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On this date, 20 October 1970, I awoke to see my first snow on the Obersalzburg. As I looked out of my window in the General Walker I could see that almost a foot of snow lay on the ground. My wife and I were spending our Honeymoon in room 220, just above the office area.

What is so special about the 20th? Well that is the day that I had an appointment with LTC Richard Aloy, Commander of the AFRC-BRA.

What to do! I was snowed in at the . No snow tires and no chains. I had an appointment with Colonel Aloy and had no way to get down to the Stanggass. I phoned Ingrid, the Colonel's secretary and informed her of my problem. She put Colonel Aloy on the phone and he said he was going to send his driver up to bring me down for our meeting.

I was picked up and once in the Colonel's office Colonel Aloy put me to ease. He informed me he was looking for a replacement of the last First Sergeant and that he needed someone to run the hotels in his behalf. What he required was someone that not only spoke German but could understand German as well. Someone that was not afraid to face high level people and be able to start to work tomorrow.

I informed him that I not only spoke German but understood the language well. I was more adapt to the “Schwabish” rather than “Bavarian” but could understand it without any problem. I was not afraid of anyone by their rank or position as I had worked for General Bruce Clark at Seventh Army in back in the 50’s. As to be available right away, well that was another matter. Being on my Honeymoon I had two weeks leave and that might be a problem. Colonel Aloy assured me that was in no way a problem. He picked-up his phone and called the CINC in Heidelberg asking that I be released from my assignment with TASCOM.

That was 40 years ago and it seems like yesterday. Oh how I wish that I could return to that period of time once again.