Across the Ocean

My father finished his tour in Illinois and we all headed back to Colorado.  We rented a house on Lincoln Street and the women moved in and our dad headed off the Germany.  I think it was about six months that we lived there until we could join him.

I remember the classroom and the school in Boulder quite vividly.  It must have been second grade and we played as much as we learned.  In fact I don't recall any learning - just the playing.  I walked to and from school each day with Joanie and there was a very big Chow that was sometimes out in his yard scaring us to death.  We spent our spare time playing with little horses, cowboys and Indians under the trees across the street.  We made quite nice forts there.

Before we knew it we were getting ready to move again.  In order to travel to Europe we had to get a set of various inoculations, among them Tetanus.  That one hurt like the dickens and we all got to have arm slings made from tea towels to help us endure the pain.  We traveled to New York City by train and darn, I really don't remember it.  But I do remember being in the the big hotel in NY and going to the nice restaurant at the hotel and ordering a club steak for dinner.  I was seven years old and I ate the whole thing and asked for another which, I still can't believe it, but my mother allowed me to have.  And yes, I ate the whole thing.  I guess I was going through a growing spurt.  (I believe that today a Club Steak would be called a bone-in New York steak.)

After a day or two at the hotel we all boarded the USS Upshur, a large Naval transport ship.

This was our ship and it was a wonderful trip - for Patti and I.  Joanie and our mother were both terribly sea sick.  I was sick one time at a meal and that was it.  I have never been sea sick again.  Patti and I had so much fun just wandering the ship and getting the complimentary soda crackers that were handed out freely.  Can you imagine children doing that today.  Patti was four and I was seven! 

I have no idea how long the trip was but when we arrived in Germany we boarded a train for a short ride and then were met by our dad who had a new car waiting and he whisked us away to our new apartment in Bitburg.