European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 22, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 b the stars and stripes Friday february 22, 1991war in the Gulf Cronkite urges Freer War coverage Pentagon spokesman says it would t work by Mike Feinsilber associated press writer Washington a Walter Cronkite says the Pentagon a system for dealing with journalists in the persian Gulf War is doing the Public such a disservice that he a prefer reporters be censored but free to Range Over the Battle front. But Pete Williams the defense departments chief spokesman said the former lbs Anchorman a idea  work. He said War moves too fast these Days to permit correspondents to Hotdog it on their own showing up on a units perimeter unexpectedly in a Fourre Eccl drive vehicle and expecting to be welcomed. They a probably be shot by sentries he said. A we can to say a yall come to the Battlefield a a Williams said. Williams and Cronkite Laid out their ideas for War coverage wednesday at a hearing by the Senate governmental operations committee on the Pentagon a press restrictions. See Cronkite a commentary on Page 13. Three correspondents recently Back from the War zone testified that the Pentagon a system of limiting coverage to a handful of news pools who must then share their reporting with their colleagues has broken Down. A a a a a a a. A a a a a a a ,. A like Cronkite they advocated open coverage although they did not snare his View on the necessity of censorship. Malcolm w. Browse of the new York times Cragg Hines of the Houston chronicle and Frank Aukofer of the Milwaukee journal said the Pool system was envisioned Only As a Stopgap Means to put report ers on hand for the open ing hours of an engagement a after that they said it was assumed reporters would be free to cover the War on their own and competitively. That a the Way the Vietnam War was covered with correspondents usually hopping a helicopter ride and spending a week or so with troops to capture the sense through. In the Gulf the Pentagon procedures make that kind of coverage almost non existent. Only a relative handful of reporters get to be with the half million . Troops. A. A a a a a a. A a exclusive coverage by pools allows military com Manders to veto coverage of their units or to arrange it to their self promoting advantage a Hines said. Browne who won a pulitzer prize for his reporting from Vietnam for the associated press said he had never experienced such obstacles covering a War. Except for the news blackout imposed by Pakistan the losing Side in the 1971 War Between India and Pakistan. Cronkite of what they go Cronkite said reporters should be put in uniform Given military Drivers and permitted to go wherever the action was with their dispatches or television tape subject to review by civilian lawyer censors charged with eliminating Only military secrets. Of Htit was the method in use when he covered world War ii As a United press correspondent he said and it worked. A. \ / a. A. A a Cronkite said a the number of correspondents wandering freely behind the lines must be controlled a but that could be done by accrediting reporters for major news organizations and letting them rotate. Of critical importance to a democracy he said even if it Means keeping the news from getting out for a Day or two is making sure a reporter is on hand to give the Public a and history a a firsthand account of warfare a what we have now is pre censorship by telling you what you can to see a Cronkite said. A a in a rather have Post censorship where you could argue it out after you get your  Williams said the number of Pentagon accredited re porters in pools would Rise to 192 by the end of this. Week. A a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a. A a i know reporters Are frustrated that they can tall get out to see the troops a he said. A but i believe the system we have now is fair that it gets a reasonable number of journalists out to see the action and that the american people will get the accounting they deserve of what their husbands and wives and sons and daughters Are doing under arms half a world  . Hospital swamped with British volunteers Media Pool Doggone Nosy dog staff set Christian Mchugh directs Anna a canine member of the air Force who Nuses through the engine of an Azacs radar plane in saudi Arabia on wednesday in search of bombs. Dogs also Are being used to search military compounds and vehicles in the War. Ivy Amy Zeiszler Jones . Bureau Raf Nocton Hall England the residents in the area around Raf Nocton Hall have always considered themselves staunch supporters of the Royal air Force. So when the . Air Force activated a contingency Hospital on this base 130 Miles North of London it seemed Only logical shift the locals would take the yanks under their Wing. Since the Hospital opened last month the phone Calls to the red Cross station keep coming in. The Volunteer list is getting Ever longer and hundreds of books and games have been donated for current staff and future patients. A the name of the game is that we All have do help each other a said David Forrest who Heads a taxi service for the handicapped in nearby Lincoln. The taxi workers have been collecting boxes of books games and puzzles for the Hospital a place that brings Back special memories for Abr Vecsi a a in be got a Little Heartstrings tugging for Nocton Hall a said Forrest w to Quot spent 24 years in the British air Force As a medic specializing in aeromedical evacuation. The British service ran the Nocton Hall Hospital from the end of world War 11 until 1984, when it was turned Over to the . Air Force. It was Here that Forrest began his medical training for a military career that last involved evacuating casualties from the falklands conflict. Now about 1,000 americans Are on hand to staff the facility. Other local residents Are also pitching in to offer their services. Some remember when the . Military used the Hospital during world War ii. Others like Maria Sims Are wives of British service Mem ers. Still others like Sims parents Edna and John Hardy Are retirees looking for a meaningful Way to spend their Quot free time. By offering her services As a trained nurse 24-year-old Sims believes she a doing her bit to help the War Effort. Her husband of two months Jamie is serving with the British army somewhere in the persian Gulf Region. A i can to do anything for him but i can do for other people a said Sims an orthopaedic surgical nurse at Lincoln county Hospital. Sims is one of six nurses among the More than 100 red Cross volunteers. As they wait for patients american military nurses Are familiarizing their British counterparts with american medical terms and procedures. In the interim the Calls and letters keep coming in. Judi Drinan the hospitals red Cross coordinator said they have been inundated with offers to help in any Way necessary. A there was a Point when we  even handle All the phone Calls coming in. It was unbelievable a said Drinan a Boston native. Her husband capt. Steve Drinan commands the Small peacetime staff of the Hospital one of three activated and serving in Britain. Nearby residents have also offered to open their Homes. Margaret and John Marshall of Navenby for example wrote to offer a spare bedroom in their Home for a any walking  the support a will be even greater when the casualties come in because then it will be brought Home to us a said. Marion Brighton a local resident and chairman of the North Kesteven District Council. At Little Tissington in Southern England where another . Air Force contingency Hospital was activated offers have also been pouring in from local residents. In Bledington a Village of 350 about three Miles from the 1,500-bed facility retired businessman and former British Soldier Lionel Kitchingman is compiling a list of villagers who have extended such invitations villagers have also Bee do a a 1 rating books and even household items to the american staff which has been Bil letter in government housing areas