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Sad Day

4205raymond4205raymond Member Posts: 3,316 ✭✭✭✭
in General Discussion

One year ago today my best friend and hunting partner of 55 years was laid to rest beneath Old Glory.

Gerhard (Gerry) was a Berlin trained toolmaker and escaped the yoke of Communist oppression and came to this country for a better life. Not long after arriving here he was drafted into the US Army and served in a Heavy Weapons Platoon in Germany. Gerry finished up his last 15 years or so at IBM in R&D. He was one of those guys that walked in a room with a Engineer and Scientist and shown a blueprint and then asked "Can you build it?" He took the IBM buyout and then was rehired for his expertise.

About 1.5 years ago he called me and wanted to talk to me but not on the phone. I knew he was probably gravely ill. When I got to his house he held my hand crying and told me he could no longer care for himself and was going to sell his house and live with his grandson. He asked me if he had anything that I wanted to remember him by. He handed me a 8MM Mauser that I had given him for Christmas many years ago and insisted that I take it back. He said I have been thinking about this a long time and I want you to take this to remember me by, it is my German Passport, my ticket to Freedom, my most prized possession. It has his picture, chest X-rays. seals, German Eagle, many pages, the whole nine yards.

It saddens me to no end some of the things that my friend witnessed last summer and Jan.6th. Some of these things he left behind when he escaped from Berlin. I hope we can do better. I know he is watching over us. I miss you Gerry. RIP dear friend.-----------------------------------Ray

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