European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 4, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Inside stripes d census Battle still not Over Page 2 d Jackson to push minority planks Page 5 d the Boss rocks Europe Page 17 d 4 options listed for strengthening nato Page 28 the stars an stripes authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces vol.47, no.78 monday tuesday july4/5,1988  d 8693 a . Ship shoots Down iranian passenger Jet Washington a a Navy ship in a proper defensive action shot Down an Iran air passenger Jet sunday Over the persian Gulf during clashes with Ira Nian gunboats president Reagan said. Defense department officials said . Command ers believed they were engaging a hostile military air Craft that had ignored multiple warnings. Related Story photo on Page 3. Iran s official islamic Republic news Agency said the plane a commercial Airbus 300 carrying 290 Pas sengers from Iran to Dubai was hit by two . Mis Siles and that All aboard were presumed dead. That would make it the sixth worst disaster in aviation his tory. President Reagan said the shooting occurred during proper defensive action after the Jet headed for the guided missile Cruiser Vincennes As the ship was engaged in a Battle with iranian gunboats in the Strait of Hormuz the entryway to the Gulf. He promised a full investigation. He called the incident a terrible human tragedy and said we deeply regret any loss of  the statement was read by his spokesman Marlin Fitzwa Ter. Irna said eyewitnesses on Henham Island and iranian military forces in the persian Gulf All clearly saw the passenger plane hit by two surface to air mis Siles fired by the american  the Jet Iran air flight 655, was on a routine 150 mile flight Between Iran s coastal City of Bandar Abbas and Dubai in the United Arab emirates Irna said. Tehran radio also monitored in Cyprus said 10% Cut in families abroad advocated by Senate panel America s crime today in Downing an iranian Airbus is. New evidence of american crimes and mischief crimes which expose America s nature More than Ever  the Gulf air corridor is one of the world s busiest despite the hazards of flying Over the waterway where Iran and Iraq have been at War for nearly eight years. Admiral William Crowe chairman of the join chiefs of staff said there had been a visual sighting As the missiles hit the Craft and that witnesses saw  Crowe defended the action saying the suspect aircraft was outside the prescribed commercial air Cor Ridor. More importantly the aircraft headed directly for the Vincennes on a constant bearing at High Speed approximately 450 knots. A warning was sent see Jet on Back Page by Chuck Vinc Washington Bureau Washington a key Senate panel reflecting a growing consensus in Congress that a Large number of Ameri can non combatants overseas hurts . Combat capabilities is calling for a Cut of10 percent in the number of family Mem Bers overseas by 1991. The defense department supports More than 413,000 family member abroad nearly one for every Active duty service member stationed in a for eign country according to a report on the Senate appropriations committee syersi9n of the fiscal 1989 defense fund ing Bill. The total is an increase of almost39,000 since 1980, the report said. In the . European come there are321,173 service members and 314,355 no paper tomorrow there will be no newspaper to Morrow because of the july fourth Holiday. The stars and stripes will resume printing wednesday. Today we doubled up on the comics pages 10, 11 and part of 12 and crosswords Page 20 so you won t miss your favourites during the break. We wish you a Happy fourth. Family members. Also in Neucom Are the families of 113,224 defense depart ment civilian employees. Their safety the significant resource needed to evacuate them and the Overall Cost of maintaining their presence Over seas especially in a period when the Dol Lar is declining rapidly Are All major con Cerns the report said. While recognizing that family separa Tion can be a serious military morale problem lawmakers question the Penta gon s ability to evacuate family members overseas in the event of War and wonder about the effect on deployment time of .  would be evacuated along the same railways roads and Aerial ports that . Forces would need to use for transport the committee report said. Further the need to ensure families Are Safe would put a tremendous Strain on the ability of . Troops to rapidly  committee wryly noted that soviet forces attacking under such a scenario would not be faced with this problem since they largely do not have dependents accompanying  military officials say that current non combatant evacuation plans Are Ade quate and. Would not interfere with mobilization or deployment. They also say that forcing Large numbers of personnel to take Long unaccompanied Tours Over seas would Hurt  action recommended by the committee includes Banning appropriated fund support for family members overseas beyond fiscal 1987 Levels and see Cut on Back Page a photo the Beijing Boogie to the Delight of onlookers a Young american embassy in Beijing. The chinese guest gets into the spirit of youngster was inspired by american the annual fourth of july party at the Rock music. Story on Page 28.