From: SGM PANTANO (TRUKS1@msn.com)
Date: Tue Jan 24 2006 - 20:13:38 PST
Hit delete NOW if you are not interested.
Karl.(who lives in Kalifornia is the subject)
Karl was born in Indo China. He is German. When WW2 broke out - the Germans
in Indo China were treated like the Japanese here in the US. All German
Civilians were rounded up and stuck in a Camp. At the time, Rommel was
raising cane in North Africa. Karl and his friends wanted out of this
situation they were in...badly....SOOO badly, that one night 4 other
teen-agers and himself escaped from the compound and headed to the docks..
They had intended to steal a power boat and head for North Africa. When
they arrived at the docks..there were so many guards that there was no
chance at all to snatch a power boat.... The time was 1942 - Mid Summer...
They settled for a lousy old row boat. Off they went - into the dark
night...headed for the coast of Africa..... While at sea...with no water -
no food...just "guts"..a wind came up...and made the going pretty tough..One
of the kids got panicy and flipped out... His actions were threatening to
capsize the small boat.. There was no choice... They had to subdue him with
an oar..and rolled him over the side. I'm not sure how long they were at
sea..but -- they made it to North Africa...!! They joined up with the Africa
Korps...and personally met with Rommel !!
They were issued uniforms and gear and went off to war against the British..
After about a month -- Karl and his friend were in the desert somewhere..out
of ammo..and it was cold ..and no water...no food.. They crested a large
crater --rolled into it and planned to sleep the night away.. Two Brits
rolled into the hole after a while... Karl lowered his "empty" MP40 on them
and took them prisoner... Both Karl and his friend spoke very good English.
After a conversation was struck up - Karl learned that the British position
was very close..... He asked the Brit for water.. After a drink for him and
his friend - Karl handed his MP40 to the Brit..and said he wanted the
British to take him prisoner.!!! Which the British did... He and his friend
were well treated...driven by lory to a camp somewhere..and turned over to
a POW compound. Eventually - he wound up with Americans and volunteered to
be an Interpreter to help out with all the prisoners. After the war, he went
back to Indo China for a short time...then to the United States and became a
Machinist - and to this day ----has NEVER set foot in Germany.! He lives in
the Apple Valley area of Kalifornia...
One of my stories.!
Gene
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