Please read and show respect for family that has given the unimate sacrifice for ther country.Never forget the generations ppl close to me and loved ones have served contiguously in ride for our wonderful nation please enjoy and show lots of respect. Ill get more pctures to this added soon. thank you guys.

Well, I broke the 50 hr mark till I leave here now and after this weekend my whoel view on Germany has completly changed. I got to meet my god mother for the first time since I have been here. I kno to some that sounds weird me being here almost a year and a half total between deployments but I called her when I first got here and she told me all her German had been lost and stuff.. still not the best excuse but I was brand new to the Army and I was literally working almost 20-30 days in a row on 12 hour shifts with a hour and a half before and after for weapons draw and issue of gear and vehicle for police work. Anyway I went and got to se where I was born, meet my god mother and got more respect in one little German village than I ever have in my life in the states and I wasnt even in uniform. Everyone noticed my Texas rangers hat and would stop and tell me that they miss the Army here and the military community as a whole. I had literally over 100 ppl stop me to shake my hand and show their appreciation to the states for everything that we have done/accomplished here in Europe. The German girls that I stayed the night with in a dorm where completely shocked cause where im stationed here you dont get a fraction of that. Everyone alost looks down on you and despises you. I got to also see my god fathers grave as he past a year and a half after my family was sent to Orlando FL for my fathers duty. My god fathers grave was the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen in my life. tribute to him from Germany and America together. He had 2 tours to Vietnam with 2 bronze stars and 3 oak leaf cluster's. comabt action badge, purple heart and so much more to be thankful of. He retired as a first sergeant and went straight to work for the DA civilian side of Fulda, GE as a post coordinator. I dont have the pictures of the grave yet as that day I didnt have my camera on me. also with my god mother and god father... My god mother has not changed a single thing in the house since Jerry Trafford, a hero in my eyes past away from cancer in his lungs due to inhaling so much napalm smoke. He past dec/19/1994 and I am on a mission to find out where his is recognized in a national cemetery in the states so if anyone can help me there please beyond all means it would be greatly appreciated. I'm alos not Catholic I'm Lutheran but I seen the most gorgeous church in Fulda and i highly recommend this community to anyone who travels to Europe. To describe within a short period of 2 days in one community it changed a complete outlook on Germany for me. I also grew up telling ppl all I wanted todo was come here and see my fathers foot steps and so many other family who had served here. Great questioning felng walking around base's that my dad worked and had formation's at and to wonder in the city if he was looking at the same view I was seeing at that time 20 years ago. I am really hoping to comeback and see my god mother in October this year and especially visiting a American hero's grave. Roswitha stll had a picture of me from 20 years ago without contact in her kitchen where 3 whole walls are dedicated to Jerrry(ny god father) with awards beyond anyhting I have ever seen. My god mothers house was the last place that I went in Germany before the airport and after I was born here. I will get the pics up of jerry's grave so you can see jsut how gorgeous it was. Today I spent the day in the vineyards for a wine testing fest and it was a true blast on the mountains overlooking the town and the nechar river. The Catholic church was definitely ginormous and overwhelming. I relaly ope yall enoyed the story and the pics. Wish I coul re live this feeling everyday as before i coult wait to leave here. I could most likely speak amost full German if I would have met her from the beggining but I dd learn quite a bit and it was a experence I will never forget in my life. I TOLD EVERYONE THAT I WAS COMING HERE TO MEET HERE AND SEE THIS PLACE ONE DAY ANDSOM ANY PPL DOUBTED ME. I proed the wrong and after thesights and emotons it was hard to leave. I spent it with all toghter 3 ppl that are still among us and all German but one of the girls stayed with me while i was with my godmother to help translate. Best weekend I have had in a long time and the most memorable expericen I ever had in Germany most definitly. there are alos pics of a wien testing place I went to today in Esslingen GE and it had gorgeous overviews of the city. Really whis all of you could ahve stood next to me this past weeend to expierence everythign I did. Come october im begging to come here an see here agan and the town and speak wth my god father. I will try to add pics of the funeralsooon Im waiting on my firend to email them to me. For now i do have great pics and out of repect for yall to see the wall of 1sg (ret) wall of appreition/awards and everythign a man coul drea of having dedicated to him. well here it all is fell's thanks for looking really hpe this will give ppl the courage/ strgenth to go to your biggest dream pale and accomplish is.Thanks again toa a family that I am beyond proud of and my god fathers service to America. Has realy oppend my spectrum of life. I had a beautiful girl that I have bee friends with forever who translated and stood by me throughout all cycles of emotions. Again, thank your for all the Vet's pror to y time as we wouldnt be where we are as the country we are without them. Stand tall and proud of your family's traits and contributions. enjoy the pic pm me for any info.



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Great pictures and a history lesson in itself.

Nice!

Nice Pictures

and Thanks for sharing.

that is one big...smokestack.

Great stuff! I lived in Darmstadt for 3.5 years and met some fantastic people.

Thanks for sharing!

Great pictures. I miss Germany a lot.

Nice!

Great story and pics. I was at Ramstein AFB for a 180 day TDY but because of duty time I was not able to find any of my relatives. No internet in those days so it was harder to trace people. My dad was with Patton in Germany and during the occupation at the end of WWII he did meet some of our distant relatives at that time.