I received a "baggie" of sand from Omaha Beach yesterday...

[Adam Helmer]

Rapier,

Thanks for the reply. In 1960, my 10th grade history teacher was John Hepp who was a 1st Lt. in the 101st and at Bastonge in December 1944. He was on the line as Officer of the Day of the sector that the Kraut's motorcycle and sidecar came to the Bastonge lines under a white flag. The German Lt. and Captain were blindfolded and taken by U.S. Jeep to see McAuliff. About an hour later their terms had been received and McAuliff responded "Nuts." and the Germans were brought back to their motorcycle and sidecar.

The German Captain asked Hepp, "Nietze, Nietze, was bedeautet Nietze?" (Nuts, nuts, what does that mean?) John Hepp had a First Sergeant from Lancaster, PA who was fluent in German. Hepp asked the 1st Sergeant to elaborate in German. He did and about 30 minutes later the Krauts shelled the hell out of the crossing point. All of my male high school teachers were WWII veterans, who attended college under the GI Bill, and often they alluded to their service.

That era is passing and I feel richer for my experiences being in their classes.

Adam