The Department of the Air Force has made known in a letter to Sen. Herbert H. Lehman that Nazi Luftwaffe officers, including an aide to Hermann Goering, were honored and entertained by the Air Force at Wiesbaden on April 21 because “such action is in consonance with the foreign policies of the United States in that area in connection with the common defense against Communistic aggression.”
Sen. Lehman had informed the Air Force that he received letters from American veterans who felt the honor rendered the Nazis by the U.S. Air Force,” mocked at the sacrifices made during World War II.” The Senators asked the Air Force if steps could be taken to avoid such incidents in the future. The answer he received failed to concede that there was any real basis for objection.
Maj. Gen. E.L. Eaton, who replied, said it was a “goodwill gesture” that the surviving members of the Richthofen Squadron were entertained. “It is coincidental that several members of the original Richthofen Squadron also served in World War II as high-ranking officers,” the General stated.
The Germans, who included ardent followers of Hitler, were luncheon guests of the Deputy Commander of the U.S. Air Force in Europe. They were honored by a special aerial demonstration of F-84 and F-86 jet aircraft and were shown special equipment at the U.S. air base at Landstuhi.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
