Go Beyond

   Frankfurt, Germany en route to Rothenburg

Dad in 1951

   In the summer of 1951, my Dad left the small South Texas town of Mission and boarded a ship bound for Germany. Just days after attending his grandfather’s funeral, Dad made his way to the east coast where he joined several thousand other young military recruits for the voyage across the Atlantic to their respective assignments. Two weeks later the troop carrier arrived at the port city of Bremer Haven. From there, Dad traveled by train to Sonthofen for his orientation. Although he had been trained to be an airplane mechanic, the Air Force reassigned him to serve with the Air Police. He attended Air Police training in the historic city of Oberammergau and then spent the next year serving in Wiesbaden. Dad then requested and was granted a transfer to the new air base at Spangdahlem where he served as the first crew chief for airplane mechanics.

   Back home, the girl that Dad loved was listening to the sentimental lyrics of “Harbor Lights” and other popular love songs. Over the next three years, Dad and his future bride exchanged love letters, telegrams, and photographs bearing sweet inscriptions – things I saw and read as a kid but did not fully appreciate. Now, they are a precious legacy of a love that never faded but only grew stronger with each passing year. After Dad returned home and married his beautiful bride, they spent and cherished all of their remaining days together. Their amazing love made our home a secure place. I could not have asked for better parents, a better home, or a better childhood

Dad in Rothenburg

   Life has been difficult for Dad and for all of us since Mom passed away last May. This will be our first Mother’s Day without Mom. And, had Mom survived her cancer, she and Dad would have celebrated fifty-five years of marriage in June. Today, my brother-in-law and I arrived in Germany with Dad. This is Dad’s first trip back to visit the places where he served when he was in the Air Force. Dad and Paul and I are on a sentimental journey. Over the next ten days we are going to visit the places where all of those love letters originated. And, at the end of our time here Dad is going to be the guest of honor at the air base at Spangdahlem. He will donate copies of old photos, be interviewed by an Air Force reporter, meet the current crew chiefs, and have a special dinner at the base.

   We will spend our first night in the old walled city of Rothenburg in a hotel whose foundation was built in the twelfth century. Amazing! I’m grateful to be here on this journey of discovery and for the opportunity to see all of the places I first learned about as a kid by looking at Dad’s old black and white serrated-edged photos. For the next ten days and for the first time in my life, I will see those old photos in living color.