European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 12, 1953, Darmstadt, Hesse                                S the stars and stripes sunday april 12, 19drilling rigs Dot landscape at French Field. Rcv � 3m& airmen at the Bordeaux air base work on an sa1c Albatross left of the 83d air Rescue so. The Crew of a drilling Rig right searches -for.-water, deep underground to serve needs of the . Base in France. Water Supply has been a major problem. Is photos by Killpack Bordeaux air base construction eliminates v ". Operational difficulties living discomforts by Don Walter staff correspondent Bordeaux France april 11 5&s two big Black topped hang frs Jonina Teehe american base a Merignac Airfield near Southwest trn France s largest City. As you approach the hangars near the main Gate of Bordeaux air base you can notice Shell Mark sin the Concrete Walls of one o these hangars. The French Tell the fiery that this is where French hostages were shot by the nazis who had a fighter base Here during world War ii. The american Side of the Field has two designations both of which Are Correct base officials say. It can be called either Bordeaux air base a Merignac Field. Other installations the latter name is used by the French. The Field is bordered 1 three other installations in addition to the american base the French air Force has a. Processing an storage depot Here. The Field is the commercial Airport for Bordeaux,.-wher? International airliners Depar i Lor Africa arid other Points  another area of the Field is the assault aircraft factory builders of the French Jet fighter the our agon which in Bis Sokn. Features of the f86l during the Timise the germans occupied the Ifield several of the buildings now used by the americans were constructed. The . 126th air Wing which Aier became the 38lh Light bomber Wing now based at Laon i Northern France was at Merignac until last summer., today there Are several units Here but the largest is the ,7413th air base so comm tided by it col Harvey n. Brown who formerly was chief of the personnel planning division the other units Are the "12th air 100jh Man this year reps in 43d inf div Majnich april 11 special Cpl Tollbert Smith of co a,143d to in became the Imatt Man to re East in the 43d inf big since january when be was sworn in by maj Robert Mil liken executive officer a korean Veteran with 41/rtrs service Smith wears the korean service medal with five Battle stars to United nations med Al Asiatic Pacific theater rib Bon Good conduct medal army of occupation ribbons for Ger Many Ana Japan korean presidential unit citation Soldier so Here i and the presidential unit citation. Down something you like an want to do is the most important thing in life Smith said upon re enlisting. Rescue up. 924th engr aviation gp469th engr aviation in 359th" sup ply co which 15 an Engineer unit and the 35th crash boat flight. Like nearly every other base in rites in Vilseck Mark birthday of tank Center Vilseck april 11 special the 7th army tank training Cen Ter recently celebrated its fourth year of  of Kiai written order established the Center on april 8 1949, the Center actually was in operation on aug 22 19481 it cps Thomas j. Murphy com mandant retraced the history of the school at a Retreat formation which included All the instructors training personnel and students at tending tank courses Here. He described the struggles of converting. Local buildings from refugee and German army occupation to the present training facilities. " chaplain capt John h. Brown opened the ceremonies with prayer and a Retreat formation followed the organization. Day proclamation. A. It Gen. Hoge pays visit to Armor school site Vilseck april 11 special Lutgen William m. Hoge 7th army visited the 7th army Tan training Center recently for the first time since assuming his newcomer and. Briefed by it col Thomas j. Mur Phy commandant Hoge was con ducted on. A tour of the training facilities Here. He visited class rooms observed training demonstrations and inspected training aids. Hoge was accompanied by the following staff members col Wes on a. Mccormac go col Charlesh. Valentine g2 col Alberts Britt g4 it col George t. Col Vin representing s3, and capt John r. Franco jr., his aide de Camp. Scouts give up goodies for 10th fid tbsp sick Wuerzburg april 11 special cub scouts from Leighton Barracks distributed homemade cakes and easter baskets to military patient sat the 10th fid Hosp recently. The _ baskets filled with hard boiled eggs and easter Candy were financed by scouts from Dens 1and 2 of cub pack 28. The 13 boys and their four year old Mascot Barbara Ann Majick did without refreshments for a month. France Merignac has had its share of mud this last Winter but every one has Hope that it was the Las time. By next Winter it is explained construction will be Well enough along so that this difficulty will have been overcome. The biggest problem of All a Merignac is the Lack of water. The base has had to buy 250 cubic meters of water a Day from a com Mercial source but this has Bee sufficient Only for necessities. Such things As showers or hot water for shaving at luxuries. Any hour Are still the water problem is nearly solved though. Two Wells Are be ing drilled. One is Down to the1,300-foot level now. It will be put to use soon assuring Merignac of a continuous flow of fresh water. The reason the Well is so deep the British drilling Engineer supervising the Job said is because water at a. Shallower level in ills area is unsafe for drinking. Bowling Alle otherwise Merignac is a Well equipped base. For the airmen an troops a new Bowling Alley and enlisted men s club is under construction. A new and larger pm is about to open its doors. A  to enlarge the Hospital to 50 bed size is  officers club is to been Large. Several new