European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 27, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday. December 27. 19b6 the staffs and stripes Page 3 photo Lor 5as by Spe Lilan Wirtz Ollil a Svirik family member with them makes the Leasim Brijil Herr and so. Robert Beebe Frijo steam Eaf Ilc j christens parly with Mif Hlor Jessica i. And Ife Cindy. Border guards also serve As super trousers h fam Hiil i i ii i to hts i Moe 310 girds a i a set up an observation i ii l. I ii skill mat Idalo by on this ii i link passing for a motor Pool. N Cit Rimini us cars inc Bradley out la just More la m nil from Craw Ford s position then comes the Tinnie responsible for stealing Echo a s Christmas his year in the person of sit. Sti Phon Lewis. Permanently to phoned ill Harris bar. Racks he s responsible for quiz ing the sol Diers on Border and soldiers skills and evaluating their Clitoris. He s also 13 Days Short of returning in tort kno i by. And enjoys his Job 10 the Hill after 18 uts Lewis said Christmas morning about being in the cavalry it Kinda gets in your s no such thing As Short in the Usu nit cd Suici army. A Soldier Juil moves Lewis watches the commotion then moves to Crawford s position. He asks Crawford who put him there and if he has an m-60 or m-103 sight on his m-60 machine gun trying to Riek Crawford. The 21-year-old Laredo Texas native answers both questions to Lewis satisfaction. Then trouble hits. Sec. Grinch Lewis notices Crawford does t have a Field jacket on or cold weather boots. "1 left my Field jacket in the Barracks because i was in ,1 hurry and my boots Are in the Bradley Crawford explains. Grinch in t pleased by this and cells Crawford so. Things go from had in worse As Lewis catches Crawford on Oiher Points. Wha other kinds of trash you got in them pockets Lewis asks. He finds a Check Book. What s this it s not garbage to Crawford an Swers. That s trash. To Grinch chastises. Gas Crawford reaches for his mask but after two seconds Grinch Lewis tells Crawford Lay Down you re Heath is instructed to administer Aid to Crawford As a nerve agent casualty. Lealh. I univ wife is pregnant and Hack in the suits May Hase his mind on other t Lii is this holiest of nights. Ii.1 he irouhl1 pulling on the mask and Aii Nim Isk Rini Lite nerve agent. Lew is explains what he s doing Riino. In h c rat turd he s dead again and shows Jim tit an easier method for administering the antidote syringe. Then Thealen is Over. Nunu i Maneu vers tie Bradley Hack across the fro in Tundra to he motor Pool us Crawford starts teasing Heath. Photo Lor ski by spec Brian win Cpl Gino Crawford Why d of want to kill me for it s Christmas Vou la get Over it. leu in says with a chuckle. I did. . He Al ready said you were dead. There s Noth ing i could have done in Linne you Hack from the this is just another night for the a Linoir in soldiers of Echo co. This one Hap pens to he the night before Christmas for these soldiers responsible for patrolling the East German Border near Coburg. Once Back in the Barracks the soldiers Are surprised to be relieved Fram the re actionary1 Force for two hours while an other group assumes the Mission. This is so Gino s squad can go around to the neighbouring towns within a mile of Kar Ris Barracks to sing Christmas carols. It s past 9 . Gino Crawford s squad has been on standby for 240 hours Over the past ii Days with just 14 hours off to Shower and change clothes. They hate to live and sleep in Lull uniform always ready to blow out within 15 minutes. If they have to sing to gel out of Harris Barracks bring out the songbooks and they la raise their voices on High. I the singing started a couple of Days ago Crawford said Guyot 7. Pic Leslie Zeleznikar and me got to Gether and started singing then we got Fife. John Fuller our platoon sergeant to join in. From there it snowballed with everyone out in the Hall singing. We wanted to do it for the dependents com ing up on Christmas the Christmas songs the Choirboy sol Diers try Are less than perfect both in Content and style. We Sal Down and tried to remember All the words to the songs. What sounded Best we used so it s not exact. Some we voted on Crawford explains. In one Small town a lady wants 10 sing along to Jingle she knows the refrain but Laa de Daas the chorus. Two German trumpeters join in despite temperatures dropping into the teens and making it rough for Trie Mouth pieces on their lips. The Choirboy soldiers of Echo co. Sinai in Good spirits but hit some notes too High some Loo Low. On the Back of the Ducc anti a half As they Roll toward a Remote ammunition Center to sprig carols for other troops they try to w Arm the Jack Frost out of their toes by singing and stamping their feet. It does t work. Soldiers ill Ike ammo Post leave the radio open 10 a guard lower so the sol Diers on guard who can t come in from their posts can hear. In genuinely touches the soldiers on guard who Are bewildered yet Happy about inc unannounced s still some worry in the choir. Notes Are still Tco High some still Loo Low. Guyot separated from his wife and daughter is worried about singing for inc family members. Being the Echo co class Clown. He won t say it in so Many words but it s obvious this Means a lot to him. After a Gigantic Christmas Day dinner served by staff set. Ricky Mccarroll s staff in the dining facility everyone troops to the scrounge lounge on the fourth floor. The officers and non commissioned officers have taken Over the Alert and Border patrol duties for part of the Day so the Lowern listed Soldier can enjoy As much of the Christmas spirit thai is possible in this situation. Family members arrive from Ascham Funburg hearing gifts letters smiles hugs and More than a few tears. Cookies Are on the table John Wayne is chasing after injun on the video. It s a Border duty kind of Christmas. John Wayne is turned off when the choir troops in. They launch into Rudolf the red nosed no Waal huh Waal huh of the Alert Horn in this chorus. The songs Don t come out too High they Don t come out too Low. Everything s just right. Wives and children sing along. They finish with silent night the last two lines reflecting the responsibility heir Mission bears for the Western world. See we in a a it iffy peace. Gino and the Orcsi of the choir Lake their bows then troop Back downstairs to prepare for another Alert. Christmas or any other Day they have to be ready to blow out in is minutes
