European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 27, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                E. Germany proposed pow Swap paper says Tacoma Wash. Apr East Germany offered in 1967 to Trade american prisoners wounded in the Viet Nam War for soviet spies held in the West a newspaper reported Friday. The Swap never consummated is detailed in state department telegrams from Washington to Bonn Germany Berlin and other locations the morning news Tribune reported. The defense department has said there is no firm evidence that North Vietnam Ever sent any americans to East bloc countries. The morning news Tribune reported that a former vietnamese official said some american prisoners were sent to East bloc hospitals for treatment but that current vietnamese officials deny that. According to recently declassified state department records the newspaper said the Swap was brokered by Wolfgang Vogel an East German lawyer who arranged the return of Many prisoners from communist control during the cold War. Vogel has refused to discuss details of the Deal. Vogels West German partner a Man identified Only As Stang proposed the Swap to . Officials in january 1967, according to the records. According to the offer five or six american aviators were then in a Hospital outside East Berlin. Omaha neb. Apr a mexican teen Ager pulled out of school and deported said Friday that prayers and Hope sustained him after he was dropped Olf in Mexico without any Money. Ambrosio Lopez 17, was reunited with his family late Christmas eve. He returned to Omaha after the Justice department overruled a decision to deny him and two other Young mexicans a Chance to stay in the United Stales while they seek to live Here legally with their parents in an interview after he returned Home Lopez said that being stranded for a time in Nogales Mexico was lightening. A i had never really been to that City a he said. A it was scary for me because i did no to have no Money. We did no to know anybody  asked what kept him going Lopez answered a praying and  one of the first things he did after returning Home was to go to Midnight mass with his family. He and another boy Augustin Antunez 16, were pulled out of High school nov. 6 by immigration and naturalization service agents. Antunez s 2i-year-Oid brother Francisco was arrested at his Job in a restaurant the same Day and All three were deported to Nogales shortly afterwards. Gov. E. Benjamin Nelson rep. Peter Hoagland and other Nebraska officials had worked for their return protesting the Way the youths were arrested and shipped to Mexico without Money or a change of clothes. On thursday the officials said the three had won humanitarian parole which allows them to remain in the United states while their parents work to obtain but the United states not convinced that american pos were really in East Germany sought More information. The East refused to provide details such As names or serial numbers the records said. The documents said that in Exchange for . Prisoners of War the East germans demanded a the Kroger a apparently Helen and Peter Kroger soviet spies then imprisoned in Britain. But the United states apparently was unable or unwilling to persuade Britain to Trade the Kroger and the East germans refused to consider alternatives the newspaper said. British officials reportedly swapped the Kroger in 1969 for one of their own men held by the soviets. Lee Quang Khai a vietnamese defector said some american pos were sent to hospitals in East bloc countries for medical treatment. A some critical cases we could not treat in Vietnam so those men were sent to Eastern bloc countries and then they would be returned to Vietnam a said Lee an 11-year-Veteran of Vietnam a foreign ministry who is now seeking political Asylum in the United states. But on thursday a spokeswoman for the vietnamese delegation to the United nations repeated previous denials that any american pos were sent to East bloc countries or kept in Vietnam after the War. Legal residency for them. The Antunez Brothers Are expected to come Home in a Tew Days too. Lopez said he and the Brothers spent their first night in Nogales on a Bench in a bus station. After that they found a woman who allowed them to Call Home from her office. After his arrest at Omaha South High school Lopez said he spent two Days in a juvenile detention Center without speaking to his Mother. Ins officials tried to reach her but failed he said. A it was kind of hard hoping to return Home you know Lopez said. �?o1 was confused about Why 1 was  ins officials said they notified the youths attorney shortly after the arrests were made. The attorney Joseph Lopez Wilson said he had thought he would have another Chance to see the boys before they were deported. Maria Lopez has been trying to establish permanent residency under the 1986 Federal amnesty Taw and has been granted temporary residency while her Case is pending. If she can prove she worked in the United states in agriculture Between 1985 and 1988, she could receive permanent residency and her son could a Only for residency Lopez Wilson said. A hearing on her Lopez Scase was scheduled for Jan. 13. The Antunez Brothers parents Are permanent residents and Are waiting for final approval of petitions they have filed on behalf of their sons Lopez Wilson  of hair discovered in Gasket on space shuttle from wire reports Cape canaveral Fla. Workers searching for a leak in a space shuttle Booster rocket found a 1-Inch hair pressed into a secondary Seal a Nasa spokesman said. Each solid fuel Booster is made up of four segments and the joints Between the segments have three of ring seals or gaskets to prevent hot gases from leaking during launch. Such a leak was blamed for the 1986 explosion of the shuttle challenger in which seven astronauts were killed. The leak was detected tuesday in a segment on a Booster for Columbia which is set for a february space lab Mission. Workers removed the segment wednesday and quickly found the hair said Kennedy space Center spokesman George Diller. A new Seal will be installed and the segment reattached for a pressure Check after the space centers Holiday break ends Jan. 4, Diller said. The work is not expected to delay the targeted feb. 25 launch on a Mission featuring German science  Plant fire kills 3 Newark . A a fire in a Power Plant Friday killed three workers who apparently were overcome by fumes after they failed to break thick wire reinforced windows to escape a fire department spokesman said. Their bodies were discovered by firefighters after the Smoky fire at the of Brian Newark cogeneration Plant inc. Was brought under control about 10 30 a.m., less than two hours after it was reported spokesman Larry Krieger said. Firefighters had to break Metal doors to enter the locked Plant Krieger said. Fuel Oil which is burned by the Plant to produce Energy is suspected in the fire because of the heavy soot he said but no cause was immediately  takes its toll Deer River Minn. A some minnesotans think Scrooge works for the Pennsylvania Turnpike commission. The Agency demanded $266 in tolls from Dick Willie the Deer River truck Driver who hauled the National Christmas tree from Minnesota to Washington last month. Ohio Indiana and Illinois waived willies tolls but Pennsylvania refused to do so. Commission spokeswoman Sally Branca said the Agency has an agreement with its bondholders not to waive any tolls a not even for charitable groups such As the motorcycle club that asked for a waiver to deliver toys to a Hospital. A i think it was Scrooge like since it was the Peoples tree and Willie volunteered the equipment and his time. Somebody should mention the Christmas spirit to Pennsylvania a said Ted Mackley manager of the american legion a cleans of foreign wars vets club in Deer River. 1 Here is a Happy ending to the Story Mackley said american legion and vow posts in Deer River reimbursed Willie for his  butt of the joke Detroit a a Christmas time a stockings Hung by the Chimney presents placed lovingly under the tree and a plastic Duck butt floating in the punch bowl. Well that a the scenario for a couple of thousand people who have inundated a Michigan sporting goods store in recent weeks with orders for plastic Duck derriere. The craze stems from a Miami Herald column by National mischief maker Dave Barry who mentioned the Duck Butts in a Holiday gift list and included the toll free phone number of Knutson a recreational sales inc. The plastic decoys Are traditionally used in waterfowl Hunting placed in Ponds with conventional decoys to present a peaceful image of feeding fowl to Birds flying overhead. Barry recommended that people give them As gag gifts to float in punch bowls. We had our Little shop party yesterday and they had a water bowl with pop and ice in it and three Duck Butts floating in there a said Jim Knutson owner of the store and Catalon outlet in Brooklyn 6u Miles West of Detroit. A they looked kind of  Ambrosio Lopez 17 cent Eris greeted by his brother Michael and Mother Maria on Christmas eve in Omaha neb. Deported teen reunited with mom