European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 30, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Flu May 30, the stars and stripes Page 9 know we re the best9 vast to Honor score front be. By Larry-u., s of Iraklion Crete Smoka and dust Fogge no the the wheels of Tho pm Oso As it scree Chews for Ltd the ski at the nato missile , ,g\0 Mediterranean Island of Crete the ear puncturing sound vhf Mealing rubber t61d43u?jik6"rierctille s Nils sidemen Sfeir flight from cold and rain West Germany to the Sun blanketed Isle was Over. It also told them that. Their work was just beginning a Sli the next eight Days they " plan and face a Short annual practice i firing session thamm later earn them a score 01 95.25 per cent considered top notch by missile men. It would be the first Honor score Ever recorded by a 32nd army afr defense command Aad com missile. Firing Bat Wirls at the new Multi million Dollar Crete Range. Btry a 4th. Missile in 6tharty-Crew, comprised of 37 enlisted men and six officers took off from Span Dahlem air base that was night when the big plane touched Down on the Island run Way. Soldiers who minutes beforehand been cracking a ticks Shuf fling cards and laughing sat rigidly with Seatbelt buckled As the plane jolted to a Stop. An airman signalled that the could get up. This was it. This was the place where they would test their ability to fire missiles and they wanted to see what i looked like. The soldiers scrambled to the tiny windows that dotted the in Side of the plane and peered into the darkness. Where Are the girls wisecracks brought laughter from some of the troops but twas Short lived. They were too restive to be very had come to Crete with a Mission and they knew it would t be an easy one. They climbed Down from the plane and plodded Over to a bus that would take them to their living quarters for the next nine Days. The Crew had arrived at Crete on a Friday night and they could t begin preparations for their firings until the following tuesday. Monday was an official greek Holiday. For the next three Days themen ale greek food saw greek sights and caught up on los sleep in the Balmy greek weath always in the backs of their minds was determination determination to make their Mark and to prove they were Thebes firing outfit in the army. Monday the Day before snap began capt. Michael , the unit s 26-year-old commander assembled his men outside their quarters. Bespoke in a Low measured Lone men tomorrow is the Day we be been waiting for. I Don t have to Tell you How important this is. You All know it. All i m asking of you is that missile Check a Nike Ajax missile gets Crews attention. Army photo you do what you be always done your Best. If you do this we can t did t miss. But it took them four rugged Days to find out. Snap began for Bury a Earl tuesday. The missile men those still asleep were awakened at5 30 . By a piercing Bugle blowing a greek rendition of reveille. Let s get pm said spec. 5 Glenn Capwell pulling on his missile men fell out into a formation in front of their quarters then hustled onto a bus that would take them to the Range several Miles away. In front of the bus Hansen called for quiet. He levelled his eyes at the men and said we know we re the Best so let s go out and show yells and whistles crackle through the bus. The bus jogged was the first of Many bus rides taken by Btry a s Crew be fore the seconds started ticking away on the countdowns of Nike Ajax and Nike Hercules missiles. For four Days the Crew assembled missiles synchronized radars took operational Readi Ness and tactical evaluations and pulled weekly and daily maintenance. They battled a Freak cold front that brought Sharp winds and driving rain. And they fought the clock. I thought we d never get ready to fire those Birds said spec. 5 Leslie t. Gately shortly after Btry a was Given the go ahead from Range they did get ready. And on a Friday night a Nike Ajax Fol Lowed closely by a Nike Hercules spewed Brilliant Sparks across the Black sky canopy Over the zeus himself would have been i impressed. Hansen was i the battalion the command i the army can take Pride in what these men have done and in All the men who come to this new Range to fire. It s not easy. But they always come youngster to get . Heart surgery by Dick Ierardi Augsburg Germany Spe Cial two years of