European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 16, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday november 16, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 9 Staats Greuze s4s photo by Tony Nauroth from left to right Are spec. 4 Phillip Garcia pfc. Scott Tueckes and staff sgt. John late Haw standing with it. Col. Ted Cook near a Border sign on his last Border patrol. I wanted one last patrol on the Border Byton Nauroth Nuernberg Bureau Bayer sch Eisenstein Ger Many it. Col. Ted Cook turned his craggy face Square into the Bohemian Tirier he had t Felt its Cool dry biting Igor since his last tour of duty at the Czechoslovakia Border in 1966. Around him gnarled stumps and rough undergrowth littered the mountains of the bavarian Forest some i smiles Southeast of Nuernberg. In the Valley below he could see a military training Range used by the czech . On the next Hill workmen assembled the new intelligence gathering Tower at Polednik. It was shrouded in plywood to keep out prying Western eyes. After 21 years Cook was Back at the Border on patrol with soldiers of 3rd so 2nd  Cav regt working out of Camp May in nearby re gun. I wanted one last patrol on the Bor Der Cook said last week As he pulled a pair of  binoculars away from his eyes. I Learned my business Here. Wanted to come Back and spend time with the Border Cav cavalry. Cook is retiring in december As Dep Uty commander of the close combat vehicle Materiel Fielding team in Vil suck. His Job is to ease Usa eur units out of their old equipment and into new Abrams tanks and Bradley in Fantry fighting vehicles. He said he s not some old cavalry Man hanging up his spurs. I m not Here for a ride Down Mem Ory Lane the 45-year-old Soldier said. You won t get any Good Ole Days War stories out of  instead he just wanted to close out his career where it All began kind of like bookends he said. His Day began with the patrol s mis Sion briefing at 4 ., a pc combat inspection at 5 ., and a Flag raising in the Camp at 6  Then he headed out on a 12-hour patrol of some of the most rugged terrain along the East West Border. This is country where the Border Dis appears when the Snow Falls deep enough to cover the 5-fool-High pole marking the Frontier when the Bohe Mian wind rips the lips off you sol Diers say. It s where Border stories Fol Low a narrow Trace Between legend and fact and where fact is often strange. Take the Case of the czech Engineer who built a motorized lightweight plane and casually dropped in on the town of Roding last year. Or wednes Day s attempt by a Man whose escape across the Border was foiled by czech guards. He successfully tried again within hours Only a few Miles from his first attempt. Between bookends Cook will carry such stories with him when he retires in the nation s capital where he plans to pursue a second defense related career. Cook s combat service also embraces the cavalry. He was a troop commander in the 17th Cav with the 101st air borne div at Camp Eagle in the demilitarized zone in Vietnam. The division Eagle Patch on his right shoulder tells other soldiers he s a combat Veteran. Cook talked with a quavering rumble in his Best command voice. He stood erect with hands planted firmly on his hips a Man used to being in charge. But he caught himself when he began talking about my patrol. Correcting himself with tactful rephrasing or. A member of this  it was acknowledgement that despite his rank he was a guest under the Wing of patrol Leader staff sgt. John Latchaw of Akron Ohio. Cook was a bit stiff with the troops but he opened up in Brief episodes of camaraderie. Normally i would t be rapping with such a High ranking Guy said pfc. Scott Tueckes a mortar Man from Pitts Burg Calif. Tueckes noted that Cook recognized the places they took him. He must have been on a lot of patrols Back then he said. The lieutenant colonel could t re member How Many patrols other Nan to say a  but he said the country reminded him of his youth in Arizona when he went on patrol in the grand Canyon with his Forest Ranger father. Cook stood next to a jeep with the rest of the patrol. They slurped hot Noodle soup to Brace themselves against the Nippy dusk rolling in from the East. Ice had formed in the tire tracks where previous patrols had come to keep tabs on Polednik Tower. Cook looked around. You know these Guys Are Tough and they re doing a Tough Job a lot like we were Back then. Not much has  certain superficial changes were of different uniforms updated equipment even a new hotel like recreation Center with its not yet connect cd television satellite dish out front attest to change in the Camp. Back in 1965, Cook did t even have the White and Blue Coles to help Mark the  on the right Side of the Border was All a matter of Good memory. And even today when the Bohemian win brings deep Snow memory is the Only navigator on this poorly marked fron tier. But Cook was t talking about the physical changes there. He was talking about  have no doubt that Usa eur is still in Good hands he said letting his command stiffened Frame relax for uneasy moment. He looked at the other patrol members and added i m in the company of  this old Warrior was Here for the very reason he stated to put the other Bookend on the right hand Side of the shelf that holds the chapters of his career in place. He said if there is one scene out of this final chapter he would remember it will be the 6  Raising of the Flag when he was Given the privilege of promoting Richard Salgado tothe rank of sergeant in the . Cavalry. Third so Border officer 1st it. Mark Criviston put Cook s desire to return in a larger perspective. You know once you become a lieu tenant colonel you Don t really have any soldiers you can Call your own Criviston said. You begin to lose touch with the troops. Colonel Cook just wanted to reach out and touch the troops one More  Texas motorcyclist leads police on wild Chase Georgetown Texas up a 20-year-old Man astride a motorcycle led about 15 police vehicles on a 120-Mph Chase before being brought to a halt by a glancing collision with an ambulance authorities said. Charles d. Coppodge was held saturday in the Williamson county jail in lieu of More than $1.500 Bond on multiple charges plus fines for numerous traffic offences a Jailer said. They included driving with a suspended Driver s License reckless driving fleeing from a police officer speeding travelling inc wrong Way on a one Way Street and failing to have proof of liability insurance she said. Police said Coppodge told them he was speeding to Austin to file a form required for him to regain his suspended Driver s License. Trooper Rudy Aleman of the Texas department of Public safety said he clocked copped go s 1985 Yamaha at up to 120 Mph along interstate 35 Friday morn ing and that at one Point Coppodge leaped the median on his motorcycle and sped South along the shoulder of the northbound lanes to dude officers. Some 15 vehicles from the Dps the Williamson county sheriff s office and round Rock and George town police tried to overtake the motorcycle during the 16-mile Chase which was stopped at last by a Quick thinking ambulance Driver authorities said. The Driver backed his ambulance into the path of the Bike As it slowed while exiting from the interstate in round Rock just North of Austin and the motorcycle struck the larger vehicle police said