necessarily in the air.
Q Was that said?
MR. WARRENN: T am not saying that was said, but
they were not necessarily all in the air.
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 Q But at the time we were told on Friday, we were
not told that part of the 50 were on the ground. We were told
they were all in the air.
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A.P. WARREN: Before you start talking about civilians,
yes, it was said that there were less than 400 airmen.
Q Is the President disturbed that because he was
not told in advance about the Captain Bush isolated case that
a credibility question has been raised here?
Q To go over this arithmetic one more time,
approximately 400 people have been killed in the air,
Americans have been killed in the air, and :17 have been killed
additional to that.
AR. WARREN: Less than 400 persons have been killed or
are missing in the air.
Q And additional to that are these 27?
AR. WARRREN : No, that ',s within that 400 figure, the
less than 400 figure.
Q Is the distinction you are making that these
27 individuals were stationed in Laos, whereas the rest --
.diR. WARREN: The distinction I am making is that there
are 25 civilians, on BACKGROUND, either working for the US
Government, or for US Government contractors stationed in Laos.
who were killed as a result -of_ hostile actions, and one
dependent was killed, and Captain Bush.
Q
Captain Bush.
Q Did he know that 25 civilians had been killed
by hostile action before he made his statement?
it2. WAR`_ N: Not 26 civilians. 25 civilians and one
dependent.
Q He knew about that before he said no
Americans --
.:il . WART EN : No Americans stationed in Laos have been
killed in ground combat operations.
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o1ARREN: I have no response for you on that.
AR. WARF.EN: That is correct.
Jerry, you said the President did not know about
Q Jerry, he knew about these 25 when he made the
statement that no Americans were killed?
AR. WARREN : That is right.
It seems to me that one is in conflict with the
AR. UARREN: There is no conflict, Gene. That is the
extent of my information for you.
THE PRESS: Thank you.
END (1:25 PA EST)
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