European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 18, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday May 18,1983 the stars and stripes pages weapons Cost Down for Start of 88 Pentagon says cutbacks pared $67.8 billion Tatj Norman Black a military Titch Washington the estimated Cost of the 95 major weapons programs thai underlie president Reagan s military buildup declined sharply during inc first Quarter of fiscal 1988 thanks to cancellations spawned by budget cuts the Pentagon said monday. A i the close of inc Quarter on dec. 31, he Penta gon said the 95 programs carried a combined Price tag of j7s7.25 billion Down  billion or 7.5 percent from inc adjusted Cpl. 30. 1987. Total of 1819.05 billion. The Pentagon Wiiri Fulcd Itie quarterly decline to inc cancellation or significant cutback of seven Dod  the programs were slashed in order to comply with fiscal 1988 spending limits adopted last fall in a Compromise deficit reduction package. Among the seven were production of Copperhead artillery rounds development and production of surveillance drone aircraft and development of a Jam proof High frequency radio system. Those cuts. Respectively saved s423.3 million si.3 billion and $4.4 billion. Also killed were the ground launched cruise mis Sile program and the satellite killing asat rocket. The cruise missile program was killed As a result of inc new arms agreement with the soviet Union barring such intermediate Range weapons with a savings of $154.3 million. The asat Rockol pro Gram was killed because of Congress refusal to allow additional testing of the device in space producing savings of t2. 5 billion. Also eliminated was inc midget min nuclear mis Sile program for a projected savings of $41.4 Bil lion. That savings is contingent however upon con Gressional endorsement. The new Cost estimates arc contained in the latest version of the selected acquisition  a congressionally required review of All major weapons programs. The reports Are designed to provide a Broad gauge of How Well the Pentagon is doing in managing its weapons buying. They do not reflect any change to a program unless there arc major schedule delays or an increase of Al least 5 percent in the Cost nor do they specify when the last year of buying Tor each weapon is scheduled. Reagan s doctor contradicts astrology claims Washington a president Reagan s physician is finding fault with former White House chief of Slaff Donald t. Regan s Book contending in a letter released this week that at in time was astrology consulted re Garding the president s Colon cancer surge re Regan s Hook fur the  published last Witk. Disclosed that Nancy Reagan can pulled an astrologer for help in determining the president s schedule. Although while House officials confirmed that the first lady had an interest in astrology they refused to Point to specific incidents where it was used. Of. Col John Hullon in a de tailed two Page idler said the subject of astrology never came up in the conversation he witnessed Between the president and first lady about the Tim ing of the cancer surgery. Hut Lon s Side of the Story came in a May 12 letter o time Magazine which printed excerpts of Regan s Book White House spokesman Hen Jar rail said time chose to use portions of Mutton s letter in an article rather than print it in full soil was released by the White House. Jarratt said Hulton did not Send the letter to Regan. Hut Lon noted that Regan s Book Dis cusses a conversation he had with the first lady before the president s july ims surgery in which she told him the surgery might have to be delayed for 11 Day and a half. Organ. In his Book said he was concerned by that comment. First. That president Reagan s condition wat More serious than his wife had been Able to Tell me Over the phone and second that the firs lady was choosing a Dale for surgery in consultation with her astrologer Regan wrote unfortunately or. Regan chose the second alternative As the most Likely and on this false Assumption pro Vides the Reader with the first Clement of incorrect information concerning an event he did not witness Button said in the letter. The physician an army colonel. Said that after an examination of the president s Colon on july 12, 1985, a Large suspicious mass or polyp was discovered four Sites were biopsied. And a presumptive diagnosis of can cer was  the president s team of doctors acc or. Col joint Hutton up Toio Ommon did hat the procedure he scheduled for the nem Day and inc first lady agreed thai we hould proceed As soon As possible Hulton wrote. Stutton said the first Tody asked in be the one to Tell the president and described the bedside it conc " Honey she began with great calmness the doctors have found a Large polyp that cannot he removed through the instrument colonoscopy