Do You Remember.....?

6914th RSM Do You Remember...?

Do you remember....
Ed Robinson, Bob Legendre, Tom Lynott and myself took a 15 day leave to Copenhagen, Denmark. We took a train through Germany and when we arrived at the North Sea the train ran right on to a ferry boat that took train and us to the south shore of Denmark. The ferry lined up with tracks on shore and train debarked and we continued our trip to Copenhaven. Quite an experience. By the way a good time was had by all when we arrived in the big city.
Ray (Red) Mentzer 6914th RSM, Sembach

Do you remember....
On that train to Copenhagen that Red described, I remember the four of us being in a compartment with three Canadian Paratroopers from the Princess Pat Rgmt. I think they were based in Saarbrucken or somewhere in that area. Anyway, needless to say a lot of beer drinking was going on in that compartment. These three Canadians were opening their bottles with their teeth, I kid you not. We got along just great. We were not crazy enough to give these guys a bad time. Never did see them in "Copey."
Ed Robinson 6914th RSM

Do you remember....
In 1954 we could not wear civvies off base. After the WWII treaty was signed in 1954, we were finally allowed to wear civvies. Very few of us had civvies. When Tony Bacewicz or John Coronna transferred back to Sembach from Berlin, one of them brought back a civilian suit. It had to be the world's ugliest suit. It was a grey herring bone tweed, double breasted job that supposedly was stolen in Berlin from a comatose kraut. (My money is on Bacewicz for the theft.) It had enormous cuffs on the trousers. The good thing about the "suit" was that it fit everybody and anybody. Whenever someone went on leave, the suit went with them. The "suit" travelled all over Europe. When I left Sembach in 1956, the "suit" was still there. What stories it could tell if it could only talk. Tom Lynott wore the suit to Copenhagen in the above mentioned trip by Red Mentzer. It dazzled every woman in Copenhagen.
Ed Robinson

Do you remember....
Shortly after arriving on Wasserkuppe I formed the "Road Hogs", Motorcycle Club and within three months we had 6/7 members. My roommate Jay Hendrix decided to join us. He wanted an English Triumph, and him & I found one in Koln. We went the on my bike to pick up the used Triumph. About halfway back his clutch went out and we had to tow the triumph with my Horex. We used our belts as a tow rope from the back of my seat to his handlebars. It was only about 160 Klicks back to the base. We took the autobahn and traveled at between 60 to 80 MPH about a foot apart. Let me tell you it was quite a ride.
Glenn Barbour Detatchment 3, 6914th RSM Wasserkuppe, Germany

Do you remember....
A bus trip to Paris. I don't remember the year, could have been the summer of 1955. It was warm that I do remember. As always we went to Place Pigalle for action. In this group was Red, Serge (Ed Robinson), Bob LeGendre, Tom Lynott and myself. I know there were a couple more guys but I can't remember who they were. On this evening a few words were passed between a few middle eastern gents and us. I guess they didn't like what we said and that's when it came down to push and shove. I looked up and saw guys with brooms, shovels, sticks and who knows what they had in there pockets. One thing I know for sure it would have been a blood bath. Some guy at a table next to us started yelling in French and these guys backed off. In perfect English he told us to get up, don't say anything just walk out of there. We did but heard quite a few cat calls. Beside the five of us can anyone remember who the other guys were? Can anyone add to this fiasco.On our trip home can anyone remember when we stopped at a cheese house?We stopped in and just about everyone bought cheese and a loaf of French bread. What we didn't do was buy something to drink. I'll bet that was the most cheese and bread that guy sold in a long time. I know a lot of you guys can relate to the cheese and bread. How about some feedback. I would like to know what you guys did on that trip.
Frank (slick) Monko 6914th R.S.M Sembach

Do you remember....
The suit referred to by Ed Robinson was mine and was one classy suit. It was not stolen from a comatose kraut but was given to me by my girlfriend in Berlin. It was originally owned by her husband who was a MSgt in the SS in Poland. After the war he escaped to Australia. More likely Argentina than Australia, but that's what she told me. Jim Brown, Ray Ivey, and myself took that same train trip to Copenhagen. Jim Brown lost his clearance and was transferred to Ramstein when he married a Dane.
Tony Baciewicz

Do you remember....
In Grunstadt, Herr Shivvies Gasthaus, the Rose Gasthaus(off limits), the Jost Braurei, the Stadt Schwimmbad, the Weinfests, the Wurstfest in Bad Durkheim? There wer many good times that I spent with all of the "Grunstadt Gansters" like Robert Kirby, Tiny Hammond, Red Raihl, Richard Speck, Terry, Wolfe (cook). The Jost Brewery was sold to someone in South Africa where it went, with the brewery meister. Good memories.
Frank Valois 6914 RSM

