Just a boring couple of weeks on base

May 5, 1954

Well, let’s see!  I had better catch up last week.  Last Thursday was the end of the IG and 1^st Bn got a superior which meant that the whole Regt got one.  That is the first time that that has ever happened in 7^th Corps and there are no records of it’s ever having happened in USAREUR before.  This 6^th A/C is quite the stuff.  Anyway, Willie and I went downtown.  Then Friday night we went to the movie.

We just messed around Saturday – May Day.  That night there was a battalion dinner and the May Day dance.  We had a grand time.  Willie left early Sunday morning for Hofenfelds for two weeks.  Sunday afternoon Don, Pat, Peggy and I rode to Passau to see the Tuites.  It was a beautiful day so we put the top down.

Monday we celebrated Don’s birthday because Pat was going to the hospital Tuesday.  Later that night Bob Walker talked me into going downtown.  We went down in the staff jeep – my first real jeep ride.  The rest of the time has been kind of lazy!

        Got to wash and write letters!

Getting ready to write those letters

May 11, 1954

Last Friday, Maj. Pennington had his promotion party.  Afterwards I went down to see Pat and Don for a while.  Then Saturday afternoon Louie and I went downtown shopping, and I spent all of my money.  (I can certainly identify with that!  LOL)  That night there was a promotion party like I have never seen around here before.  It was a real party.  Afterwards was the Monte Carlo night.  That was fine too.  Afterwards Louie and I went to the Mariandal.  Sunday after church we went to the Tuggle’s for a while.  Then the PTA had a barbeque.  It was real good.  Last night I spent the night with Phyl Hallas.  Joe was OD.

Wild times at the promotion party

Monday morning at 0430 a bunch of jets used our field for dive bombing practice.  It sounded just like they had pulled the chain up there.  Tonight Bob Walker and I went over to watch the VII Corps bowling champs.

About a month ago we got a new Chaplain – Maj. Bayhne.  He is Lutheran so our order of worship has been changed quite a bit.

It seems that a year or so ago there was an article in the Saturday Evening Post about the chaplains in Korea who stayed right in the front lines.  They picked out one particular one and wrote about him – that’s our chaplain.

Camel Caravan is doing a story on TV on a border outfit – the 6^th A/C.  They went out with a patrol from Regen, etc.  Sho’ would like to see it!

Willie comes home Saturday.  I’ll be kind of glad to see him.  ("I'll be kind of glad to see him"?  I suppose she's being coy.  Which I find amusing.)  I have missed him and maybe Louie will let me alone.

That bothersome Louie Audi

May 17, 1954

Willie came home last Thursday.  We went to Pat and Don’s to dinner.  Afterwards we ran into Bob Walker downtown and made the rounds.

Friday Bob, Willie and I took off for Furtslenfeldbach, the Randolph Field of Germany.  It is supposed to be the best geometrically designed field in the world.  Bob’s brother is club officer.  On the way we stopped at Landsut for dinner.  We got to Fursty about 1200.  Then we decided to go gasthausing until the wee hours.  We came back to the club and got Sgt. Mills up to fix breakfast for us.  (Kind of a bossy pair, aren't they?)  Then we went to bed until about noon.  After lunch we went over to the field for the air show.  All of their planes were on display.  The jets and the trainers performed and then an amphibian.  I have never been close to jets, so it was quite thrilling.

         Afterwards we went back to the club.  We started playing the slot machines.  I won 130 marks without hitting the jackpot.  It must be kind of unusual because they all talked about it.  That night we went to a dinner party.  Well I have never seen Bob and Willie put on such a show.  Everyone just sat there with their mouths open and listened to us.  I’m sure they’ll never forget us.  Then we went back to the club to the dance.  Afterwards we went gasthausing again.

