Message Board

Chuck,

I was saddened to hear that your old man, the Commander, had passed away.  He called me the Sleeping Jesus  because I used to power nap in the basement of the Grill on my breaks from working for that bartender from hell...I mean Austria.  What a piece of work.  He really watched out for all of us in one way or another.  Our routine took us to dinner at the Chance, the movie bus to the Grill and close out the bar with a finish in the Kellor, downtown.  The achives have some good stories for the old Gappers from myself and Father Foley but it was the perfect place at the perfect time and we all knew it.  We have lost a few good people over the years and if there is a heaven, it has to be how we all remember Garmisch....the perfect place at a perfect time.  If your mom is still around, plz give her my regards.  Spader, Cookie Monster..(72-74)  .Stuck in Pittsburgh.     

Thom, are you the T-Bird Thom we all remember?  If you are, as crazy as you were in Garmisch, it's amazing that you're still alive.  Fond memories.  Take care.

Walt Pachucki, 71-72

I was on the Water Patrol in B-Gaden from May 1970 to Nov 1970. You are right, not many from the 1970 era. Met my wife in Salzburg that summer. Best 6 months of my 20 years in the military,  not to say anything about the rest of my life.

Chuck Henderson
4810 Belair Blvd.
Wichita Falls,TX
76310

Hi, I worked in the PX in Garmisch for Alexandre of Leeds selling suits for a month or two & afterwards was followed by another Glaswegian who stayed about a year. I knew quite a few of the ski patrol & also the MPs, Tommy Brown was one of them. We eventually stayed in a sort of commune in 1970 at Dreitorspitzstr. 64 with big Carol, Colin Hansen, John Gonzalves, Jim Cosgrove, Karl Heine, Capt. Steve Carlton, & a bunch of other crazy people. I guess Scotty Stratton & the guys in Herr Johannsen's house(The Galluci Brothers) were in 72. There was Jamie a  black dude, & a guy who got disabled a little in Vietnam, who made a couple of trips to Morroco on US airforce planes, & got back safely!. The Grill was wild, Charlie Henderson was running the place, & occasionally kicked us undesirables out. Maureen from Ireland worked at the Casa Carioca & The Last Chance had Frau Drexel there,

All the best,

Andy (Drew) Failes.

You had a reunion in Steamboat  in 1982 and didn't tell me?  I lived in Steamboat until 1985.  Al King lived there until about 1990.  Are you referring to Chip Moore, who died? 

Fats Jenkins

Does anyone remember the Aussie Ive forgotten his name who cycled on a penny farthing bicycle(Built in 1890) from London to Sydney? He got hit by a car in Mittenwald & spent a year recuperating in Garmisch. He was hilarious, & wildly gay, a real queen & once performed the infamous “Dance of the Flaming Assholes” in the Grill, where he stuck the end of a toilet roll up his ass & then lit the other end & sang “Im a firefly”!.

I read that he made it all the way, & I am just wondering how the folks in Andrha Pradesh liked him!

Drew

Dear Chuck, just another little comment on your Dad, I think that during the time he ran the Grill it was the most succesful period  in the excellence of the bands & the food. Do you remember, many Germans would just die to get a chance to go to the Grill & get one of those big steaks, & it really was considered quite a sophisticated restaurant. It was sad later when some moron decided that there should be no restaurant but a ridiculous snack bar with slot machines, & even although the Deutsche Kellnerin could not be fired, women who had spent ther life as waitresses which in Deutschland requires years of training, were reduced(in their Dirndls) to clearing paper cups off tables.  I will also say that your Dad would always nod to us longhairs when he saw us in the street, & once he was going to throw us out of the Grill & my very hippy friend said, “But I was in the marines” & something about Parris Island & your Dad just smiled & said OK  just this time.  We would usually try to hide behind one of the pillars in the grill, it was a great time.

best wishes,

drew

Thom,

Hey have you been to Sun Valley lately?  Talked to Simone just today and will be going out to see Mike and Stu there on the 4th of July.  Nice to hear your alive and well...Cookie