Exchange of Messages Between the President and Chairman Khrushchev on the Rescue of Four Soviet Soldiers by the U.S.S. Kearsarge

Note: The four Russians had been adrift 49 days before they were rescued west of Midway Island. They had been participating in exercises conducted by the Soviet Union off the Kurile Islands.

Chairman Khrushchev's message of March 16 follows:

Dear Mr. President:

Permit me to express to you, to the Government of the USA, and to the American Naval Command the feeling of deep gratitude for the rescue of four courageous Soviet soldiers who in the course of many days manfully struggled against the elements and hardships in the expanses of the Pacific Ocean.

The Soviet people see in the noble conduct of American sailors and the solicitous attitude toward Soviet young men on the part of American authorities the expression of an attitude of friendship which is developing between our two countries. It is to be hoped that this may serve the cause of further developing the relations between our two countries to which you and I have devoted no little time during the course of our recent conversations in the USA and for which, I hope, we will both spare no effort during our forthcoming meetings.
Respectfully,
N. KHRUSHCHEV