Bob Walker and Willie

Sunday we got up about noon and ate breakfast.  Then we left.  We went to Dachau to the Crematory.  That must have been horrible.  We saw the ovens, the room where they went first to undress, then they went to the gas chambers but were told they were to take a shower, then the death room where the bodies were stacked.  (I really wish that Mother had taken some pictures of this place.  Although I suppose pictures can't really give you a sense of the horror of a place like this.  Trying to imagine the reality of all of this is a little mind numbing.  I personally find it hard to comprehend the level of evil that was behind the Holocaust, I can't wrap my mind around it.  The sadness and senselessness of it and the complete lack of humanity that spawned it overwhelms me.  I imagine that it must have been the same for Mother and Daddy while they were there.)

We saw the mass graves, where they had target practice, one of the execution spots with a blood trench, the hanging tree, and the gallows.  At the entrance is a statue with “Never again will the dignity of man be voided” in German.  Next to it is the DP camp behind walls.  Bob says it is filthy.  The road leading to the Crematory certainly must have been heavily guarded – there are bunkers all along the way.  In the oven rooms there are hooks where the men who worked there were chained.  The people in Dachau declare that they didn’t know what was going on.  That’s mighty hard to believe.

Then we were on our way.  We stopped at the Dachau Freising, and Landshut Officer’s Clubs.  We even had a flat tire in Landshut.  We got back here in time for the movie.  I really had a grand time.

Bob Walker changing tire

Willie changing tire

Mother's Italian Job

April 20, 1954

This morning we caught the boat to Capri.  From there we got in a little motorboat and went to the Blue Grotto.  There we got in little row boats to go in the Grotto.  You have to lie down in the row boats to go in.  Inside the water is very blue and looks like there is a light shining from below.  The boatmen sang too.

Blue Grotto Capri

Outside Blue Grotto

Capri April

Mother at Capri

The trip over was kind of wet because we were rushing so we wouldn’t have to wait so long at the Grotto.

Then we came back to Capri and go the funicular up to Anacapri where we had lunch in the patio at the Manfrechi Hotel – very good (can’t find this hotel).  Afterwards we went to the Gardens of Augustus.  Caesar had a palace here.  The view was wonderful.  We could see the “light house rocks” which still have Roman inscriptions on them.

Lunch at Capri - Manfredi Hotel

Light House Rocks at Capri

Farouck has a home on Anacapri too.

Then we came back to Sorrento and did some shopping – mostly looking.

         Now we are getting ready to go see the Tarantella dancers, which originated here (southern Italian couple folk dances characterized by a fast upbeat tempo).

Tarantella dancers

         The dancers were at a place called the American Bar.  I can’t say very much for the dancers, but they were colorful.  We were escorted home by 4 boys on motorcycles!!!

April 21, 1954

I have never seen such drivers.  The bus drivers here are terrific.

After riding the bus and the train all day from Sorrento we finally arrived in Florence.  We are staying at the Hotel Baglioni Palace (this hotel is the heart of the historic center of Florence).  We are in a suite and it is tremendous.  Why you could put our room from the Milani in this bathroom!  In fact somebody came in looking for their room.  They thought this was the hall.  Then someone else came in looking for the elevator!!

It has rained on us all day.  Hope it clears up tomorrow.

Everyone sings in Italy.  We have seen lots of little straw houses, old walled cities, etc.

Singers on train Florence to Venice

Straw houses on the way from Florence to Venice

April 23, 1954

Yesterday morning we went sightseeing.  First we saw the Church of St. Lawrence which has the crypt of the Medici family.  The Chapel of Princes is above the crypt.  The scene on the altar is made of all natural colored stones – no painting.  Michelangelo did a lot of the statues here.  Late 1500.  Next we went to the Baptistry of St. John which is the oldest church and is made of Florentine marble.  The cupola is painted in gold.  It is the most important piece of work.  There is also a wooden statue of Mary Magdalene in repentance.  The Cathedral is next to it (the Duomo, I’m guessing).  It was started in the 1200’s and finished in 1886.  It is beautiful on the outside.  Inside is a clock with only an hour hand.  The Bell Tower is in the same place with the two churches.

Baptistry of St. John Florence

Bell Tower Florence

Cathedral Florence

My picture of the Duomo (Cathedral) in Florence 

We passed what is the oldest Citadel – 1255.

