German brewer offers U.S. military sudsy thank-you

[Kellanved]

NORFOLK, Va. -- The Germans didn't support the U.S. war effort in Iraq, but at least they're willing to buy American sailors and soldiers a beer.

Munich-based Spaten, one of the world's oldest breweries, is donating 600 cases of lager to each branch of the U.S. military for personnel who fought in the war.

Navy Capt. Terry McKnight, commanding officer of the amphibious assault ship Kearsarge, said Wednesday that his sailors would have no qualms about drinking brew from a country that refused to join coalition forces in the invasion of Iraq.
"A cold beer is a cold beer," McKnight said.

Donald C. Bennett, a selectee for chief petty officer who came to a Norfolk Naval Station loading dock to claim four cases for his crew on the submarine Montpelier, agreed: "We're happy to drink it all."
...
http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/dp-va--beerforsailors0904sep04,0,6079014.story?coll=dp-headlines-virginia

[DS1]

1. If the Montpelier crew is anything like the subbers I've met

Those four cases won't even make it down the conning tower.