Six Months Given Man
Who Rejoined, Was Hero

   WEST POINT, NY, APRIL 4 (AP) --- Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor, superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, today reduced the prison term of James Minker, 25, to six months and suspended execution of a dishonorable discharge until his release from confinement.
   The Syracuse, NY soldier was convicted last month by a court-martial of desertion from May 25, 1942 , to July 1946, and was sentence to two years at hard labor and a given a dishonorable discharge.

Left Army and Re-enlisted

   Hs attorney, Anthony F. Caffrey, reported that the soldier , tiring of routine garrison duties here, left the Army, re-enlisted in the paratroops under an assumed name and became a World War II hero in France.
   During the years Minker was accused of being a deserter, Caffrey said, he actually was in Europe, under the name of James H. Rowley, serving with the paratroops, and later was a prisoner of war.
   He received a Presidential Unit Citation, two battle stars, the good Conduct Medal and, under the assumed name, was honorably discharged from the Army on his return to this country, Caffrey added.

Tells of Action

   In a statement today, Taylor said:
   "The (court-martial) court noted that the period of December 1, 1942 to November 26, 1945, Minker was serving a fraudulent enlistment in the 508th Parachute Infantry with which he honorably served in two campaigns in Europe.
    "In spite of the fact that an analysis of Minker's total service from 1939 until the present time shows five absences without leave totaling a los of 360 days' time, one desertion coupled with fraudulent enlistment, the loss of 34 days due incapacity due to his own misconduct ad conviction by local authorities of carrying an unauthorized revolver at the time of his arrest in December 1946, nine office of the court-martial joined in petitioning the reviewing authority , the superintendant o the U.S.M.A., to reduce the term of imprisonment.,