DATE=6/8/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233515
TITLE=PENTAGON / NERVE GAS (L)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN IS ORDERING PENTAGON 
OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS THAT U-S FORCES USED NERVE 
GAS DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.  V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM THE 
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT. 

TEXT:  THE ALLEGATIONS GROW OUT OF NEWS REPORTS BY TIME MAGAZINE 
AND C-N-N TELEVISION.  THEY SAY NERVE GAS WAS USED UP TO 20 TIMES
DURING THE WAR, SOMETIMES TO BLOCK ENEMY TROOPS DURING RESCUES OF
DOWNED AMERICAN PILOTS.  

THE STORIES ALSO SAY U-S FORCES USED DEADLY SARIN GAS ON A 
VILLAGE IN LAOS WHERE AMERICAN DEFECTORS WERE HIDING WITH THE 
ENEMY. 

PENTAGON SPOKESMAN BILL DARLEY SAYS DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM 
COHEN IS ORDERING EACH SERVICE TO INVESTIGATE IMMEDIATELY. 

                       /// DARLEY ACT /// 

         OUR HISTORIANS HAVE BEEN DOING A SEARCH OF OUR RECORDS, 
         BOTH CLASSIFIED (SECRET) AND UNCLASSIFIED.  WE CAN FIND 
         NOTHING AT THIS POINT THAT WOULD INDICATE THE USE OF A 
         NERVE AGENT.  

                        //// END ACT ///

LIEUTENANT COLONEL DARLEY SAYS OFFICIALS HAVE SEARCHED NORTH 
VIETNAMESE RECORDS AS WELL, BUT FOUND  NO  EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT 
THE ALLEGED USE OF NERVE GAS BY U-S FORCES.  HE SAYS HANOI WOULD 
HAVE QUICKLY RECOGNIZED THE PROPAGANDA VALUE OF SUCH AN INCIDENT 
AND BROUGHT IT TO WORLD ATTENTION DURING THE WAR. 

                       /// DARLEY ACT ///

         IF THERE WAS SUCH A USE IN THAT AREA, THEN OBVIOUSLY 
         THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPLOITED, AS ANYONE RECALLS THE 
         ATMOSPHERE OF THE TIME.  

                        /// END ACT /// 

THE STORY SAYS THERE WERE SEVERAL HUNDRED AMERICAN DEFECTORS 
DURING THE WAR.  LIEUTENANT COLONEL DARLEY SAYS PENTAGON 
OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING THE MATTER FOR DECADES, AND CAN
DOCUMENT ONLY TWO CASES OF AMERICAN DEFECTORS.  (SIGNED)

NEB/JR/LTD/MMK

08-Jun-98 11:19 AM EDT (1519 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.