Briefly

California

2 killed in helicopter crash

Two crew members were killed and four others injured Thursday when a Navy helicopter from the Naval Weapons Station at China Lake, Calif., crashed during a routine mission in rugged and snowy terrain near Lake Isabella in central California.

The HH-1 Huey helicopter from the Dust Devils squadron took off at 9:30 a.m. local time from China Lake at and crashed about 1 p.m. on Split Mountain in Sequoia National Forest. The station is involved in testing a variety of weapons and weapons systems, including some meant for helicopters.

The four Navy personnel injured were airlifted to Ridgecrest Regional Hospital by Navy and civilian helicopters. None of the four suffered life-threatening injuries, a Kern County Fire Department official said.

The names of the dead were not released pending notification of their families. A China Lake spokesman said that no cause has been determined for the crash and that an investigation is under way.

California

Scientists successfully dilute smallpox vaccine

In a major shift in public health policy that underscores government concerns about bioterrorism, federal health officials are gathering enough smallpox vaccine to inoculate the entire country and considering a widespread vaccination campaign.

By December, according to public health leaders in Washington, D.C., the U.S. government will have more than 100 million doses of the vaccine in hand, an amount they say could be effectively diluted to make the shots available to everyone in the country. An inoculation effort using the sometimes risky vaccine would be new to millions of Americans born after the United States stopped offering the shots in 1972.

Public health leaders stressed Thursday that discussions of any vaccine campaign are still preliminary, and that the decision to get the shots would be voluntary.

Washington

Pentagon inspector general looking into secretary’s travel

The Pentagon’s inspector general is looking into Army Secretary Thomas White’s use of a private military plane in early March on a trip to Colorado, defense officials said Thursday.

During the Colorado stay, White completed a house sale in Aspen, raising questions as to whether he used the plane for personal business.

The inspector general, Joseph E. Schmitz, informed Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld’s office that he is looking into the travel portion of Secretary White’s affairs, said one official.

A second Pentagon official who confirmed the inspector general’s investigation said it doesn’t mean White did anything wrong. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity. Whit said he would cooperate in the investigation.

White also has been the subject of attention in connection with his sale of Enron Corp. stock after taking over as the Army’s top civilian. White made about $12 million from selling his Enron shares.

Cuba

Guantanamo mission gets new commander

The joint task force overseeing the detention of 300 prisoners from the Afghanistan war received a new commander Thursday.

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Rick Baccus took over for Marine Brig. Gen. Michael Lehnert, who will head back to Camp Lejeune, N.C. The change was planned and represented no policy shift, mission spokesman Maj. James Bell said.