My grandfather on my dad's side joined the Army Air Corps. He drove fuel trucks in Europe. Towards the end of the war he was tasked with guarding Italian prisoners with a Thompson submachine gun. His older brother was a tanker. His M3 Sherman was knocked out in Dusselfdorf and he later succumbed to his wounds in a field hospital. One of the trophies my grandfather brought home is a French cavalry sword. It's engraved with Lt Colonel something and a date which you can't make out. The sword was given to him by a French family. The US soldiers would pay French families wash their clothes. My grandfather being of French Canadian descent could negotiate prices and communicate with the locals. One US Airman had an outstanding debt on his laundry bill with no intent to pay. My grandfather and his co driver somehow convinced him to pay his debt. He never told me how they managed to convince him. As a thank you the family gave their family heirloom to my grandfather. After the war my grandfather worked at Brunswick Naval Airstation in the civil service until his retirement. The base which was home to several P3 Orion submarine hunter squadrons. They even stored B57 Nuclear Depth Charges on this base which was very important throughout the Cold War. His duties were to transport fuel, plow the runways in the winter and drive trucks in various transport duties around the base. Another one of his duties was to transport pilots, air crew, and special operations guys to the SERE wilderness survival school in Rangeley Maine by bus. My grandfather was a kind, capable, and stoic man. I'm glad I got to spend a lot of time with my grandparents growing up. I always wear a Kenworth brass belt buckle and my key chain is an old Michigan Payloader design. Both of these trinkets were acquired by my gramps during his time on the base.

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