European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 25, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes monday july 25,1994smooth flying sought in merge tables turned As Span Dahlem switch by Kevin Dougherty Kaiserslautern Bureau Span Dahlem a Germany in the late 1960s, a . Air Force restructuring plan led to a temporary draw Down of forces at Span Dahlem a and a buildup at nearby Pitburg a which assumed operational control of its nigh Boring air base. More than 25 years later another reorganization has led to a similar draw Down in Germany s Eifel Region which Borders Luxembourg. But this time its Pitburg that is drawing Down and Span Dahlem that is on the Rise. And this time the changes Are hot temporary. A a what we Are going through now actually happened in reverse in 1967," said col. Larry e. Bickel the 52nd fighter Wing support group commander. Quot it was not a very pleasant transition that they went through at that  Bickel and others involved in the restructuring plan Are nearing the end of an Endeavor that has made Span Dahlem the largest aircraft fighter base in the . Air forces in Europe. The base located North of Trier in Western Germany has gone from three squadrons to four and now has 72 aircraft assigned to it. In contrast Pitburg which for Many years was one of a Safe a showcase bases no longer has fighter aircraft and its base population is dropping daily. The United states announced last year that it was turning Over most of the base to the germans but would retain about 1,200 military housing units the medical facility schools and several other buildings such As the base Exchange. Under the plan the closure of Pitburg a will occur no later than sept. 30. The remaining facilities will come under  a control and be known As the Pitburg Annex. About 500 people will work full time there. Bickel said he is striving for a a transparent transition to alleviate any stress associated with the changes. Among Many of the local nationals employed at the bases Bickel said a there was a lot of this fear maybe left Over from 67." he heard that people Back then a thought they had bed. One advantage of the changes is that bit urge a draw Down is helping to ease a housing crunch that for years had service members waiting months and even years for Homes of their Choice a a 5&s Effle Bathen a world War u building lies collapsed at Pitburg a Early this month in a Section of the base scheduled to be returned to the germans. Officials Are trying to ease the pain of the takeover of Pitburg by longtime rival Span Dahlem a. Been dumped  the changes made in the late 1960s were in response to a . Decision to withdraw 35,000 military personnel from the former West Germany the move was intended a to help reduce the unfavourable balance of payments a according to us afe historical records from 1967. In july 1968, the 49th tac fighter Wing left for Holloman fab n.m., after nine years at Span Dahlem. It was replaced by a housekeeping organization of about 1,600 people whose Job was to maintain the base s readiness for Short notice deployments to Europe under the code  crested Cap. The organization was Short lived however Pitburg assumed operational control of Span Dahlem in january 1969, and the caretaker organization was inactivated in september of that  Dahlem remained plane less until 1972, when it received f-4d phantom ii aircraft. Today its Pitburg that is plane less. The two squadrons of f-15 eagles assigned to Pitburg have Beeh sent to her bases including Span Dahlem. With the fighter jets gone personnel Are Busy putting the operational Side of the base to a fall the waiting times Are dropping and pretty soon people will be Able to go immediately into government quarters if that is what they Are interested in a said Marty Mims the assistant housing director at Span Dahlem Mims said that when she arrived at Span Dahlem in february 1993, it took her 4 i months to find a Home on the Economy. The search now takes abo\it30 Days. The waiting time for government housing has also improved she said. A a year ago they were probably waiting 1 i to two years a she said. A now if they want Pitburg housing they could move in in 30 to 60 Days for a three bedroom apartment.�?�. In an Effort to marry two military com Munitic that in the past had a somewhat love hat relationship Bickel said his staff is making Only changes that have real value. Alterations made As the two communities become one Are void of any ulterior motives he said. For example the High school that served the two bases will continue to carry bit urge a . A Why change the  just for the Sake of changing the  a Bickel asked. One  change Span Dahlem offi rials Are contemplating concerns the base newspaper. Now that the Pitburg Blazer has ceased publication capt. Eric Butterbaugh Span Dahlem s chief of Public affairs said some thought is being Given to changing the  of the spangled Banner. The change he said would be in keeping with the bases desire not to forget Pitburg and to refer to the two installations As the Eifel Community. A the Community which numbers about 15,000 people also started its own pm radio station and will offer local television programming by years end. A a we re not anything new a senior master sgt. Bryan Arr Brust the station. Manager said in an interview two months ago. A we Are just new to this  in a sense Span Dahlem is being Laid to rest with Pitburg for Sake of the new Eifel Community. Family of Black aviator rues Pensacola Fla. Apr Pride will be tinged with disappointment at a ceremony for the . Frigate Jesse l. Brown. The warship named for the Navy a first Black aviator is being decommissioned. The disappointment is shared by the family of Ensign Jesse l. Brown killed in action during the korean War and his former Wingman Thomas Hudner. Hudner a retired Navy Captain won the medal of Honor for a heroic but futile attempt to Rescue. Brown from the wreckage of his downed plane in enemy territory. A i can to believe the Navy would have done it a Hudner said in a Telephone interview from his Home in Concord mass. A we need everything we can in race  the ship the first the Navy named for a Black officer is to be decommissioned wednesday at Nas Pensacola where Brown received flight training. Its one of two frigates being turned Over to the egyptian Navy. Browne a wife Daisy Thorne of Hattiesburg miss., his Hometown attended the ships commissioning in 1973. She also plans to Joe at the decommissioning Alongi can to believe the Navy would have done it. We need everything we can in race  retired Navy capt. Thomas Hudner medal of Honor recipient with other family members including the Only child she had with Brown Pamela Knight and knights two children Jamal 23, and Jessica Leroyce 11 named for her Grandfather. A a a i am saddened that there will no longer be a  Jesse Brown a Thorne said. Quot we were very proud of that ship. We kept up with  More than 150 members of Browne a family held a reunion on the ship in 1992 when it was based at Charleston . Thorne visited it again after it moved to Mobile Ala. It came to Pensacola this year when the Mobile base closed. A the Navy is considering naming another vessel for Brown said it.  John rec the ships spokesman. A is passing Hudner who will miss the decommissioning was Browne a Wingman in a flight of four f4u-4-corsairs from the aircraft Carrier Leyte on dec. 4, 1950. They were providing air cover for . Forces near the chosen Reservoir. Browne a fighter was hit by ground fire and he crash landed. When it became Clear he was alive but unable to get out of the soldering wreckage Hudner made a wheels up Landing nearby. Hudner tried to pull Brown free but the wounded Man was pinned in the wreckage. A Marine helicopter Pilot landed and joined the Effort. Brown slipped in and out of consciousness. Ward and the Marine had to leave or they would have risked capture or death in the overnight subzero cold. A Csc was very Ely dead when the left a Hudner said. A if he Wasny to. Hit was right on the verge of  it was too dangerous to try a recovery. A few Days later pilots dropped napalm to cremate the wreckage and Browne a body. Wednesday will be Thorness first visit to Pensacola since her husband was stationed Here in 1948