European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 13, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday september .13, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 3 Poth by Mark Kinkade. Staff writer Rhein main a Germany . Air Force officials say the German government knew about pollution on base land earmarked for a civilian cargo Center years before a recent report detailed the contamination. /.-.  a report released by Airport officials sept. 5, a German environmental firm the Fresenius Institute tested More than 300 samples of soil on the land and found traces of gasoline Oil heavy metals and other contaminants. The firm also said it found the ground water near the test Sites to be contaminated. Officials with flu Hafen ., or Airport limited co., a semiprivate organization that operates Frankfurt International Airport adjacent to the air base released the report during a news conference last week the group is behind plans to build the air cargo Center on the land scheduled for return in 1997. The pollution could endanger those plans a flu Hafen spokeswoman has said. But the air Force said monday that the German government and the Airport authorities who will get the. Land from the base knew of. The contamination at four locations of base before the Institute s Independent re sults were released. None of the findings of the Fresenius report Are new to German or . Authorities an air Force spokeswoman said monday. The air Force conducted tests Between 1989 and 1992 on land where an army and air Force Exchange service filling station a fire Drill pit an Auto Hobby shop and a fuel storage area Are located a base spokeswoman said. The land is part of the base that will be returned to the German government. The air Force said that flu Hafen  Participated in tests in 1989 at the fire Drill pit and that German officials were told of All results As required by the Ger Man government. The base drinking water in t affected by the contamination the spokeswoman said. None of the contaminated areas is near the Rhein main housing area or schools but the filling station is near a  Cen Ter. ". /. Flu Hafen  Officials said the contamination could delay construction on the cargo Center up to 10 years. However the company is ready to go ahead with construction plans that Call for building another por Tion on uncontaminated land near a Small Forest. Local environmentalists in German communities near the base have protested the proposed construction on part of the land to be returned because Trees in the area would be in danger. Frankfurt City officials said Friday however that they endorse the plan to build near the Trees in order to bring More than 1,000 jobs to the City.  " -./. The report s findings Don t affect plans to return the land the spokeswoman said. Under the turnover agreement German and . Air Force Money has been contributed to a fund for environmental cleanup and restoration. If the Money is used before cleanup is Complete the two sides will renegotiate if necessary the air Force said. Or. Earl Moore a for Mer Navy Pilot recalls his experiences during the Berlin Airlift. Is Ken George Airlift vet flew in face of russians by Ron Jensen Niernberg Bureau Berlin piloting air planes through Good and bad weather night and Day during the Berlin Airlift of 1948 and 49 was a difficult task. But the russians did All they could to make it even harder said or. Earl Moore a former Navy Pilot who flew supplies to the blockaded City 208 times. Most of us were real pissed off at the assignment Moore said Many of the pilots had lost friends in the War to end. Germany s Conquest of the continent. To Lurn around and come Back Here to feed them did t sit very Well he said. But the russians who tried to hinder  riled the pilots even More. We became More determined said Moore 70, a dentist and an Oral surgeon in Dallas. Moore and nine other american Airlift pilots plus 10 British and two French pilots were guests of the City , the governing mayor was a Small boy who chased after Candy bars dropped from the planes during . Berliners who remember when the soviet Union blocked All land based Supply routes to the City paid their respects to the men who sustained them during the 11 month blockade. At the height of , an air plane filled with food Coal Medicine or other supplies landed in Berlin every 90 seconds. During one ceremony last week German Chancellor Helmut Kohl British prime minister John major and French president Francois Mitterrand personally thanked the former pilots. With a room service breakfast pushed aside and his stocking feet on the unmade bed of his hotel room in the heart of the former East Berlin Moore recalled efforts by the russians to stymie . They would fire anti aircraft weapons into the air corridors and answer any " complaints with a weak apology about testing their defences. The russians once put a fake Beacon atop a Small Mountain Moore said. A Navy Pilot flew toward it and crashed into the Mountain killing the entire Crew. A russian Jet buzzed Moore in his 54 sky Naster aircraft on one of his trips. First Jet i Ever saw coming right at us he said. At the last second he goes whoosh right Over us. A minute later whoosh Here he comes  Moore whose son is capt. Drew Moore of the 89th medical det in Heidelberg said the pilots responded by working harder. On easter sunday 1948, the pilots brought in 7,000 tons of supplies. We said stick that up your Gazoo russians he said. Moore who spent 11 years on Active duty including world War ii and the korean War has other memories of . He will never forget he said the sight of the air planes one after another each flying at different altitudes Between airfields in West Germany and West Berlin. It was fantastic he said you could see the Stair step of air planes ahead of you. You knew there was one behind . Nor will he forget the children of Berlin there must have been a million orphans in this town he said. Even if they weren t orphans their parents could t take care of them. They did t play like kids did. They did t run. They had no energy.". Moore told of one Small boy who brought him a Geranium after Moore had just arrived with a flight of tangerines and oranges. They had never seen oranges Moore Sard. He gave me the Geranium. I gave him an Orange. He tried to Bounce it like a ball.". The blockade was lifted in May 1949, but Moore said he and other pilots were sceptical. We did t believe them he said. We said yeah sure those sons of bitches. When we dismantle they la Start up again " sex foes open exercises by Jon Conno staff writer Poznan Poland nato and its former Warsaw pact adversaries began a new chapter in european relations Mon Day with the Start of the first partnership for peace exercise said the Alliance s supreme commander in Europe. Five years ago we faced each other across an Iron curtain . Army Gen. George a. Joulwan said during the exer Cise s opening ceremony at a military training area in Bie Drusko Poland. The partnership he added now is helping keep Europe free you Are the Vanguard of that new Europe said Joul wan who also commands the . Euro Pean come. The Bie Drusko training area is about nine Miles North of Poznan in Western Poland. \. ". About 650 soldiers from 13 nations Are participating in the five Day joint exercise called cooperative Bridge 94. It is de signed to enhance joint peacekeeping operations. The United states joins Bulgaria the czech Republic Denmark Germany the United kingdom Italy Lithuania the Netherlands Romania Slovakia Ukraine and Poland in the exercise. About 100 soldiers from 1st army div s 3rd in 5th Cav regt from Kirch Gons Germany Are participating in the event. Officials from Poland were hesitant to speculate whether their country would be Able to join the North Atlantic treaty organization. Instead they emphasized the nerdier european Security. The exercise provides the Opportunity to become closer make friends and Exchange experiences said Waldemar Pawlak prime minister of Poland. Pawlak said the exercise is Only the first step relating to Security issues. Gen. Helge Hansen commander of nato s Allied forces Central Europe said the exercise served first and fore most to launch peace and stability in  during the ceremony . Array maj. Gen. William g. Carter Iii commander of 1st army div and co director of the exercise said the soldiers from the Var ious nations Are in Poland not to com Pete but rather to work together professionally and in Harmony if called upon to keep peace. Shortly after the ceremony soldiers began training in patrolling observing escorting controlling and weaponry