Hangar Talk

A professional fighting man returned from Korea last week and blurted a professional's blunt views of the difficulties and frustrations involved in a United Nations police action. "I applaud the United Nations aims and ideals," said the Air Force's Major General Emmett ("Rosie") O'Donnell, "but it makes a poor strategic headquarters from which, to fight a war.

"In my book, we should hit back at those who are hitting at us. It doesn't fit with my philosophy to put Marquess of Queensberry rules on us when a Chinese thug is cracking us on the back of the head with an ax ... Debate whether 300,000 Chinks who crossed that border were interventionists or aggressors is hard to take."

Rosie O'Donnell was not suggesting policy decisions. Said O'Donnell: "It is a United Nations war, and we cannot decide things unilaterally. All I know is that if we were allowed to go after them with all our strength, including the ultimate weapon, we could put the lash on them. That's the only language they seem to understand." Newsmen promptly demanded: Did he mean the atomic bomb? Said O'Donnell: "There are several good targets in China which would be suitable for attack with atomic bombs. We could deliver those attacks."

O'Donnell, whose B-29s had bombed nearly everything in North Korea worthy of their attention, spoke the tough hangar talk of an airman. He was talking of capabilities, not of intentions. But those who were concerned with the Larger Picture were horrified at the possible suggestion that the U.S. might drop atom bombs on China. For his tough hangar talk, O'Donnell was duly slapped down by the Air Force's boss, General Hoyt Vandenberg, then went back to his proud job--command of the Fifteenth Air Force (long-range bombers) at March Air Force Base, Calif.

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