European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 18, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Tuesday May 18, 1993 . The stars and stripes Pago 7 parents challenging military in 14 service members deaths Philadelphia a the parents of 14 serv ice members whose deaths were ruled suicide or were caused by accidentally self inflicted wounds believe their sons were murdered and want the cases re opened. " some of the families contend their sons died after witnessing drug sales or use by other soldiers and sail ors the Philadelphia inquirer reported say the deaths came after their sons complained of lax conditions or thefts aboard ships or on bases. Pentagon officials said they could not comment on the accusations because such statements would involve personal details of the dead men and their families. My son did not take his own life said Donnie Lou Thain. Instead of investigating his death properly the Navy set out from the Start to prove a suicide Louthain s son Petty officer Kenneth Louthain 23, was found dead oct. 3 aboard the Cruiser Virginia. Jim Langford of Elk Creek calif., wonders How Hisson army spec Chad Langford 20, shot himself in the head at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville ala., in March 1992, As the army ruled. The Soldier had one hand handcuffed and someone else s Palm print was on the weapon the father said. Langford said his son an my had told him that he was involved in an undercover drug investigation an that drug dealers would kill him if they found week several relatives of he dead Servic Mem Bers privately told their stories to staff members of an oversight subcommittee of the House armed service committee. The panel is looking into military investigative agencies in the Wake of the Navy Tail Hook sex scandal. The inquirer interviewed 14 families 11 the deaths Weire investigated by the naval investigative service. The Nis has been found by outside agencies to have bungled recent investigations including the Tail Hook scandal and the beating death of a Gay Sailor last year the newspaper reported. The families accuse the military of lying to them Cov ering up evidence losing blood samples or other Evi Dence and failing to interview key witnesses or perform Basic forensic tests. They say the military ruled the deaths suicides to try to avoid embarrassing allegations. So far this year 22 suicides have been reported bythe Marine corps compared with 26 for All of 1992. The army reported 75 suicides last year the Navy 51and the air Force 58.a procession of buggies travels through Wayne county Ohio on sunday As hundreds of Amish gathered to mourn five children killed by an out of control car. Amish come by horse buggies autos to mourn loss of 5 children by the new York times Fredericksburg Ohio a River of Black horse drawn buggies flowed Over the Hills near Here sunday in a funeral procession that stretched All the Way Back to another time when America was younger and the automobile was Only a dream or a Nightmare. Five Amish children who were killed thursday afternoon when they were struck by a car along the Dusty shoulder of a dipping country Road were buried in on of the largest gatherings of the Amish in recent years. All weekend hundreds of Amish people poured into this town of 500 residents where there Are almost As Many hitching posts As parking spaces. Some Amis came from As far away As Oklahoma and Colorado arriving by car or Van they had hired non Amish men to drive them because driving cars is prohibited by their religion. As the funerals began sunday morning about15 vans and cars were parked on one Side of a Field near the White barn where the main service was the other Side were at least 100 buggies their horses tied nearby with several groups of Young a Ishmen and boys attending to them. This is the heart of Ohio Amish country but even a Ishmen like Eli Mast who has lived in the area for All of his 49 years said he had rarely seen so Many Brethren in one place. On saturday afternoon Mast and his family waited in a line for More than 30 minutes before they could get inside the farmhouse where the children s Wake washed. At some Points the line was six mourners across. I can t remember a bigger gathering he has shocked us All. We Are a very close Community but this has brought us closer while the Amish who follow the religious precepts of their 18th-Century forebears generally avoid modern inventions like television or the Telephone some will turn to them in emergency. After the Accident Many Amish used the Telephone of a non Amish neighbor Vernon Weaver to spread the word. The children 2 to 14 years old were killed and three others seriously injured As they walked Home after a birthday party. They were struck by an out of control car driven by an unlicensed 18-year-old Driver Eric Bache. Witnesses said Cache s car was going 65 Mph whence tried to pass another vehicle near the top of a Steep Hill. He lost control and slammed into the children who had huddled in a ditch Well off the Road when they saw him coming. Bache was charged with five felony counts of aggravated vehicular homicide. Commencements keeping forces Battle ready a priority Aspin tells grads from wire reports Beloit defense Secretary Les a Pinto a Beloit College graduates sunday that he wants. To be judged on How Well he keeps the armed forces Battle ready. Aspin said his three goals Are creating the proper military Force for the Post cold War world. Keeping the military ready for Battle amid downsizing and social and cultural changes. And making Wise use of defense resources. My final exam As Secretary of defense should come in these three subjects Aspin said in his commencement address. Aspin a trustee of the private College also received an honorary doctor of Law degree during the ceremony. Oprah warns against fear Atlanta talk show Host Oprah Winfrey urged Spelman College graduates not to let fear of failure keep them from taking advantage of life told 407 seniors receiving undergraduate degrees from the predominantly Black private. Liberal arts College for women to think like Queens. A Queen is not afraid to live nor is she afraid to fail Winfrey said. Failure is a stepping Stone to Winfrey who received an honorary doctorate of humane letters joined actor Morgan Freeman and jazz drummer Max Roach for the ceremony sunday at the Atlanta civic Center. Clinton phones in Washington spoke by Telephone to graduates of William Jewell College i Liberty mo., advising them to make their friends a top priority. Clinton s Goddaughter Sarah Stacy of Littlerock ark., was among the graduates sunday. In his remarks Clinton said i want to urge Al who Are Here listening to me today to look out at the great adventures of your life and to seize them but also to always save time for your Clinton said one of the first things he did a president elect was visit the Home of Sarah s Mother Carolyn Stacy who is one of his oldest friends. Amid life s challenges and disappointments your friends Are an Anchor in a storm and i urge you to keep them the president said in the Brief remarks. Brokaw issues Challenge South Bend ind. Abc news Anchor Tom Brokaw challenged University of notre dam graduates to set aside self serving goals and join the revolution of democracy around the certification is in your degree. You May think of that As the ticket to the Good life Broka said sunday during the roman Catholic University s commencement. But Why not consider your degree a ticket to join the revolution of democracy around the world. Remember it s easy to make a Buck. It s tougher to make a was among 13 people who received honorary doctorates including Pennsylvania gov. Robert Casey a Democrat and staunch abortion foe. Women at Pivotal Point Northampton mass. Pulitzer prize winning columnist Ellen Goodman urged Smith College graduates to succeed in areas that have been dominated by men without losing their unique values As women. The Boston Globe columnist said women want the Best of the old male roles but we Don t want Tolose the Best of the old female she also told graduates sunday that they Are at a Pivotal Point of the women s movement women can never achieve Equality on our own terms until we have achieved Equality for our values As Well she said. We can now see the relationship Between the advancement of women and the advancement of women s