Then we stopped at the Square of Lordships (Piazza della Signoria) which has loads of statues.  Filled in square with statues because people always met there when something went wrong.  There is also a palace here too – Ancient Citadel of Florence.

My picture of the Piazza della Signoria

         Next we went to the Church of the Holy Cross (Basilica of Santa Croce) which is the 7^th largest church in the world and the 2^nd largest in Florence.  Michelangelo’s tomb is here.  This is on what used to be the Industrial Square.  We went into a shop that makes mosaics.  It was amazing the way they make them.  Then we went into a leather factory.

         Then we went to Michelangelo Square which has a wonderful view of the city (it also has a bronze copy of his statue David).  We rode along the Avenues of the Hills which are very pretty.

Florence from Michelangelo Square

Then we went to the Pitti Palace which is tremendous – 1400.  The Pitti family was the wealthiest and most influential family of Florence.  They were bitter opponents of the Medici family but never lived in the Palace because they lost everything before it was finished.  The Kings of Italy used to live here at one time.  Now it is an art museum.  Saw Rafael’s Madonna of the Chair.

At Pitti Palace Florence

Pitti Palace

Then we went to Peruzzi’s – very famous silversmith – oldest in Florence.  Saw the Ponte Vecchio which was the only bridge not destroyed.  Over the Arno River – Germans on one side and Allies on the other.  Funny little shops from back on bridge.

In the afternoon we went shopping on the Ponte Vecchio and in the Straw Market where I spent all of my money.  Twas fun.

Straw Market 

Mother on Ponte Vecchio bridge

Ponte Vecchio bridge

My photo of Ponte Vecchio Bridge from the Uffizi

Last night I took some things out to an Italian family for Mrs. Tutts.  They didn’t speak English but we made ourselves understood.  Then we went to the Roof Garden at the hotel.  Very nice and a good view of Florence at night.

We finally got to Venice, and I just love it.  [I did too.  For some reason, it made me a little emotional to know that we both loved it.]  When we came out of the bahnhof, there was the Grand Canal and all of the gondolas – just like all of the pictures.  On the way to the hotel, The Europa (there is a Westin Europa in Venice that overlooks the Grand Canal.  It is a 5-star hotel!), we saw gondolas parked in the garages – two poles!

Grand Canal in front of bahnhof

Canal in Venice

My picture of the Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal

         The hotel is certainly crummy looking on the outside, but very swanky on the inside.  We have a nice room and bath.  Our tub is the funniest thing I ever saw.  It is a square and has two levels.  You sit on the upper level and put your feel on the lower level.  I felt just like I was sitting in a first grade chair while taking a bath!!!

Bathtub in Venice

Mother and the party gals at the Europa Palace on Grand Canal

This afternoon we went to St. Mark’s Square.  It is just like the movies – loads of pigeons and people.  We sat in one of the sidewalk cafes and ate ice cream – just like all the rest of the Italians.  Then we went shopping.  I have never seen so many shops in my life in one area.

St. Marks Square

My picture of St. Marks Square

I ran into Joan Diembacher in the lobby.  I hadn’t seen her since we landed, so we had a nice long chat after dinner.

April 24, 1954

Venice on the Adriatic!  This morning we went sightseeing by foot.  We first saw the Church of St. Moses – Baroque style (heavy) – 17^th and 18^th centuries.

Adriatic Sea Venice

The winged lion is the symbol of Venice, and you see it everywhere.  Venice began in the 5^th century and was a group of 120 islands.  Each island was under a different ruler until 687 when they elected one ruler – the Doge (Duke).  They were important for trade with the Orient.  In 1866 Venice joined Italy.  The population was 315,000.  It is built on wooden piles – no rocks – and the old part is sinking.  Sometimes, very rarely, the water even comes up in St. Mark’s Square.  There are 350 bridges here that connect the town.

