European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 18, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes sunday september 18,1,994 sex combo fliers convey that air of experience byed Reavis staff writer Ramstein a Germany they were Dari Gyoung men in their flying machines. Now the retired War pilots were sharing their War experiences with a current generation of air Force men and women. /. ". . It. Gen. Gerald , col. Spann Watson col. David l Tex Hill col. William r. Lawley and col. John s. Loisel visited Europe earlier this month As part of the . European come s warriors of the past program. Together the five highly decorated combat veterans had experience in world War ii and the korean and Vietnam conflicts. The former military pilots visited airmen in several . Bases in Europe before returning wednesday to the United states. Watson went to Aviano a Italy Loisel and Lawley to Span Dahlem a Germany and Hill and Johns onto . Bases in England. Their trip began sept. 8. This visit to Europe has been a wonderful Opportunity to get firsthand information about the problems facing the air Force in Europe today said Johnson who retired As the air Force inspector general in 1974. I meet with a lot of people in the service and. Government and intend to spread the  Johnson is a Veteran of world War ii and Vietnam. The former p-47 Thunderbolt fighter Pilot Ace ended his 33-year flying career with 12,000 flying hours. Today pilots generally accumulate about 4,000 flying hours before retirement said a spokesman for . Air forces in Europe. On March 27,1944, Johnson was forced Down by ground fire Over Germany and captured. He spent the rest of the War in a prison Camp in Northern Germany. Before being captured he had flown 88 combat missions and scored 16vi Aerial  1972, during the Vietnam War Johnson commanded the 8th air Force during the bombing aids on North Vietnam known As linebacker i and linebacker ii.-. " Watson had to fight a Battle on two fronts As did Many Black War veterans of world War ii. On front was against the Axis the coalition led by nazi Germany and Japan and the other for equal rights in the military and american society. We called it the double a the Symbol for Victory on both fronts Watson said. Watson s fascination with flight began As a 10-year-old when he saw Charles Lindbergh Fly his plane the spirit Watson of St. Louis into Teterboro Airport n.j., on july 4,1927. I was there with my dad Watson said. A Barker with a megaphone Selling tourist flights pointed atthe plane in the sky and said someone would have to Fly up to guide it in. I told the Barker that the approaching plane was the spirit of is. Louis. He ridiculed me in front of everybody by saying the Little coloured boy Here thinks that s Lindbergh up there " Watson recalled. The plane landed and Lindbergh got  after seeing Lindbergh he was determined to become a Pilot. Watson was later disappointed by his hero who he said turned out to be a racist. Eventually Watson became one of the legendary Tuskegee airmen the first Black pilots in the army air corps. Watson later distinguished himself during world War ii in flying missions Over North Africa and Sicily. Although Watson said the air Force still does thave enough Black generals he advised Black americans to join the service. It s still the Best place for equal Opportunity an advancement in the United states he said. I.--. A v 7 Hill s experiences read like a script for an adventure movie. Hill was born in 1915, the son of american missionaries in Korea. He grew up in Texas but later returned tothe far East As a member of Gen. Claire Chennault s american Volunteer group the flying tigers. The communist and nationalist chinese joined forces to combat their common foe the invading japanese Hill said. They needed an instant Airhill Force and we were  originally a Navy Pilot Hill joined the flying tigers in Burma until he said the japanese chased them into Mainland China. C Hill commanded the 23rd fighter group at Chennault s personal request he said. The flying tigers never had More than 70 trained pilots or 49 aircraft in commission at any one time but defended China from december 1941 to july 1942, when they disbanded. The unit reportedly destroyed 299 enemy planes with another 155 probably destroyed. Only four flying tigers pilots and 12 p-40 War Hawk fighters were Tost in Aerial combat. Hollywood he said captured his exploits on film in a wartime movie flying tigers. Yeah John Wayne played my part but he played it real corny Hill left Active service later in the 1940s and went to Central Africa to trap gorillas for the 1949 movie mighty Joe Young. He said that after retiring fro the Reserve in 1968, he also worked with film director John Ford. " " Lawley s Story resembles the old world War ii song coming in on a Wing and prayer. Lawley earned the medal of Honor for