European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 3, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday september 3, 1995 the stars and stripes Page 5 Clinton raps military retirement plan go p s efforts to trim benefits unconscionable Hillary Clinton on Friday joins soldiers at Wheeler army Airfield in celebrating the end of world War  ride rails re enacting War trip Omaha neb. Apr More than a half Century ago they were wide eyed teen agers packed onto troop trains heading to War. Now As Gray haired veterans Riding the same rails in an anniversary Celebration All the Flag waving band playing and speeches at every Stop  diminish the painful memories a. A you know its kind of sad a said former gunner John Zgud choking Back tears a when you think of All the Guys who did no to come  a Zgud who flew 30 missions Over Germany on a b-24 bomber was among nearly .400 veterans who boarded the 15-car train Friday along a 270-mile route from North Platte to Omaha. As he tra cled Zgud clutched an old photograph of his bombing group taken in 1943, showing them Rushing from the canteen in North Platte to catch the troop train. A a a a a a a a a a a this Guy Here is a Tail gunner a he said wistfully. A eighteen years old and going off to  coinciding with president Clinton a weekend of events in Hawaii to Mark the 50th anniversary of the end of world War ii the train trip was the Centrepiece of Nebraska a Celebration. It also served As a tribute to the train rides that 60,000 soldiers took through the state each month on their Way to War. Though it was intended to be a re enactment it bore Little resemblance to the real thing. A when i got on the train in 1943,�?� said Jim Beckius who served As a gunner on a Navy div bomber in the president Clinton tries on an army Cap Friday while at Wheeler army Airfield in Hawaii. Pacific a i was in a coach car with Gas lights and a Coal stove on each  _ As he Rode Friday he was seated on a cushioned chair in front of a table packed with danish pastry bagels and  in Small towns such As Gibbon Cozad and Wood River Small groups of people waved and held flags As they watched the Bright yellow train travel Over tracks usually reserved for Coal and Grain cars. Honolulu apr president Clinton injected politics into saturdays Celebration of the 50th anniversary of the end of world War ii denouncing As a a unconscionable a Republican plan to trim military retirement pay. A a a in his weekly radio address Clinton pledged to oppose a House Bill he said would reduce benefits for nearly 800,000 future military retirees. A was Long As in a president we re not going to break our word to the members of the armed forces or our veterans a he said. The attack aimed at a Bill that has not cleared either House of Congress and does not affect current retirees was designed to showcase Clinton a support of the military. Veterans groups Are a significant political Force. The broadcast was taped Friday before an audience of world War ii veterans shortly after the president re viewed 7,000 parading troops at Wheeler army Airfield the first flight line hit by japanese warplanes on dec. 7,1941. The Republican response to the address accused Clinton of grandstanding. A the election is More than a year away its too Early to be campaigning a said rep. Charles Taylor  a while we republicans have been working to balance the budget the president has been on the Campaign a  >.�. A it later saturday Clinton was to attend the Cornerstone event of the the acc Day a a Day Celebration a ceremony at the National cemetery of the Pacific. A fifty years ago today Freedom triumphed Over tyranny because those Brave men and women along with their colleagues from the Allied nations won a Victory for Freedom in a great struggle of world War ii a Clinton said in his radio remarks. A a America and the entire world will forever be in their debt a he added. Vice president a1 Gore marked the anniversary at a military review attended by some 2,000 people at fort myer va., just outside Washington. Earlier Gore placed a Wreath at Arlington National cemetery a Tomb of the unknowns. The retirement Bill approved by a House panel aug. 1, affects Only men and women who joined the armed forces before sept. 8, 1980, and who retire after sept. 30 of this year. Those who entered the service after sept. 8, 1980, Are under a different retirement program. Under current policies a military retirees pension is based on his or her final paycheck. The House Bill would take the average of the retirees paychecks Over his or her final year of service. The White House said most of the people affected would lose 3 percent to 4 percent of their monthly payments under the Bill. Some could face reductions of up to 9 percent. 1 opening the weekend commemorations Friday Clinton called War a the most horrible thing Ever done by men arid paid tribute to generations of american fighters a old and new. With Volcano As a backdrop More than 7,000 soldiers from every military Branch paraded past Clinton at Wheeler. Labor Day closures Lbanks most merchants Bank branches w8i maintain Normal operating hours on monday s labor Day Hobday except for to. Those in the United kingdom and at the . Embassy in Bonn Germany French seize 2 Greenpeace ships i commissaries commissaries that Are normally closed on mondays also will be dosed tuesday. Exchanges most will be dosed. W v. A a a a a a a v medical facilities most major army medical facilities in Europe will operate 24hour emergency service but win not schedule outpatient Dine appointments. Medical centers and Dan los will have varying hours Many of them limited an Many will operate with Skeleton staffs. A amps Papeete Tahiti a the French a Navy was taking two Greenpeace vessels to a French military base after seizing the vessels near a South Pacific atoll where France plans to explode nuclear warheads. The 22 people on Board the two seized vessels were flown to Tahiti where military officials said some May face charges of trespassing. Five . Citizens including american samoans Delegate to Congress were said to be among the 22. They also included two prominent Independence activists from Tahiti part of French polynesia. The confrontation ended at least Tern Pora Rily a standoff Between Greenpeace and the French military but an addition Al Greenpeace ship that left san Francisco aug. 9, the Man Tea was expected to arrive at the nuclear test site saturday. On Friday As the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior ii crossed the 12-mile territorial limit of muru Roa French commandos seized the ship and arrested those aboard. Later they seized the dutch registered my Greenpeace which was just outside the 12-mile limit. The vessels were being taken to a French military base at Hao atoll 375 Miles away. Greenpeace activists accused the commandos of damaging the ships cutting cables and taking sledgehammers to communications equipment. A a they be definitely trashed the place a a Greenpeace statement quoted radio operator Tim Gorton As saying by Telephone from the Rainbow Warrior ii. In the tahitian capital Papeete Independence activists partially blocked a Highway Friday night to protest the arrest of Oscar Timaru aboard the ship. Up to 15,000 anti nuclear and Independence demonstrators were expected in Papeete later saturday. They were to be joined by about 100 legislators from Japan Europe Australia and new zealand. Thousands of demonstrators marched through Central Tokyo on saturday calling on France and China to Stop nuclear testing. France has said it will conduct at least seven underground nuclear tests from sept. 1 to May 31, 1996, but it has not Given specific dates