European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 11, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday november 11, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 3 says a by  Burea Gaeta Italy the Navy s guided missile cruise Belknap began its final voyage thursday As it left Gaeta and headed to Norfolk a. The former 6th Fleet flagship is slated to be decommissioned in March you did a magnificent Job that no one could have done better said darn. Leighton w. Smith jr., com Mander of . Naval forces  spoke tuesday at a ceremony in which the miscellaneous command ship la Salle was named the new flagship. Before the ceremony he sent military personnel scurrying for cover from the torrential Down pour and then laughing said he d shorten his speech to just a few words. The 6th Fleet is made up of several ships and aircraft operating in the Mediterranean sea Black sea and adv Jacent areas. In addition to showing the military pres ence in the Region 6th Fleet ships and aircraft enforce the no Fly zone Over Bosnia and Herzegovina and . Sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro. Vice adm. Joseph w. Pm her the 6th Fleet com Mander presented the Belknap and its Crew of about 600 with a Navy unit commendation Medaj. Dubbed the fighting flagship the Belknap never missed or arrived late for a single commitment in the eight year she served As the Fleet flagship. During the Early stages of operations deny flight and provide Promise the Belknap was the Only Cruiser not equipped with the Aegis weapons system to eve control the Adriatic airspace. The sophisticated system is necessary for  Crew members watched the beginning of the end of the cold War while in port in Malta As the United states and Russia signed historic peace agreements. The ship later became the first . Navy snip to visit Bulgaria Kovoros sysk Russia and Odessa Ukraine. The value of what you accomplished during you time cannot even be estimated Prueher said. Before she departed the Belknap was presented s4s Sua palum a Sailor tries to save the la Salle s Quarterdeck during a ceremony tuesday in Gaeta Italy during which she was named the new 6th Fleet flagship. With a 450-foot plastic Lei which was draped across the ship. Lori Feather and Sparks Mueller two Belkna spouses spent 200 hours making the Lel several spouses prepared cruise boxes or Goodie lags filled with books homemade treats Candy and coupons for fast food outlets in the United states for each Sailor. We just wanted to Send them off in style said Feather whose husband transferred to the la Salle. They worked real hard during their time Here and we want them to have something to remember us  from Page 1 of Carthage Texas Learned in 1985 Bow the dutch couple had taken care of his Best Friend s grave. That year he attended the 381st bomb group reunion in Seattle where a . Senator spoke or the dutch adopting american Graves at the Margrate cemetery. Howland wrote to the cemetery to get the Merses names and address. And they began corresponding regularly. The retired american navigator told the dutch couple that Jones was an Only child and that his father died because he could not handle the navigator s  idea of honouring the Merses came from howl and who. Suggested it to a senior defense department official. They re the Rnest wonderful people i be Ever met said Howland who flew on 30 b-17 bomber missions Over  a Telephone interview wednesday Howland said he was overjoyed that the family was to be  was Short people and Bob Jones was deep stuff while we were at celestial navigation school in Hondo Texas Howland said. We were  last saw Jones around feb. 15,1944, when we were in Bedford England where we spent two Days chasing girls Jones died feb. 22,1944.the dutch couple s association with Jones began after his burial on dutch  Forster nicknamed Apple Annie had a brother and sister who both worked against the Ger mans through the dutch underground resistance. Before her marriage to Lou Moers Annie had adopted Jones grave because she wanted to  smiled As she explained her nickname i always is Michael Abnot Joseph Van Laar originator of the adopt a grave pro Gram at the Netherlands american cemetery. Was eating apples she said and so in 1944 or 45american gis labelled her affectionately Apple  one Soldier she recalled liked the nicknames much he was going Home to open a bar and Call it Apple Annie  the couple married in july 1950 and together they have continued to care for Jones grave site Ever since. We were very very thankful for when the Ameri cans came in and we thought to do something Back said Moers 67, a retired department store floor manager. The germans made a lot of hard feelings and the americans released  the couple of sittard Netherlands visit the Ceme Tery usually twice a year. We do this for the pleasure and in gratitude said the grading 6-foot dutchman. Moers whose vision is impaired was wounded in an explosion sept. 19,1944. An american doctor treated him Tor shrapnel wounds to his head Back and shoulder. The Graves adoption program began for the dutch in1945. Joseph Van Laar then a town Hall clerk in mar Graten had spoken to the local mayor about establish ing a committee to manage the american Graves at the cemetery. A. 7 Vav. \-.v-. -. The Margrate cemetery was once the final resting place of 17,738 americans 1,026 Allied soldiers and 3,075 germans. The allies germans and 57 percent of the americans have since been moved to other Graves. Van Laar worked with the advancing american forces in world War ii As an interpreter and was there when the Graves services officer then capt. Joseph Shomon picked the cemetery site at Margrate. There was some discussion about the Choice being Supe rior farm land and Shomon said listen Joe even the Best soil is not Good enough for our fallen  a Telephone interview tuesday evening Shomon echoed Howland s Praise of their dutch friends. I think they be done a remarkable Job. They verbally dedicated themselves. To the cemetery Sho Mon said. The dutch people More than any other nation appreciate their Freedom from the  in 1947. Shomon pull std a Book Croft to 0w wind about Hie expert enc a in grave registration services and in it Tang up the cemetery at Margra ten. It waa published in dutch and English. Crows in to wind la for Taia in Margrate for about $15. Court upholds $ 8.9 i 11 ion verdict to sex no Cox news service Atlanta an evenly divided fed eral appeals court in Atlanta has upheld an $8.9 million verdict awarded to a for Mer fort Benning staff sergeant who suffered permanent brain damage after in Haling Carbon monoxide fumes in his on base  ruling issued tuesday has Broad ramifications because it denies a Justice department attempt to essentially bar negligence claims by military personal during peacetime. David Elliott jr., 30, and his 35-year-old wife Barbara sued the . Army in 1991 after they suffered Carbon monoxide poisoning because of a faulty venting sys tem attached to their apartment s water Heater. After a Bench trial a Federal judge in Columbus awarded $8.9 Millionth David Elliott and $3 million to his wife. Elliott who inhaled the fumes after falling asleep on a sofa watching television was in a coma for two weeks. He now uses a Cane to walk and is mentally impaired. The full Lith . Circuit court of appeals decided the Case by a 6-6 vote by Law a tie vote affirms the lower court judge s decision. The government appealed the $8.9 Mil lion award granted or. Elliott. The a peal relied on a 1950 . Supreme court opinion the Freres doctrine that limited lawsuits against the armed forces by service personnel during peacetime. The division of the court indicates that a great Deal of development in this area of Freres is yet to be completed said Columbus lawyer c Neal Pope who represented the Elliotts. But for a Well take this Sweet Victory. The Elliotts horrible physical and medical situation is one step closer to being Alle  assistant . Attorney Randy Ader hold in Columbus said he wat sur prised by the decision and Uncertain whether the Justice department would Appeal to the . Supreme court