Do you remember....
I bet you guys spent all your time at the Dixie Bar off of the main square. It had the longest bar in town and that's where the girls from all over Scandinavia would go on their vacation, just to meet the vacationing/partying Yanks from Germany. Hey, that used to be the best kept secret around. I remember that they would even buy you drinks, just to keep your company.....and their English was fluent.By the way, the Dixie Bar is no more. I was just there in November 1999 and it is just an office building now. Everything changes, but memories linger on.
Charles (Chuck) Simpson Det 2 12th 85RSM 6914RSM

Do you remember....
Lots of beer and girls at the royal (across from the banhof) in Frankfurt. Also sking from the Wasserkuppe to the bottom of the hill and the long ride back up, also bingo and good friends that I will never forget. Mainly because I took so many pictures that I can't. Trips around the countryside that always ended at some monastary that had good dunkelbrau along with cheese and black bread.
Frank Schneider Det 2 85th 6914th

Do you remember....
The night that Frenchey stole the town flag while the rest of the crew were at bible study at Sembach.
Roy Clements 6914 RSM Grunstadt

Do you remember....
Was with the outfits from May 53 to March 56. I worked in Personnel. Bill Farner, who worked with me, and I talked our way into living at the Gruenstadt site. Was OctoberFest great down in Gruenstadt? In 55 I married a Scottish girl, we celebrated this year our 46th anniversary, and we lived in Trippstadt for six months and then six months in the new base housing. Lots of good times with Frank and June Miano (sp), Al and Marian Desrosiers and the Fortenberrys down in Enkenbach. Lot's a water has gone under the bridge. Were we really that young ?
Vernon D. (Dale) Franklin 6912th RSM to Det 2, to Flt A 85th RSM to 85th RSM

Do you remember....
Franny Walsh, Clem Clements, Ken Stoner and Red Thomas were probably mixed up with this tale too. We would "borrow" a jeep from the motor pool late at night and go hunt rabbits. One guy would drive, one guy would do the shooting and the other guy would pick up the rabbits. We had an old 22 rifle that someone left to us when he rotated. We sold the rabbits to one of the German K.P.'s that worked at the site. One day he didn't show up with our money and he didn't come to work so we went to his house in Grunstadt.His wife told us he was in jail for having illegal rabbits (if you remember, the German hunting laws were very strict.) It seems(I think his name was Joseph) got tired carrying the sack of rabbits so he dragged the bag for the last few yards, the police followed the blood trail to his house and found him skinning rabbits and arrested him. Needless to say, our rabbit business ended that night. We had to go back to selling cigarettes and coffee. Believe me when I say, those were the good old days. I relive those days over and over. If only we could go back if just for a little while. Keep in touch. Frenchy
Gueydan T. Verret(Frenchy) 6914rsm/6910rgm

Do you remember....

Do you remember....
Trying to cook a good meal with !C! can food. The cold in the tents and the ride down in the town to shower>>>
Robert G. Canaan (SAM) 6914 th-85 RSM

Do you remember....
The long,black cadillac limousine we had. We could fit the german kinderwagen in the back seat along with Frau Kronenberger. Our German friends in Enkenbach were amazed that it could navigate the narrow streets and curves in the villages. Vintage 1947 or 48 as best we can remember. The outstanding choir in the Catolic church in Enkenbach and the great food from the bakerie(sp) and metzgerie(sp). The Mennonite community of young men just outside of Enkenbach who enjoyed challenging our pick-up softball team to a game on weekends. The almost weekly funeral processions from the elderly home just up the street from us on Neaukirchen Strasse with the beautiful horse drawn hearse leading the way. The aroma in the summertime from the hofs! The one telephone in the village at the local gasthaus. No refrigerator and the outhouse on the back porch (we were among the most fortunate)and the potbelly stove in the living room which we fed brikettes when we coul get them. Herr Fraunliver(sp) the aged grandfather who lived in the apt. behind us, who when I came back from the site one day, was sitting in his apt. with my nine month pregnant beautiful blond blue eyed wife enjopying a bottle of wine; and Father Bonical(sp) the local catholic priest who came knocking at our door the day we brought our first child Lynn Ann home from the hospital at Landsthul wanting to know if the baby was baptized yet!. Memories---my still beautiful wife and I have so many of them because our time in Enkenbach was the best years or our married life which will be 50 years come this July 31, 2004. I wonder if any of our american neihbors and friends have the same fond memories as we have of the best years of our lives?
Frank and June Miano , [email protected] 85thRSM,6914thRSM,6910thRGM