European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 23, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday september 23, 1990 the stars and stripes Kkt Page 9af Pilot saw glider seconds before crash by Deedee Arrington Doke Kaiserslautern Bureau Sembach a West Germany a an air Force Pilot whose f-16 fighter Jet collided with a glider in june did not see the glider until the two planes were on a collision course 500 feet apart according to a 17th air Force report on the crash. Killed in the crash was Theophil Schappert a 60-year-old West German glider Pilot. German authorities believe that Schappert who had flown the engine less planes for at least 21 years was killed when he hit the ground after trying to Parachute to safety. The 17th air Force report on the june 5 Accident was released thursday. German investigators from the flight Accident Bureau at Braunschweig contributed to portions of the . Investigation. The f-16d fighting Falcon piloted by capt. James c. Luithly of the 10th tac fighter so at Hahn a was returning Home from Ramstein a when the Accident occurred at 4 28 . The aircraft was part of a two ship team that had diverted to Ramstein earlier in the Day after participating in a local exercise. Luithly encountered the glider at an Altitude of about 4,000 feet in unrestricted airspace near the town of Tes Che Moschel. A glider Pilot instructor before he joined the air Force Luithly told investigators that he checked his radar seconds before the collision and locked onto another flight 22 Miles away at 11,000 feet. He looked up to see if he could sight the air plane but Clouds blocked his View. Luithly then looked Forward then directly Over his right Wing and toward the Tail of his plane to Check on the accompanying f-16. He then looked ahead again. A the saw the glider at approximately 500 feet on a collision course a the report said. A the immediately pulled the control stick All the Way Back to cause the aircraft to climb in an attempt to avoid the collision. He Felt a mild double thump As the f-16 impacted the  an air Force exercise evaluator from Ramstein a who was sitting in the seat behind Luithly a saw a White blur go by the right Side of the aircraft. He originally thought they had hit a Large Bird but As he looked behind the aircraft he saw a glider in a spiral with one Wing  neither Luithly nor the evaluator was injured in the collision. They flew on to Hahn despite fumes in the cockpit and damage to the Jet. Schappert a widow has submitted claims to the West German Federal defense Cost office at Koblenz for burial costs of 15,000 Marks or about $10,000, and loss of support for no specified amount. Schappert a insurance company also has filed an application for a death gratuity of about $1,400. Three German Farmers submitted claims for crash and cleanup damage to their Fields. The claims have been settled for about 5,000 Marks or $3,200. Town celebrates end of chemical removal by Peggy Davidson Kaiserslautern Bureau Clausen West Germany a West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl turned out Friday to celebrate the end of the West German and american Effort that removed some 100,000 chemical weapons from this Small southwestern town. A a it a a wonderful Day for everyone a said Kohl whose Early evening arrival was greeted with chants of a Helmut Helmut  a a it a a Day in which an important wish for Clausen and the Federal Republic became real a he said. The withdrawal of the chemical weapons is a a Good sign for the future a he added. The festivities began at noon with a review of the units and organizations involved in the removal operation. A crowd of More than 5,000 then headed for a festival tent to Cap the Celebration with Beer and other refreshments. There Convoy Drivers weapons handlers and West German police mingled with townspeople finally meeting and shaking hands with the folks they had Only waved to before. Pvt. 2 Jose Horta pvt. 2 Crispin Baldwin and pfc. Russell spearow were among the crowd. The soldiers assigned to the 10th chemical co at Miessau were members of one of the emergency Crews that accompanied the convoys a in Case something happened a spearow said. A thank god nothing did a he added. Sitting at a Mug littered table the three were wearing not quite regulation uniforms. Each sported a West German army hat garnered in the frantic trading that went on Between fest participants. At the next table Frank Fena Eal a German Soldier wore an american Battle dress hat while he toasted his american counterparts. With a Blue Beret from a German police officer tilted stylishly Over one Eye