European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 23, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                German army reservists Manfred Wimmer left and Jorg Gaschler Only partially visible discuss vow vans undercoating with owner Annette  auf Deutsch provoked Good natured ribbing too As. Tamara Polk filled a garage Bay with an 81 Pontiac grand prix two German soldiers joked a car that s no car a porsche. A Bow. That s a  a staff sgt. Tommy Lago an american Soldier gave Wimmer and German Cpl. Peter Wagner a hand with the repair to Polk s car. The pump Cable for the. Windshield wiper fluid was broken. A German mechanics help desert storm wives Story and photos by Effie Bathen Nurnberg Bureau Manfred Wimmer is learning alot of English words for Auto parts these Days. A. A a a a Quot key what Means 01 a Deckel Quot to yelled across the Johnso Barracks maintenance shop on a recent. Saturday morning. Quot or Zun Kerz Etc voices called Back deep from under car hoods. Quot Similler  and "sparkplugs.&Quot. A. The Quick translations for the German staff sergeant came from fellow bund Estehr. Reserve soldiers. They Wei e working at a a a. Volunteer Auto clinic to help families of a. Desert storm soldiers in the Nurnberg Germany urea. Quot a a a Quot our government says we cannot go so we help out the families left behind Quot said. Wimmer whose Reserve group had contacted the Furth based 16th engr in a what families needed most. They were told were mechanics to help the soldiers wives a with their cars. A. So along with their american partnership unit the German mechanics set up what one Soldier called a place  Quot the quickest Oil change in  a a a a in a kind of intercultural Farri ily atmosphere the soldiers did minor repairs and tune ups without charge. They explained the. Work to the wives in broken English a. Sometimes in broken German a and offered them cups of. Coffee stirred with a a. Screwdriver. Babies and children looked on. A a a if parts were not available at the local stores the germans helped find them in the Auto stripping Yard or by placing an order. By the first weekend the German and. American soldiers saved families in the battalion at least $1,000 in labor  a estimated capt James Slicker of the 16th. A a engr in. A a a Quot and it s been a lot of fun Quot said Wimmer. Who has puzzled Over some of the. Terms used by persons who May never have had to handle maintenance of the family car before a Many brought in their cars because they said Quot they were acting kind of . Quot what does this mean the car dances or is singing Quot Wimmer laughed. A one typical request was from a woman who said that there were car problems with a window handle the Muffler and Quot knocks or links Quot another woman called for an a appointment and said that her car needed a  a. A. Some of the american sized cars a a Lago said that the mechanical work was. Just part of what the men were doing to help. Those left to mind the Home front. Wagner said he delivered a bouquet to one wife when her Soldier sent a message from the Quot desert. Lago s commander also gave each. American sergeant a list of 60 or 80 families to take care of. A Quot i Call 20 times Day and just ask them. How they re  he said. A. For Many taking care of the family car. Was a big concern. But that was nothing new for him. Lago had already taught his wife a Donna a lot about Auto mechanics. She rebuilt an engine herself not Long ago. Some local repair shops though were taking advantage of most women s Lack of mechanical experience Lago said. One a unscrupulous repairman charged a woman a thousand German Marks about $670 for a new Radiator. Quot he told her that her fan was going backwards. And that s Why her car was overheating. What she needed was a $5 thermostat and about $10 Worth of labor Quot Lago said adding Quot if i could get hold of him a i d hang him up to dry. He charged  that. And then he did t put it on right Quot. One woman Lucky enough to have help.,. From the partnership mechanics was Cristal Ball whose husband Jason is  with the 16th engr in. Quot i Don t know what i would have done. A. Without sgt Lago Quot she said. He put a new Battery in her ten year old Bow and became out to help her when the car was a a a vandalized. / ,. Aaa a a the mechanics also gave  shopping list of things to buy for a tuneup Oil Oil filter and air filter. A ,. A. J Quot i Felt pretty proud of getting the Oil filter i. Looked through the parts Book myself Quot she told her husband in one of her daily letters. Funny thing was she said the sales clerk who helped her with the  wound up. Giving her the wrong part and she had to go Back. A. Quot a. Wimmer Lago and the other soldiers. Did t have tools to do major repairs. So Lor. Projects like brakes or valves they a recommended some reliable repair shops. Nearby. They also told their customers what. They should be charged. A a a  pay a Max of 40 Marks Quot Wimmer advised Ball. But when she looked. A Little Uncertain about asking for a repair in German he told her to just ask two things. Wann7 meaning when. And preis7 meaning Price. Then he wrote the German word Quot Ventile Eins Tellen Quot on a piece of paper. A and sent her on her Way. Saturday Marc Page 14 a the stars and stripes