European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Gulf ammo saturday november 24, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 7 gunning for fewer firearms police officers and employees of a Denver radio station the station paid $104 for every gun turned in and a gather guns collected in the mile High City As part of a station spokesman said More than $12,000 was hand Cash for weapons drive sponsored by the station. De out As part of the Campaign. Military planners seek data on ammunition spare part blows up in Nev. Accident Lida Junction Nev. Up More than 20 tons of ammunition destined for operation desert shield in the persian Gulf exploded in the Nevada desert when a trailer Rig caught fire the army said thursday. A the truck was in route to Southport n.c., and its ultimate destination was operation desert shield a said Lany Rogers a civilian spokesman for the Sierra army depot an ammunition storage area near hurl one Calif. There were no injuries. The civilian contracted truck driven by a husband and wife team carried m-180 cratering demolition kits used to blow holes in the ground to create tank traps or destroy roads Rogers said. An air Force spokesman at nearby Nellis fab said the truck was travelling South on . 95 late wednesday night when the couple noticed a fire in the rear Axle. The Driver disconnected the cab from the trailer and sped away going about a half mile before the trailer exploded in an Aerial display that was visible for Miles. Howard Harrell who was about five Miles from the blast said it Shook buildings several Miles away and fireballs and rocket streamers lit up the night sky. A the explosions were heavy and started shaking our buildings. I watched an Aerial display that was unreal a said Harrell. A what looked like rockets were going into the air at least a half mile High. It blew live ammo a half mile away from the truck into the desert in every direction. Every once in awhile a fireball would shoot a Quarter of a mile into the air. A one officer said he knew he had to get past the truck to Block off traffic that was headed North a said Harrell. A the said the fire was so hot that he sped by the exploding truck lying in the seat of his  several Rural county fire trucks responded but firefighters let the Blaze Burn itself out. The incident occurred a few Miles South of Tonopah Nev., the Home of the top secret stealth fighter Wing which already has been deployed to saudi Arabia. Lida Junction is 170 Miles North of Las vegas. Army and air Force ordnance disposal teams combed the area throughout the night and Early thursday in search of live rounds that May have been blown into the desert. Toddler fatally injured in fall under tractor wheel Visalia Calif. Apr a 21-month-old boy died in his fathers arms after falling under a wheel of a tractor being driven by his 6-year-old sister who regularly helped out on the family farm authorities reported. Matthew Dragt apparently was trying to get into the Drivers seat when he fell wednesday said his father William Dragt 32. Dragt told Tulare county sheriffs deputies that his daughter Rachel often drove the tractor while he stood on a trailer tossing Hay to their cows. A she drives real slow a he said. He said he often had his three children a Matthew Rachel and 4-year-old Daniel a with him while he did the chores on their Dairy farm 150 Miles North of los  by the Washington Post Washington a the joint chiefs of staff Are surveying the . Defense Industry to determine How it could increase production of ammunition spare parts and other crucial items needed to keep american troops fighting if War Breaks out in the persian Gulf Pentagon officials said thursday. A High ranking planner involved with the Survey said the military already has tapped into its nato stockpile in Europe for a a smart weapons such As laser guided bombs and will continue drawing Down such sophisticated armament while the joint chiefs Survey of War Industry capabilities proceeds. He said the objective is to have sufficient ammunition and other supplies for 30 Days of combat. At this time the joint chiefs do not foresee the need to reopen closed ammunition plants one top planner said but May request some manufacturers of crucial items to increase output by putting on extra shifts of workers according to another Pentagon planner. Military planners charged with thinking through a worst cases scenarios said they Are worried about having enough spare parts to keep aircraft not already in the Gulf in fighting condition. They said the air Force stripped Many fighter planes based in the United states of spare parts to make those sent to the Gulf combat ready. This Means they said that Many of the aircraft left behind cannot be used As replacements. A briefing paper obtained by the Washington Post entitled a air Force logistics health a includes a Chart showing that mechanics at Langley fab va., had to take 200 parts off f-15s left at Home to enable two of the three squadrons of the 1st tac fighter Wing to Fly to the Gulf. This left eight aircraft at Langley unable to Fly at the time of deployment in August the briefing paper states. Five of those eight have since been made flyable according to the paper. Squadrons of Rf-4g, f-16 and a-10 aircraft were similarly stripped to meet the emergency the air Force said. One air Force general said it made military sense to resort to cannibalization to meet the emergency needs of the operation desert shield deployment. But the a air Force logistics health report stresses that the Gulf experience was symbolic of the Long Range As Well As Short Range problems of keeping its combat aircraft ready to fight and Calls for another look at funding for spare parts. The air forces fears about becoming a a a hollow Force Are shared by army leaders. They said this has driven them to impose an army wide ban on departures from their service until it is Clear who will be needed for Gulf duty if a War starts. The two prime needs they said Are for technical personnel to keep High tech weaponry in the fight and for highly trained combat leaders. A once the shooting starts a one army manpower expert said a you always have plenty of generals and colonels. What you need Are those corporals and sergeants who know How to fight. If you lose too Many of them the whole unit loses its combat  Brace for Lac Kluffer Christmas sales a a in a sending  cards for the people i used to buy Small gifts for a Lynn Epperson said As she browsed through a Williamsburg va., store. Her Friend Pheraby Foppiano said she Wasny to dropping anyone from her list but planned to spend less on each gift this year. Stores generally make half their annual profits during the Christmas season. The thanksgiving weekend Isnit quite As crucial for retailers As it once was though. Shoppers setting out after getting their fill of Turkey and football games used to give retailers their biggest three Day take and set the tone for the rest of the Christmas period. But in recent years As More women joined the work Force con Sumers have shopped later. Now the last 10 Days before Christmas matter most a though thanksgiving weekend sales help determine retailers strategy for the rest of the season. Retailers biggest Hope this season is to avoid Steep markdowns that decimated earnings last Christmas. Many companies competing with the department stores owned by Campeau corp. Slashed prices after Camp Laufs units in a futile attempt at staying out of bankruptcy court took heavy markdowns to bring in sales. Christmas 1989 devastated some retailers most notably . Macy amp co which was among those forced to take Mark Downs and ended up with a $39 million loss in the second Quarter of its fiscal Yea analysts believe there will be Marl Downs this year. Edward Johnson an analyst with prot Scott Ball amp Turben said stores Bega taking markdowns a few weeks ago big they re still not As bad As they were la  if this weekend goes poorly Johnso said retailers May begin their markdown Early in Hopes of increasing sales. Manufacturers also Are Concerne about the Success of this Weeke they re waiting to see How Well the products sell and whether stores that hav stocked their shelves conservatively place reorders. New York apr retailers were not expecting booming business As the Christmas shopping season began unofficially the Day after thanksgiving. Sales already weakened by the nationwide economic slowdown fell sharply after iraqis invasion of Kuwait in Early August drove up gasoline and heating Oil prices. Consumers tend to spend More during the holidays but storekeepers expected Many shoppers would Only browse. A a we re not living on Hope we re living with reality a . Penney co. Chairman William r. Howell said. Some Early shoppers said they were planning a frugal Christmas