European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 24, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday August 24, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 9 taps first enlisted paratrooper Dies in Georgia at 71 Columbus a. A William n. Red King has died48 years after becoming the nation s first enlisted paratrooper. King who died saturday at the age of 71, was the first enlisted Man out of the air plane on aug. 16, 1940, when the . Army s Parachute test platoon made its initial jump Over fort Benning near followed it. William t. Ryder out of the plane Accord ing to Terri Floyd of the fort Benning Public affairs office. King was supposed to be the second jumper among the enlisted men but he told an interviewer in 1982, the Guy ahead of me i won t say his name would t so after the other trooper was pulled from the door. King stepped in and dropped out of the converted bomber circling above fort Benning s Lawson used to Call him the spartan because he was t afraid of the Devil himself. After he made that jump the others said the spartan did it we have to do it " his wife Mildred once said. Everybody in there was scared or rather anxious but when that Guy froze up i wanted it More said King who retired As a master sergeant in 1960. King jumped into Normandy on a Day and into Holland wit the 506th Parachute infantry regiment of the 101st airborne. King was a member of the 50-Man test platoon formed to become the United states paratroops. The army decided to form the platoon after watching Germany use paratroops Dur ing their invasions of Belgium Norway and France. The 50 men mostly athletes were culled from 200 members of the 501st in of the 29th inf which later became the 1st airborne in. They were put through two months of secret training in several night before the first practice jump the men Drew num Bers from the helmet of Lemuel Pitts of Columbus to decide the order of the jump. Pitts said the unnamed private would t sell the no. 1 ticket for any Price. King Drew no. 2 and Pitts no. 3. Survivors include King s wife a son and a sister. Former Walter Reed chief Dies of cancer at 56 Washington a maj. Gen. Lewis Apsey Mologne an army physician who became the commander of Walter Reed army medical Center died of cancer monday at Walter Reed. He was 56.Mologne in 1983 took Over administration of Walter Reed the military s Central Hospital facility in Washington and he was credited with restoring morale following a period in which three com Manders had left within five years. He was twice awarded the distinguished service medal for his leadership at Walter Reed. When Mologne became commander Walter Reed and the military medical establishment had been plagued by reve lations about incompetent physicians inaccuracies in drug testing the theft of drugs and unpaid instituted new procurement systems streamlined paper work worked with City police on the drug theft problem an reorganized the military s urinalysis Laboratory at fort Meade , who was born in mount pleasant pa., retired from the military on aug. 1.he graduated from the . Military Academy at West Point n.y., and was commissioned in the army corps of engineers. Heals graduated from the airborne school at fort Benning a. He was a company commander in Korea As a Young officer before resigning from the army to attend medical school at the University of Pittsburgh. He was commissioned in the army medical corps after graduation and later worked As a surgeon administrator and medical professor. His posts included chief surgeon and Deputy commander a Fitzsimmons army medical Center in Colorado and head of the army medical come in South Korea. He was chief of medical corps affairs and professional services director in the . Surgeon general s office from 1982 until he became com Mander at Walter include his wife Rose Marie. Fire scorching Yellowstone National Park leaves powdered Ash and charred logs in its Wake. Army National guard hit fire lines to Battle blazes by the associated press soldiers were ordered to fire lines to bolster firefighters struggling against stubborn blazes in Yellowstone National Park while weather conditions helped in the fight against the nation s top priority fire. The Yellowstone fires have blackened350,000 acres in Wyoming and Montana. In Idaho National guardsmen were called outto help attack a 700-acre fire. Cooler temperatures and relatively Light winds monday helped firefighters Battle the 37,000-acre warm Springs Creek Forest fire Southeast of Helena Mont. The 2-week-old fire which damaged 13homes and threatened scores of others was the . Bureau of land management s no. 1priority monday said Jack Wilson the Agency s top official at the inter Agency fire