Excerpts from Letters to Mom in italics.
15 July 1963
I was in a parade in the next town. It had its bicentennial and what a celebration! I marched with a "little NATO" group comprised of an officer, NCO, and enlisted men each from the French Army, US Army, Air Force, Navy and Canadian Air Force. We were the 35th group in the 1st division. The people applauded us the whole way-I felt like JFK. Afterward they gave us tickets for beer and food and a glass boot. I didn't get to use all my tickets because the people kept buying beer for me. Boy did I get nice [tipsy] (day before payday, too)! They had a great big FestHalle with two floors and a gigantic beer garten covering several acres. There wasn't any seats left free either. Darn good celebration!
[Der Stiefel or boot was a nefarious drinking object that was passed around the table in order. Ja, in order to get everyone falling-down, throwing-up, drunk. Fehr avoided the boot as much as possible and often paid the monetary penalty to avoid the consequences. Here's how the convention worked. If the person who drank after you finished or emptied the boot, you were obligated to pay to refill the boot. The refrains from drinking songs still come to mind - "Wer soll das bezahlen, wer hat so viel Geld, wer hat so viel Pinka, Pinka, wer hat so viel Geld?" - literally, "Who will pay for that, who has so much money?" And near the bottom of the boot one had to tilt it sideways to avoid a sudden build up of air pressure and an unwanted dousing of cold bier.]
I guess I'll shine my shoes because we got a new colonel for CO and he'll probably be around. Gotta look impressive, you know.
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Spent the Labor Day weekend in Bavaria. I rode the cable car up the Zugspitz - the highest mt [Alpine mountain] in Germany. It sure was breathtaking. [The first view of the Alps was awe-inspiring for one raised near the old, worn down Appalachian hills.] I visited some of the bierhalles in Munich. [In the famous Hofbräu Haus, Fehr inquired about a drab wooden, structure pushed back out of the way in a corner. It looked rather old and a trough ran along the bottom on one side. He was informed it was a portable bar used for bier trinking contests. The design thoughtfully saved contestants valuable time by allowing them freedom to void without repairing to the toileten.] Boy, are they huge - and such good bier and food. At cheap prices too!
I also strolled along the beatnik and artist section on Leopoldt Strasse [the Schwabing or Swabian section]. Sunday afternoon I saw the KZ Lager (concentration camp) at near-by DACHAU. I saw the crematoriums and went thru the museum. The famous Münchener Rathaus was unforgettable, too. [In German, the "Rathaus" is the town hall; "Rat" means advice and city councilmen naturally met at the Rathaus. In the cellar of the Rathaus was the "Rathskeller" usually one of the best places to eat in town. The Munich Rathskeller was ancient, huge, historical, boisterous, busy, dripping with architecture and excellent food and drink.]
18 September 1963
Brig leaves this Sunday (22) and promised to stop in if he got near the area. He still has to go through the Receiving Station in Philly, but should be discharged by (at least) 4 Oct.
I'm not seeing Gretchen nor intend to do so. As it stands I'm going back (from here) for discharge next July. I got a letter and phone call from London. They said if I didn't re-enlist or extend long enough for a tour at Ft. Meade, they would extend my current tour here from Jan 64 til July 64. I don't mind. I think I'll need a good job right after I get out so I can earn money for college. I don't want to work more than a year.
05 October 1963
I see the military will get a pay raise. I believe I get a $40 [per month] raise in base pay and lose $16 in overseas pay. That'll be about $10 a payday [bimonthly or two pays per month] more after taxes.
I miss the football games and am following the World Series on radio [Armed Forces Network]. I'll be baby-sitting (Sat. nite) for a guy in the shop tonite, and can listen to the game after the kids are in bed. Kathy (about 4 or 5) goes to bed at 7:45 and the game starts at 8:45 (Central Euro Time).
I'm reading quite a bit now. My latest book is a history of the German General Staff and is turning out to be almost a history of Europe since the 17th century. It's getting me interested in European history, a subject of which I am nearly totally ignorant. I'm thinking about attempting to read books from the Bücherei (library) downtown.
Did you get to see Brig? He was worried about his pay records. London mailed them to Phila, but I heard he couldn't locate them there. In any rate, I expect to hear from him soon. I'm sorry if I don't write so much; I just can't get around to it, and then don't have anything to say. [Being in the other "silent service," he couldn't talk or write about work, fascinating as it would be.] I'm a bit worried, or rather not worried but curious about my "post" military future. I'm not looking ahead with apprehension, but uncertainty. I do know that I will be "out," and I'll find out what I'm made out of. I believe I'm losing initiative. Time will tell.
26 October 1963
Perhaps, you could inquire by Uncle "Shun" [Dr. Alex Fehr, Professor at Lebanon Valley College] about the status of "GI loans" for college. [A GI Bill for the Cold War/Vietnam veterans did not become law until late 1966.] I'll need to know the criteria, interest rates, and eligible institutions. I sure would like to study here, but I lack two years U.S. college credits which I'm rather sure is required.
15 November 1963
I've been invited out for Thanksgiving again this year. I'm going to AG1 Willford's place. I could call you, but I'd have nightmares thinking about the money. It cost over $40 last year. I'll be discharged in eight more months It won't be long now.
Well, give my best to all 'round the turkey table next week.