Doges Palace – on St. Mark’s Square.  There were 120 Doges.  It was the seat of the Venetian government but is now a museum.  It is made with lead, wood, brick, and mosaic.  (We have seen inlaid wood and marble and now inlaid lead on the steps of the palace.)  The prison is right next to the palace and is connected by the Bridge of Sighs.  When the prisoner crossed the bridge he supposedly sighed here – thus the name.  The prison was built in the 17^th century and last used in 1922.

Doges Palace Courtyard

My picture of the Doges Palace

Bridge of Sighs

My picture from inside the Bridge of Sighs

The palace is very ornate and had tremendous rooms.  Most of the rooms were covered with paintings, but there were two that had nothing except old armor.  In one of the rooms there was the “Lion’s Mouth”.  There were about 70 of them all over Venice for secret political papers.

Then we went down into the dungeon where the political prisoners were kept.  It was very dark and damp.  The cells were very small and lined in wood with only a wooden bed.  Lord Byron spent one night here for the experience and inspiration for one of his poems.  His cell is in the original condition.

Right on the waterfront are two tremendous pillars topped by the lion and St. Theodore.  The executions were held here.  There are two red pillars on the balcony of the Palace where the executions were announced.

In St. Mark’s Square, opposite the execution pillars, is the clock tower built in 1499.  The hour is in Roman numerals and changes every 5 minutes.  Below the time is a sun dial with the 24 hours on it.

Clock Tower St. Marks Square

St. Mark’s Church was built in the 4^th century and again in the 11^th century.  It is covered with mosaic both inside and out.  In the vestibule on the ceiling are stories from the Old Testament and inside from the New.  It is connected to the Palace.  The Venetians used to go there to pray before the Madonna of Victory before going into battle.

Then we went to a lace factory.  It is amazing to watch them make lace.

This afternoon we went down to watch them feed the pigeons at 2 o’clock.  I have never seen as many pigeons in my life.

Pigeons St. Marks Square

Me trying to keep from being poop bombed by pigeons at St. Marks Square

Then we went shopping.  I don’t see how there could be any tiles left here because I bought them all.

Tomorrow we get up about 4 o’clock to start our journey back home.  It’s been a grand trip.  I do like Venice and it has been nice and mild here, thank goodness!

April 26, 1954

Well, here we are back in dear old Straubing, and it’s kind of nice to be home.

They got us up at 4 AM yesterday morning and I haven’t been to bed since.  On the way to the bahnhof we saw the Coca Cola delivery truck – a gondola.  We had first class accommodations on the train.  Did we ever feel suity!  Barbara and Muriel had to come up and sit a spell because they said it would probably be their only chance to!

First class lunches on train coming back from Italy

             We got into Munchen about 1200 after riding through the Austrian Alps most of the day.  It was a beautiful ride.  We got a train out of Munchen at 2320 for Regensburg.  We sat there for about 3 hours and got a jeep to Straubing.  We finally got in about 0600 this morning.  It was a rough trip and a rough day today.  But we surely did have a grand trip.

Look! It's a teeny tiny Pope!

April 17, 1954

Last week – Battalion came back Monday and so did Regt.  It sho’ was good to see them!  Willie and I went downtown and had a party!

Tuesday Hilde and I went down to the Tuggle’s to dinner.

Wednesday Willie, Bob Walker and I went to the Wittlesbach for dinner.  Then we went by the Mariandal – party!  (That's two parties in 3 days - and I have no doubt there was some serious partying going on at the Tuggle's as well.  I'm surprised she could manage to drag herself out of bed to get to school every day!)

Thursday – 15^th we left for Munich where we spent the night.  Friday morning we left for Rome and it was snowing.  It snowed on us most of the way.  After riding all day and most of the night we finally got to Rome and “sunny Italy”!  But tain’t sunny!  It’s mighty cold.  We are split up into three hotels and we got the worse – Milani (this hotel is still in Rome, or at least one with the same name!  It gets very good reviews these days!).  It doesn’t even have heat!

 On the train to Italy

This money here is almost as bad as in Greece – it’s tremendous – 620 lire to $1.

