NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, October 23, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-117 - Vicksburg NMP (MS) - Follow-up: Significant Vandalism

Thirty-eight of the park's historic monuments were vandalized on Friday,
March 20th.  The monuments were sprayed with a liquid vegetable oil which
deeply penetrated the porous granite surfaces of the stonework.  The
vandalism was reported by two visitors, who also said that they had seen a
pair of suspicious individuals at one of the monuments.  They told rangers
that they'd talked to the two men, who said they were "on a mission from
God", that they recently had begun a 40-day fast in Dallas, and that their
mission was to reunite the North and South to prevent an end to the world in
1998.  The pair also had plans to go to all Civil War sites in the south
before eventually heading to Gettysburg.  Investigation led to identification
of three probable suspects.  On October 20th, a federal grand jury issued
criminal indictments against D.R., 36, S.L., 34, and K.L.,
33, all of Evansville, Indiana, for violations of damage to government
property in excess of $1,000 (18 USC 1361) and conspiracy to commit the
offense (18 USC 371).  The charges against D.R. and S.L. stemmed from
the vandalism at Vicksburg; the two men and K.L. were also charged with
conspiracy to commit damage found at Tupelo and Bryce's Crossroads NBs in
Mississippi and at Fort Donelson NMB and Shiloh NMP in Tennessee.  Arrest
warrants have been issued for the three men, but they will be given the
opportunity to voluntarily surrender to the court.  The date and time for
their initial appearance has not yet been set.  Both violations carry
penalties of up to but not more than $10,000, or imprisonment for not more
than 10 years, or both.  [Greg Zeman, Chief of Operations, VICK, 10/22]

98-685 - Cape Cod NS (MA) - Airplane Crash with Fatality

On the evening of October 9th, the park received word that a small airplane
with the pilot and a dog on board had disappeared from radar on its approach
to Provincetown airport.  The last contact was about two-and-a-half miles
from the airport and over water.  Land and air searches were conducted by the
park, Coast Guard and Civil Air Patrol for several days.  The body of the dog
was found on a beach near the Cape Cod Canal on October 14th; the body of the
pilot was recovered from Cahoon Hollow beach inside the park the following
day.  The distance between the two points is about 80 miles.  [Gene Valli,
CACO, 10/22]

98-686 - Colonial NHP (VA) - Special Event

Over 3,000 people participated in Yorktown Day activities which were held in
the park on Monday, October 10th.  The event marked the 217th anniversary of
the surrender of British and German troops to the allied American and French
army on October 19, 1781.  Activities included wreath laying ceremonies at
the French cemetery, French Memorial and grave of Thomas Nelson, Jr.  A
parade was held on Main Street and was followed by patriotic exercises at the
Yorktown Victory Monument.  Two special tactical demonstrations were given by
members of The Old Guard on the Yorktown battlefield - one for the 750 school
children who attended, the other for the general public.  A special, ranger-
guided tour retraced the steps of the British army's march to Surrender
Field.  [Peggie Gaul, Activities Coordinator, COLO, 10/22]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

No entries.

PARK DISPATCHES

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

Plane Crash SOPs - As a result of the plane crash noted above, Cape Cod is
interesting in obtaining samples of any aircraft accident SOPs that other
parks may have developed, particularly those which include water areas.  If
you have an SOP you can share, please send it by cc:Mail to Bill Hooper at
NP-CACO or mail it to him at the park: Cape Cod National Seashore, Ranger
Activities Office, 99 Marconi Site Road, Wellfleet, MA 02667.  

                                *  *  *  *  *

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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