and they need to perform an operation. And if they do it tomorrow you won t have to go through the Bowel preparation again " Hutton wrote. Even at the Prospect of an Opert lion he was Able to smile and calmly retorted you mean i can t have any dinner tonight. There was gentle laughter and the details of tomorrow were discussed in an orderly fashion. The president was in total agreement with our suggested recommendation. At no Lime was astrology consulted hut Lon wrote. The physician added i am sorry that or. Regan let conjecture occupy so much of his record for in is no More than conjecture that supports his opening example of the Point he so earnestly strives to prove san franc so a secs Navy of revise battleship port plan Washington Lap the mayor of san Francisco wants the Navy to re Vise its plans for Basing the balls ship Missouri in his City bul Navy Secretary William Ball rejected the idea. Hall told mayor Art Agnos that he expects the City to fulfil commitments made last year to help pay for dredging and facilities for the battleship or else the Missouri and its Battle group won t be coming to inc City a Navy spokesman said. Cmdr. Jeff Zakem the spokesman re leased a statement saying the fulfil ment by inc City and county of Sari fran Cisco of the commitments in the memorandum of understanding was Nec Essary in order to proceed with the Navy s plan for Hom Portinga battleship Battle group in san Francisco. Secretary Hall advised the mayor of his disappointment that the agreement nce Liali a in August l".7 would not be Honnick by the City. In the Navy s View the terms of the memorandum of under standing with the City were such that san Francisco and the Bay area would have received substantial economic benefits from Home porting Agnos told reporters he would like to see the Navy base the huge battleship at some other nearby port while placing the smaller escorts at a rebuilt Hunters Point shipyard As originally planned. The smaller warships would not re quire the extensive dredging needed for the battleship casing environmental con Cerns the mayor said. Moreover the City would like the Navy to renegotiate the memorandum of under standing so that a More balanced mix of Industry office and residential buildings can be developed us Hunters Point. The Navy has walked at that idea say ing the activation of a naval station there for the Missouri Battle group would not allow civilian businesses to stay but that the City would Benefit through the creation of new jobs and economic activity he s not anti Navy As some people have  Closi said. We want Hunters Point to be developed in an environmentally sound  Agnos assumed office on Jan 8, re placing Dianne fein slain Iwho had been a Strong proponent of Basing the ship in san Francisco. The Navy originally planned to gel the Missouri in san Francisco by 1990. Thai ski Odule has slipped because of congressional budget culs. Two workers killed in 12-Story fall Washington a two construction workers were killed monday when they fell from the lop of a 12-Story downtown building. Francis Middlecamp 57. Of Baltimore and Bruce Fahryn Holly m. Of Chesapeake Beach my were employed by the James Myers co. Of Bolti Villu md., and were working on the Penthouse of the building when they fell about 8 30 . Three other men who were working nearby told District of Columbia police they did not see what caused the two men to fall. Nicholas pow who was hosing Down the sidewalk in front of a neighbouring store said one of the men almost hit him. I could t do anything for Ihm he said. To support the Fleet. Pentagon officials who asked not to be named said the proposal by Agnos might kill for Good the assignment of a Battle ship Battle group to san Francisco. But reps Barbara Boxer. D-calif., and Nancy Pelosi d-calif., endorsed the mayor s efforts saying the Navy should consider a Compromise. I want to commend him for Laking a positive approach Boxer said in an interview. Sands of time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today., May 18. 1948 the United nations atomic Energy commission decided to end its two year Effort to agree on worldwide atomic control the Vole was 9-2. 30 years ago today. May 18. I9 8 the French government ordered All civil and military authorities to obey Only its orders when it found its authority  by Gen. Charles do Gaulle As Well As the insurgents in Algeria 20 years ago today. May it 1968 non i Vietnam refused any Compromise on inc Issue of a Complete Hall to the . Bombing. A stalemate in preliminary peace talks in Paris appeared Likely. 10 years ago Fodoly. May 18, 1978 George Wallace once a Symbol of segregationist resistance and four times a candidate for president ended his political career with a Surprise announcement that he would not run for the . Senate