pfc. Kenda Bodamer of he co 3rd Ora in in Pira Sens expressed Relief that the sometimes Boring operation was finished. The chemical munitions which had been stored at the Clausen army depot for More than 20 years were moved by 28 truck convoys to a Railhead at Miessau. From there the weapons travelled by train to the North sea port of no Denham where they were loaded onto two Navy Crane ships that departed saturday for Johnston atoll in the Pacific Ocean where the chemicals Are to be  Battle for King of the chessboard by Janet Howells Tierney Washington Bureau Washington his lips pulled tight Over clenched Teeth sgt. Wade Regensberg attempted to defend against what he knew were overwhelming Odds. Regensberg the army chess team Cap Tam faced one of his toughest opponents Friday when he played an Furlong match with Lubomir Kava Lek a Man rated As a chess grandmaster. But it was Mere sport for Kavalek who simultaneously battled Lane s. Teraoka a Navy Petty officer who is the sea services chess team Captain. The matches were held during a break in the action at the armed forces chess championship. Because of operation desert shield commitments the air Force team dropped out of the event which began sept. 16 at fort Belvoir a. Regensberg normally a customs inspector with the 256th my co 95th my group in Hanau West Germany leads a six person team that includes two other West Germany based soldiers capt. Jason Whitten an Armor officer with the 3rd army div in Kirch Gons and spec. John Langreck a Lin Guist interrogator from co a 165 the military intelligence in in Darmstadt. After completing nearly seven rounds of play the army team was behind with 17.5 Points to the Navy a 22.5. Players earn one Point for a win half a Point for a draw and nothing for a loss. A we came into this As the underdog a Regensberg said. A the Navy team has a higher rating than we do but we re surprising  Langreck 21, is a Case in Point. The Soldier has managed to pull a draw out of five confrontations with higher rated players. And what really irks the sailors is that Langreck has been playing the game for Only three years. After reaching a draw with grandmaster Kavalek Regensberg said that he was awed by the champs expertise but that he tried not to let it intimidate him. Hip k w. I sizable difference japanese finance minister Ryutaro Hashimoto sizes up his counterpart . Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady before meeting in Washington on Friday. Ila Himoto who is in the capital for International monetary fund meetings compares Bradys 6-foot-1 stature to his own 5 feet 6  fund raising faces Tough drive in Europe by Joseph Owen Stuttgart Bureau Stuttgart West Germany a with . Forces in Europe departing suddenly to saudi Arabia or trickling Home under announced troop reductions the combined Federal Campaign faces a challenging year. But organizers of the governments annual six week Charity fund raising drive which begins monday and ends nov. 2 in Europe Hope Good planning and the addition of Small Mcenti ves will produce donations comparable to those of past years. The fall 1989 overseas Campaign reaped a record $7.18 million in pledges in the . European come despite the recurrence of a chronic Handicap a it was late. It started oct. 23 and ended nov. 30, colliding with the Christmas shopping season. This year the timing is better. The Campaign also features individual and unit awards for contributions. Individuals who donate the equivalent of one hours pay or two hours pay per month Are eligible to receive a Silver Eagle or Gold Eagle award. Each battalion size unit or organization with More than 400 people is eligible for the unit award if 60 percent or More of its members contribute to the Campaign and if the average donation is at least $100. Rallies in several locations will Mark the Start of the Campaign and organizers also plan regional a Victory celebrations a european Campaign spokeswoman Joanne Jones said. The Campaign among operation desert shield forces in saudi Arabia also begins monday and ends nov. 2 for european based troops deployed there but not necessarily for those who went to saudi Arabia from the United states said Kermit Ellis chairman of the National voluntary organizations Campaign committee. The Campaign which normally runs six workweeks May be extended for some units in saudi Arabia because of the difficulty in delivering Campaign forms. How a a of Ellis a they have been in Contact with us and they re anxious to get the Campaign started which is encouraging to us Ellis said adding that some Campaign materials already have arrived in saudi Arabia