European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 6, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 12 the stars and stripes monday june 6,1994 a a is amps Davo Didio airman 1st class Tim Gonzales checks jump cables sunday aboard an air Craft at Raf Alconbury England that was to Airdrop Active duty paratroops Over Normandy later in the Day. Gonzales is with the 37th Airlift so at Rhein main a Germany. Service members find nighttime is the right time a for sleeping by Mark Kinkade Normandy Bureau Signy sur Mer France duly in France May sound Sweet but the american military members in Normandy Are doing Little other than working. Life Isnit a Day at the Beach for the roughly 2,000 americans working 18-hour Days. Some live in tents while most live in gymnasiums or other Large facilities. And most face an 11 . Curfew. When night comes most of the americans Here make beeline for their bunks while others May hang around outside their buildings talking with locals who wander by. The Only Quick jaunts Are Brief jogs along a Road overlooking Omaha Beach a to be honest when these kids get Back to their rooms they Are just Plain tired a said army 1st sgt. Albert Jackson a reservist from Birmingham Ala. A they pretty much hit the sack. Work comes Early Jackson leads about 125 soldiers sailors and airmen staffing the joint information Bureau near the american cemetery at Collet ill sur Mer. They Are responsible for escorting nearly 4,000 Media people to various ceremonies Battle Sites and Points of interest from the cemetery to keep up with the de Mand Jackson a people Are putting in Long Days and Short nights he said. When night Falls done to expect to see them at the local Bistro. A the Mission is first to them a he said. A they know Why they re Here and its not to the . Army Europe and v corps both imposed 11 . Curfews on weeknights Jackson said. On saturdays some units have allowed the soldiers to stay out until Midnight. A we have to keep them Safe a said army master sgt. Ernest Green of Darmstadt Germany. Green is the first sergeant at the joint visitors Bureau in Signy sur Mer. A a lot of the Guys Here Are Drivers for vips. We done to want them trying to drive with hangovers or when they re but the service members have managed to find some ways to enjoy themselves. In Signy for example local French teen agers have adopted the soldiers staying in the school gymnasium. Each night the teens gather outside the gym and wait for their new friends to come outside. Then they shuffle off Down the Signy streets laughing and teaching each other their language. A a in be been to their houses for dinner with their families. We be shared a few drinks. Its been fun a said spec. Joseph Pagano of the 440th base lays out Welcome mat by Nancy l. Torner . Bureau Raf Alconbury England a teamwork rarely has been As apparent Here As during the last two months As base personnel scurried to prepare for a presidential visit and the arrival of 850 troops in connection with a Day commemorations in Normandy. A we did not have higher priority than the president Quot said capt John Gage logistics support flight 10th air base Wing at Alconbury. Yet the United states. Under Normal circumstances the simultaneous planning for these two events would be harried. But Alconbury also is in the process of drawing Down for a partial return of the base to the British defense ministry next Spring. A with All the work being done for the cemetery and since we re in a draw Down Mode the support for this Parachute drop required a lot of people on base to pull double duty a said sgt. Scott Davis a base Public affairs representative. A we always preparations for the arrival of visit a a a a a a a were my troops could not be delayed he we Werc it ing this.-. Said a a a r. 1 a temporary Barracks for visiting president Clinton and first lady j b Hillary Rodham Clinton attended a memorial service at the Cambridge american military cemetery on saturday in Madingley. Alconbury was in charge of the service with other . Air Force bases in the United kingdom lending support. Two Days earlier the 850 visiting troops and 12 . And one French c-130 Hercules aircraft arrived at Alconbury to prepare for a sunday Parachute drop by Active duty paratroops Over Normandy in commemoration of a Day. The aircraft Crews and paratroops left Alconbury late sunday morning to make the drop and the . Aircraft then were to return temporarily to Alconbury before eventually re ment of being involved in the Airdrop turning to their bases in Europe and portion of troops were set up in aircraft hangars with French and . Soldiers sleeping Side by Side Gage said a there was a lot of camaraderie a he said. The 15 female troop members had their own sleeping area also in a hangar ? base dining facilities extended their hours and banking establishments on base opened extra Teller lines to accommodate visiting troops Gage said. In addition transportation squadrons met the demand for vehicles and the base managed to arrange a tour of London for about 600 of the visitors he said. A Quwas a real team Effort a Gage said. A the real Bonus was the excite s4s Dave Casey . Army Ogi. Earl Turner gets a haircut front spec. Anthony Johnson As sgt. Darryl Day looks on Friday in Signy sur Mer France. With an 11 . Curfew Active duty troops in Normandy have Little else to do at night. Signal in in Darmstadt a they really like americans even those who can to or wont a leave the compound can find something to keep themselves from going stir crazy Jackson said. For example most Camps have recreation rooms televisions and videocassette recorders. Several units offer Tours of the Battle Sites and some units have played soccer and basketball against local teams Green said. Spare the pity for these hardworking men and women though. Most seem to like it in Normandy even if All they do is work. A this is a one time special event a said pfc. Cornelius Bennett of Kaiserslautern Germany. A How Many people can say they were a part of this a a it s not easy work and the hours Are harsh a Jackson said. A but i Haven to met one who said they did no to want to be
