European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 23, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 b the stars and stripes sunday february 23, 1992 plane excavator Uwe Benkel shows How a world War ii lighter Pilot would have worn the face mask. A Backhoe operator carefully scoops the Messerschm tto a engine out of the pits amps Peggy Davidson Farmer s Field yields world War ii Harvest by Peggy Davidson Kaiserslautern Bureau sch Edelbach Germany a As f-16s from nearby Ramstein a roared overhead a group of German citizens focused More on the remains of an older aircraft buried deep in a Farmers Field below. Uwe Benkel a German businessman who Hunts for downed world War ii aircraft in his spare time identified the plane As an me-110 Messerschmidt that had flown with a Crew of two. That determination was made after the excavators found 20mm shells 17mm machine gun ammunition and 30mm Cannon ammunition at the site. A single seat fighters never had that much ammunition a Benkel said. He estimated that the search Crew had found around 200 rounds of heavy Cannon ammunition and 50 to 60 shells As Well As the gun barrels and Cannon muzzles. The Crew had begun the heavy chore of digging into the Farmers Field outside sch Edelbach a Village a few Miles from Ramstein a. They raked through the mud putting out parts of the planets engine pieces of the pilots oxygen mask the Landing gear and even bits of the pilots map. Fumes of old fuel were overwhelming smelling As sickly Sweet As Skunk Musk As the Backhoe dug closer and closer to the remains of the plane which went Down during the night of dec. 24 or 25, 1944. Benkel suggested that since no remains were found among the wreckage the bodies of the Crew May have been removed and buried by local citizens who then simply filled in the Hole and planted the next years crop. A it was the end of the War Quot he said. A the holes from crashes were covered Over by Farmers and the Fields planted. They had to  Benkel also said it seemed that the plane Hadnot been airborne Long before it was shot Down. He based his assumptions on the amount of live ammunition still at the site and noted that several pieces of the wreckage had Bullet holes in them. Air Battles were not uncommon in the area during the War. Benkel began his crusade to locate downed and a recovered aircraft after a trip to England in 1989. There he visited museums displaying recovered world War ii aircraft. He asked museum officials where they found the aircraft and was told that the planes had been dug up from reported crash Sites. Now Benkel visits libraries and archives to research reports of downed aircraft be they German american or British. When he finds references to crashes he visits the specific area and begins asking questions sometimes going door to door. A i try to find eyewitnesses a he said. A sometimes i see old people on the Street and i Stop and talk to  not everyone is Happy with Benkell a efforts. A sometimes these people done to want to be bothered by the past a he said. A they say to leave them in the  Benkel is surprised by such attitudes. These airmen a need to have a real burial with their names on the grave a he said Quot so the families can come and put Flowers on  Werner Zell shares Benkell a eagerness to see that the airmen Are finally Given a proper burial. Zell a resident of nearby Lse Bach and numerous other spectators watched As the pieces of the Messerschmidt were excavated. He passed around pictures of himself As a Young Pilot and proudly pointed out pictures in his scrapbook from his world War ii service. Zell also invited Many in the crowd to visit a cemetery where one of his Crew mates As Well As other airmen Are buried. A you come visit a he said to germans and americans alike. A you can  also of concern to Benkel is the environmental and safety Issue. The old aircraft leak fuel Are made of metals that can Leach into the soil and often have live ammunition on Board he said. A a they re going to destroy the ground Poison the water a he said. A also lots of the ammunition Are still alive its dangerous. What if a child or a dog digs it up a some of the ammunition found at the sch Edelbach site was discovered a Mere few inches under the soil he added. The plane itself was Between 16 and 22 feet Down. When this plane crashed he said a the heavy part went straight into the  Benkel receives no pay for his work recovering the old planes. The parts once they Are cleaned and identified Are Given to the German military for exhibition in their museums he said. Even the Backhoe operator at sch Edelbach volunteers his time and skill Benkel added. As his next project Benkel said he has found evidence of an american p-47. He hesitates to specify where the plane went Down for fear curiosity seekers will violate the site. Quot we re 99 percent sure that the remains of Pilot is still there a he said. And when that one is done he will move on to the next one and the next. A i will do this until there a no More aircraft in the ground Quot he said. A it was the end of the War Quot he said. A the holes from tors watched As the pieces of the Messerschmidt were a i will do this until there a no More Ai Crai crashes were covered Over by Farmers and the Fields excavated. He passed around pictures of himself As a ground Quot he said. Dual ceremonies to Mark regiment s mow by Ray Rowden Washington Bureau Washington the 2nd army Cav regt a red and White Pennant will Fly Over fort Lewis near Tacoma Wash on the same Day that troopers in Bavaria Case them army officials say soldiers who Are now members of the 199th separate inf brigade motorized at fort Lewis will be take up the 2nd�?Ts colors officials said Friday and sew on the Toui ours Post French for a always prepared shoulder insignia of the unit that has been on continuous Active duty since 1836. A 2nd army Cav regt spokesman said late last week that the regiment was still trying to determine on what Date the unit would Case its colors in Germany. The units new designation will be 2nd army Cav regt Light. However during fiscal 1993 the army will move the regiment to fort Polk la., where it will serve As the Light armoured cavalry regiment for xviii airborne corps and As the opposing forces at the joint readiness training Center. The training Center at fort Polk is intended to serve a Light fighters the same Way the National training Center at fort Irwin calif., serves tank divisions. Large Battle formations will be Able to test themselves in free play Maneu vers. It will be a return to the wetlands for the unit that was first organized to fight Seminole indians. They missed few combat opportunities Between the Florida swamps and the Sandy wastes of desert storm. Their future was Uncertain but the subject of much speculation until recently. The remaining squadrons of the existing regiment Are to begin official withdrawal from Europe in april. Cavalrymen now serving with the unit will Transfer to other units in . Army Europe or in the states according to an army spokesman in the Pentagon. The regimental colors will be inactivated at in Imberg a Merrell Barrack and reactivated at fort Lewis in same Day ceremonies according to the army spokesman. Regimental elements arc also located in Amberg Bamberg Bayreuth and Bundlach. The re flagged regiment will be equipped with the army a newly developed armoured gun system when it is available for Fielding the spokesman said. The new system is designed As a Modem replacement for the Sheridan Light tank noted for its deployability. Staff writer Ron Jensen of the number news buryat contributed to this report