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University Daily Kansan
Friday, May 14, 1965
One American Killed In Viet Cong Ambush
SAIGON-(UPI)—Communist guerrillas ambushed a patrol of 10 U.S. Marines today near the American air base at Da Nang. One American was killed and three others wounded.
A Marine spokesman said the pilot of an H34 Marine helicopter flown to the ambush site to pick up the injured men was wounded slightly when a bullet grazed his cheek.
The Viet Cong jumped the reconnaissance patrol 11 miles northwest of Da Nang.
IN THE MEKONG RIVER Delta far to the south, U.S. military advisers counted 215 dead on a battlefield where Vietnamese troops caught the Viet Cong by surprise Thursday and scored one of the most decisive victories of the war.
Although no new air strikes were reported against North Viet Nam today, American and South Vietnamese pilots were busy in South Viet Nam, flying 186 sorties against Viet Cong positions.
The government victory southwest of Saigon included capture of 53 guerrillas along with a big cache of weapons—most of them made in Communist China and the Soviet Union.
Four Americans were wounded. The pilot and co-pilot of two separate helicopters were struck by fragments of plexiglass when Viet Cong bullets ripped through their windshields. Two military advisers on the ground were hit, and one was reported in serious condition.
VIETNAMESE CASUALTIES were placed at 18 killed and 77 wounded.
The Viet Cong concentration was spotted by the pilot of a U.S. Army reconnaissance plane Thursday and the government forces were airlifted into action by helicopters.
The fighting involved more than 500 South Vietnamese soldiers and elements of a Viet Cong battalion in Mekong Delta paddy fields about 100 miles southwest of Saigon.
The first wave of Vietnamese rangers was pinned down by withering machine gun and mortar fire from Communist positions on the edge of a mangrove swamp facing open rice fields.
But Army helicopter strafing attacks forced the Viet Cong gunners to lift their fire long enough for a reinforced ranger unit to storm through part of the enemy defense and gain some terrain advantages.
U. S. ARMY HELICOPTERS poured more government troops into the area throughout the afternoon and the assault was pressed well past sundown under the light of a nearly full moon and parachute flares dropped by a transport plane.
At first light today, the battle field was strewn with Viet Cong dead.
The victory presented at least partial revenge for a series of stinging Communist assaults this week, including a major attack Tuesday on the province capital of Song Be, 75 miles northeast of Saigon where five Americans and more than 50 Vietnamese were killed.
The KU Alumni Association has had an "unbelievable" growth of lifetime memberships during the past two months, according to Richard Winternote, executive secretary.
Alumni Lifetime Memberships Indicate 'Unbelievable' Growth
Last month 135 alumni added their names to the life-member roster, Wintermote said. "Already this month (to May 10) we have gained 183 life members and we still have two-thirds of a month left." he continued.
WINTERMOTE EXPLAINED that there is ordinarily an increase at this time of year because many parents give alumni memberships to graduating seniors as commencement gifts. Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe announces the names of seniors joining the association yearly at the Senior Breakfast.
"However," Winternote said, "probably the biggest reason for the increase is that our rates for alumni membership go up June 1.
Wintermote felt that a membership drive urging alumni to become life members before the rate increases had been largely responsible for the response.
"They will go up about 20 per cent," he continued "although that rate of increase is not the same throughout all categories. Life membership dues will raise from $80 to $100—an increase of 25 per cent."
IN DECEMBER, 1964, the Alumni Association had 5,064 life members and about 19,000 annual members. The association has three categories of membership: annual, installment and fully-paid life members. At that time, according to Wintermote, 2500 persons were paying on installations, making a total of 7500 paying or fully-paid life members, Wintermote said.
Wintermote explained the reasons for the rate increase:
"The costs of operating, printing and postage expenses—which we have a lot of—have over a period of years convinced us we would have to raise the rates," he said.
"We have to raise all our own funds through advertising and membership drives," Wintermote explained. "The Alumni Association is separately incorporated under the laws of Kansas from the University."
University Experimental Theatre Series
presents
by
"THE PLAY'S THE THING"
Ferene Molnar
May 13 through 15
and
Wintermote said the last major membership drive by the association was two years ago.
May 18 through 22
"FRED ELLSWORTH had been alumni secretary for 39 years." Wintermote explained. "Someone asked him what he would like upon his retirement and, rather than asking for any personal token, he said if anyone were interested in doing anything for him on his retirement, he wanted them to pay their dues.
Experimental Theatre — Murphy Hall
Tickets: $1:50 — 75¢ with KU-ID
Curtain 8:20 p.m.
tinued, "of schools in the country having over 50,000 alumni, we have been number one in the percentage of our people who pay their alumni association dues."
"As a result of the Fred Ellsworth drive," he continued, "we had gained 1700 new members by the time of his retirement. And 600 of these were life members."
During the Ellsworth drive, Wintermote said, the association gained 107 life members in the first 10 days of May.
Although he said he did not feel that the overall membership count would change much this year since most alumni becoming fully-paid members are switching from installment payments. Wintermote said he believes there will be 6000 fully-paid life members by Commencement time.
Freshman Receives Scholarship of $500
"This year's increased interest—above that of even the Ellsworth drive—shows that interest in the University by alumni is very high," Wintermote emphasized.
"SINCE LAST YEAR," he con-
Max Foote, Paola freshman, has been awarded the Kansas Contractors Association scholarship of $500.
The scholarship, awarded to a student in civil engineering, is based on scholastic achievement and promise. Foote was selected after one semester of college by a committee of faculty members.
If the Male Doesn't Get More Colorful the Whole Species May Die Out
It's up to you. All the new J&F Mohara* suits this year have more color. Pacific Mills worked their bobbins off perfecting a new way to weave several combinations of colors together in each Mohara suit. Mohara is a unique blend of worsted and Kid mohair that's cool, comfortable and "crease controlled." We have a wide variety of patterns and solids in trim new Spring '65 models. Try one on. We'd like to see more of your kind around in the future.
J&F Mohara Suits
$62.50
Town Shop
THE
University Shop
ON THE HILL
GRADUATION HEADQUARTERS