returning his b-17 flying fortress Back to England after it was crippled Over Leipzig Germany in 1944. While Over Leipzig his plane s bombs would t drop he said. His flight group flew on after the bombing run and left his Crew alone. Lawley s plane was attacked by about 20 German fighters crippling his plane s ability to maintain Altitude above 12,000 feet. My co Pilot was killed and there was blood All Over the Windshield and controls Lawley said. I first wanted to make it to France near Paris hoping the French underground could help us if we bailed out. But Woof the 10-Man Crew were injured and could  / ". Lawley decided to Fly toward the coast near Calais. There he picked up flak from German anti aircraft batteries. He was finally Able to release his bombs that gave us a lift and Speed and we made it Back to England where i landed it on its belly he said. They gave me the medal for that \.  had a reputation combat. He piloted a p-38 lightning during world War ii and a p 80 shooting Star during the korean conflict. Loisel was known for advising his Squadron pilots to head for the bulk of the enemy. Plow into the largest Bunch you see was his motto. When he retired in 1970, Loisel had More than 5,500 flying Loisel hours 323 combat missions and 11 confirmed Aeria victories. For aggressiveness scholars Center to Aid in ties sex . By Stephen Kinzer new York times Berlin a group of prominent americans and germans has announced plans to build an american Academy Here part of a web of new projects intended to ensure that berlins ties to the United states do no weaken Over the years. The Academy which is to open in 1996, would be a Center for scholars from the United states Germany and Central Europe. Former  Secretary of state Henry Kissinger and former German president Rich Ard von Weizsacker Are the honorary chairmen. By Sparkm an a Edcah rediscovery of Berlin s treasures the Academy can tap a Rich centuries bid tradition of cultural and scholarly interaction Between americans and Central europeans that was cracked by world War ii and the cold War organizers of the project said in a statement. The withdrawal last week of the last . Troops in Berlin has unsettled Many berliners some of whom do not realize that the americans Are not bringing their troops Home from All of Germany. To show that the United states intends to remain Active in the City . Officials have begun projects that Are envisioned As the basis of a new and stronger eco nomic political cultural and strategic relationship. We have got a massive Effort under Way to Demon Strate to Berlin to Germany and the world that we Are not pulling out in any real sense Richard Holbrooke the departing . Ambassador to Germany said in an interview. All that is leaving Berlin Are a couple of Hundred soldiers who Are no longer needed. There s a real strength and a real emotion in the feel ing that germans and especially berliners have toward the United states he said. Logically these ties will gradually attenuate and become More Distant. Memories of the Airlift and president Kennedy s speech Ich bin pm Berliner will fade like Gettysburg and the Battle of the bulge. What we Are doing now is building a series of institutions that will guarantee that this relationship does t fade along with the  unit gets new commander Schwet Zingen Germany the reins of the 1st personnel come were passed to a new commander wednesday during a ceremony at the . Col. Neil w. Grotegut assumed command of the Kil Bourne Cavern based unit which provides numerous personnel services for the . Army Europe. Grotegut s previous assignment was As the army s Deputy adjutant general. Among his other assignments the native of Spanish Fork Utah also served a tour with the 1st in 4th inf in Aschaffenbur. Grotegut replaces col. Peter r. O Connor who has commanded the unit since August 1992. O Connor s next assignment is in Prague czech Republic. I. Heidelberg Mannheim hailed for guest houses Heidelberg Germany is the Heidelberg and Mannheim guest houses Are winners of this year s . Army Europe Competition for lodging operation of the year. Heidelberg won the category for medium sized facilities with 76 to 299 units. Mannheim won the category for Small facilities with one to 75 units. There is no category for Large facilities in Usa eur. The Competition is designed to recognize the army s most outstanding transient housing operations. A panel of six experts judged All Usa eur guest houses on facility management guest services staffing and personnel management financial management safety Security Supply and furnishings management and innovations. The Heidelberg and Mannheim facilities will been tired in the army wide Competition at fort Mcpher son ga., from oct. 19 to 21. The last Usa eur facility to win in the worldwide Competition was the Karlsruhe Guesthouse which won the Small category in1992