BERLIN HEDGEHOPPING TO FREEDOM REFUGEES FROM BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN HAVE COME 
INTO WEST BERLIN OVER ROOFTOPS AND UNDERGROUND, BY FOOT, AUTO, TRAIN, 
BUS, BOAT AND ARMORED CAR . LAST WEEK WEST BERLIN WELCOMED 
THE FIRST TO ARRIVE BY PLANE POLISH AIR FORCE MAJOR RICHARD 
OBACZ, 34, HIS GERMAN-BORN WIFE MARY, 27, AND THEIR TWO SMALL 
SONS . A JET TEST PILOT STATIONED IN NORTHEAST POLAND, MAJOR 
OBACZ RECEIVED OFFICIAL CLEARANCE TO LOG EXTRA FLIGHT TIME BY FLYING 
HIS FAMILY TO VISIT RELATIVES IN SZCZECIN (FORMERLY STETTIN), ON THE 
EAST GERMAN BORDER . OBACZ CRAMMED HIS WIFE AND TWO SONS, 
LESTER, 9, AND CHRISTOPHER, 5, INTO THE REAR SEAT OF A 
PROPDRIVEN, TWO-SEATER TRAINING PLANE . ONLY AFTER THEY WERE ALOFT DID 
HE TELL THEM OVER THE PLANE'S INTERCOM THAT HE WAS MAKING 
A BREAK . TO AVOID COMMUNIST RADAR DETECTION, HE HEDGEHOPPED OVER 
THE GROUND, NEVER FLEW HIGHER THAN 150 FT . THROUGHOUT THE 
ENTIRE 150-MILE TRIP . WHEN ONE POLISH GROUND STATION CALLED FOR 
HIS LOCATION, OBACZ DID NOT REPLY . AN HOUR AFTER TAKE-OFF, 
OBACZ ROARED OVER WEST BERLIN'S CHECKPOINT CHARLIE AT ROOFTOP LEVEL, LANDED 
AT TEMPELHOF AIRPORT, AND REQUESTED POLITICAL ASYLUM . " I FLED 
BECAUSE I WAS FED UP, " OBACZ SAID . " I 
WAS TIRED OF PRESSURE . I WANTED TO WORK TOWARD TRUTH 
. WE WANT THE RIGHT TO TRAVEL WHERE WE WANT, THE 
RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH, THE RIGHT TO WORK FOR A GOOD 
CAUSE . " 