European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 27, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes Somalia sunday december 27. 1992 military bearing is tempered by efforts to feed the hungry by Jane Perlez the new York times Mogadishu Somalia a for Many of the . Troops in Somalia their Mission  been More a test of nerves in ostensibly Friendly but Uncertain territory than a simple matter of dispensing food to the starving. But Friday the americans celebrated Christmas in a Muslim land and made Small but special efforts to provide sustenance. By lending a sense of purpose on Christmas their actions May have satisfied themselves As much As helped the somalis. A a it a weird being on a humanitarian Mission Quot said Marine it. Andrew Mil Burn 29, of san Clemente Calif., a and a i it makes me feel Good to see the kids be a bit happier. The people i feel sorry for Are the kids. They did no task for this. They did t have a  a Marine Chi. Ray Ramsey the most constructive thing you be done is kill two  Milburn led eight marines in two vehicles out of the port on Friday their patrol checked the streets for trouble but also delivered miniature food parcels packages Small enough to til in Marine Rucksacks a we would like to think that in addition to shooting two people we re doing some direct Good Quot he remarked. The lieutenants men shot two somalis last week after the somalis  opened fire on the marines. It was one of a handful of incidents in the 2-Wcek-old operation restore Hope in which somalis have been killed by the american led forces. Local leaders Milburn recalled congratulated the marines later on getting rid of Quot bad  on Christmas Day though he and gunnery sgt. Robin White who  15 men on foot patrol wanted to promote the notion of Christmas generosity. Elsewhere too in the six somalian centers where americans Are stationed the emphasis was on giving. Many of the troops  mixed feelings saying that enjoying a Holiday meal while surrounded by hunger seemed inappropriate. While some of the men were served hot meals in tents most ate the ready packed cold rations meals ready to eat. The most substantial gifts were packages from the military of deodorant soap toothpaste and writing pads. In Bairoa 150 Miles Northwest of the capital the Marine corps commandant Gen. Carl e. Mundy jr., visited an orphanage and distributed toys Candy and clothes. In september scores of children died in Bairoa each Day. On Friday the 150 or so children who remained Sang to the general. He and his men responded with the Marine hymn. Milburn and White toured a District of Mogadishu known As Bermuda one of the areas severely damaged by clan fighting. There the gift the somalis valued was american medical help. White and a team blocked off an area at the Side of a building under two Shady Trees and for a couple of hours operated a first Aid station. In this part of town the marines said disease rather than deep hunger presented the main problem. People came Forward with skin ailments like scabies caused by Lack of bathing water. Even Donkey carts carrying water were absent in this neighbourhood where three subgroups of the Hatiye clan still fight sporadically and terrorize the population. The marines makeshift medical solution was to recommend the disinfectant properties of Indian Ocean water less than a mile away. Other somalis  old Bullet wounds the bullets still embedded in their limbs. With these the men could do Little but dab on disinfectant and shrug. A for a lot of these people we  do anything a White said. Quot they will lose their arms and legs from gangrene. Two Guys  bullets inside their legs. The skin  healed but the legs were swollen to double their size. We tried to Navy Petty officer 2nd class Dennis Blazer of san Diego. Calif., brings the Holiday spirit to duty in Mogadishu Somalia on Christmas Day by wearing a Santa Cap. Squeeze As much of the pus out As we could but it Wasny to  but some who emerged from nearby Shell pocked houses could be helped like 65-year-old Asha Rotile who  an infection in her left leg. White bandaged the area wrapped it in masking tape and told Rotile that if she kept it clean the pain would cease and the sore would heal. One of the men on the Marine first Aid team Cpl. Ray Ramsey of Amboy ind., said helping children was particularly Ful filling to one boy who complained of headaches that kept him from sleeping he gave a bottle of aspirin and tried to explain in sign language that he should take two tablets twice a Day. A it makes me feel Good to see the kids be a bit happier a he said. A the people i feel sorry for Are the kids. They did no task for this. They did no to have a  Lance Cpl. Luis Garcia of los Angeles stood guard Over the first Aid station and Learned that some somalis Are suspicious of the americans  meat on marines Christmas dinner menu Mogadishu Somalia apr . Marine Cpl. Neil Getty poked his Fork into a mysterious rectangle smothered with beige Gravy. Quot its  a the 23-year-old Seattle native said finally. No its Turkey and merry Christmas an informal Survey of marines packed into a mess tent at Mogadishu sport Friday found that most weren to sure what their special Holiday dinner was. Quot hey its shaped like a rectangle and the color is a Little different but its Turkey Quot said a somewhat insulted Cook sgt. Janies Wilson 26, of Cleveland Wilson helped prepare the dinner for marines stationed in Mogadishu As part of the .-led Relief Effort. He said he used 800 pounds of potatoes 800 pounds of Lima Beans and 1,300 pounds of canned processed Turkey. He expected to serve Only 2,400 people but the count hit 3,222 by the time the dishes were put away. Relief troops missed on Home front by Margaret Lillard the associated press military families around the country celebrated a bittersweet Christmas on Friday missing their loved ones but proud of the troops role in americans Mission of mercy in Somalia a a it a Nice to talk on the phone but i wish i could see him a said 6-year-old Kayla Earl of West Palm Beach ha., whose father army sgt. James Earl serves on Relief planes flying from Kenya to Somalia. But i know he is taking care of the poor  in the worlds biggest armed humanitarian Effort president Bush on dec. 4 ordered 28,000 . Troops to famine stricken Somalia to protect food shipments from warring clansmen. Tessa Lovejoy a Christmas wish is for her Fiance Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Cooper to return safely. They were engaged Early this month before his unit was sent out from Camp Pendleton Calif. Quot we can always get married. I just want to know that he a Safe a said the 18-year-old. Despite her concern Lovejoy said she is proud of Cooper and the marines who went to Somalia. A lot of times we take advantage of our lives and our lifestyles waste a lot a she said. I think we should somehow help those people who arc less fortunate than us a newlywed Sherry Schatz 22, said she feels the same about the Mission that took her husband Aron and his comrades from Mcguire fab in new Jersey. Its a humbling thing a Schatz said. A a it a not so much a War a that a  Robyn Perez said she is trying to focus not on the importance of the Mission but on the needs of her two daughters now that her husband William a Security officer from Mcguire is overseas. You try to make the Best for the kids a she said. If it Wasny to for my girls i  even have a  a company commander hand delivered two boxes of gifts to her husband in Somalia Perez said. They included her husbands favorite homemade cookies and a videotape she said. We just wanted to say we love him and miss him a Perez said. 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