Top Apology

Reporters covering the bloody battles for Hills 881 near the Viet Nam Demilitarized Zone got little cooperation from the Marines. In some cases, Marine officers actually barred them from the battlefield. The reporters filed the usual protests, expected the usual excuses. Instead, last week, they received a remarkably candid apology from Marine Commander Lieut. General Lewis W. Walt. "It has been brought to my attention," he wrote, "that your efforts to report the recent battle near Khe Sanh were seriously hampered and even ignored by some of my Marines in responsible positions. The lack of briefings, transportation, freedom of movement, and in some cases common courtesy, are sources of real embarrassment to me. This matter is being investigated, and steps have already been taken to prevent recurrence. Please accept my sincere apologies."