European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 5, 1967, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 8 the stars and stripes tuesday september 5, 1967 Sunshine forces mass on Border to repel enemy Thessaloniki Greece special Jet fighters of the Allied Mobile Force saturday be Gan showing the nato Flag As exercise Sunshine express entered the deterrence phase on the seventh Day of the Field train ing exercise. The nato fighters replaced air defense fighter interceptor Crews of the Royal hellenic air Force who until late Friday provided combat air patrol cover age for the Airlift of the am land to Greece. The Airlift ended saturday. Meanwhile on the ground units of the hellenic army continued patrolling in the High Mountain passes North of the ancient seaport of Kavala in anticipation of an invasion from an Orange country. At the sometime troopers of the am completed their deployment to the Assembly area near Rencina. The skilled aircrews of therhag Jet fighters racked up a simulated 100 per cent kill rat against Orange intruders that at tempted to interfere with the Airlift. Flying from Dawn to dusk the hellenic pilots successfully intercepted and destroyed the aggressor aircraft in simulate Aerial combat. Their Success insured an uninterrupted flow often and Materiel of the am to nearby Mitra Airfield. Hellenic jets in action the hellenic jets which have been in action since aug. 29, and their am air reinforcements Are under the operational control of maj. Gen. John Anagnos Topoulos commander of the Shaf 28th tactical air 28th Taf is the greek component of nato s 6th Allied tac tical air Force. The 6ataf com Mander maj. Gen. James , has operational com Mand of the tactical fighters of the Shaf and am air Dur ing the phase of Sunshine express. Pilots of the am airily ing f84f Thunder streaks and c91 Jet fighters patrolled the simulated trouble area North cast of Here throughout saturday. Their missions were designed to provide visible warning to Orange that an attack against Greece would be considered an attack against All of the am land moved from its former positioning the Rendina area to Grani itis pass where it was employed in a similar deterrent role As Hel Lenic army patrols had reported a significant buildup of Orange forces. Should the simulated aggression take place the combined tactical air Power of the Shaf and the am air is schedule to be thrown into the Battle. Roundup punching a path through a crowded area. Is photos by Joe Wesley Sun and rest a bits sweat by Nick Stavriotis staff writer Thessaloniki Greece is where did you get the grapes in town the belgian Soldier said sunning on the Beach. At first glance it did t look or soundalike a nato exercise and code name Sunshine express appeared to have been taken literally by some of the crack nato Allied Mobile forces land units Here to mean Sun and rest. It was Only temporary part of the time honoured tradition of self pro claimed grunts making Field trooping a Little easier and taking advantage fan official rest period. There la be plenty of foot pumping i these Hills and it la be hot and hell to pay pvt. Mclntyre Stanton an infantryman from co a 1st in 34th inf., 24 inf div said. But during the Lull in ground operations the Only foot pumping being done by the majority of belgian German United kingdom greek and american elements of am forces in this tent Citrin Rendina some 70 Miles North of Here was propelling inflated air mattresses around the warm Adriatic sea. Army Cooks also complained that a rations were being bypassed in favor of local delicacies. It appeared that enterprising Nat soldiers were footing their Way to near by greek villages braving the language Barrier to return to Camp with plump chickens to be boiled in Plain steel in Competition with the Field mess fare was a Mobile pm Van brought up from Athens 250 Miles South which opened its doors around noon to Supply is with tins of sausages spiced Ham cokes and other morsels off setting the ration diet. This will All Stop when we move out one Field mess Cook from the 24th inf div said pointing to boxes of a rations stacked up behind him. But while the flavor lasted nobody seemed to think of the Days to come. Even As the nato troops dropped grapes into their Mouths and swapped cigarettes and jokes ominous nato Jet fighters broke the silence of the Pebble beaches As they roared by on missions and further Down the line tracks were already being moved Forward on rail to nato units positioned in Hills further North. Truck convoys moving North were frequently slowed Down unofficially As they encountered Donkey carts tourist traffic and herds of sheep and cattle mov ing along the narrow old byzantine Road leading to Kavala where apostle Paul landed at Phillipi. There were also the curious greek villagers who took advantage of the rest to get a first hand look at the tent Campusand the bands of greek children eager to shake hands and examine Field equip ment. For the older villagers who had see four successive invasions take place for the Conquest of Northern Greece during the last 50 years the presence of the am forces held a somewhat different interest and significance. Up to Date sgt. F. Bryant. Trim spec. 4 a. Orlasky. To rafters a pair of 24th inf div gis take a break eur raft to the exercise area. Action sgt. O. Kyj Mise saddles up for a front line trip
