European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 26, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Beats we in Roe Sporish age 21 d Redlan Nomina new Ebi Boss Ige 4 d p1l fund raising Cri awed. Be 5 ers return to titanic Page the Storian writes authorized unofficial pubic atom vol. 46. No. 99 sunday july 26, 1987 d 8693 a stages might rep Beirut Lebanon a a pro Ira Nian lebanese militia Leader says shirt moslem kidnappers might take measures against Western hostages to support Iran against the United slates and franc Magazine reported saturday. J Hussein Muslawi Leader aft amal militia did Nolph toss what action might be a finn the hostages. Islamic Arnaut i Radical Shi Ilc group that by Sway from the mainstream headed by Justice minister5ih Berri. Amid re no cd a def s lab support nations. Primarily the Stales and France Over . Mill presence in he Gulf and a France Iran diplomatic dispute. Since March 1985, 26 westerners have been kidnapped in Lebanon. They arc believed held by iranian backed shiite Ealous. If it turned out 10 he necessary and in says the Ink re5t of the Irwin Iii against France and the United slates these parties kidnappers might take measures against he Western hostages Jusa i said in an interview with the weekly Nouveau mag Tatis Allied with Iran s estimated 3, Kex flu tonary guards contingent in ,-inorfcusclo5c lies with inc Radical faction in he or party of god Iran s main min wac see reprisals on page1 Navy ships arrive safely in Bahrain aboard the Kidd in the persian Gulf a three Navy warships arrived safely in Bahrain saturday after avoiding mines As they worked their Way through the persian frigate Crommelin the Cruiser Fox and the de Stroyer Kidd planned to tie up near the la Salic the Headquarters ship of the . Mideast task Force. All three ships were on the Lookout for mines a Day after the supertanker Bridgton hit a mine Asil and another Tanker were bin escorted o Kuwait by the Convoy. The tankers arc the first two of 11 kuwaiti tankers thai will be re flagged with the stars and stripes and protected by the Navy As they traverse the , the officer in charge of the three ship flotilla said mines made it extremely difficult for the Navy to operate in the War torn Gulf. One Ohhi things i do not have the capability to do is defend against mines said capt. David p. Yonkers the officer in charge of the flotilla. The mine is far and away the most difficult to defend against. I m very thankful now thai we managed to get out As for the future Yonkers said right now certainly i would t want to go Back through the area we were in As the ships moved South after spending lie night in Kuwait the Day was hot sunny and Calm. The temperature was 89 degrees shortly after Dawn and the sea was almost Flat with Waves Only a fool High. The wind was Only three knots. Inc ships were about a mile apart with the Croni actin leading because its sonar gear is better Able to select underwater mines those that Are moored to these Bottom and hang below the surface of the water. I was a moored mine that tin1 Bridgton hit. At one Point the Crommelin s sonar picked up u Contact from a Large underwater object that Navy offi cers decided probably was the remnant of an Oil Field Rig. The Convoy zigzagged around the three ships stationed mine watch Crews. Big cmdr. Daniel i. Murphy jr., Captain of the Kidd said. Our capability to spot a moored mine is very poor. The . Navy like All navies is designed for deployment of integrated forces he explained. We have capability in selecting mines both from helicopters and from minesweepers but we Don t have any of those things asked Why he answered i Don t the origin of the mine struck by the Fri Dimun a not yet been determined but Iran is suspected by .officials of having previously sown Minui in the main Gulf Channel leading to Kuwait. Other Ortii los said changes Aie possible because of the fact thai the Bridge Ion the Fin ship to he re flagged was damaged on its first trip. T think yesterday sort of changes things around said Ensign Pete Bramo of Greenwich Cinn "1 think some new decisions May be Ensign Andy Morris of Orlando. A. Said then is no Way an body can a we failed because the Bridgeton Hil the mine Arnu in with automatic Cru Punk i a. In lie Ivr it Ulf
