Week of September 1, 1983

Bulletin- A Soviet fighter plane shoots down a Korean Air Lines jumbo jet with

269 aboard (31 Americans) after it was tracked by Soviet radar for 2 ½ hours,

after it had strayed into Soviet airspace. President Regan demands a full

explanation: “…Words can scarcely express our revulsion at this horrifying act of

violence. The United States joins with other members of the international

community in demanding a full explanation for this appalling and wanton

misdeed.” “The Soviet statements to this moment have totally failed to explain

how or why this tragedy has occurred. Indeed, the hole incident appears to be

inexplicable to civilized people everywhere.” The President has ordered flags

flown at half staff at all federal installations and military bases around the world.

President Reagan called the Soviet leaders

barbaric, callous terrorists and flagrant liars

and is considering steps for retaliation for

shooting down the Korean Air Lines jumbo

jet.

The Soviet government says that a Soviet

pilot had fired warning shots and used tracer

bullets along the flight path of the South

Korean airliner, but made no reference the

plane was shot down by a Soviet fighter

plane.

President Reagan says that despite his

anger at the Korean airliner downing by the

Soviet Union, he will not discontinue U.S.-Soviet nuclear arms talks.

The Soviet Union admits for the first time that its jet interceptors shot down a

Korean air Lines jetliner and the United States played tape recordings from the

downing of flight 007 before the U.N. Security Council .

The Soviet Union accuses President Reagan of making an “aggressive, hateful

speech’ about the downed South Korean airliner and claimed that he was trying

to exploit the tragedy to bolster his military policy.

In Lebanon - Leftist Druze Militiamen massacre 24 Christians in a central

Lebanese village in retaliation for an army sweep of Muslim Shia and Druze

militia strongholds in West Beirut.

Week of September 1, 1983

For the first time in public - President Reagan is seen wearing a hearing aid.

A Northwest airlines jet carrying 87 including sportscaster

Howard Cosell , made an emergency landing at La Guardia

Airport after the pilot reported two of its three engines lost

some power after take-off. Cosell is in hot water after a

Monday Night Football broadcast last week, for commenting,

“look at that little monkey run” - referring to a Washington

Redskins football player.

Sports - Bill Scanlon upsets Tennis’ #1 ranked player, John

McEnroe, beating him at the U.S.. Open at Forest Hills.

The NFL says its teams will now be permitted to suit up 49 players for its games,

a change in policy from 45 players.

In his first regular-season game as a pro - John Elway, the National Football

League’s most heralded rookie quarterback since Pittsburgh’s Terry Bradshaw

arrived in 1970, completed one of eight passed for 14 years, was sacked four

times for 26 years in losses and threw an interception. The Broncos beat the

Steelers 14-10.

Passing Sen. Henry Jackson (D-Wash.) - of a heart attack. He was 71.

Music news - He has a hit with “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” but Taco,

who lives in Germany is enjoying the fame. He does have a last

name, “Ockerse” but he says no one can remember it, much less

spell it.

Asia cancles its current tour - which is now about halfway

through. Geffen Records says the band has involved itself in “a

major project with MTV and it would be impossible to engineer the

project and the tour, too.

Television news -

Showtime and The Movie Channel form a joint venture. Combined, they’ll have

million subscribers, still far less then HBO/Cinemax at 15 million.

Debuting this week in syndication - “Thicke of the Night” - a new talkshow

hosted by Canadian Alan Thicke.