         This morning we went sightseeing.  We were going to the Vatican Museum, but there was a tremendous crowd so we didn’t get in.  (Mother never was one for crowds, so I'm certain she was the one saying "let's not wait to go into this".)  Later we did go to the Church of St. Peter which is the largest in the world – it’s tremendous and beautiful.  This is where Nero had his circus – chariot races.  St. Peter was crucified and buried here in 1^st century AD.  Constantine built a church here in the 4^th century.  Then Julius II destroyed what was left of it and started the present one in the 15^th century.  It was finally finished in 1612.  Three people worked on it – Rafael and Michelangelo.  Was to have been in the shape of a Greek Cross.

 Crowd at Vatican Museum

We passed the Celestial Palace which is linked to the Vatican.  It was a mausoleum and was used as a fortress during the middle ages by the Popes.

Celestrial Palace near St. Peters

Saw square that used to be used for chariot races.  Now has 3 fountains.  The one in the middle is the largest and represents the 4 rivers of the then known continents.  Went to the Pantheon – best preserved Pagan temple – built by Agripa in 27 BC.  Damaged by fire and restored in 170 AD.  Still remains intact because it became a Christian church.  The only light is a hole in the dome.  First two Italian kings are buried here and so is Rafael.

                                    

                                           Pantheon

Went to Mussolini’s forum where he wanted to hold the Olympic Games in ’48.  Stadium in the back is surrounded by marble statues of athletes donated from the 94 provinces.

 Mussolini's Forum

        This afternoon Peggy, Margaret, Hilde and I went window shopping and nearly froze.  Also got lost several times.

April 18, 1954

It was warmer outside today, but our room is still like an icebox!  (So, interestingly, my experiences with hotels in Europe is that the rooms were hot.  Most places do not have a/c year round, so if it gets warm early, you're out of luck.  Maybe they turned off the heat at a certain time of the year back then.)

Last night we went on a night club tour.  We got on a bus of Danes by mistake.  When the guide found out we were Americans, he nearly had a fit – he didn’t want anyone except Danes!  It was a scream.  We finally got in with a bunch of Canadians and Spaniards.  We rode around the city and went to three night clubs and the last one served us champagne and had a floor show.  Shades of Cairo!  They had a belly dancer.  (I'm just guessing, because it would be for me, but this has got to be one of the highlights of her trip.  Not only is it a party, but it's a RAUCOUS party!!)

Night club in Rome - Story of Beauty party

        After we finally got straightened out, we did enjoy it.  (No doubt.)

 Avenue from St. Peters to Tiber River #2

Tiber River

        This morning we went to St. Peter’s for the Easter Mass.  I have never seen as many people in my life.  There were about 300,000 people.  It was jammed.  The service was outside.  Afterwards the Pope came out on his balcony and blessed us.  It was just like the newsreels.  Never thought I would some day be there.  Oh well!  Jerusalem at Christmas – Rome at Easter.  (So cool that she got pictures.  Oh, look!  It's the teeny tiny Pope! LOL)

Crowd at St. Peters

Mother at St. Peters

Pope Pius XII giving his Easter message at St. Peters

Went sightseeing this afternoon which I’ll write about later.  It’s too cold now.

April 19, 1954

Well, here we are in Sorrento, and we got the dinky hotel again – La Terrazza (Again, this hotel appears to still be there and gets decent ratings!).  We had the funniest trip down!  These Italian bus drivers don’t let a thing stop them – they just go plowing right on through.  If someone does something they don’t like they start yelling at them.  In fact everyone in Italy yells, I think.  This was a holiday and all of the Italians were out in full force.  I believe that they all congregated on the road between Rome and Sorrento.  The roads were jammed.  Every means of transportation was packed and there were loads of people walking.

Drive to hotel at Sorrento

Bay at Sorrento from hotel

Let’s see, I didn’t tell about sightseeing in Rome.

First of all we passed by one of the 4 basilicas in Rome – the largest church dedicated to the Holy Virgin.

