European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 23, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Military postal workers digging out from Avalanche of mail a see Page 9the St ram pcs tripes vol. 49, no. 53 sunday december 23, 1990 a a at least 19 . Sailors drown in israeli capsizing Haifa Israel apr a ferry capsized and Sank in rough Mediterranean Waters Early saturday while taking about 100 american sailors from Christmas Shore leave Back to the aircraft Carrier Saratoga. At least 19 drowned. American and israeli Rescue teams searched throughout the night for others feared missing after the israeli ferry Tuvia went under shortly past Midnight. The sinking occurred in Windy Choppy seas some 200 Yards from the Saratoga which was about a mile off the coast. If 4 a a a it a Quot i forty seven sailors were hospitalized and 38 rescued unharmed according to state owned Israel radio. It said four were in serious condition and most of the others were released later in the morning. It was the deadliest Accident involving american service members taking part in the .-led multinational Force arrayed against Iraq. The sinking raised the number of americans killed in operation desert shield to at least 73. The sailors were among hundreds who spent their Holiday Liberty Friday in Haifa some with wives and girlfriends who had flown from Home to meet them. The Saratoga has a Crew of about 4,500. A Haifa police spokesman Chaim Avi Noam said 19 bodies had been recovered by mid morning. Army spokesman a Naan Gissen said six of the bodies were found trapped in the two deck 57-foot ferry about 80 feet below the surface of the Mediterranean. Officials said two other sailors still could be missing. Saratoga commanders. A a a. A. A see sailors on Back Page . Sailors wearing israeli uniforms and carrying wet clothes from the sinking prepare to return to the Saratoga. It won t be Long Cheney tells marines a la k Eastern saudi Arabia a defense Sec retail Dick Cheney told desert weary marines on saturday that he did not expect president Bush to wait Long past Jan. 15 to Send them to War against Iraq if Saddam Hussein leaves his army in Kuwait. Cheney did not specify a Date but said he and Bush Are against waiting longer to give the , economic sanctions More time to exact a toll on Iraq a the president is deadly serious when he says the whole Cansis cannot be resolved until Saddam Hussein Oes Back to Baghdad and withdraws his forces from Kuwait Quot Cheney told members of the 1st in 7th is Rines most of whom have been in saudi Arabia since mid August. A i would think that soon after january 15th, if he has not withdrawn his forces from Kuwait Well be. In a position to take military action in conjunction with our allies a a Cheney said while standing atop an m60 tank in the desert some 50 Miles from the kuwaiti Border the marines might be asked to Cross. Cheney in response to a marines question praised other Arab nations for their support of the military Effort particularly Egypt where he was to Stop sunday to meet with president los in Mubarak before returning to Washington. War or treating its casualties. As the defense Secretary visited marines in the Deser defense Secretary Dick Cheney addresses atop an m60 tank near the kuwaiti Border the and then flew by helicopter to a Navy Hospital ship and Aegis Cruiser in the persian Gulf Gen. Colin a Weil chairman of the joint chiefs of staff was making a separate round of troop visits As Well. Just How soon american troops will be ready to fight is a question that became controversial this past week when the Deputy commander of operation desert shield said ground forces might not be combat ready until Well into february those comments were widely interpreted As weakening the Bush administrations Effort to link the threat of attack to the . Deadline. Cheney refused saturday to comment on the remarks made wednesday by army it. Gen. Calvin . Waller but his Tough talk the past two Days appeared to be part of an Effort to convince Saddam that ignoring the deadline carries a heavy risk. Bush who was meeting with British prime minister John major at Camp David md., the presidential Retreat rejected suggestions that troops in the Gulf Are not ready for Battle. A if there was some Clear provocation 10 minutes from now the Allied forces Are ready to respond vigorously a Bush said when asked saturday about Waller a comments. Bush in a Magazine interview released Friday reiterated his determination to soon expel Iraq from Kuwait a it can to drag on with indecision and it can to Stop Short of the . Mandate a Bush told . News amp sea Cheney on Back Page