European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 9, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday. March 9, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 5 Gao raps Navy training procedures report says lapses caused recruits deaths Washington a a i9.ycar-old Navy re Cruit died during training in 198s because he was intimidated because the service neglected safely proce dures and because higher ups pressured Tow facility to turn out More graduates congressional investigators said tuesday. And the general accounting office said the recruit Lee Mirecki of apply Len. Wis. Was not the Only Sailor 10 die from such lapses in Navy training schools around Itic country in the Las two years. Investigators said safely problems contributed to live of 16 deaths in Navy training programs in 1986 and 1987. The Gao said sonic flaws remain.  Agency said panicked during a swim Ming Pool Drill known As Sharks and daisies .in1 which swimmers Musl tree themselves from an instructor who Simula i is a drowning person and grabs the recruit from behind. Mirecki a i counselled Given a medical Examina Tion and found not physically qualified for the course because of a phobia of Heing held underwater. Respite the findings he was enrolled in the class a second nine and forced into the Pool again the Gao said Mirecki left the Pool and clutched an equipment Ruck shouting i quit and please Don t put me Back in the water. Bui instructors dragged him Hack to the Pool. He struggled and was eventually pulled out unconscious hut could not be revived. An autopsy led authorities to believe Mirecki died of heartbeat irregularity caused by extreme fear fatigue and insufficient oxygen. The school s Lead instructor was found guilty by a general court martial of negligent homicide demoted and confined for 90 Days. Eight others associated with the class were Given administrative punishments including demotions and reprimands. Rep. Toby Roth r-wis., who requested the investigation along with other members of the state s con Gressional delegation called Mirucki s death a tragedy waiting to happen.". This Gao report is a Catalon of failures by the Navy which led to Tec Mirecki death and others Roth told a news conference. He vowed to Sec that the remaining problems Are re solved and asked vice adm. John s. Disher head of the. Service s training system,.to  of recruits who died in framing to Tell them what really  the Gao said it had discussed its findings with the Navy and reported thai officials generally agreed and were receptive to suggestions on How  training safely and death and mishap  Roth said he believed the Navy initially covered up the reason for Mirucki s death thinking this would go away like so Many other cases in the  but the persistence of Mirucki s family and classmates. Roth said brought the truth to Light. The Gao said that some  bin made at the school the Sharks and daisies Drill has been dropped. Instructors Are better trained. Safety equipment is kept by the swimming Pool there Isa clearer policy regarding students rights to drop out of a course. Bui the Gao said that there remains great pressure on students hot to drop out of a course because it is made Clear to them that doing so will adversely affect their careers and Thill there still is no system to Alert instructors to students with a history of problems. The Bottom  Roth Saidis thai Navy instructors still Are not trained to conduct High risk training and that students still  screened to make sure. They can handle the  in Mirecki s Case. Roth pointed to Gao findings thai he had untrained and  instructors and was prevented from dropping Mil because of pres sure  school to increase Ibe number of graduates in turned Oul. The Gao also faulted in a Navy  investigation of Mirecki s death saying the service does t always investigate such deaths As thoroughly As it should in addition the investigators wrote that Llic ability of these  As presently conducted to identify and address safety issues is questionable girl who received heart of admirer Dies in sleep san Francisco a Donna Ash lock Ihc-li.fiv4gcr.-Wno received a dead admirer s heart when her own failed died in exile edly in her sleep tuesday while awaiting second transplant Ashlock. 17. Died around noon at her Home in the ventral California town of Patterson said Jim Cullen a spokesman for Pacific presbyterian medical Center in san Francisco where the first trans Plant was performed. Her death today conies As a severe Shock said or. Andrew Fryer the girl s . Donna was seen by us last  and was in pretty Good shape Fryer said at a news conference. He said her condition recently was very stable and described the girl As being cheerful and i Good spirits.  