Prologue/Post War: Education


After retirement with the UN, I worked for 13 more years (averaging half a man- year of actual work a year, much to my delight and surprise) as a consultant in international development management with frequent trips to Europe and developing nations. Wartime memories were often recalled and on vacations my family and I had frequently visited France and Germany as well as France, Italy and Switzerland, thus it was never possible to forget nor did I wish to.

At the age of 75, a dramatic event helped me achieve closure. In September-October 1999, the Society of the 89th (Infantry) Division WWII sponsored a tour that retraced our route from Normandy to the Czechoslovakian boarder where we were located when the war in Europe ended. Over 90 veterans and their family participated, including my son Mark who had been a history major in college and, through my influence, I guess, had acquired an interest in warfare in general, particularly the American Civil War and the conflict in which his Daddy participated. I was so proud of him as he helped record the events with photos for our magazine, The Rolling W, and shared with me some of my memories.

Father and son in France, September 1999

He also inspired and helped me to develop a website for the Division, which will help preserve its history and make it available on a worldwide basis to those organizations and individuals interested in personally-oriented stories of the conflict. It may be brought up on www.89infdivww2.org. Thus, perhaps to the great relief of my wife, my preoccupation with the past is now satisfied. God bless.

October 2000

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