European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 28, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday february 28, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 9patriot flaw linked with fatal scud hit Washington apr two weeks before an iraqi scud missile evaded a Patriot air defense system and destroyed a . Barracks in saudi Arabia on feb. 25, 1991, the army Learned of a Patriot computer flaw that it now believes let the scud go unchallenged Federal investigators said wednesday. The army said last june that it had known of the problem five Days before the scud attack which destroyed the Barracks near Dhahran and killed 28 . Soldiers. The army has said it revised software to Correct the flaw but was unable to get the tape to the Patriot Battery near Dhahran until the Day after the attack. The associated press reported in August a on the basis of previously secret army documents it obtained under the Freedom of information act a that the army knew of the computer flaw two weeks before the scud attack. The a report also detailed the sequence of actions by the army to Correct the problem. In response to the general accounting office report released wednesday the army issued a statement asserting that everything in the report had previously been made Public. The army also questioned the timing of the reports release. A it is unfortunate that the Gao report was released just one Day after the anniversary of the incident that killed 28 americans a said maj. Pete Keating an army spokesman. A the . Army deeply regrets the loss of  the Gao said army officials told its investigators that the delay in getting the corrected software to Dhahran from the United states a was due to the time it took to arrange for air and ground transportation in a wartime  rep. Howard Wolpe d-mich., who released the Gao report wrote in a letter to defense Secretary Dick Cheney that the untimely delivery of the corrected software tapes a raises questions about whether the logistical apparatus is adequate to support weapons that depend on software to conduct their Mission. A the use of the Patriot in this situation involved Subtle differences Between what the designers of the system expected of the combat environment and what the commanders in the Field needed a Wolpe wrote. The computer flaw proved fatal in the feb. 25 incident because the Patriot Battery had been operating its system for 100 continuous hours far longer than it was designed for. If the computer had been shut Down or restarted every few hours As army officials had anticipated the flaw would not have affected the patriots intercept actions the army  Hopes . Holds answers to his roots by Ron Mckinney staff writer. Griesheim Germany a a letter a birthday card and a solitary photograph Are the sole mementos Martin Ebel has of an american he thinks is his father. And now after 31 years Ebel would like to Trade those aging reminders for something More current a a handshake conceivably or perhaps even a hug from James Simpson whom Ebel has never seen. A a in a like to learn More about myself a Ebel said. A i have a few things in common with my mom but the rest a where does it come from a ebels Mother Ortrun Rettig met Simpson while he was stationed at Ramstein a Germany from 1958 to 1960. Rettige a father a school principal disapproved of her relationship with the airman 2nd class and it ended sometime after she became pregnant. All that remained of the relationship was the photograph of her and Simpson which was eventually Given to her son. Ebel was born on aug. 19, 1960. Within a year he was Given to Foster parents but after 18 months he was returned to his Mother and grandparents after his Grandfather had a change of heart. Simpson was summoned to appear in a German court on oct. 20, 1960, but by the time the paternity Case was to have been heard the airman had returned to the United states. Simpson the son of scottish born american immigrants sent a birthday Martin Ebel card to Ebel a year later. In 1962, Simpson sent a letter from Belleville n.j., to ebels Foster parents inquiring As to the boys Well being but denying that he was the father. That was the last Ebel has heard from Simpson. James Simpson Ebel who is a truck Driver Mechanic and heavy equipment operator for a Ludwigshafen construction company has ?. Wife Ruza and a 10-year-old son Ricky. They live in Hassloch. He has sought help in the search for his father from the . Consulate the american red Cross and the German red Cross. All he received was a letter informing him that a 1973 warehouse fire in St. Louis destroyed Simpsons military records. Even a front Page Story that appeared last month in Belleville a weekly newspaper produced no leads. Legally it is too late for Ebel to apply for . Citizenship if Simpson were Nis father. A the does no to qualify anymore unfortunately a said Kris Plaehn a spokeswoman for the american consulate m Frankfurt. To have qualified Ebel would have had to have his paternity settled by the time he was 21, Plaehn said. It would also be unlikely that Simpson could be sued for Back child support. Kate Bartlett a specialist in family Law with North Carolinas Duke University said there is Little Chance that Simpson would face Legal action in a state court. A any court would have to see compelling circumstances for such a Long delay in bringing an action a Bartlett said. A matters of support Are normally established before the offspring reach the age of  none of that concerns Ebel. He insists that he Only wants to meet Simpson and would be willing to travel to the United states to do so. A which does no to necessarily mean i would stay in the states a he said. A i would go to meet him and leave the rest  staff Wilton Ray Rowden in Washington contributed to this report appliance furniture sales scheduled in Germany Wiesbaden Germany the defense re utilization and marketing office Europe has announced two appliance and furniture sales in Germany. Washers dryers refrigerators ranges and Barracks furniture will be sold monday in building 541 on Taylor Barracks in Aschaffenbur. The Sale is open to id card holders from 9 to 10 . Others can attend from 10 . Until noon. Items must be paid for in dollars. No checks will be accepted. Purchases must be removed by noon the Day of the Sale. Government quarters furniture such As hutches buffets dining room tables Coffee tables end tables chairs dressers chests of drawers and China cabinets will be for Sale on March 13 in building 381 at Pinder Barracks in Zirn Dorf. The Sale is open from 9 . To noon and is for id card holders Only. All purchases must be made in dollars and must be removed by 3 . The Day of the Sale. Pinder Barracks is part of the Nurnberg military Community. Two Cornell students charged with spreading computer virus Ithaca . Up a two Cornell University students charged with spreading a computer virus around the world made bail wednesday and were released from jail. Cornell Public safety officers arrested David Blumen Thal 19, of Worthington Ohio and Mark Pilgrim 19, of Valley forge pa., in the second incident of computer tampering at the Ivy league school in four years. Blumenthal a Sophomore in Cornellus College of engineering and Pilgrim a Sophomore in the College of arts and sciences were charged with computer tampering in the second degree a class a Misdemeanour said Cornell spokeswoman Linda Grace Kobas. The Fri was investigating to see whether Federal Laws were broken and authorities were expected to file additional charges against the pair she said. Blumenthal and Pilgrim allegedly tainted computer games with the virus and put the programs on Public file at the University a archives. Computers at Stanford University in Palo Alto calif., and in Britain and Japan crashed after users called up the games Grace Kobas said. People putting the obnoxious Tetras Tetri Cycle or ten tile Puzzle games into their systems risk spreading the virus Grace Kobas said. A once we found that it was launched from Cornell we had to investigate a she said. A we absolutely abhor this Type of behaviour which appears to violate the University a computer abuse policy As Well As applicable state and Federal Law Quot said m. Stuart Lynn Cornellus vice president for information technologies. Unlike the computer virus launched by Cornell graduate student Robert Morris in 1988, which damaged High level systems in important government and University research networks this virus was Able to be Lassord quickly Lynn said. It was not self perpetuating like the one launched in 1988, he said. Individuals and groups across the country involved with tracking viruses sent messages across computer networks to Alert users who might have been affected by the virus Lynn said. Blumenthal and pilgrims Case is being reviewed by schools judicial Board and the students have not been suspended according to Grace Kobas. A i imagine they can attend classes a she said