Battle for 2 Black Heroes Pushed

Two congressmen who are waging a fight to have Medals of Honor awarded for the first time to black world war heroes sent a letter, co-signed by 102 of their colleagues, to Defense Secretary Frank C. Carlucci asking for his help. They urged Carlucci to reverse the decision of the Army and Navy that the two could not be considered for medals because the five-year statute of limitations for awarding them has run out. Reps. Joseph J. DioGuardi (R-N.Y.) and Mickey Leland (D-Tex.) want the medals awarded to Sgt. Henry Johnson and Seaman Dorrie Miller. Johnson, of Albany, N.Y., served in France during World War I. While on night sentry duty, he killed four German soldiers, rescued a wounded comrade and captured a stockpile of weapons, despite being wounded himself. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre, France’s highest military honor. Miller, of Waco, Tex., was a mess steward aboard the battleship West Virginia when the ship was attacked at Pearl Harbor. When his captain was wounded, Miller dragged him to safety and manned a machine gun, shooting down two enemy aircraft. He was awarded the Navy Cross, the service’s second highest honor, and a warship, the Miller, was named in his honor in 1971. Johnson and Miller are deceased.

--Pee-wee Herman is presidential material, according to young readers. Waldenbooks, the nation’s largest bookseller, polled 3,600 members of its five readers clubs. Herman tied with Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, both polling 8%, when members of the Kids’ Club, who range in age from 5 to 13, were asked who was most qualified to be President. Ronald Reagan led the survey with 33%, followed by George Bush with 17% and the Rev. Jesse Jackson with 13%. Romance Club members voted ABC’s Peter Jennings the most romantic anchorman, Tom Selleck the most romantic actor, and Glenn Close the most romantic actress.

--President Reagan asked Mikhail S. Gorbachev to autograph the Time magazine cover depicting the Soviet leader as Time’s “Man of the Year,” a White House spokesman acknowledged. Marlin Fitzwater said Reagan asked Gorbachev at the close of their summit meeting in Moscow last week to sign the cover at the request of his deputy chief of staff, Kenneth Duberstein, on behalf of an unidentified friend who collects autographs. One expert in New York estimated the magazine with Gorbachev’s signature could bring $10,000--but only if Reagan signed it also. Without the presidential signature, Kenneth Rendell said, the magazine would bring about $1,000. A White House spokesman said Reagan had not signed the magazine.