Venice Square – at the end of an avenue built by Mussolini.  The Venice Palace is here where Mussolini had his offices.  In this building is the balcony where he made his speeches.  A tremendous monument is here too – to Victor Emmanuel II.  It is the biggest monument in the world and was started in 1885.  It was finished in 1911.  The tomb of the Italian Unknown Soldier is here too.

Venice Palace balcony where Mussolini spoke

Then we went up to Capitoline Hill which is the smallest of the seven hills of Rome but is the most important.  There were 3 pagan temples here – Jupiter, Juno and Minerva.  A citadel was here too.  Michelangelo built all of the buildings in this square.  There is a bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius here.  It is the only bronze statue left.

Capitoline Hill

From Capitoline Hill we could see the Old Roman Forum which was built in the valley of three hills – Palatine Hill where the kings’ palaces were, Esquiline Hill, and Capitoline Hill.  This was the heart of Rome.  Romulus and Remus supposedly started here.  It was built in the 8^th century BC.  One of the temples here was their Fort Knox.  Another was where the Vestal Virgins kept the fire burning constantly.

Roman Forum Palatine Hill

Temple of Vestal Virgins

When the population got too big for this one they built next Caesar’s Forum in the same pattern – temple in the center square, around the temple, and then a colonnade with shops.

Next we saw the Arch of Constantine that was built in 310 AD and is the model of all arches.

Colosseum – Nero died before it was built.  Started in 72 AD and finished in 80 AD.  Martyrs were not killed here.  It was a Flavian amphitheater and was used for gladiator fights.  Titus built it and used 30,000 slaves.

Colosseum

Mother at the Colossuem - but who is that man??

Church of St. Peter in Chains – St. Peter was put in chains twice – once in Jerusalem and once in Rome.  Some brought the two set of chains together and they miraculously merged – so built church.  Michelangelo’s Moses is here – a tremendous statue.  The house of Lucretia Borgia is in this same little square.

Passed the cemetery where Keats’ body and Shelly’s heart are buried.

Church of St. Paul Outside the Gates.  Paul was beheaded near here and his body was buried here so Constantine built the church in 340 AD.  The one we saw is a reconstruction because of fire.  This is one of the 4 basilicas in Rome that have the holy doors that are opened only during the Holy Years.  It was very dark inside because the windows are made of alabaster.  It is dominated by a tremendous mosaic of Christ and the 4 apostles.  It is the 2^nd largest church in Rome.

Inside Church of St. Paul Outside the Gates

St. Pauls Outside the Gates

Catacombs – drove down the old Appian Way which was a military road built in 300 BC.  We passed the Quo Vadis church where Christ appeared to St. Peter when Peter was leaving room so he wouldn’t be crucified.  This is where he talked to him and then returned to Rome.

Catacombs guide in Rome

There are about 40 catacombs in Rome.  They are underground cemeteries where the early Christians are buried.  We went to St. Sebastian, who was a soldier and became a martyr.  St. Paul and St. Peter were both buried here.  It is 8 miles long.  The passages are very narrow and dark.  It would be easy to get lost down there.  Saw some old bones.  About 174,000 people were buried here – 46 Popes and martyrs.  There was a church built over these in the 4^th century.

St. Sebastian

We left this morning for Sorrento.  We passed an aqueduct that was built in 300 AD.  Drove to Naples.  Stopped at Formia for a rest stop on Gaeta Bay – very pretty.

                                Aqueduct near Rome

        Ate lunch at D’angelo in Naples overlooking the bay (this restaurant is still in Naples).  All the way to Sorrento people were out celebrating.

Naples

Stopped at a cameo factory in Torre del Greco, which is famous for its cameos and coral.  Went to Pompeii.  Vesuvius has snow on it which is very unusual for this time of year.  Pompeii was covered in 79 AD.  All in ruins.  As Willie says no whiskey is sold here.  There is a room where they don’t let ladies go in – the house of prostitution.  (Rats!)

Mother at Pompeii

Vesuvius from Pompeii

Then we came on to Sorrento.  Ran into Barbara Miller here at the hotel.