European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 16, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 a a a the stars and stripes wednesday May 16, 1990news update Waldheim report Vienna Austria apr president Kurt Waldheim targeted for his wartime past by Israel the United states and other countries has denied a published report that he apologized Lor misleading the jewish state Over his German army service in he Balkans. In an interview published last week by the Liberal israeli newspaper Haa ret. The daily said Waldheim had extended a this personal apology to Israel and its residents Quot Over the Issue. In comments appearing in an Issue of Austria a mass circulation Kuricar daily however Waldheim said he never made such a statement. Waldheim told Kuricar that in answer to a question by the Haa Retz reporter he said nothing More than a in Case i misled my american friends because of the omission of the Balkan years i regret this. I did not do so on  Waldheim a office said there was nothing new in Waldheim a comments first made in 1986 in an interview with a . Television station. Navy grounds ch-46 copters because of possible defect Winter exercise cancelled by nato Brussels Belgium a amps in nato has cancelled an important Winter exercise intended to test its crisis response capabilities. Quot the rapidly changing political and Security environment has led to the conclusion that we should take a fresh look at How we conduct such exercises in the future a a nato spokesman said tuesday. The Winter Cimex exercise is a civilian and military exercise held every two years in the Winter. It is designed to train crisis management and decision making procedures. I he command Post exercise involves top Lii vials of All nato National governments As Well As natos political and military Headquarters in Brussels and Moi is Belgium. It had been scheduled for Early 1991.scouting news Garmisch West Germany a maj. Gen. Donald e. Eckelbarger the Deputy commander of v corps was presented with the distinguished Eagle scout award at a recent ceremony. Eckelbarger became the 15th distinguished Eagle scout award recipient in the 40-year history of the transatlantic Council. He was promoted to Eagle scout in 1948 while a member of troop i 2 in Eldred a. The distinguished Eagle scout award created in 1969, recognizes an Eagle scouts career distinction. The recipient must have attained Eagle scout rank a minimum of 25 years prior to his nomination. Other qualifications include career Success and Community service. Heidelberg West Germany a about 150 boy scouts Are expected to gather near Giessen West Germany this weekend for the annual order of the Arrow Lodge Spring Fellowship and training conference. The order of the Arrow the boy scouts National brotherhood of Honor campers is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. The transatlantic councils Black Eagle Lodge 482 will be Host of the conference at Camp Freedom West Germany on Friday through sunday. Training will include sessions on publications adult roles and ceremonies. Also planned arc Lodge officer elections youth and adult arrows in awards and brotherhood and Vigil ceremonies. For More information Contact Joshua Dick at 06224-15014. By the los Angeles times the Navy monday announced suspension of All flight operations worldwide by ch-46 sea Knight helicopters because of a possible mechanical defect. The move effectively grounds 342 helicopters a 261 used by the marines and 81 employed by the Navy. Long considered a Workhorse for the military the Vietnam Era helicopter is used to transport troops and supplies. The grounding order came 10 Days after a sea Knight made a a hard Landing in the California desert injuring the 17 marines aboard the Navy said monday. Senior Navy officers in Washington said the helicopters were grounded because of a transmission problem that could Lead to a loss of Power to the rear Rotor. Although the ch-46 has had fatal accidents in the past it is considered one of the military a most reliable. In 1984, aviation week amp space technology Magazine listed it As having one of the lowest Accident rates of aircraft flown by the Navy. However since 1980, More than 30 marines around the world have died in sea Knight accidents. The most serious occurred in the Atlantic in 1986, when a crash killed 15 marines. An investigation into the potential mechanical problems is expected to take several weeks to Complete a Navy spokesman said. A whenever you ground a Fleet of aircraft it s not something you do on a whim a said senior chief Petty officer Bob Howard a Pacific Fleet spokesman in san Diego. A a it a a very serious thing. But the most important thing is the safety of the  the grounding will have a major effect where the helicopters squadrons Are based such As the Marine corps helicopter air station in Tustin Calif Southeast of los Angeles a we have other helicopters but the sea Knight is our main assault helicopter a said Marine it. Gene Browne a spokesman for the squadrons. A this is going to have a serious Impact on flight operations a the 35 sea knights based at North Island naval station on Coronado is in san Diego Are not the most used Craft and the Navy will rely on 2 helicopters spokesman Fred wik said. Iis0� in the May 4 incident the sea uni made a hard Landing in the desert at in Marine air ground combat Center i Twenty nine Palms Calif while pair Pating in a warfare exercise. The military believes the Accident us caused by a problem in the Rotor and transmission of the helicopter. A we were Lucky with the last one to there were no fatalities. What we arc in ing to avoid is being not so Luck i next time