"Anywhere, Any Time"

Back to the U.S. in a hospital plane last week came seven of the eight U.S. airmen who had been brutally attacked by Congolese soldiers a few weeks ago (TIME, Sept. 5). Like the thousands of Americans who man the ramparts of the world on ordinary duty, the G.I.s had come off one mission of mercy--flying supplies to Chilean earthquake victims--only to be assigned to another: delivering men and materiel into the Congo on U.N. duty. No sooner had they debarked in Stanleyville than they were pummeled and beaten by a howling mob.

Victims not so much of any enemy except wild chaos and disorder, the returning chipper and cheerful airmen were a welcome sample of American mission in a week when the U.S. was humiliated by the defection to Moscow of two trusted security employees (see below). Said Lieut. Kenneth E. Stickevers, his right hand in a splint and his left bandaged: "We do this for a living. We'll go anywhere, any time."

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