European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 23, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 b the stars and stripes thursday january 23, 1992observer Felt heat of yugoslav conflict by Joseph Owen Stuttgart Bureau Lahr Germany a Mike Rouleau never dreamed that his first exposure to artillery fire in combat would find him in the target zone. It seems even less Likely that the 24-year-old Canadian artillery Captain instead of countering with a barrage of his own could Only take cover and wait for the shelling to end. But that was his predicament last month. Rouleau a Quebec City native was in the coastal croatian City of Zadar As a member of the european Community a 16-nation observer Mission that is trying to help end Yugoslavia a War of disintegration. Rouleau was one of 11 Canadian forces members sent to Yugoslavia As observers. He returned to Lahr on sunday to regular duties As second in command of a mechanized howitzer Battery with the 1 Royal Canadian horse arty convinced that the dec Mission has helped bring about and preserve the cease fire that took effect three weeks ago. Rouleau said his experience at Zadar where shells exploded within 50 Yards of him was the most dangerous of is 66-Day tour of duty in the breakaway Republic of Croatia. Other episodes were just As dramatic however. In Dubrovnik the port City famed for its medieval fortifications he saw rooms built into the City Wall in which 350 people taking Refuge from shelling shared two toilets and a single Kitchen. In Slung a Community of about 20,000 people he found that the fighting had destroyed the entire City. On one occasion As Rouleau was travelling behind the yugoslav Federal army lines Independent serbian militiamen threatened his three member team and its interpreter. Quot they basically cocked their weapons pointed them at us and told us that if we did no to get out right away they a inflict some damage Quot Rouleau said the babe by Amy Geiszler Jones . Bureau Raf Lakenheath England staff sgt. Bill Mchugh was anxious to meet the Small stature blonde whom his fellow firefighters called a the All the men on the b shift raved about the charming woman with the Quick wit. A when i first came in the unit i thought she was a 20-year-old, they kept asking me if id met the babe a said the Chicago native who arrived at Raf Laken Heath last february. After meeting her he considers the babes fire station visits comparable to a having a mom but Lucille Burlingame prefers being considered More a sister than a mom by the 20 or so men on the Lakenheath fire stations b shift. That a despite the fact that she is perhaps three decades older than these firefighters although Burlingame adheres to her mothers advice and wont divulge her age. A if i was a mom to them id crack Down on them every so often a she said laughing. Quot i do but they done to think Burlingame is an Only child who Quot never wanted a sister but 1 wanted a brother. Now i have 20,�?� she said referring to the firefighters. Babe and Herb shift boys have been an item now for almost two years having forged their relationship through a former a shift worker master sgt. Jim Barber who developed a rapport with the outgoing Burlingame at the top 4 club a senior non commissioned officers club at Lakenheath where she is a cashier. He s also the one who gave her the nickname. A every time head come in to the club head holler a there a my babe a a said Burlingame. The name stuck when he introduced her to the rest of the b shift. Burlingame said she asked Barber about spending one of her Days off at the fire station because she missed visits she used to make with her husband to various base offices. Burlingame s late husband Al had served As Laken heaths senior enlisted adviser Between october 1971 and june 1975. During that time he often took his wife out to base organizations saying Quot i want you to see How this is run and meet the people a Burlingame explained. Her initial visit to the fire station proved to be a big hit for both her and the a shift workers. A i had a Ball. It took me about two weeks to Calm Down Quot she said recalling the thrill of seeing two simulated fire exercises. And As to her relationship with Herb shift boys she adding that both serbian and croatian irregulars were dangerous because they lacked a Central command. Mission personnel consisted of troops and civilians sent by All 12 nations in the european Community As Well As by Canada Czechoslovakia Poland and Sweden. They operated from Headquarters in Belgrade the Federal and serbian capital Zagreb the croatian capital split an ancient coastal City and Sarajevo capital of the ethnically mixed Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina where no open warfare has yet erupted. Rouleau spent the first week and a half in Zagreb then went to split and Learned that peacekeepers and Militar observers travel in Small circles. He met a swede who had served with his father on a . Peacekeeping Mission in Lebanon in 1977. He also discovered that he often could not expect a solid nights sleep. A every night without fail there was shooting. You a be Reading a Book in your hotel and hear the report of ak-47s,�?� he said. Dec team members Wear White uniforms with no insignia designating rank or country of origin. They drive White vehicles emblazoned with the Blue and yellow dec Flag on the doors. Teams Cross repeatedly Between croatian held territory and areas controlled by the Federal army Rouleau said and each time they enter the no Many a land Between the two they drive with flashing headlights and honking horns to help ensure their safety. Said a things just went on from As a widow with no children Burlingame considers the a shift boys her family. The firefighters in turn have made her an honorary a shift firefighter and outfitted her with a firefighters White helmet autographed with various sentiments from the men. Burlingame is possessive of the group and her feeling is reciprocated. The Fellows on the b shift said they done to consider any requests from a shift firefighters to share babes Friendship. She a Given them to shirts saying a a in a one of babes a shift boys Quot and to clarify that logo she has a to shirt declaring a a in a the a Pennsylvania native who has lived in England for the past 22 years Burlingame stops by almost weekly for chats greeting each of the men with a Quot i she introduces them to British fare such As buttery the serbian controlled Federal army and the croatian National guard treated the dec teams civilly he said. The teams often let soldiers tse their cellular telephones to Call relatives. A you give a Soldier at the front a greater gift than letting him phone his wife or Mother who he Hadnot talked to in four months a Rouleau said. Mission members suffered a great loss Jan. 7 when the Federal army shot Down an dec helicopter killing five observers four italians and a Frenchman. Rouleau said he was at the split Headquarters at the time. A the italian men were openly weeping. It was terrible a he said. A it was a very very sad Day. Everybody in the Mission believe the incident also devastated Many split residents. The Cathedral staged a memorial mass for the victims Rouleau said a it was full of croatians and the croatians were crying a he said. A you could Tell they hoped it change our but the cease fire held and croatian spirits lifted Jan. 15 when Many countries including Canada recognized croatian Independence. Quot they howled they drank. They danced and partied and Sang a Rouleau said. The dec Mission was essential to get both sides to cooperate on several issues including evacuation of Federal army and personnel from garrisons in Croatia and prisoner of War exchanges he said. Despite the hostilities hundreds of thousands of serbs living in croatian held territory stayed Home and got along Well with their croatian neighbors he recalled. Rouleau said he is glad he served in the crisis zone but could offer no great revelations. A the Only thing i can say is that in be seen what War can do to a country a he said. A there is nothing romantic about War. These people want it to end so they can get on with their lives. And that a both scones and hot English Mustard and sometimes she brings homemade goodies. She has even outfitted the fire station Kitchen with a set of pots and pans. The Fellows invite her to their firehouse get together and she has got to know their families too. Some in her out with chores such As washing her my midget car. A but for As much As we do for her she always seems to outdo us tenfold a Mchugh said. Be s got a great sense of humor. She keeps things Lively said senior airman Donovan Tanner. Her arrivals at the station Are announced Over the Public address system by the first person to spot her. Attention All personnel. The babe is on station a is the Standard Call. She joked a i think that Means if they re using any Blue language they better keeps Guys on b shift All fired up Lucille a the babes Burlingame carrying her honorary White helmet is surrounded by members of b shift
