Posted at 11:25 a.m., Thursday, June 14, 2001

Robbery possible in injury to ex-general

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Retired 81-year-old Air Force Lt. Gen. W.W. "Bones" Marshall of Wai'alae Iki, who commanded the 335th Fighter Squadron during the Korean War, was seriously injured in an apparent mugging last week at Ala Moana Center.

Police are investigating the incident as a second-degree robbery.

The case was first classified as "injured care for" because Marshall had indicated that he was not attacked.

But Mildred Marshall filed a police complaint Sunday after noticing her husband's wallet missing.

The general, who has a fractured skull, may be released today from Queen's Medical Center, but he will not be able to attend the Korean War Symposium at Hilton Hawaiian Village June 25-28, his wife said.

"It's an awful thing," Mrs. Marshall said. "He has six clamps on the back of his head and a cut lip."

The couple met for lunch at the Mariposa Restaurant last Thursday. "After lunch I left in my own car, and he went shopping," she said.

The general was found on the Coral Level parking area by a maintenance worker who told police he saw a man standing over the victim, police said, who fled as the worker approached.

"Most definitely," Mrs. Marshall said when asked whether she thought her husband had been attacked.

It is not known whether security surveillance tapes captured the incident.

Harold Kawasaki, head of Ala Moana Center security, could not be reached for comment.

"Right now we have a lot of ifs," said Lt. Clifford Take sono of police robbery detail. "We don't know if he had his wallet or if it was misplaced or if he fell. The case has been assigned, so the investigation is just starting."

Marshall was an ace F-86 Saberjet fighter pilot during the Korean War. He was vice commander of the 7th Air Force during the Vietnam War and later vice commander in chief of Pacific Forces at Hickam Air Force Base.