European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 19, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes letters monday. September 19,1388 readers comment on air show tragedy even before the Ramstein tragedy 1 had always been sceptical about the military value of air shows in general and precision flying teams in particular. I had always wondered whether the enormous expenditure of human lives and Money provided anywhere near corresponding benefits to America or its air Power. I am Well aware of the arguments by proponents of these amusements recruiting Public relations maintaining elitist formations Etc. However 1 have remained unconvinced that objective data can Ever corroborate these claims. How Many people do enlist in the Navy or the air Force Only because they saw the Blue Angels or the thunderbird a docs the Broad consensus of support among Ger mans for american presence in Germany rest in any part on the fact that they can go out to a base eat ice Cream and ooh and aah Over Aerial acrobatics i suspect that in both cases the truth is that people arc much deeper than we give them credit for and arc not affected in any lasting manner by such diversions. Most people including myself support the military for reasons far More profound than attraction to Flash and tinsel my reluctant admiration for the air Force is enhanced More by the sight of that old Goroncy Bird and what it stands for sitting in front of Rhein main than by All the glitzy air shows the air Force could Ever put on. Further when i was in the military during the pleistocene Era the Selim ends thai induced me to join voluntarily were far deeper than an attraction to slums. Even pulling aside for the moment the deeply sad Dening Issue of civilian casualties the military Gam has never outweighed the Cost. The italian air Force flying learn since ils founding in the 1930s, has Long been considered one of the Best in the world. Thus nato lost three of us Best pilots in one Day. For what whal hurts is that All of the Young men squandered during these displays were the Best in the world. The Bloodbath at Ramstein Only confirmed my own misgivings about the military value of Public precision displays. The air Force lawyers and brass will say that inc tens of millions of dollars in claims to be paid arc a Cost of doing on the other Side there will now be a formidable Public outcry based on emotion and visceral anti americanism led by Germany s political opposition to eliminate these displays. Although i yield to nobody in my contempt for West Germany s socialists and greens in this Case they Are right for the wrong reasons. Let the decision on whether to eliminate these shows be based on an objective analysis which i feel will support the thesis. Let s get Back to the basics a Duse the military budget for military ends strength readiness and training. Michael Corum Wiesbaden West Germany i wrote this on the Day after inc Ramstein a disaster and i wish to take a possibly unpopular position the defense of base open houses and air shows. These events give the general Public and taxpayers a Chance to see inc hardware that their tax Money has purchased. It s one thing to read about billions of Dol Lars spent on defense it s another to actually see for Yoursco Whai those billions Are spent on. Aerial demonstrations show the taxpayers How the hardware performs and the skills of those who have been trained to use it again a Money spent on training. I am stationed at Ramstein a but did not attend he last air show. I maintain the above mentioned hardware so i gel to see it in use on a daily basis. When he West German government put a Stop toll future air shows it shut out its constituents from seeing for themselves what their tax Money is buying. On the other hand i am deeply saddened at the loss of life and injuries sustained in the disaster. My Pray ers Are with the victim and their families. But let s not let these emotions Cloud the fact that the taxpayers want to see that they Are getting their Money s Worth for the tax Money that governments Lake out of their wages. Think about it. Name withheld Ramstein a West Germany Many things have been said by people on he Street in he newspapers and on some local to programs about he tragedy at Ramstein a. I was sorry to see that some of my fellow germans instead of mourning demonstrated in the streets carrying posters like the ones they used during demonstrations prior to the Ramstein air show. Sometimes it really seems As if some people arc trying to use a tragedy like the one at Ramstein for political purposes. I am an employee of the american forces in Europe my american friends and Many limes it really Breaks my heart. Especially when one hears on the radio that a gentleman like the German administrative District presi Dent is now being attacked because he encouraged All germans to attend the Ramstein air show. His recommendation was meant to further improve the German american relation in our country. Please let me thank All of the German and american Rescue workers who accomplished a tremendous task on the Day of the tragedy. And a thank you to the american ambassador to Germany or. Burt for his warm and comforting words during the Ramstein memorial service. Peter Martin Sohrn West Germany in Light of inc criticism of the Rescue efforts to Aid the survivors of the Ramstein air show disaster one quote sums it up most eloquently it is not inc critic who counts nor the Man who Points out How inc Strong Man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the Man who is actually in the area whose face is marred by dust and Seal an blood who strives valiantly who errs and comes