GERMANY: Border Incident

One evening last week three American soldiers and a German policeman were making the rounds checking boundary markers near Rottenbach, a small village on the border between the Soviet and U.S. zones of Germany. They were fired upon from behind by Russians who had penetrated some 250 yards into the American zone. The U.S. patrol took cover until Lieut. William Linderose, commander of their squadron, reached the scene. The Russians fired again. Lieut. Linderose shot back three times. The Russians retired, leaving behind the dead body of a young comrade.

The Americans could see the Russians in firing position across the border, and decided to leave the dead soldier where he lay. Next morning the body was gone, presumably carried off by the Russians under cover of darkness. The U.S. Army protested the border violation but by week’s end no reply had been received from the Russians.