150 U.S. Bases Will Be Shut or Pared Overseas : Defense: Tighter budgets and better ties to the Soviet Union spark the cutbacks, mostly in West Germany.

The Pentagon, responding to tighter budgets and improved relations with the Soviet Union, said Tuesday that it will close down or reduce operations at 150 military sites overseas, including the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from two air bases in West Germany and one in Spain.

With tens of thousands of U.S. military personnel and their dependents involved, Defense Department officials said the shutdowns and reductions will start later this year and will take two to three years to conclude.

The vast majority of the sites are in Europe--mainly Germany--but a small number are in Australia, Japan and South Korea, a list released by the Pentagon said.

Defense Department officials had no immediate estimate of cost savings or the number of U.S. forces that will be affected. But private military analysts said tens of thousands of U.S. personnel and their dependents will be affected.

Some sites to be closed, such as the Army’s Guardamar communications site in southern Spain, employ only a handful of technicians, an Army spokesman said. The same is true of the Harold E. Holt communications station in Australia.

One of the largest facilities to be closed is Torrejon air base in Spain, with nearly 10,000 military personnel and dependents. At Spain’s request, the United States already had agreed to move the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing from Torrejon.

Other air bases to be shut in West Germany are Hessich Oldendorf, with more than 600 military personnel and dependents, and Lindsey air base, a smaller facility.

One of the largest Army facilities to be closed is the Hindenburg Kaserne base in Germany, which has several thousand military personnel, officials said.

While offering no overall figure on the number of U.S. military personnel to be affected, Pentagon spokesman Pete Williams said troop cuts will be in line with talks between the United States and the Soviet Union on reductions in conventional forces. About 320,000 U.S. troops are now in Europe. Current negotiations call for troop levels of 195,000 for each nation.

“As the threat changes in Eastern Europe, as the Soviet forces pull back, as East European governments change and become democratically elected, clearly the nature of our deployments changes as well,” Williams told reporters.

Of the 150 targeted sites in 10 countries, the Pentagon will end operations at 127 and reduce its forces at 23. Many involve small facilities, such as training sites, officers clubs and barracks.

Besides Germany, Spain, Australia, Japan and South Korea, some U.S. military sites will be curtailed in England, Greece, Italy, Canada and Bermuda.

“In reviewing our needs for forces in the mid-1990s and in light of declining defense budgets, we continue to identify locations overseas where we can reduce our forces,” Defense Secretary Dick Cheney said.

“As we draw down the overall size of the force, it is essential that we correspondingly reduce the installations where the force is based, both in the United States and overseas.”

Cheney announced plans last January to study the feasibility of closing 35 military bases in the United States and reducing forces at more than 20 other domestic locations.

Congress must approve all closures or cuts in the operation of military bases within the United States, but the Pentagon can act overseas without congressional approval. Officials said the list of sites where operations will be ended or reduced overseas was drawn up several months ago in consultation with host nations.

“Some of the changes will begin in fiscal year 1991, some in fiscal 1992 and some later,” Williams said. Fiscal year 1991 begins in less than two weeks, on Oct. 1.

He said a closure is not as simple as locking up a base overseas and walking away.

“We obviously operate at foreign bases at the pleasure of those nations where we are involved, and we will have to negotiate in each case precisely how we’re going to reduce or end our operations,” Williams said.

“Ironically, there are some costs associated with closing down sites,” he said, referring to transportation costs and compensation of civilian employees whose services no longer will be needed.

“But in the long run, of course, the goal is to end operations and save money.”

The United States is “separately negotiating the future of our military deployments” in the Philippines, Williams said, explaining that current plans for base reductions do not include the Philippines.

“It would be inappropriate for me to predict the outcome of those negotiations,” he said.

MILITARY BASE CLOSINGS

Most of the closings involve minor military sites overseas, such as training areas, officers clubs and barracks. The Pentagon’s list involves 150 sites to be shut or reduced in strength. PACIFIC Canada: Reduced forces at one base Bermuda: Reduced forces at one base Japan: One base closed

Reduced forces at one base South Korea: Nine closings

Reduced forces at 3 sites Australia: Three base closings

EUROPE England: Three closings West Germany: 94 closings, including two major bases (Hessich Oldendorf Air Base and Lindsey Air Base) Reduced forces at 14 sites Spain: 11 closings, including Torreson Air Force Base

Reduced force at two sites Italy: Three closings

Reduced force at one base Greece: Three closings

Source: The Pentagon