My father was in the U.S. Army and did several tours of duty in Germany, mostly in and around Munich. Two of the five boys in our family were born here. I was one of those boys. Dad had never really talked of the past much. Like many of his generation, he did not share his history easily. Now, into to his 90’s, he has started sharing some of this history. The changing point seemed to come when the historians of the U.S. Army base in North Carolina came to interview him. He was of great interest to them as he had entered the Army in 1937 and was assigned to horse drawn artillery. They actually took the artillery from North Carolina to Alabama by horses and mules. He was also the only living soldier that had been assigned to ranger stations out in the country around Ft. Bragg, where they lived with local families. It was at one of these rural posts that he met my mother. There are many great stories, including how each Army company had it’s own garden to grow their food. A huge difference from the modern Army.
Some of the history that he started to share was about our family's time in and around Munich. After the war, the Germans had nothing to buy or anything to buy it with. By then, Dad had transferred from the artillery to hospital food service. This assignment led to a lot of horse trading. Food, cigarettes, and chocolate, just like in the old movies, were traded for everything from sausage to train sets. Of interest to me was what they traded with artisans of the area. He tells of the great painters, carpenters, and carvers that were involved in these trades. I remember as a child we had the greatest train set that was acquired in one these trades. It was a work of art and had mountains, train stations, houses, etc. all made to great detail. The art was around the house, but I never really noticed and not knowing the real history, most of it sadly was lost over the years. The train set was used for years, but was finally passed on or thrown out. Many of these artisans and others that the family met in Munich remained in contact over all these years.
my birth announcement drawn by local artist
1938 horse artillery
Some of the history that he started to share was about our family's time in and around Munich. After the war, the Germans had nothing to buy or anything to buy it with. By then, Dad had transferred from the artillery to hospital food service. This assignment led to a lot of horse trading. Food, cigarettes, and chocolate, just like in the old movies, were traded for everything from sausage to train sets. Of interest to me was what they traded with artisans of the area. He tells of the great painters, carpenters, and carvers that were involved in these trades. I remember as a child we had the greatest train set that was acquired in one these trades. It was a work of art and had mountains, train stations, houses, etc. all made to great detail. The art was around the house, but I never really noticed and not knowing the real history, most of it sadly was lost over the years. The train set was used for years, but was finally passed on or thrown out. Many of these artisans and others that the family met in Munich remained in contact over all these years.
1948 the family car in munich
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