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WAYWARD OFFICERS GO HOME TO FACE REPRIMAND
By Janice Johansen
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent
Berlin February 13—
What at first appeared to be an international incident in the making turned out to be nothing more than two officers, one Russian and the other American, drinking too much in the wrong places.
The issue was resolved at nine o’clock this morning in Berlin, when Russian officers marched Colonel Robert Mattingly, of USFET headquarters, to the center of the Glienicke Bridge while simultaneously American officers marched Major of State Security Venedikt Ulyanov, of the Allied Kommandatura, to the same place.
A white line in the center of the bridge over the River Havel marks the dividing line between the Russian and American zones of Berlin. Once the two officers reached that line, Russian officers released Colonel Mattingly into the custody of an American captain, probably a military policeman, who in turn released Major Ulyanov into the custody of a Russian major, also probably a military policeman.
This reporter has learned exclusively that despite early reports that Colonel Mattingly was missing and kidnapping was suspected, and that Major Ulyanov had been kidnapped in retaliation, the truth seems to be that prior to their exchange on the Glienicke Bridge, Colonel Mattingly was sitting in a jail cell in Thuringia, in East Germany, after his arrest for driving under the influence, and Major Ulyanov was sitting in a West Berlin jail after his arrest for public intoxication on the Kurfürstendamm.
Both headquarters, Berlin Command and the Allied Kommandatura, refused to confirm or deny what this reporter had learned, but a U.S. Army spokesman said “the incident is under investigation.”
Janice Johansen walked up to where Cronley and the others were standing just inside the door of the hotel’s main ballroom.
“Hi, Harry,” she said. “Is the sailor who I think he is?”
“Admiral, may I introduce Miss Janice Johansen of the Associated Press?” Colonel Wallace said.
“I’m very pleased to meet you, Miss Johansen,” Souers said. “I want you to know how much I appreciate your cooperation.”
“When Jimmy asks me to do something in our noble war against the Soviets, as a patriotic American girl, I’m putty in his arms.”
“How fortunate for all of us,” the admiral said.
“Speaking of Jimmy—what’s with the medals, sweetie?”
“Don’t ask,” Cronley said.
“What is it you don’t want me to know?”
“On his relief as chief, DCI-Europe, President Truman decided the award of the Legion of Merit was appropriate recognition for his superb performance of that duty,” the admiral said.
“That raises several questions in my mind,” she said.
“Shoot,” Souers said.
“Why is he getting relieved? That looks to me like you’re handing him the shitty end of the stick. If it wasn’t for Jimmy, Mattingly would still be chained to a chair in Potsdam, or on his way to Siberia.”
“That’s one of the reasons President Truman gave him the Legion of Merit,” Souers said.
“I don’t know how it is in the Navy, Admiral, but around here, majors and up get the Legion of Merit for dodging the clap, or other social diseases, for six months.”
“So I’ve heard,” the admiral replied. “I guess Jim qualifies that way, too.”
“Actually, I was asking about the other medal dangling from Jimmy’s manly chest. I recognize the Distinguished Service Medal when I see it. You going to tell me where you got that, sweetie?”
“Sweetie can’t tell you that, Janice. It’s classified.”
“You think I work for the NKGB, right?”
“It never entered my mind. Female NKGB agents usually weigh two hundred and fifty pounds and have at least two stainless steel teeth.”
“I’m starting to like you,” Janice said. “That’ll stop if you don’t tell me why Jimmy’s being relieved.”
