European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 17, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Air Force inspector general doubles As inspector of sunken antiquities by Steve Ball n air Force non commissioned officer recently became one of Only a few americans to dive on a Shipwreck exploration team in Creek Waters. Master sgt. Randy Dudzinski Deputy inspector general for Iraklion air station Crete and an experienced master scuba instructor spent 30 Days diving with Creek archaeologists on a 17th-Century wreck off the cretan coast near Iraklion. This is a big step by the Creek ministry of culture and underwater antiquities said Dudinski. Creek Waters Are closed to the International Community for diving. The seas Are littered with Many wrecks and underwater antiquities that Haven t been excavated yet. I feel very privileged because this is my second year diving on the  on earlier dives Dudzinski s 65-foot catamaran was used As the sole diving platform. The recent excavation was expanded to two boats. Dudzinski s cat was used As the diver support platform with another smaller Craft running compressors for the lifts which Are suction tubes used to remove sediment and Small rocks from the wreck. The 320-year-old wreck the team explored was one of the finest French sailing vessels of its time. La Therese was part of a Fleet of 15 sailing ships and 15 rowing galleys carrying 6,000 men 300 horses and 1,100 cannons from Louis Xiv to help the venetians defend Crete from the moslem turks. For 22 years the War had been raging As the venetians under the Flag of the Pope defended the last outpost of christianity in the Mediterranean. On the morning of july 24,1669, the French Fleet began a massive naval bombardment of the turks Encampment and front Battle lines near the Iraklion fortress. Four hours into the Battle a huge explosion ripped open la Therese sinking it immediately and crippling several other French ships nearby. The explosion apparently caused by an Accident in the ship s powder storage area brought an abrupt end to the Battle and the War. The crippled French Fleet and All westerners retreated leaving Crete to the ottoman Empire. The excavation team s main interest was in uncovering the secrets of ship construction and life on the vessel. Its first step was to set up at Grid dividing the ship into 2-by-2-meter sections. These sections were then cleared one at a time and precision sketches were made of the timbers and crossbeam to document the construction details. Photographs were also taken of the quadrants so a full length photo could be produced. The ship and most of its artefacts Are covered with More than two feet of wednesday february 17, 1993 above master sgt. Randy Dudzinski works at the Shipwreck site. Below Dudzinski was also involved in above water aspects of the project. Excavation techniques during this dive including some ideas that will be improved and implemented during the next project. Dudzinski was Able to offer several base members and an air Force member from Germany the Chance to participate As Crew members on the excavation. Staff sgt Bobby Kendrick from Iraklion air station s morale welfare and recreation and tech sgt. Karl Busch who was on temporary duty from Germany were in the water almost daily. Also diving with the team were underwater archaeological instructors from throughout the european economic Community. La Therese is being used to test a training program for underwater archaeological excavation teams. Dudzinski has been invited to assist the team again this year and Hopes to have a few positions for american divers on the excavation Crew. Senior airman Steve Ball is assigned to the Kadlion air station s Public affairs office. Sand said Dudzinski. While we were Clearing sections we found a lot of antiquities this year. We found thousands of Musket balls a partially intact wooden barrel cannonballs bags of tobacco and Gunpowder Gold and Silver coins a wooden Pulley and More. We were finding something on almost every  Dudinski said he Learned a lot about greek led Boycott ruining Macedonia by Philip Dopoulos the associated press the desolate town of a Evgenija Macedonia just across the Border from Greece was once a thriving town whose Casino Drew greek tourists in droves. But the trucks that clogged its roads on their Way through what was once Yugoslavia have All but stopped. Residents Are now emigrating to other parts of Macedonia or attempting to go abroad. Neighbouring Greece imposed an economic and political blockade on Macedonia shortly after it declared Independence from Yugoslavia earlier this year. Greece claims Macedonia usurped the name of its Northern province. Many factories have since closed because of Lack of fuel and spare parts and macedonians speak of their future with a sense of despair. There is no future for my children Here said a woman Riding the train with her children to the capital of Skopje. She insisted her name should not be used. The woman lamented that she and her children have nowhere to go. Yugoslav passports Are rejected by most countries and the new macedonian passports Are recognized Only by nine nations. Her 18-year-old daughter Natasia worked As a croupier in the a Evgenija Casino but said she lost her Job because the greeks stopped coming and it had to close  my father is in Canada and we will go to Belgrade to seek a visa to emigrate. Most of my friends Are trying to emigrate abroad As Well Natasia said. Neighbouring Greece has also blocked european Community and . Recognition of the country. Private transportation has ground to a halt in Macedonia because few Drivers can afford the $1.60 a liter for imported bulgarian Gas. With Winter temperatures dropping to 23 degrees fahrenheit heating is Avail Alp Only two hours a Day. I go to bed at night freezing and at the same time fearing Well to involved in a conflict. I Wake up in the morning with the same footing. How Long is this to continue complained Anna an employee at a Skopje Art gallery who also declined to give her last name. With Greece blocking our country s recognition i can t even leave since no one accepts my macedonian passport. I used to travel to Europe and now i m a prisoner in my own country she said. The stars and stripes