European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Inside stripes d there s a Silver lining for cafes Silver screen Page 2 d supreme court bans anti ethnic group Bias Page 4 d military buffs recall liberation of Metz Page 13 authorized unofficial Pau Cimon for vol. 46, no. 33 wednesday May 20, 19b7pkopaftmcd Force d 8693 a . Puts ships on Alert attack death toll hits 28 Washington not the Pentagon said monday thai 28 sailors were killed in an iraqi missile attack sunday night on a United suites Navy frigate in the persian Gulf. Related stories photos an Page 5. President Reagan after Morting with his top advis ers put american military vessels in the Gulf Region on a heightened state of Alert and protested the attack on the guided missile frigate Stark in the  american official said the iraqi attack seemed to be inadvertent. But White House spokesman Marlin Fitz water said that henceforth any iraqi or iranian aircraft flying in a pattern that indicates hostile intent will be fired Upert unless they provide adequate notification of their  in bail dead president Saddam Hussein of Iraq and milled thai iraqi planes were responsible for the at tack. Hussein sent a message to Reagan in which he said i Hope this unintentional Accident will not affect relations Between Iraq and the United states of Ameri  Fitzwalter said we feel this docs represent an apol  1984, when the War Between Iran and ing expanded to include attacks on naval target of other countries about 230 ships primarily Oil tankers have been hit by iraqi and iranian attacks. The attack on the Stark was the deadliest single strike. There were Many unanswered questions monday about Why the american triple was unable to defend itself against a French made exocet missile fired by one of two iraqi planes that tracked the vessel. The Stark was equipped with a highly sophisticated anti missile defense that is supposed to be Able to shoo Down an exocet. Pentagon officials said that the Stark knew it was being tracked by the iraqi plants and that it knew of the launching of the missiles at least one minute before Impact. The Stark apparently failed to take any defensive or retaliatory action even after it spotted iraqi warplanes the damaged Stork is assisted by tag while another us. Ship accompanies it in route to Bahrain monday. On its radar and selected the missiles. Apparently on of two sea skimming missiles hit the frigate on the port Side of the Bow. The Stark was being towed monday to the persian Gulf emirate of Bahrain 85 Miles Southwest of the site of the attack. The Pentagon said monday afternoon thai the Stark was about 60 Miles from port. The decision to increase the Alert status in the per Sian Gulf was made monday afternoon at a meeting of the National Security planning group a panel of the president s top National Security advisers. Reagan pre sided Over the meeting in the situation room of the White House according to Fitzwater. Fitzwater said Iran and Iraq which have been at War for seven years would be notified of the change in Alert status. Under the new rules an american vessel caught in a similar position in the future would presumably be Freer to defend itself More promptly. But it was unclear continued on Page 28 2 injured sailors flown to Germany for treatment Wiesbaden two sailors  8 missile attack on the guided missile frigate Stark were taken to the Wiesbaden air Fen regional medical Center Cany tuesday met being flown from Bahrain to Rhein main a Germany. The names and extent of injuries ithe pair were not released. Suffered bums  Stark in a i f Ethan Gulf sunday nig Nilia plans called for an air Force c to Ramstein a to the Lan Stuhl army regional Center said cmdr. Jerry Ryan a Eun Pean Corad  trim in i in in hiii1111 ill i nil severe red by military members in e Region but heavy fog forced the plane to Rhein main near Frankfurt where i landed at 3 39 . Twenty five members of the flying ambulance surgical trauma team from Wiesbaden an two surgeons from the me the medical team. Main a at 5 15 . Monday to sailors injured when the Slark was hit by a French made exocet missile fired by iraqi warplanes sunday in the persian Gulf. The team was headed by or. Col Robert a. Gilmore director of Hospital services at Wiesbaden. Ryan said he did to any with the two injured sailors or if some members remained in Bahrain. The Pentagon said monday 21 sailors la Rcd in the attack that killed 28 menn9ff�fcaniured. Four were la in ashore for Trempf lesser injuries and u were treated  to duly the associated press rep sell Wriler Paul Colby contrib Ltd to i relatives await word on the Fate of the Stark Crew from press dispatches Mayport naval station Fla. Navy chaplains climbed in cars and vans on monday and headed across the Jacksonville area and relatives of the Crew of the damaged frigate Stark braced them selves for the possibility that they might come calling. Jacksonville is Itic Home port of the Stark and 85 members of the ship s Crew have families living on or off the sprawling base where the St Johns River Emp ties into the Atlantic. The chaplains brought word of the dead and the wounded aboard the ship which had been hit by missile fired from an iraqi warplane. Everyone in the Navy is speaking a Little softer today said Navy chaplain William l. Perry. It s not important to personally know someone on the Stark. We All Wear the uniform and it s traumatic for All  there Are 34 warships and 18,500 military person Nel assigned to the Jacksonville area and word of the attack on the Stark was the worst single piece of bad news in this port since the casualty lists of the Vietnam War. There Are a lot of Guys who Are real Gung to and want us to retaliate against Iraq said Rusty love a Sailor on duty at Jacksonville. Bui there s too much diplomacy to consider before we ran Ott and Start shooting families of Crew members spent sunday night huddled by radios and television sets wailing for word of the damaged frigate and its Crew. The first news was that one Sailor was dead. That figure then Rose to three and by Early morning the base was alive with rumours. Then in mid morning came the official word a least 2& aboard the Stark were dead. Each ship has a wives club organized at the Home port. It is normally a group that sets together to placards or go Bowling to break the loneliness when men go to sea for six months at a time. On monday the Mark s wives club had another function. A lot of the wives have been together in group since Lait night said Perry. All they can do is wait. You have a feeling hat everyone is terribly fatigued sea relatives on Page 28