structures Are under Way near the big Black hang ars. The engineers Are Busy level Ingoff ground Here and filling in dirt there. By the end of summer there should be noticeable changes at Merignac the Bordeaux area poses As Many problems in terms of the High cos of living As any other area in France where . Military instal lations Are located. One of the items frequently mentioned in a discus Sion of High costs is the Price of coal838 to �40 a ton. Light Bill average from 520 to $30 monthly. But maids Are cheap and most of them Are conscientious dependent housewives  at Merignac consider themselves fortunate being near one of France s Large cities. Bor Deaux with its opera Heaters an night clubs provides plenty of entertainment although Price Are near the Paris level. The base now is used chiefly to provide logistical support for other units. Military news Section 14th Cav gets m sgt who won chm Pulda april 11 special a sgt Wilburn k. Ross Holder of the con Gressional medal of. Honor recently joined the 14th army Cav regt. Ross earned the medal during the Campaign in France during world War ii. His company had been hold ing their positions when the enemy suddenly beg an launching a series of counterattacks outnumbered the company was o Reed to with , a machine gunner and his assistant remained at their position until the assistant was wounded Ark evacuated. Ross alone fought of nine counterattacks and provided his company time to withdraw an reorganize. After 36 hours of almost continuous fighting Ross under the cover of darkness was Able to re join his company. Later examination i the area covered by Ross showed 58 enemy , who entered the army in 1m2, was awarded the chm a Nurnberg in-april945 in the latter part of the year he returned to the states and civilian life. In 1946, he enlisted in the air Force. After oneyear he transferred to the 9th inf Ross Ross went to. Korea in july 1950,but his combat duties there were Short lived. He was seriously wounded after Only 13 Days of com bat.-.-. Following discharge from a hos Pital in the ., he was assigned Asan instructor at the infantry school it. Benning a were he remained until his recent european  his military career Ross participated in six major Battles an has been awarde3 the purple heart with three clusters and the com Bat infantryman s badge. Symphony tryouts due in Wuerzburg Wuerzburg april 11 special auditions for the reorganized 7th army symphony orchestra will beheld at the Leighton Lighthouse special services club april 23, dist special services announced. The tryouts will be from 2 to 5 pm and from 7 to 10 pm. Four enlisted men from Stuttgart will act As judges. The auditions will he held for stringed brass and Reed instruments and piano. All musically talented men Are eligible to compete or places in the 50 to 60-Man or Chestra which is expected to be ully staffed by next month. M3d, aaa mess wins award Wiesbaden a p r i i 11 Spe Cial the 443d aaa a in consolidated mess Hall has been warded the 8th aaa up Best mess award for the second con pc Tulve month. Sale of Salvage note $6,951 Baum older april 11 special Salvage operations of the471st. Pm Salvage co in this District netted 56,951 during the month of March. " largest Iteria Jyh the Salvage sales was Eble garbage which brought in $1,453. Others included scrap ten Tnge 51,345 and tin cans " " " also sold were to Burlap scrap cardboard ism cards and miscellaneous non ferrous metals. In addition almost 4,000 pounds of wiping rags were issued to troop units. The Salvage Zarfl is under the direct Ion of 1st it William p. Barger a 471st platoon Leader. Sgt Guarde for Chian Church Amin 4i Heidelberg a p r i 1 ii Cial the Soldier who was res Poi sible for the Security Protection Franklin d. Roosevelt wins Tai Churchill and Chiang Kai Shek ithe 1943 Cairo conference is not with he det 7809th Sci to. Arec omd. M sgt Marvin o. Simpson twas a first lieutenant in the fortunately he says there not one untoward incident durin the Twory Fiek Long affair. Thei had working on Security Well trained and Alert a credit their  Simpson s military careened Back in 1937. Enlisting As private he Rose Success through the rank sign 1343 at Ondria Egypt he became lieutenant. Security chief his first Job As an officer Security chief for the port at Andrla. Vital supplies were tunnelled to our fighting Force North Africa and tight control shipments was imperative. Simpson later became commander in the 802d my by Egypt and was released fro service in 1946 with the rank major. He immediately re Erin his present Grade. He came Usa eur from Camp Stonem Calif where he served As chief e the Provost marshal . Simpson now is chief clerk of ii Hascom is Section. Field Kitche serve a u Wabish Gemuend apr 11 1 special artillery units the Asci tired of getting cold Chow Field problems would do take a tip from the 108th the men of this 28th Civ a animation eat in the Field with 8fc, same relish that they troop Ineas mess Hall while in Garrison. I portable steam tables and cart a units have been built Fay the of tier five batteries to fit into the ikd2 i ton truck. The table pegged and can be lifted Cut Ruck for cleaning purposes truck is called on for another the Tarpaulin covering of truck is lifted on one Side ramp placed along the Side of truck. The mess line mov past the table for serving an be kept hot for tvo Orts hours. " a Grafl is mounted in thelor cooking things such As to order or hamburgers steaks. T / 1 the tables were built at a of less than $50  Coupon Oguete � in Heidelberg area Heidelberg april Cial the Sale of pol coupons was Visconti Barf All automotive outlet service stations garages rooms on april 1� engbers Heidelberg icer has. Announced. Pol coupons will beat the Heidelberg Shopp Fendenheim shopping the Karlsruhe shopping