European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 22, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Inside stripes d go support funds May not be Cut Page 8 d Molitor Streak matches Cobb s Page 27 g plane s laps extended witness says Page 28 the Sims and stripes authorized unofficial publication Fob the 11,1armed. 46, no. 125 saturday August 22, 1987 d 8693 a american express loses key contract in Europe  staff writer american express Tost is bid to continue operating military Banks in Ger Many Holland and Greece on Friday ending a service that stretches Back to the close of world War ii. The contract awarded to merchants National Bank and Trust co. Of Indiana Polis a newcomer to the military banking scene is due to Lake effect in february of nest year. The change will affect 134 Banks. American express officials in Frank Furt confirmed losing the contract on Fri Day but Oft Rcd no other details. A Neucom spokesman maj. Dennis Pinkham. Said the contract change would not affect american express Banks in the United kingdom and Iceland. He said however that the new York based firm with about $600 million in assets has indicated that it plans to close out All of its military Banks by september of next year including those now serving the military in the Philippines South Korea and Panama. That announcement follows a remark made last month by american express vice preside no John Savirino who said his firm would not be interested in Mili tary banking without the Germany con tract which accounts for 70 percent of the Bank s military business. In a statement released Friday de sense Dupan Mcnol officials stressed that service at the overseas Hanks would continue uninterrupted. Other than a name change on checks and various account statements plus new automatic Teller machine cards Bank customers should be unaware of the change i he statement read an official of merchants National said that All american express employees would keep their jobs. Bomhard slow Var president of the Frankfurt chapter of the German Trade insurance and Bank workers Union had threatened a strike if present american express employees were not offered jobs by the new contractor. Merchants National was awarded a two year contract that carries an option for three additional years according to Pinkhan the Bank has assets ofed Bil lion and operates about 100 Branch offices throughout Indiana. The loss of the banking contract comes two years after american express was stripped of its military travel business in Europe and replaced by local German firms. Stafl Unior Chuck Voth conf Buim to this upon Dod creoles new Mideast task Force by Norman Black a military writer Washington api the Pentagon announced Friday it was placing All . Military units operating in the persian Gulf area under a new joint task Force Middle East and installing a two Star Navy Admiral As the on scene commander. The move disclosed thursday by Pentagon sources was described in a prepared statement As simply a sound management Slep to ensure the effective coordination and integration of our military forces inthe  this action was brought about because of increased presence and activities of . Forces in the area the statement said. The change will strengthen command arid control arrangements the Pentagon said the task Force would be commanded by rear adm. Dennis m. Brooks 52, a two Star Flag offi cer who is the commander of the Navy s Carrier group five. That unit is headquartered inthe Philippines. The defense department said Brooks would assume responsibility for the Navy s Middle East Force which operates inside the persian Gulf As Well As any other Navy Battle group positioned nearby to support . Convoy operations. At the moment the latter includes the aircraft Carrier Constellation which is operating in the Northern arabian sea and providing air cover or any convoys moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Another Battle group led by the battleship Missouri is sailing toward the Region. The Pentagon said Brooks would operate from one of the ships in the Region but it declined to say which one. The sources have said he probably will establish his com Mand Center on the aircraft Carrier. Despite the Pentagon s assertion that the move was see 000 on Page 28 three aging Navy mine Swet Para prepare to leave Seattle thursday for a reported trip to inc persian Gulf. 3rd Tanker Convoy makes Safe Gulf transit Manama Bahrain a the third Convoy of Reilag cd kuwaiti int ers and . Warships arrived safely at its destination off Kuwait Friday . Officials said. In Washington the Pentagon issued a statement saying the voyage from the Central persian Gulf was quiet and with the towns lid Gas Queen and Gas Princess were accompanied on the final leg of the transit by the de Jirayer Kidd the Cruiser Hawes and the frigate Kojak ring it said. The Pentagon declined comment on when the next Convoy operation expected to involve four Kuwait taken that have already been loaded with Oil would begin. Wind whipped Waves had held up the convolute thursday about 200 Miles South of Kuwait off the saudi arabian coast. In other developments Iran parliament speaker Hashemi Hafsa Flani said . Naval forces have made the persian Gulf insecure and he warned of an ail embracing War with the United Stales if Washington Chase confrontation. Iran sought no confrontation we i tic United Slatts he said but if the us Navy attacked the country the car ships would to targets for Iran. Iran acknowledged for the first Lime it was responsible for laying at least some of the mines thai have plagued earlier convoys and other shipping in the Gulf and adjoining Waters Iraq said its fighter bombers destroyed three iranian factories in air raids Friday resuming an air Cylc shr against Iran s i Onomy after a one Day Lull. The third convey of american warships sea Convoy on Page so