Hasenfus Arrives Home to a Flurry of Celebrations

American gunrunner Eugene Hasenfus, pardoned and released from a Nicaragua prison, returned to the United States and arrived here late Thursday night for a reunion with his family, a birthday celebration with his son Adam, who turned 7 on Thursday, and Christmas in his quiet little Wisconsin hometown of Marinette.

The 45-year-old steelworker and ex-Marine landed shortly before midnight on a commercial jet flight delayed for hours by mechanical problems.

He was greeted by family members including his three children and beaming, immediately hoisted sons Eugene Jr., 10, and Adam. The youngsters clung to him as he silently picked his way through a crush of reporters to a private meeting with sisters and brothers at the airport.

He emerged after only a few minutes and again declined to answer any questions of substance.

“There are a lot of technical things involved, promises made,” Hasenfus explained, but did not elaborate. “The time will come when there is a question-and-answer period whether I like it or not.”

Asked whether, during his imprisonment, he ever thought this day would come, he replied, “There are a lot of doubts that came about, but being an optimist, I think we got through most of that.”

Earlier in the day in Miami, Hasenfus told reporters and cameramen who met him at the airport, “I can’t explain to you how much the gratitude in my heart is for seeing you all here and being able to step on American soil again.

“Right now, I’m just looking for some time in these special holidays . . . to thank God that I was freed to come home to spend (time) with my family,” he said.

Declines to Comment

“I want to hold all my comments, please. . . ,” he said, shying clear of reporters. “If you’ll please understand, bear with me.”

Hasenfus is expected to testify before congressional committees investigating the Iran arms operation and the reported siphoning of funds to the rebels fighting the Marxist government in Nicaragua.

After his C-123 cargo plane was shot down Oct. 5 and he was captured by Sandinista government soldiers, Hasenfus told the story of a seat-of-the-pants operation in which Americans flew arms and other supplies to the contras from bases in Honduras and El Salvador.

His capture and Nicaragua’s release of documents aboard the downed plane brought to light alleged White House connections to the operation and raised questions about whether the Reagan Administration illegally supplied the weapons in violation of a two-year congressional ban on military aid to the contras. Congress in June voted to drop the ban and approved $100 million in arms for the rebels.

Hasenfus was tried by a revolutionary court in Nicaragua and was sentenced to 30 years in jail for smuggling guns to the contras. He served 72 days before being pardoned by the Nicaraguan National Assembly, at the request of President Daniel Ortega, on Wednesday.

Night in Guatemala

With his wife, Sally, Hasenfus spent his first night of freedom in Guatemala City and then began his journey back to Marinette, Wis., his three children and a comfortable brick house at the end of a secluded lane on the shore of Green Bay, an arm of Lake Michigan.

In Guatemala, Hasenfus told reporters that Nicaraguan Interior Minister Tomas Borge, who oversees the national prison system, gave him the key to his cell at Tipitapa prison, 12 miles east of Managua, as a keepsake. He said he believes the Sandinistas released him as a Christmas gesture and declined to give his views of the Nicaraguan government.

In Marinette, Hasenfus’ son Adam, whose birthday party was put off for his father’s arrival, declared it his best birthday ever. The rambunctious first-grader skipped school, spent the day sledding in the snow outside his grandparents’ house and stayed up long past his bedtime.

Celebrating his birthday without his dad would have “been boring,” the gap-toothed youngster said. “He’s the one that makes funness, and Mom, too, and if they’re not here it just wouldn’t be any fun. . . . They make it happy.”

Adam’s mother had been in Managua for the last two weeks, trying to secure her husband’s release.

Bus Donated

The news that Hasenfus was coming home set off a flurry of activity in Marinette. A tour company donated a bus and driver to pick up about 30 of Hasenfus’ friends and relatives and take them the 60 miles to the Green Bay airport.

Special phones installed after his capture rang repeatedly in Hasenfus’ three-bedroom ranch home overlooking the icy shoreline as well-wishers called to offer congratulations.

Bob Secter reported from Green Bay and Marinette, Wis., and Barry Bearak reported from Miami.