European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 05, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday augusts 1994 the stars and stripes Page i i alternate fitness facilities planned by Wayne v. Hal staff Miter Darmstadt Germany Community officials Are planning alternative physical fitness facilities after a second gymnasium closed in the last month spokeswoman said thursday. A fitness Center is expected to open by next week at the site of the former Armand air Force Exchange service shop Pette on Cambrai Fritsch Cavern according to a Community statement. Exercise machine Sand weights Are expected to be moved into the facility from the Cambrai gym which closed last Friday because of structural problems. Evening aerobics classes have Bee moved to the  Community services Center on Cambrai. A location for the Day time classes has not yet been decided. Officials said they also Are coordinating with the department of defense dependents schools and the City of Darmstadt to find out if any activities such As youth sports can move to their facilities. A possibility under discussion for Basket Ball players a creating a makeshift court Ina Large tent with lights and heat. The tent also would support other indoor court activities. The gymnasium on Ernst Ludwig Caser was opened recently for Community use making it the Only fitness facility in the Community. The Cavern is scheduled to be returned to the. Germans by the Spring of1996, said Community spokeswoman Teri Viedt. The decision to close the Cambrai gym came after a structural analysis found that the main roof needed immediate repairs Viedt said. Safety inspections were ordered for All Public facilities throughout the 233rdbase support in after the roof on the Kel Ley Barracks gym collapsed in Early july. Soldiers can still use the showers an Sauna at the Cambrai gym because those facilities and the sports office Are in a Safe area of the building officials said. An estimated Cost of repairs for the Cambrai gym was not available by midday thursday said Viedt nor was an estimation How Long the gym will remain closed. American units set for celebrations in France by de reams Heidelberg Germany . Army Europe units will play a vital role in supporting the 50th anniversary Cele bration this month of the Allied landings in Southern France. According to a Usa eur release about 500 personnel from the command will be part of task Force Gold Dragoon and will be involved in the events Cele Brating operation Anvil Dragoon on aug. 14-16. Personnel from the . Air forces in Europe and . Naval forces Europe will also take part in the commemorations. Operation Anvil Dragoon was the code name for the Allied forces Landing in Southern France on aug. 15, 1944. It was another deadly blow against Hitler s fortress Europe coming after the Normandy landings in june and the successes on the italian Peninsula. Among the commemoration activities will be a ceremony at the Rhone Ameri can cemetery in a Raguinan on aug. 15 in Honor of the . Veterans who participated in the operation. Approximately 250 . World War ii veterans Are expected to attend the Cere Mony which will feature a flyby of mod Ern air Force aircraft the americans will also support and participate in two French events at the villages of la Motte and dram ont. The ceremony at la Motte on aug. 14 will commemorate an airborne assault and will include an Airdrop of ., French and British paratroops. The ceremony at dram ont the follow ing morning will Honor All Allied forces that participated. It will feature Ameri can French and British soldiers As Well As flybys of contemporary aircraft from the three nations. .1 _ \ Secretary of the Navy John Dalton will be the ranking american official attend ing the celebrations. French president Francois Mitterrand had to Bow out for health reasons and will be represented by French Premier edouard Balladur and minister of defense Francois Leo Tard. _ v the French government has invited a number of Heads of sub saharan african states to attend the ceremonies a spokes Man for the press office of the . Embassy in Paris said. The French want to show their gratitude for the support they received from these countries during the War. They Are scheduled to follow events from the French aircraft Carrier Foch and attend the ceremony at la Matte the spokes Man said. Among the 500 Usa eur personnel supporting the ceremonies Are 206 Mem Bers of the Engineer brigade of the 1st  div stationed in bad Kreuz Nach Germany. They will be based in Draguin nan.-. About 32 soldiers from the head Quad or a i. In u v is pvt. Set.  a. A. Ass s a Siff la if  Jim mkt am  f i  is Dave Casey Brendan Derby left superintendent of the Rhone american military cemetery shows a big Bronze map of the Allied invasion route to his Boss retired it. Gen. Joseph l. Laposata who Heads he american Battle monuments commission. Main events planned for commemoration following is a list of major events planned for the commemoration of operation Anvil Dragoon in Southern France. Vav . L3 rallied Landing Cele bration with a sound and Light festival at Sainte Maxime. Aug. 14 during the morn ing a naval review will be held off the coast Between the cities of Villefranche  will include 33 ships 24 from the French Navy seven from the . Navy and two from the British Navy.  /. At 4 ., a Parachute drop is scheduled at la Motte the first town to be Freedom Provence by american French and British paratroops _. _ about 10 ., there will be a Cere Mony at be Rayon Vanadel to Mark the Allied Landing. Aug. 15 at 9 a.m., a ceremony will Honor Allied forces at the dra Mont Landing. At 11 ajn., a ceremony will be held in Honor of French forces at Cavalire sur Mer. In the afternoon an air show at the French naval air Sta Tion in the town of heres is planned. The . Task Force Gold Dragoon will be Tolje Host at a ceremony at the Rhine american cemetery at drag Duignan beginning around 6  In Honor of . Veterans who helped lib Erate Southern France. Also planned for the Day Are Munici pal ceremonies in the coastal towns of Sainte Maxime St. Tropez and Frijus where Here will be a concert of inter National military bands. Towns in the Var Region of Provence will also hold celebrations. Or aug. 24 individual ceremonies to commemorate the liberation of can Nesle Cannet and Grasse. Aug. 27 Celebration of the liberation of Cagnes. _ _  aug."28 Celebration Jurf the liberation of Nice and Toulon. Sept. 8-10 events celebrating the liberation of Menton. _ _ _ de Reavis ters of v corps arty will provide the command and control element of task Force Gold Dragoon. 1 other v corps personnel participating in the support Effort include 25 members of the 12th aviation brigade Wiesbaden Germany 21 soldiers from the 18fh Mili tary police brigade Frankfurt Germany six members of the 68th medical brigade and eight members from the 3rd corps support come both with Headquarters in Wiesbaden Germany and five interpreters from the corps. Rounding out the 500-member task Force will be paratroops from the 7th special operations come in Stuttgart Germany and the 10th special forces group Headquarters at fort Devens mass. Personnel from the military District of Washington the . Embassy in Paris and the 32nd  air defense come Darmstadt Germany the usar eur and 1st  div bands plus serv ice members from Usa eur Una Veur Safe and , coast guard activity Europe. A " other ceremonies in addition to the one at the Rhone american cemetery that will be supported by the task Force personnel Are ones scheduled for the towns of la Molte Les arcs be Muy Vida ban and trans in Provence on aug. 14-16.-