Short again and again who knows great enthusiasms great devotions who spends himself in a worthy cause who at the Best knows in the end Ai the worst i fac fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither Victory nor attributed to Theodore Rosscell Barbara Lukesh Johnson Ramstein West Germany i could t wait Roget Home and get my writing Tablet and pen after Reading a recent article concerning the Ramstein disaster. I was appalled by the statements or. Roderick Klosch made about the dozens of people who risked their i i Vaslo save and Aid people who were injured during the tragedy 1 was outraged when he said and i quote if we have to work with americans again we will be in the same i would like to let or. Klosch review my training records and see the training 1 receive year in and year out such As buddy care thai we never use until some thing like this happens. 1 am sure every other military person s record reads the same. Most people who were there probably never use this training and in the midst of this devastating Acci Dent acted on impulse. How can his Man Call this neglect i am not a Doc Lor but i know persons with severe Burns need to destabilized and transported As soon As possible to a medical facility for proper care. My wife and i went to lands Lul to donate blood and Sec what we could do. We saw military police in civilian clothes with gun belts on in the streets doing what they could do. Doctors and nurses hustled to give Aid and prepare for More injured. We saw More than 600 people line up to give blood to help the victims i saw members of a military Community who Proba Bly have never seen one another band together and act As a whole. In our Laid Back time of peace i often wondered what would happen if a War or disaster of this sort took place. And you know in made me proud to be an american and prouder even to be a part of this Mili tary Community i would like to express my deepest sympathies to Al the victims of this tragedy. I think a big Pat on the Back needs logo out to All the Unsung heroes and to the medical people who worked night and Day without complaint to save human lives German and american alike. And to the Ramstein no who broke into lean this one s for you. Sgt. Richard a. Chapman a West Germany this letter concerns the recent tragedy at Ramstein. I can t express the deepest sympathy that i feel for involved individuals and their families. Al was t enough thai adults were injured but help less children whose lives were just beginning As will All have to live with what we saw read or heard for the rest of our lives. Soon the Story will die Down but we will never forget what look place on hat particular sunday. There has been a lot of Media attention about the Accident that killed or injured hundreds of spectators but i direct attention to those who came to Thea id of the victims. The ambulance Crews military police doctors and nurses the list could go on and on. A Point to be made is a very terrible disaster Cre ated a Chain of human hands blood donations were needed badly by the second hour after the crash the red Cross was turning peo ple away. Spectators who were Lucky enough to survive the explosion were running to help the injured. Volunteers went to clinics and different stations around the base to assist with tasks Large or Small. Again the list could go on and on. I just want to say thank you to everyone who helped. From the individuals on the scene to the ones who were at Home praying for the injured ii is this kind of pulling together that makes our world a truly great one to live in. Even though i was Lucky enough not to have lost family member or a personal Friend who knows Many who lost their lives May have become my friends. Tammy l. Collins Zweir Flucken a West Germany a writer describes his image of a Soldier 1 read a recent letter in which the writer thought thai actors were belter suited to perform military duties than those who serve their country i have another image of a Soldier. The greatest gift Ever Given. When inc lord wants to change a situation he has a great method he changes people and changed peo ple change situations these changed people Are our soldiers. They Are inc reason Why the Watt is in Europe and nol in Texas or any other slate. Our men and women give up Home and civilian life to keep us free. What i feel a Soldier should mean to the average american and does mean to me is this first of All they give me reasons to count my blessings. I can Praise my god the Way i desire. I and 1 alone decide who and what i m to become in life. 1 Don t need permits to travel from state to stale or to stay out past 10 o clock Al night. I can watch my children grow knowing that they through their own efforts can reach for inc stars and succeed our soldiers Kep America Furcel consider whal they Are Worth. They arc nol actors they can never be replaced by actors. They gel Little pay for what they Are willing to give. A rare object made by a master craftsman is Worth a Fortune. Our soldiers Are made by the greatest Mas Ter of All there s no other just like each Soldier and that makes them the rarest of All made by the great est master of All god. The word is priceless let s Lalk about giving. The Soldier always gives the extra mile just ask them at 5.55 . They leave their Homes thousands of Miles away their babies grow Leam to walk talk and do All inc other baby things a Parent would love to Sec but they re Here doing their duty for you anime. From private to general they All Are willing to give the greatest gift or All open your Bible. They Are willing to give their lives. Actors you be got to be kidding. Pfc. Billy Wurzburg West Germany
