European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 13, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Woodward Mcclellan a professor of russian history at the University of Virginia pictured with a photo of his wife after learning she would be allowed to leave the soviet Union to join him below a Banner hanging from his wife s apartment in Moscow in 1978 appealing fora visa. Desperate Irina wrote letters to soviet and . Officials and to International human rights organizations. For three years. Almost every Day she says. She was allowed to apply Lor an exit visa once a year. Always it was yet. After the Helsinki accords in 1975, which called for easing restrictions on marriages to foreigners she was allowed to apply twice a year which gave her the right to be turned Down twice As often. She lost her Job was sometimes locked out of her apartment by the family that shared the communal rooms on the third floor of a building in Central Moscow her phone was bugged her activities watched and her daughter was harassed at school Irina recalls. She taught English to foreigners to earn a living and cultivated a network reporters american officials in Moscow american visitors to help with her cause. They wrote letters and lobbied soviet officials too. At first Irina says she demonstrated with the jewish refuseniks. Several of whom remain close friends. On International women s Day March 8, 1978, she joined 20 of them in a protest and was arrested with them. The voice of America reported that 20 jewish women and Irina Mcclellan were arrested she says. And some of the jews did t want that other woman with  they Felt Irina was being singled out and would take attention from them she says with no malice. " understood. But it brought me again to absolute loneliness. I had to do something and to do it alone is  her response was to escalate. She demonstrated three times within two months in 1978, once standing on the Steps of the Lenin Library holding a Banner that said give me my  i was arrested again she says. Ten Days later she chained herself to the Gates of the american embassy during a visit to Moscow by then Secretary of state Cyrus Vance. She asked her daughter to Clamp shut the Handcuffs. Her hands were trembling so she could t close the lock. I had to do it myself she recalls. She was arrested again. They said if i promised to be quiet for a month then i d be Given a visa. They told me not to spoil soviet american relations. I was very quiet for a month counting Days. When the month passed i went to the office and asked for the visa they promised. They said i was  her response was to take a bed Sheet paint soviet and american flags on it and hang it from her window which happened to be one floor above a Kab office. For the next six years she again wrote letters and enlisted the Aid of visiting senators members of Congress and . Embassy staff. Then on last new year s eve out of the Blue she was notified she would get her visa but not one for Yelena. Mcclellan sees his wife s plight As a variation of Sophie s Choice either her husband or her daughter. In the Middle of january again without reason Yelena got her visa. On Jan. 30, Irina and Yelena their poodle Manya and cat Ben landed in Baltimore. After a Stop in Washington for a to appearance they came to the House Mcclellan had built in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. From the first hot Shower to her first Purchase red Beach slippers on her Florida honeymoon where i bought what i wanted for the first time in my life the americanization of Irina Mcclellan has been a non Stop pleasure trip Christmas eve and new year s eve rolled into one. She does t even mind the push shove of Manhattan where she and Mcclellan spent several Days discussing a Book with a publisher. A three Day extravaganza she dubs the trip to the City. And when the couple Dine at a Fine Charlottesville restaurant she watches every move of the Captain who is flaming a rack of Lamb and she says another extravaganza involuntarily backing away from the flames. As Irina digs into the rare Lamb she tells about the Washington . Agent who has signed to represent her on the lecture circuit. Until recently Irina says she had been speaking mostly to University groups for free. This morning two schools called and asked me to come. Woody said no. That s Why the woman in Washington said you can t do it for free. It s your work. You can get for a speech $5,000. And we were about to  in Charlottesville where Irina thinks she s still a bit of a political curiosity she was asked to be grand marshal of the Dogwood festival although she was not quite sure what a Dogwood festival was. Although she Speaks English very Well some words Are foreign and Dogwood was one of them. When they called i told Charlie Woody s Soni have to prepare my dog for the Parade and bring her to the Barber " friends Point out the White Dogwood blossoms on a tree on the Mcclellan Lawn near the spot where several years ago Woody planted two tiny Birches to remind his Bride of Home should she Ever come. There were two miracles Woody says. One that she got out when everyone gave up and two that our marriage is still intact. It s scary to think that two people can stay intact with All we be been   by do lot Ang