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Bernadotte Refused to Be Frightened, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, Sep. 18, 1948.

Count Folke BernadotteClick here to view the original article.

By JOHN RODERICK Associated Press Staff Writer

AMMAN,Trans-Jordan, Sept. 17-Count Folke Bernadotte flew to Jerusalem-and his death-today, despite anonymous threats upon his life. He declared he refused to be frightened.

This reporter flew with him from Damascus to Kollandia Airport, just outside of Jerusalem. Aboard the special plane he passed me a message received by radio. It read-

“Urgent-inform all aircraft against landing Kollandia Airport. They will be fired upon.”

“Do you want to jump now or be fired upon with us?” he asked me with a wry smile. I said I’d take a chance.

“This is an obvious attempt to frighten me,” he said. “If so, someone is mistaken. I will not be frightened.”

An hour later, after he climbed from the plane into his automobile at the airport, a sniper’s bullet thudded into the left rear wheel of his automobile. He got out to examine it and found a small-caliber bullet hole.

“I don’t mind being shot at by regulars,” he said. “But not by irregulars.”

When the Count, French Colonel Andre Serot, General Aage Lundstrom and their aides climbed back into the car, I wished Bernadotte luck.

” I’ll need it,” he replied.

General Lundstrom, who was with him, said-

” I’m no coward, but I don’t want to be killed by snipers. I have a family in Sweden, you know.”

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