European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pages s tar s an d stripes sunday March 25 2007 Marine unit told to leave Afghanistan by Robert Burns the associated press Washington marines accused of shooting and killing civil ians after a suicide bombing in Afghanistan Are under us investigation and their entire unit has been ordered to leave the country Early officials said Friday army maj Gen Francis h Kearney i head of special operations command Central responsible for special operations in the Middle East and Central Asia or dered the unit of about 120 marines out of Afghanistan and initiated an investigation into the March 4 incident said it col Lou Leto spokesman at Kear Neys command Headquarters a spokesman for the Marine unit maj Cliff Gilmore said that it is in the process of leaving Afghanistan but he declined to pro vide details on the tuning and new location citing a need to pre serve Security in the March 4 incident in Nan Gahar province an expo Sive rigged minivan crashed into a Convoy of marines that us officials said also came under fire from gunmen As Many afghans were killed and 34 wounded As the Convoy made an escape Oscar sailors reach for a pallet of surplus equipment being unloaded from the aircraft Carrier uss John f Kennedy on tuesday at naval station Mayport Fla the Kennedy was decommissioned Friday uss John f Kennedy decommissioned in Fla by Ron word the associated press Mayport Fla the first skipper of the aircraft Carrier uss John f Kennedy was surrounded Friday by shipmates wanting an autograph a picture or just a Chance to talk about old times but for adm Earl p Yates the ships Captain from 1968 to 1969 the decommissioning of big John after nearly 40 years of ser vice was a Little sad i feel like crying he said Yates was among the 19 of 29 former Kennedy captains who at tended the ceremony presided Over by the final skipper capt Todd Zecchin the event ended with the lowering of the ships Flag and More than 2000 sailors in dress blues marching off for the last time what a bittersweet Day it is a glorious breath of life weve filled the ship with Zecchin told about 7000 former Crew members and military dignitaries gathered at Mayport naval station the Carri ers Home port for the last 12 years the Kennedy looked As if it had just come from the shipyard its Gray paint gleaming and its top encircled by red White and Blue Bunting As officials arrived two volleys of six shots each were fired in Salute the ship was Active in both Iraq wars and launched aircraft into hot spots around the Globe including Afghanistan at 1050 feet Long it once carried a Crew of about 4600 and 70 combat aircraft its decommissioning Crew was about 2800 none of the Kennedy family at tended the ceremony they said their goodbyes during a port visit to Boston about three weeks ago adm John b Nathman com Mander of us Fleet forces com Mand called the Kennedy an icon of american might and Freedom the Kennedy entered Navy ser vice in september 1968 More than a year after it was christened by the slain presidents then9yearold daughter Caro line its import Cabin was designed by his widow Jacqueline and is the Only room on a Navy ship with Wood panelling officials said the decommissioning of the steam powered Kennedy leaves the uss Kitty Hawk As the Only Navy aircraft Carrier that does not run on nuclear Power Wev Frobeen waiting for this Barbara Cantey wife of gunnery sgt Jyrone Cantey gunnery sgt Tyrone Cantey meets his sumo Nothom son for the first time Friday night Cantey wife Barbara sat with the sleeping baby on her Chest covered with a Blanket As she waited for the 9th Engineer support battalion to arrive Home from a seven month deployment to Iraq photos by Megan and stripes after Iraq time to chill 9th Esb returns to Pacific from 7month deployment by Megan Mccloskey stars and stripes Camp Hansen Okinawa two fathers met their babies for the first time Friday night when their unit returned from a seven month deployment in Iraq i just had pictures this is Way better than that capt Dev Spradlin said looking Down at his daughter conked out in her stroller six Montgold Alexandra managed to stay awake just Long enough to meet her dad before giving in to the Long blinks and crashing on his Chest about 240 marines with Hansen based 9th Engi Neer support battalion got Home Friday from Camp Tara drum Iraq As gunnery sgt Tyrone Cantey approached his wife at the reunion she peeled Back a Blue Blanket to reveal his 5monthold son Nathaniel Cantey leaned in and stroked his head weve been waiting for this Cantey wife bar Bara said the families waited for hours for the marines to arrive and then Giddy excitement swelled As the Bat Talion came marching up the Street for seven months weve looked to this Date said Megan Duesterhaus who was there to Greet her Hus band 1st it Greg Duesterhaus Many planned on taking leave in a couple of weeks but most of the marines said immediate plans were to do a whole lot of nothing but hanging out in going to spend time with the girls 1st sgt Melvin Lewis said about his wife and two daughters Lewis got Home just in time for a father daughter dance with his youngest 9yearold Meosha Brittany Snyder married to the units chaplain Navy it Alan Snyder said besides buying a car they didst have any major plans Well stay Home and chill out she said and if we dont want to get out of our pyjamas we dont have to its Okay email Megan Mccloskey at capt Dev Spradlin embraces his wife Sarah and holds his daughter for the first time six Montgold Alexandra was falling asleep As she and her mom waited for the Marine Captain to arrive hang in there Kiddo dad is almost Home Sarah Spradlin said rocking and bouncing with anticipation charges Shock friends of former Sailor the associated press new Haven Conn friends say they knew Hassan Abu jihad was unhappy with american for eign policy but they were surprised when the former Navy Sailor was arrested on charges of sup porting terrorism Abu jihad 31 is accused of giving a suspected terrorism financier secret information about the Loca Tion of Navy ships and ways to attack them he appeared briefly in us District court in Bridgeport Conn but did not enter a plea or make a statement he is due to return to court on March 30 for an arraignment he was very opinionated said Miguel Colon a Friend who said he was questioned about Abu jihad by Fri agents last week but Colon 24 who met Abu jihad at a mosque in Phoenix said he rarely saw his Friend angry Colon said he had a hard time believing the Man whose children played with his children secretly supported terrorists its just very stressful its almost unbelievable he said Abu jihad did Admire rebels in Chechnya and said they were formidable fighters Colon said Abu jihad was arrested March 7 in Phoenix where he was apparently working As a delivery Man he was charged with one count of providing material support to terrorists with intent to kill us citizens and one count of disclosing classified information relating to the National defense messages seeking comment were left wednesday and thursday with his attorneys Abu jihad said his Case was blown out of proportion and that he Only bought dds Colon said Feder Al authorities say they recovered emails about Vid eos Abu jihad ordered that promoted violent jihad i was shocked said another Friend Shakir Man Nan i still dont believe he did that