European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 a a a the stars and stripes wednesday february 6,1991 deactivating Mainz unit officially packs up colors a amps Jim Derti Eim soldiers in the 5th in 8th inf regt March into history during a ceremony tuesday in Mainz Germany., by Ron Mckinney staff write Mainz Germany a the 5th in of the 8th inf regt cased the units colors tuesday As a result of budget driven troop draw Downs in Europe. A this is a Day in a sure you re experiencing mixed emotions regrets at leaving the Beautiful country of Germany. But satisfaction in the important task that has been accomplished by you along with soldiers and sailors and airmen of All the nato nations a Gen. John r. Galvin told the soldiers of the 8th inf div battalion which is deactivating. A Galvin natos top commander in Europe also recognized the 165 soldiers of the battalion who deployed to saudi Arabia with the 12th aviation brigade and the 3rd army div. V a a a a these soldiers have gone to the Gulf to risk their lives to defeat aggression a he said during the ceremony at Lee Barracks. A we who remain and you Here have prepared them trained them for this important Mission. A and As they go i know a piece of you and me goes with them. And their  be yours As Well. And i am confident that they will  the unit is among 13 army battalions and 10 Compa Nies or batteries that Are scheduled to leave Europe by March 1. An additional eight battalions were to leave by May 1, but that withdrawal has been delayed by opera Tion desert storm. The Mainz units Flag is being returned to fort Ben Ning a. The battalion which trates Back to 1838, was last inactive for 21 years beginning in 1965. The minister president of Rheinland Pfalz Carl Ludwig Wagner told the soldiers that their presence in Ger my led to Western Europe a longest period of peace in recent history. Wagner also applauded the american and Allied forces who Are battling Iraq. A we All Hope that this War and with it the suffering of All of the people involved in the Region Wilt be brought to ail end As soon As possible a Wagner said. A we Hope that peace will be achieved which will ban the use of Force  the divisions 1st in 68th Armor deactivated saturday in a ceremony at the Wil Flecken training area. Military Community spokesman Georg Westermann said a a great number of the battalions soldiers already. Have been reassigned to other european posts while some went to the persian Gulf and others returned to the United states. The units equipment including my Abrams tanks has been parcelled out to other units in the division units participating in operation desert storm and pre positioned Stock areas in Europe. The battalion was assigned to Wil Flecken in september 1979, Westermann said. At its Peak More than 600 soldiers were assigned to the unit. Contributing to this report staff writer John Millar soviets double patrols in anti crime Effort Moscow a w the Kremlin is increasing by More than 50 percent its new joint police military patrols which have detained about 5,000 people nationwide since they were launched last week officials said tuesday. The announcement came the Day after the Kremlin widened its Law and order crackdown with the announcement of Strong new measures to fight organized . The joint patrols however have been viewed by reformers As a sign of creeping dictatorship. In mondays decree Mikhail s. Gorbachev ordered the creation of a new a main directorate within the Interior ministry to fight organized crime corruption and drug dealing. Other recent Kremlin measures in elude a crackdown on the Baltic republics that has left 20 people dead and a presidential decree giving Law enforcement agencies sweeping search and Sei Zure Powers. A in its announcement tuesday the Interior ministry said the number of joint patrols will be increased from 1,740 to 2,636 nationwide. Spokesman Vladimir Yanchenko said most of the 5,000 arrests were for Petty crimes such As theft and a cases of Street  the joint patrols were ordered by defense minister Dmitri Yazoo and Interior minister Boris Pugo last month police tried to reassure the Media and the Public that Only criminals had anything to fear. But Many officials in the soviet re pub lies said the patrols were not needed. The new directorate together with the Kab should a concentrate on uncovering halting and investigating the activities of criminal groups that commit the most dangerous crimes arid have inter Republic arid International. Connections a the decree said it also gave the National government and the 15 republics two months to form a Winter regional and regional Interior ministry troops to fight organized  a a a \ v a the troops will be subordinate to the new directorate according to the decree announced on Eremya the nationwide evening television news program. Planned poll on Independence in Moscow apr Mikhail Gorbachev issued a presidential decree tuesday invalidating Lithuania a poll on Independence scheduled for saturday the official state news Agency Tass said. I the decree set up another confrontation Between the Kremlin and the secessionist Baltic Republic which scheduled the non binding vote at the urging of Western governments to demonstrate popular support for its Independence drive. A the decree came less than a month after soviet troops stormed buildings in Lithuania in a crackdown that left 14 people dead. Five others have been slain in similar attacks in Latvia. _ a. A Gorbachev a decree declares that a the poll and the attempt to Call it a a plebiscite on the future 6f the Lithuania state Are legally invalid a Tass reported. Gorbachev has called on All 15 republics to vote March 17 on whether to maintain the vast country As a Union. At least five republics including Lithuania have refused to hold the referendums because they reject soviet Law on their territory. V instead some decided to hold polls asking whether residents support outright Independence from the Kremlin. The lithuanian poll the decree said a cannot be seen As anything other than an attempt to Block the carrying out in the Republic of the Resolution of the supreme soviet of the . On the holding of a National referendum on the question of preserving the soviet  Quot on monday Gorbachev also decreed harsh measures against organized crime. Reformists have alleged the crackdown on crime May be part of efforts by hard liners to Roll Back economic reforms that have allowed the expansion of free . Korea to return remain property sales the defense re utilization and marketing of a fice has scheduled four retail sales of excess government property in Germany this month. The sales Are open Only to . Identification card holders. A Quot. A a a a a a a. The first Sale will be wednesday in the Central furnishing management warehouse at Hardt Cavern in Schwabish a mind from 9 . Until 1 . In building 440. For More information Call ets 425-3507. On Friday demo will hold a retail Sale at the Mainz Kastel storage station from 9 . Until 11 . For More information Call ets 334-2705. There will be a two Day Sale of quarters Fumi Ture in Karlsruhe from 8 . To 3 . On feb. 13 arid 14 in building 9055 on Delaware Strasse. For More information Call ets 376-6103, the last Sale will take place at Hahn a from 10 . To 2_p.m. On feb. 18. This Sale will feature government dormitory and family housing Fumi Ture. For More information Call ets 334-2705. All items Are sold on a first come first served basis and Are sold a a Sis for Cash. Seoul South Korea apr communist North Korea has offered to return the remains of 11 american soldiers killed during the 1950-53 korean War a news report said tuesday. North Korea made the offer during a routine meeting of duty officers representing North Korea and the .-led United nations come according to Yon Hap the South korean news Agency. Yon Hap said North Korea invited rep. . A a Sonny Montgomery  who is chairman of the House veterans affairs committee and other . Officials to receive the bodies in North koreans capital Pyongyang. It said the . Side declined and asked that the remains be exchanged at the Border Village of  was set Yon Hap said. On May 29, North Korea returned the remains of five . Soldiers the first Exchange since 1954. The Pentagon estimates that about 8,200 troops were unaccounted for at the end of the War. More than 5 million americans fought on the Side of South Korea during the  plane missing. Athens Greece apr a greek military transport plane with 59 people on Board disappeared from radar screens tuesday while attempting to land in bad weather Northeast of Athens Greece a air Force said. The cd 30. Hercules was flying from a military Airport in Elevina South of the capital to the Nea ankh alos military Airport near the Central port of Volos. The greek air Force said that the plane with 55 soldiers and four Crew members disappeared at 12 50 . But gave no further details