coordinated planning and preparation be tween German medical and so Cial authorities a heart special Bil Mingham ala., and the the inf div will enable a year old Augsburg boy to Haven operation he has needed since birth. The boy is to enter the University of Alabama medical Center july 25. Open heart sur Gery is scheduled for aug. 1. Wolfgang Seibert son of to Nannes and Marga Seibert of Koemig Brunn near Augsburg was born with the Large vessels i a. Eart transposed to opposite sides of the muscle Cham ical sing his heart to work at Only 25 per cent efficiency. An operation in which a Wall do of Nhea was punctured to Sylle Blo Stream was per a cd a the by when a was but surgery to re the vessels was still this could be done Only United states. Used i Watt a Industrial fir fish Ltd s contacts to Stab or kit in wih or Jonn Jilin with a Mayo a r with the uni Alabama medical Center. Kirklin had performed such surgery before and agreed to accept the boy As his patient. The Augsburg Caritas association aided by its sister organization the National Catholic welfare committee in the . Arranged for a place for Wolfgang and his Mother to stay while in the . Doctors at first thought the boy would have to be flown to the . In a special pressurized Cabin. Maj. Gen. E. L. Rowny then 24th inf div cd was in the process of arranging military transportation when it was decided that commercial transportation would be sufficient. The Community relation Section of the division information office remained As the translating Liaison Between Kirklin German doctors and these Ibert family. It. Col. Fred h. Roberts division surgeon received a letter from Kirklin last think we can say without any hesitancy that it is an excellent operation and that there Wouk. Be a very Good Chanc that the child could be made essentially Normal the letter said. Widow May be cited for returning $100 Augsburg Germany is a German widow who works As a Marker in the . Army laundry at Reese Cavern Here will be nominated for a special award for her Diligence in turning Back Money she Fin sin soldiers clothes. Or. Julie Dehn recently Dis covered $100 in the pocket of a Field jacket she was turned it Over to her supervisor and it was returned tothe owner spec. 4 Conrad f. Holliday of cob 24th Supply and transportation in who gave mrs. Dehn a $10 Haas assistant laundry Plant manager said m r found and returned a Large sum of Money last year and he plans to put her up for a special award. She has been working for the . Forces Here since 1952. Munich special three awards for May were Given Here under the monthly per Lacher Forst housing area cleanup and beautification program. First sgt. Leslie Ramey the senior occupant of build ing no. 335, accepted the Best building award. Col. Robert Meeker won t h Ebest single House award and George Feeney receive the Best duplex award. Mannheim Germany Spe Cial sgt. Maj. Bud e. Barney is the new seventh army communications come sergeant major replacing sgt. Maj. Thaddius Zbieg who has been assigned to v corps. Munich special eleven Munich american Elemen tary school no. 1 educator received certificates Here for completion of 10 years of service. Cited were John Murphy Harold Witte mrs. Charles Bobrick mrs. Eduard Kneifel mrs. George Koskoris Susanne Loerke mrs. Tho Mas Marshall Doris Moore Mary Muldoon m a r i 1 y Pfeifer and William Bringan. Defense come Hunts Talent for a sufi or Baum older Germany is personnel assigned to 32nd army air defense command Aad com who can sing dance play a musical instrument or perform in some other Way Are being sought for a touring Soldier show to be presented at Small Aad com Sites in Western Ger Many. Philip f. Arnoult Baum older special services entertainment director and spec. 4 Bob Pap Palardo Are directing the show which will be on tour for 40 has just finished a similar tour with april flow ers which played to More than 7,000 troops in 70 performances. Audition schedule auditions Are scheduled june9, Baum older service club no. 2, 8 . June 10, Giessen rive Barracks service club 8 . June 11, Schweinfurt Conn serv ice club 2 . June 11, Nuernberg service club 8 . June12, Stuttgart Kelly service club 12 noon june 13, Worms Tauk Kunen service club 2 ., and june 13, Kaiserslautern Vogel Weh service club 8 . Only members of the 32ndaadcom Are eligible to Audi Tion Arnoult said
