European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 26, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Tuesday february. 26, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 7war in the Gulf raises of women in combat by Nancy Benac the associated press Washington a the Gulf War is bringing Home to America a dramatic vision of women in uniform female pilots streaked into Iraq on Day one of Battle As part of a Fleet of 300 attack and Supply helicopters. They were piloting the Chinook Supply choppers when the screaming eagles of the 101st airborne div airlifted an Armada of men and equipment into iraqi territory. The Gulf War is supplying other images of women at War As Well a not All so triumphal. A army spec. Melissa Rathbun Nealy 29, is thought to be among the iraqi prisoners of War. A thousands of Young mothers Are serving in the Gulf some of them reluctantly. Some of them have no spouse to care for children at Home. The ways of warfare in the Gulf Are reshaping american ideas about women and War. To would Hope that its going to Lead to a greater acceptance of women in the military a said retired Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught president of the women in military service of America foundation. But she doubts it will. Women have been involved in every american War but never to this extent. Of the 530,000 . Troops in the Gulf women make up somewhat less than their ii percent share of the . Military Overall. The barriers that keep them from serving in combat roles keep getting fuzzier. They serve in Many of the support and Supply units that could be caught in Battle. The 101st airborne div for example has 22 female pilots although not All of them were involved in sundays Airlift into Iraq. A i think the country now has an appreciation that women in the Gulf Campaign perform roles that Are just As essential As those performed by men a said sen. John Heinz a a. He said the ban on combat service May be based on thinking that a women who Are the givers of life be put in the position of being takers of life Quot a poll taken after they performed Well in the inva Sion of Panama found that seven of 10 americans thought they should be allowed to Servo in combat. Still the nation has mixed attitudes about women s expanding role in the military. There was an extra ii udder when Rathbun Nealy was reported missing then later confirmed As a prisoner of War.,v �?�1 Don t think anybody liked the idea to it of a woman. Pow being abused a Heinz said. Heinz has been pushing legislation that would exempt single parents from combat if they were their children a sole provider. He said men who Are single parents would be the main beneficiaries of the Bill. He said its not really a a women s but the country seems to have special qualms about sending mothers to War. Many people still have the attitude a they could be mothers so get them out of there Quot said rep. Pat Schroeder a staunch advocate for opening All military jobs to women. An associated press poll showed that americans oppose sending women with Young children to War by a. Margin of 64 percent to 31 percent. A _ Gulf zeroing in on iraqis Medio Pool .marines atop a humvee Call in an artillery strike against an iraqi position inside Kuwait. The service members Are with g the 1st div which was involved in the first push into the persian Gulf emirate when the ground War began this weekend. Great Granny s letters Span 5 wars san Jose Calif. Apr . Soldiers who write 88-year-old Lois Black Mun from the persian Gulf Call her a Mimi Quot a nickname full of love and Devotion to troops involved in five wars. A just my kids Call me Mimi Quot says Blackmun who has corresponded with hundreds of America s fighting men and women dating Back to world War i. A most mothers have Only two or three children Over there Quot she said. A i have 101 to worry the former Florist and teacher sends letters with newspaper clippings stickers and pressed leaves to soldiers who have written a some several times. A i Haven t heard Back from All of them but not even body likes to write like save Blackmun who writes All her Fetters in a shaky Biff Clear on and More. Eithe one Hundred and one is ail 1 can handle. As Long As they write. Ill Blackmun a widow has three sons of her own including two who cried in the Navy during the korean War. And she has a More grandchildren and Greal greats than i i an keep track of 14 Quot great greats Quot at last count. Blackmun began sending letters to soldiers in 1918 As a shy girl of 16 living on her family a prune ranch in Morgan Hill South of Here. �?o1 got their addresses when they went by on the train. They d show their names and addresses out the she wrote to . Troops during world War ii Korea and Vietnam mostly getting names through friends. To gis in the Gulf w a she save Quot i told them about myself i was lonesome too. When i was Tuung and went away to teach 120 Miles from my Hometown. 1 Stii remember the first letter my Sisser sent to me and How i had wasted for her a Ster aug vent her a Fruitcake a newspaper. The news of which the Voung teacher devoured just As hungrily a it the put of. Quot that a who i a end my soldiers stories about and Blackmun said. A you want to hear about heme when is it Ere tar a wa1. A one of h . Us it Tavon c. Mali Hancock. A 2&Quot-ve. I j Marine Tom Kentucky sent a picture of herself. Two Days before War broke out last month Hancock wrote of the hard life in the saudi desert where Rains flooded tents 100-Mph winds filled everything with Sand and huge bugs and strange animals roamed. A a anymore i done to care if War begins a she wrote in a wrenching letter. A i just want to gel out of this Ptg Hole. Know what 1 mean Quot a Blackmun shakes her i can to explain it. But these letters Are Dit Terent than the ones i got from Korea and Vietnam these kids Are so lonesome and the dec. 5 letter from 2tj-Vcar-old Mist Mcwhorton of like Burc. Ark., Aid Quot your letter made me smile thanks again Tor thinking about us her tire. Blackmun worries that not All of her Quot kid Quot Wal come Home. Quot i keep w it chm for one of mine. He in. Not sni Hing the semele. Quot i t wait and a and a i a the.�?T. Do a howl a it. I a go Mother loses Kin in wis. Auto crash prom wire reports a. Omro wis. A a woman serving with the National guard in the persian Gulf War lost her 2-year-old son. Mother and grandmother in a traffic Accident authorities said. They said the american red Cross was trying to Contact thus boys Mother Danielle Danke with the 1157th in saudi Arabia. The victims were identified As Christopher Nicholas a like of Omro his great grandmother Mildred i. Zuel dec 74, of Winne Cone and his grandmother Patricia Ann Danke 45, of Omni. All Pray for peace Omaha Neli. A summoned by a Muslim Call to prayer 300 christians jews and muslims gathered at a methodist Church to offer prayers for peace in the Gulf a Falla he Akbar god is the most great. Hay a alas Sale of come to prayer a i la pm Kabbara of the islamic Center of Omaha chanted to open the interfaith service. Muslim women in veils catholics protestants and jews wearing Yarmulke worshipped Side by Side in the Church. Adopted pen pal . Tenn. A Gina Gal a a husband Brad has been adopted but she does no to mind. He s one of More than 3,000 Tennessee soldiers deployed in the persian Gulf who were adopted As pen Puls at a operation desert Star rally which attracted More than people. Father takes Bride Melrose Iowa a Marine John Moore does no to know he a married a his father did the honors and even kissed the Bride. Mih it re 21, stationed in saudi Arabia was married by proxy a a Nup Lul event allowed by Iowa Law. Cylc Uoc i t know we re married right now Quot said the Farmer Robin Rene see 16, of Melrose. Moure proposed their marriage la i week a via a fax machine a and sent a signed Mantac i Eer Chi Mother