Cen Ter in Boise Idaho which coordinates fire fighting resources Blaze in the rugged Elkhorn mountains was burning in Only a Tew spots inside the fire lines monday evening and Crews hoped to contain it by tuesday night said fire information officer Bob Krepps. A fire is contained when it is surrounded by a fire line. Some of the 2,900 firefighters might be sent Home tuesday he said while those remaining would continue mopping up by dousing hotshots that could flare up if winds kicked up. In Wyoming Yellowstone National officials directed More than 600 soldiers to the Park s fires on the Eastern Edge of the 157,000-acre Clover Mist fire and to stall it spread into commercial areas of the Shoshone National infantrymen who arrived monday from fort Lewis wash., also would work to keep the fires from reaching Montana s Cus Ter National Forest said Park spokeswoman Joan Anzelmo. Things Are generally quiet which is a Good sign she said. But the forecast is calling forwarder temperatures drier conditions and a potential for higher on the Clover Mist Blaze firefighters monday made Good Progress on All fire lines preventing it from moving closer to the Montana towns of Cooke City and Silver Gate 3 Miles to the North said help from the weather Yellowstone s South Entrance remained closed monday forcing visitors to travel about 150 Miles to the West in trance. Three other entrances also remained open officials said. Several spots near the Southern Entrance were closed including the Grant Village area which contains a hotel Campground visitor Center an Park staff facilities and the Norris Madison and Lewis Lake campgrounds. The Pebble Creek Campground on the North Ern Edge also was closed. In Western Yellowstone flames from the91,700-acre North Fork fire destroyed 10 Power lines on sunday and Crews spent monday wrap Ping Power lines with protective material removing excess fuels and hosing Down buildings around Southeast Montana flame retardant was dropped by air to keep a fire in Kirby from Burn ing a ranch Home 6 Miles South of Birney said Don Kendall of the department of state lands. Crews hoped to contain the 12,000-acre rang and Timber fire tuesday and had been working monday night to put out hot spots Kendall said. Meanwhile officials at Yellowstone National Park said fires there posed no immediate threat to residents of Cooke City and Silver Gate. The two Southern Montana towns Are on the Northeast Border of the Park and just South of the Absaraka Bea tooth wilderness. But As a precaution some Crews were Clear Ngout fuels from around the towns officials said. In Idaho gov. Cecil Andrus authorized on monday use of two dozen National guard Mem Bers to help control a 700-acre Eagle bar fire near Hells Canyon dam North of guardsmen were dispatched monday to provide transportation and other support for Crews working to Stop the fire in West Central Idaho s Payette National Forest. Aquino guarantees Marcos safety if he returns Manila Philippines a presi Dent Corazon Aquino said tuesday she would guarantee the safety of Ferdinand Marcos if philippine courts allow her ousted predecessor to come Home from self exile in Hawaii. Aquino told philippine reporters that if necessary she would Send her military chief Gen. Renato de Villa to fetch Marcos at the Airport. In the event that or. Marcos is Al Lowed by our courts to return. We will expect adequate Security she said. On monday Aquino s chief aide executive Secretary Catalino macaraig said the government still opposes a mar cos return. Macaraig said Marcos ene Mies Here might try to kill him an blame it on the it will not happen because if it is necessary for the chief of staff himself going there and escorting him then i will do that Aquino said. Five years ago the president s Hus band sen. Benigno Aquino jr., was assassinated under military escort at the Manila Airport moments after returning from three years of self imposed exile in the United states. Forty people most of them soldiers Are on trial for the slaying. The assassination galvanized the opposition an paved the Way for the uprising that toppled Marcos in 1986 and propelled Aquino to the presidency. Aquino had refused to allow Marcos to return from Hawaii where he fled after the 1986 uprising. But last week the anti graft court looking into Marcos financial dealings said the former Leader had the right to Cross examine a former Cabinet minister scheduled to give a deposition next no vember if the statement was to be used As evidence in any future criminal trial. Marcos a lawyer said he would de Mand the right to conduct his own de sense. Aquino has said she would abide by the decision of the anti graft court if it rules unequivocally that Marcos can re turn