we Reni certain what caused her death Fryer suspected cardiac Sands of time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. March 9. 1949 William  broke All non Stop Long distance n my records for Small planes when he landed his single engine monoplane til a new Jersey air on after a 5,000-mile flight from Honolulu. 30 years ago today. March 9, 1959 the National aeronautics and space administration announced it. Was contemplating the establishment of deep space tracking Sta Lions in South Africa and Australia. 20 years ago today. March. 1969 rep. The Addugi Dulski. On a chairman of the House Posl office and civil service commit tee introduced legislation to provide Isicc letter service Brail servicemen overseas. 10 years ago today. March 9. 1979 president Carter arrived in Egypt for discussions on the Israel Egypt peace pact and was tre minded almost immediately by egyptian president Anwar Sadat of his determination id defend palestinian interests. Arrhythmia the irregular beating of the heart. The arrhythmia probably Tchlo cardiac arrest and sudden death just three weeks before the girl s 18lh birthday Fryer said. Ashlock who was taking a Nap Proba Bly did not awaken he added. Her body had repeatedly tried to re Eccl the heart of 15-year-old Felipe Gara jr., which she received after Garza died in january i986. The girl s Case Drew International at Tention when it was reported thai Garza who had a crush on his High school class mate had Lod his parents he wanted to leave her his heart after his a Cash. Ashlock s death shocked Hospital staff members said Pacific. Presbyterian spokeswoman Nancy Millhouse we re very saddened by in she said. There Are Many people at this Hospital who have gotten close to  the year. She tuned la the Hospital As a Ali inc to Nave friends and bus put of the , the son of farm labourers who had been suffering from blackouts and headaches when he talked Wilh his Par cats about donating his heart died Sud Denly on Jan. 4, 1986, after a blood ves Sel burst in his brain. "1 Hope that what pc Rio Felipe did shows How people can help each other Ashlock said in a Siat Emcil 12 Days after the transplant surgery.  surprised when dad told me about pc no and what he had done for me. I. Fell very sad but thankful for what he  worldly wives mrs. Thailand 1 Hal , Pikus for  Utt r Lenin the Best costume compel Lilon in preliminaries Uthe mrs. World a genl being held in u Iris Eck a hold. Rnimtrs-iip1 were my sri Lanka Kandy in Sarec Anil mrs. Hull in i Lei Cherif Uana. 1 tit Wituk Hill be held Monde. . Approves emergency gun crime Law Washington Cap the District of Columbia Council taking emergency action in an Allan ill to Citro drug related Vio Lence in the nation s capital pled tuesday to require a people who use guns when they commit a crime in the City Musl be  five years in prison. Ii approved a Bill also aimed at improving he City s a forc trial detention pro Gram by allowing judges to refuse to per Rel Bond for people accused of violent crimes even if they Hac no criminal record. This is an emergency Bill and requires a lot of debate but these Are emergency times said James Nathanson a member of the Council. The people of this City arc telling us we have to do  the emergency measure which will remain in effect for 90 Days before being reviewed came As the cily sought to slow the Pace of drug related killings. Police blame about 60 percent of last year s re Cord 372 killings on drugs so far this year. 98 people Hac been slain in the District j3 More Ilian during inc match a period in 198it. The legislation also attempts to Stem a Low of illegally purchased weapons Mlo the nation s capital according to police statistics. 3.86j weapons were sem d on City streets during 1988, compared with 2.22s the year before the Bill survived a Challenge from Sev eral Council members who complained thai in would clog the City s already Over crowded court and prison so stems and Biji Nons from others who said it needed More debate. Mayor Marion Karryjr. Proposed the measure almost two weeks ago saying the City should Start an All out assault on weapons " since in ii City police and coun officials have twice me to Bucuss the Bill the emergency measure strengthens the City s handgun Taw already consid ered one of the toughest in the nation. The old Law Sel maximum punishment ill one year in jail and a si.000 Fine for anyone calf it with unregistered weapons