European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 10, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Cover Story riverboat Gamble from Page 5 we were kids and thought nothing could harm us. Now i know it is so easy to get killed  out of the 86 men in his riverine training course u dozen were killed on patrol. A i have no vivid memories of those Days. In fact i Haven to thought about that time in years a he said. He added that he remembers a always bringing Back fatally wounded or dead soldiers on the flight  looking Back at America s involvement in Southeast Asia Meierotto said the United states was right in getting involved. A we thought communism would take Over that part of the world and it did a he said. Meierotto was commissioned As a limited duty officer in 1979. Meierotto is assigned As the Flag Secretary to commander Fleet air Mediterranean. Meierotto remembers returning to the states from Vietnam and being intimidated by anti War sentiment. A it the Public sentiment has changed 180 degrees. Now kids go Home and proudly Wear their uniforms and rightly so a he said. A a it a getting to be neat to be in the service  Rush to help air it out amid the storm by Lynda Davidson Kaiserslautern Bureau senior airman Kathleen Savaiano did no to picture going to War when she enlisted four years ago in her Hometown of Columbus Ohio. Yet when the word came Down Jan. 16, a voice inside her said a yeah i want to go. I want to be a part of that the team that a working together that a pulling  now nine months after the persian Gulf War veterans Day has new meaning for her. �?o1 feel More a part of the Day Quot Savaiano said. It gives you time to reflect on the memories of what a there and the people you were with. Those will never leave my  Savaiano an f-16 Crew chief assigned to the 7052nd aircraft generation so at Span Dahlem a Germany remembers those Winter War chills. Quot there was sort of a fear but excitement. And adrenaline definitely adrenaline Quot she said. The 22-year-old arrived at in Kirlik a Turkey on Jan. 17. She spent two months servicing the f-16s that flew daily missions Over Iraq and Kuwait during operation desert storm. Savaiano and her fellow Crew members made sure the fighter jets got Oft the ground. Quot we went under alarm runs the first couple of nights i was there she said. A a scud was this armoured troop Carrier on the Mekong Delta in 1967 is similar to Vern Meierotto a Vietnam boat. Sis Lynda Davidson senior airman Kathleen Savaiano at Span Dahlem a Germany. Launched and they did no to know the location of where it was heading so the whole area went under alarm red. You would take cover throw on a mask and go through your  because of terrorist threats in Turkey no one from Savaiano s unit was allowed off base for the first three weeks. Quot one Man was killed shot at his Home in Lincir Lik Quot she said. A there was stuff at Izmir that was happening bombs going off a drive by shooting at the Gate. They said a no ones going out there until it calms  a Savaiano was assigned initially to a single aircraft. But Quot it ended up that we All worked together so we were just jumping aircraft to aircraft a she said. A a we always were either looking them Over for them to Fly or launching them out because they were leaving or recovering them and getting them ready. It was  the Crews usually woke up around 4 . Shifts averaged about 12 hours a Day which left Little time for anything else. The Best part of the Day the bus ride Back to quarters. We d All get together and Tell our stories a Savaiano said. A just blowing off a Little steam that we  do in front of the flight line because you be got to be very controlled and oing your  Savaiano at first lived in a gym then moved into dorms. A that was Nice because that was a hot Bath a she said. A More than what the Guys in the tents got. They had it  some male members of her unit later moved into the dorm also. Being at a flight line All Day and with five and six roommates during her off duty time Savaiano said privacy was a Premium. We had a Bathtub so fill that Bath right up to the top anti that was your quiet time. Sometimes when All the jets left you could go and find a Little place to sit until yours came Back which a two three hours four hours whatever it was. Thais when you got a letter written she said. What did Savaiano learn from this War i can handle it. In be been prepared to do my Job in wartime peacetime and in a ready to do it she said. Aj1 those practices that we be done when we play Here on base a it  but Savaiano said she was surprised that the War stopped when it did. I understand that our goal was to get Saddam out of Kuwait and we did that but it was Saddam who was the troublemaker and maybe we should have pressed on until he was out of  Page 6 a sunday november 10, 1991