European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 18, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday april 18, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 3 in the Gulf a amps Chuck Roberts an Oil Well fire spewing Black smog into the sky rages behind sgt. 1st class John Thompson in northeastern  fires like geysers of burning napalm by Chuck Roberts Middle East Bureau northeastern Kuwait Kuwait a burning Oil Fields the fiery legacy of iraqis brutal occupation create a spectacular and ugly scene for the thousands of soldiers who eat live and breathe near them. A they look like geysers of burning napalm a pfc Robert Nichols wrote in a letter to his parents. Although the fires look spectacular the smoke they Send into the sky in to said Nichols a tank Crew loader assigned to the 3rd in 8th Cav regt from Geln Hausen Germany. A it makes you think cigarette smoke ainu to so bad As this stuff a said the 21-year-old Milwaukee native who has lived for about three weeks near the Oil fires. When the Black oily Clouds cover the sky at night Nichols said he can barely see his hands in front of his face even while wearing night vision goggles. Night is no time to be outside said spec. Courtney Robinson who is assigned to the 2nd in 3rd Field arty regt. A if you stayed out All night you would see Little droplets on you a Robinson said. From his campsite about four Miles from the fires he said the blazes give off a glow similar to those from a big City. But there is More than just a silent glow Robinson said. A at night its a constant humming noise a said the native of Toledo Ohio. A if you re a restless person it will keep you awake at  Robinson talked about the fires after having just completed a week of flipping hamburgers at Wolf a a snack bar located beside a lonely stretch of Highway about one mile from the nearest Oil fire. Also at the Small desert site Are a makeshift Post Exchange and a tent where soldiers can phone Home. Wolf a a is open every Day except during sandstorms. Fortunately winds have been favourable the past few weeks and there have been Only a few Days during which smoke from the Oil fires has turned the Day into night at the desert drive in. That a just Fine with sgt. 1st class John Thompson. A a it a kind of spooky when the winds blow this Way a said Thompson who is with the 92nd my co from Baum Holder Germany. When the wind changes direction on a Clear Day he said it takes about eight hours for the Cloud of Oil smoke to move overhead. Thompson works at a prison Camp about 13 Miles from Wolf a a where he said the Oil fires give an impressive performance for the troops each evening. A lots of people come out and take pictures of them a said the 41-year-old Atlanta native. Although the Black smog does no to affect his breathing Thompson said that does no to mean he thinks its not a health Hazard. A it can to be Good for you ill Tell you that a Thompson said As he stood within 200 Yards of a Highway that is impossible to see at 10 30 . On a bad Day. The burning Oil makes life More difficult for Gerald Wilkinson a technician for charter trading corp. Of Houston. The company staffs the telephones used by thousands of Servic members. A the smell is terrible and it can last anywhere from an afternoon to four Days a said Wilkinson who has lived nearly two months near the kuwaiti Oil a Fielda a a a a a you re inundated with these Little pellets of Oil that you can to get out of your uniform a said the Fayetteville n.c., native. Wilkinson who counted 61 fires one night said he feels sorry for the soldiers who have stood in line As Long As six hours in the oily smog so they can Call Home. He gave them paper medical masks to Wear for Protection until his Supply ran out. A this is really an ugly site a Wilkinson said. A but i suppose a to the romantic a there a a Beauty to seeing flames parting from the  however he said the scene is More tragic than  we sometimes sit around and contemplate the destruction and its economic effect a Wilkinson said. A if you Stop to think about How it affects the rest of the world its  East air War still bugging . Troops by Chuck Roberts Middle East Bureau Southern Iraq a time never flies in the desert a but flies certainly do. Although hostilities formally ended weeks ago the 2nd army div fwd soldiers still Are fighting the Only iraqi air Force never grounded during the War a the ubiquitous desert Fly. In fact staff sgt. Carl Lyttle and master sgt. Eldon Stanton have become combat aces several times Over during the past four months even though they be been firmly entrenched on their army cots in to camouflage tent near the Southern iraqi Border. They have downed thousands of enemy flies with the firm wrist action and deadly  of their super secret weapon a a the m1a1 Fly swatter. A you can kill 10,000 of these suckers a Day and there still will be 10,000 More a said Lyttle a Hazard ky., native assigned to the brigade signal platoon. The two soldiers Are with the 3rd brigade of the 2nd army div fwd from Karlstedt Germany the unit was part of the 1st inf div from fort Riley kan., during the War. The 2nd army div was scheduled to arrive at a holding Camp in saudi Arabia on wednesday after a three Day Convoy through the desert. Temperatures already have reached 100 degress at their destination which is bad news according to Stanton the brigade signal non commissioned officer in charge. More heat Means More flies he said. The Fly experts say mealtime is a favorite time for the flies to attack. A they snatch the food off your plate and keep on going a said staff sgt. Lydia Calhoun an aviation Supply clerk with he he co Quot the Mobile ala., native said the insects Are so tenacious that they can remain firmly planted on a piece of food no matter what she does to get them off. She was sitting in the same tent with Lyttle and Stanton on a sunday afternoon swatting flies too which she said is a full time Job in the desert. During dinner in the mess tent sgt. John Shaffer said he regretted not bringing a Fly swatter with him from Germany but he had had no idea of what would be buzzing around in the desert. A a they re about the worst thing out Here a said Shaffer As he swatted his Way through yet another meal of Chicken a la King and Rice. The menu for breakfast the next morning was Chili. A you take Delight in killing these things a said the Lakeland fla., native. A when i get Back to Germany in a going to research flies and see what their actual purpose  As he was nearing the end of his meal he looked Down at his cardboard tray and with a touch of sarcasm said a they wont touch your