THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 20, 1996 TAG: 9601200288
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DANA PRIEST, THE WASHINGTON POST
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
The four-star admiral recently forced into retirement by the Pentagon for an impolitic comment about the rape of a Japanese girl by U.S. servicemen is under investigation for allegedly using a military jet to fly across the Pacific to visit girlfriends.
Adm. Richard C. Macke, 58, commander of all U.S. forces in the Pacific, allegedly had his military air crew fly him twice from Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii to the Miramar Naval Air Station in California and once to the Washington area on trips that were mainly personal rather than official in nature, military sources say.
The Defense Department's Inspector General is also looking into allegations that on one of the trips to California, Macke left his air crew at Miramar for four days while he took a commercial flight to Las Vegas with a Marine lieutenant colonel based at Camp Pendleton whom he was dating, military sources said.
Macke, who is recently divorced, is also under investigation for dating a Navy lieutenant commander and using his military plane to visit her.
It is against military policy for service members of significantly different ranks to date one another, especially if they are in the same chain of command.
Macke was ``unavailable for comment'' because his schedule is so heavy, a spokeswoman said.
A naval aviator known for his brash manner, Macke was forced to accept early retirement on Nov. 17, hours after he told reporters that the servicemen accused of raping a 12-year-old Japanese school girl could have hired a prostitute for the amount they paid to rent the car they used to abduct her.
``I think it was absolutely stupid,'' he told reporters. ``I've said several times, for the price they (the servicemen) paid to rent the car, they could have had a girl.''
At the time, Pentagon officials said Macke would leave his post almost immediately, but he is still there. The Senate must confirm the retirement of the highest ranking military officers, and will likely wait on Macke's retirement until the investigation is complete. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Adm. Richard C. Macke, recently forced to retire, allegedly used
military jet for personal use.
by CNB