European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 01, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I Page 6 the stars and stripes . Monday november 1,1993 fight looms Over re Voa merger plan by the new York times placing the Munich stations under an in Sals is going exactly where i want it to go.",Washington a plan to Consol dependent broadcasting authority to be Biden threatened to filibuster for the but the Compromise failed to satisfy Date . International broadcasting of housed in the . Information Agency first time in his 20 years in the Senate Russ Feingold a freshman democratic ratio touted by the Clinton adminis together with the voice of America also saying that if he is not satisfied i will go Froni Wisconsin who entered the Senate traction As a step toward streamlining the seemed to pacify a powerful conservative and make my Case on the floor to Knock i government seems to be coming apart. Lobby Bent on preserving radio free eur out the whole organizational the main Clement of the package pc Jujj ii. Seated last june by president Clinton envisioned combining the voice of America with radio free Europe and radio lib erty the stations based in Munich Ger Many that broadcast to the soviet Union and its european satellites starting in the Early 1950s. Under the plan elimination of Over lapping broadcasts and consolidation of transmitters and administrative staff were seen As saving about $250 million Over the next four years. The plan s hard won Compromise re in the stars and stripes 10 years ago nov. 1,1983 the Rev. Jesse Jackson announced that he will seek the 1964 democratic presiden tial nomination and said he would try to select a female running mate. 20 years ago nov. 1,1973 chief . District judge John j. Sirica revealed that two of the secret watergate tapes that president Nixon agreed to sur Render did not exist. _ 30 years ago nov. 1,1963 the United states will not reduce the number of com Bat troops in Germany although some support troops May be re turned to America president Kennedy said. 40 years ago nov. 1,1953 the United state told the United nations that one captured american Pilot once met a soviet general at the notorious  s Palace interrogation Center in Korea and others were questioned by soviet officials. 50 years ago nov. 1,1jj43 a wave of Invar Sion jitters rocked Germany in the Wake of president Franklin  s jubilant description of the Moscow conference. Berli spokesmen made no Effort to con ceal the third Reich s nervousness Over an imminent Allied invasion. World War ii 50 years ago today nov. 1 1943 . Marines splash ashore on Central Bougainville up the coast from the japanese defences concentrated around air bases at the Southern end of the Solomons. Soviet troops capture a Minsk sealing off German forces n Crimea. In Washington. President Franklin 0. Roosevelt orders a Federal takeover of Coal mines because of a spreading strike source 2194 do Olowu my h Smith pub Billil inc.,  wort a vhf a on Book corp., it a rope and radio Liberty. But in a july hearing of the Senate foreign relations committee sen. Joseph r. Biden d-del., said that the Munich stations should remain Independent corporate  he also said Aradio free Asia should be created As an Independent station to broadcast Sochina parallel to voice of America. Administration officials say they Are mystified by Biden s insistence on he has prepared a list of 12 conditions for permitting the stations to con keep their separate status technically As Tine their status As Independent govern private corporations receiving govern ment fund grantees beginning with ment financing. Insistence that their annual Grant not sex in an interview Biden said it s re need the $75 million mandated in june by be federally financed under his promo solved Between the president and me. It Clinton. Wii Black Sailor to get Navy Cross after 49 years of fierce Battles Gary ind. A it is not easy for Al Onzo Swann to measure his life. He has lived comfortably enough vet he canno shake painful thoughts of what might have been ii the Navy had been  is a hero the Navy now acknowledges. But the path from a flaming aircraft Carrier 49 years ago to his rightful place among the country honoured has had Many Detour Sall for one reason he believes. Swann is Black. At age 68, he will finally receive the. Navy s highest award for valor the Navy Cross wednesday in a ceremony aboard the intrepid the aircraft Carrier on which he earned the Honor in the face of a japanese Kamikaze Pilot t surely Don t want to have a feeling that t have a Bone to pick Swann said Inan interview at his modest Home on Gary s Southwest Side. But i surely Don t think feel out of line when i say that the Navy took my life because they further stopped me from getting an Opportunity that i nor Mally would have gotten. And i surely feel bad about  Swann was barely 19 when the enemy suicide plane descended on the intrepid on oct. 29, 1944, in the Pacific Ocean near the Philippines. As other crewmen ran for cover Swann and More than a dozen Theryoung Black men in his Crew stayed at their  can tally How Many lives were saved when they shot away the attacking plane s left Wing and most of its Tail diverting the Kamikaze from the vital flight deck. But the plane instead crashed into their own position spewing flames that claimed nine of the Black sailors and badly burned  you could hear was things blowing  said Swann a native of Steelton. Pa.,just outside Harrisburg. And fire. Ooh Man i have never had that much paining my life and i went out the last thing i remember is falling right Back into  pulled from the inferno Swann Yasback in the gun tub within a month. The ship s commander capt. Joseph Bolger promised Navy crosses to Swann and five other surviving sailors. They were Given citations recognizing the award and Alonzo Swann will add the Navy croat to the purple heart and Bronze Star medal he received during world War u. Swann shown in the photo at right shortly after joining the service helped save the Carrier intrepid during a japanese Kamikaze attack. Navy press releases Sang their praises. The awards were even mentioned in a front Page of the new York times in late july 1945. But then the Navy quickly recanted Reis suing its press release to show Bronze Star medals were awarded not Navy crosses. On Board the intrepid the paper citations were recalled and the lesser award handed put. The Bronze Star is awarded for heroic or meritorious achievement or service in combat while the Navy Cross is awarded for extraordinary  More than four decades Swann screamed angrily into the abyss that is government bureaucracy. Racism he said Nad deprived him of his rightful Honor. He fought the Battle alone most of those years spending almost All of the Money he earned As a 21-year employee of Gary s health and building departments. Trauma from his War experiences an frustration Over his situation led to several nervous breakdowns. He has made weekly visit to a mental health clinic since he cured in 1977 to pursue his Navy Cross full time. You have to have endurance to fight for what is right said Swann. But to have endurance is to take a  Swann finally got Legal help in 1991from Hammond attorney Ron layer a Vietnam Veteran. Armed with stacks of documents Swann had uncovered layer presented the Case to . District judge Rudy Lozano in Hammond. Lozano ruled last december that Swann was denied the medal either through error or intentional racial injustice and the judge ordered the Navy to give Swann the award. The Navy acted in january but said they had decided in Swann s favor after review ing the Case not because of Lozano s order. In world War ii Navy crosses were awarded to 3,376 members of the Navy marines and coast guard. Only three were Black. Swann becomes the fourth. About 400 people Are expected to attend wednesday evening s ceremony aboard the intrepid now a floating museum on the Hudson River in new York City. The Navy s top officer adm. Frank b. Kelso ii will present the Cross to Swann. Wrestling group s alleged steroid use probed new York a Federal authorities Are investigating allegations that the world wrestling federation and it owner gave steroids to professional wrestlers according to a report in sunday Snew York new Day the grand jury investigation by . Attorney is focusing on Vincent me Mahon jr., principal owner of the a Wand Titan sports inc., a Whf subsidiary that markets Hulk Hogan dolls and other products the paper said. The steroid allegations Stem from the1991 trial of a Whf doctor or. George t. Zahorian Iii of Harrisburg pa., who was convicted of Selling steroids to pro wrestlers. He was the first doctor in the country convicted under a 1988 Federal statute that prohibits the dispensing of steroids for nonmedical reasons. During Zahorian s trial evidence showed hundreds of shipments from his office to wrestlers. Prosecutors claim the shipments contained steroids