a Browne said. A this is k sic ally a precautionary measure. Yoia got problems that Are inherent to oat aircraft. So if we need to ground it aircraft to find out its an inconvenience but the lives Are More  the aircraft. First built by Boeing ver lol co. Of Philadelphia in 1965, has received Praise for its safety record. Before this month the last crash involving tit sea Knight was in March 1988. At Camp Pendleton Calif. Four marines were in. Jared. Court hearing Conrad treason cose has trouble obtaining key testimony by Mary Neth staff writer Koblenz West Germany a West German officials trying retired . Soldier Clyde Lee Conrad for treason Are unable to arrange personal appearances from key witnesses. No big names in the espionage Case have appeared in the docket and today will be no different. The court will hear an expert on spy paraphernalia when it holds its first session of the week. Judge Ferdinand Schuth has tried but not been Able to get Conradus purported fellow spies to testify at the trial which meets each wednesday and thursday. The key witnesses Are three men who have admitted working with Conrad and who have been found guilty of spying against nato they refuse to appear voluntarily and there Are no extradition Laws that Schuth can use to Force them to do so. Two of the key witnesses Are Sandor Korcsik 50, and Imre Hercsik 36. The two hungarian born Brothers supposedly acted As Conradus East bloc spy contacts. They were tried in 1988 in Goteborg Sweden and sentenced to 18 months each. Both Are still reportedly in Sweden. The third major figure Zoltan Szabo is said to be in Vienna Austria. A retired . Army sergeant first class Szabo is said to have recruited Conrad As a spy in 1974 or 1975. Szabo was convicted of espionage last fall by an austrian court and received a 10-month suspended sentence. A fourth possible witness is Roderick Ramsay a former i stationed in West Germany who was purportedly recruited by Conrad to serve in the spy ring. Ramsay is under investigation in the United states which will not allow him to leave the country. Schuth however has said the Case is not suffering from the Lack of personal testimony of these key figures. Quot i am operating by the Best evidence Rule a he said last week. A if i can to obtain the first Choice i go to the  that a adding up to a Boon for the airlines. Fri and military investigators have been hopping flights Back and Forth to deliver documents on Conradus past. Except for a Brief time in the United states Conrad was assigned to the head quarters company of the 8th in divin bad Kreuz Nach West Germany from 1974 until his retirement in 1985. In 1977, he became registry clerk in charge of a vault loaded with classified documents. In 1981, he was Given Access to All the secret plans of the division. Former army chief of staff Gen Edward c. Meyer has said the informant supplied the East bloc probably included details on nato troop mobilization ant the positioning of nuclear capable artillery. Quot the information Given would have been catastrophic to West Germany had there been a War a said prosecutor Fredrich Heching. If found guilty of treason the retired sergeant first class will be Given a lift sentence which Means 15 years behind bars. Bombs in Italy damage airmen a property san Vito Dei Normanna Italy a amps a two bombs apparently targeted at italians damaged property belonging to . Air Force personnel assigned to the air station at san Vito Dei Normanna. No one was injured in the blasts Early sunday according to italian police. The bombs went off about 15 minutes and a mile apart from each other in san Vito about 10 Miles from the air Force installation. The first blast occurred about 1 . And awakened master sgt. Timothy Ward 38, the fuels superintendent for the 7275th a groups Supply division. Ward rushed out of his Home to see what caused the explosion. A the windows were blown out of my car and there was extensive damage done to its right Side a Ward said. The bomb had been placed under a truck parked in front of a restaurant an italian police spokesman said tuesday. The second bomb went off about . And caused minor damage to an apartment rented by airman 1st up Casey Patrick a 21-year-old communications  preliminary report by italian polio determined that the bomb was placed m the apartment adjoining Patrick s. P9lice said both bombs were apparently directed at italians. Nonetheless of Force officials have ordered an increase in Security around the base. Awol sergeant sentenced in fraud Case Heidelberg West Germany a amps a an awol sergeant has been sentenced to seven years in jail and Dis honorable discharged for filing false expense claims. Staff sgt. Desmond will 31assigned to he co 7th medical come in Heidelberg was tried in absent a at a general court martial on april 26. Will has been missing and absent without leave since april 7. He was fined $5,000, ordered to for Feit All pay and allowances and reduced to the lowest enlisted Grade. Authorities said the 13-year Veteran received More than $15,000 in Advance travel pay Between november 1988 and december 1989, claiming to be on inspection Tours for the command. The phony vouchers were discovered during routine financial accounting procedures. The criminal investigation come also found documents indicating will collected an undisclosed amount of allowance to which he was not entitled 1 spokesman said. Will a attorney read a statement i court that attributed his clients action to chronic alcoholism which he had cd sealed for years. The statement said to drinking led to family problems and f vere indebtedness. Will from Yakima wash., is a chert Cal operations specialist