NUTS!

I was so gently reminded this morning that not only is today the 22nd day of December but it is also December 22, 2012 which is exactly 68 years from December 22, 1944.

What's so special about December 22, 1944 and what do NUTS have to do with it?

Well, that is the day that an event of epic proportions took place and the word "Nuts" played a huge role.

Let me take you back in time a bit.

Fresh off the heels of the Allied invasion of Europe just a mere six months earlier, then past fighting along the French hedgerows and then the Liberation of Paris. It seemed that US and Allied Forces were going to hit Berlin faster than anyone imagined. That is until they entered the BENELUX (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) region of Europe then things started to slow down. The German forces started to feel that their backs were to the wall and they were not prepared to let any foreign invaders enter their country. So they "amped" up operations and really tried to put it to the ALLIES.

It was not until the winter started to settle in. Trust me folks, if you have never experienced a winter in Europe you really would not begin to understand just how much of a game changer the weather is, but I digress (only a little).

OK, so the US Forces are making their way to the small but critical crossroads right in the middle of a town in southeastern Belgium; Bastogne. They were somewhat rather swiftly encircled by fast moving German forces that were intent on cutting off the supply lines of the Allied Forces, in what they hoped would turn the tide of the war in favor of the German Forces.

So the two forces met at Bastogne with the German Forces taking the upperhand and surround the US Forces. It was late December and as I mentioned the weather was not cooperating making air drops almost impossible. Thus as the ensuing battle raged ammo, food, medicine and cool weather gear were running out or non-existent. Nothing demoralizes the fighting man more than lack of bullets, beans, and band aids.

By the 22nd of December the US Forces were starting to think that everything was lost as they were surrounded by the enemy, supplies were running out, and their leaders had forgotten about them, until. Until under a white flag a small contingent of German Soldiers (two officers and two enlisted) the following ultimatum to Gen. McAuliffe:

To the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.
            The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Our near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.
            There is only one possibility to save the encircled U.S.A. troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.
            If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours term.
             All the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the well-known American humanity.
 The German Commander. 

The response by General Anthony McAuliffe had to be something that not only seemed rational, considering the situation but also fair to all the men under his command. Thus his response was simple and to the point:

Once word of Gen. McAuliffe's response to the Germans got out the morale of each and every soldier shot up. Those the situation was hopeless that one word changed the outcome of the war. It offered enough motivation to each soldier to hold on just a little bit longer. The weather finally cleared up a few days later and air drops of supplies were accomplished. That along with reinforcements from Patton's 3rd Army arrived to help break the siege of Bastogne and return the allied advancement towards Berlin. About five months later, the war in Europe comes to an end.

As we approach Christmas 2012, please take a moment to remember the men and women that have served and are serving in defense of our nation. As you are at home warm and cosy getting ready to enjoy your Christmas and New Years, be grateful that men like those that were in Bastogne 68 years ago who sacrificed so much that we may be here today.

Merry Christmas! and NUTS!!!

Nov/Dec 2012 Book of the Month: C Trick by Donald M. Cooper

The November - December 2012 Book of the Month is by former member of the Berlin Brigade Donald M. Cooper: C TRICK.

His entry into the literary world is the book "C Trick" which has be considered as THE Cold War "memoir for the common man."

C TRICK reads sort of as a glimpse into life during a wartime military (Vietnam) and "[b]efore the all-volunteer Army, there was the draft. This meant that most young American men had to decide how they were going to meet their military obligation. As the Cold War dragged on and the Vietnam War heated up, how a person met this obligation assumed critical importance. The choices were stark. If you were in college, you were safe. If not, you could wait to be drafted with the understanding that you could be sent to Vietnam as a combat soldier, or you could volunteer for an assignment that offered the chance of avoiding infantry combat in a rice paddy. Volunteering, however, also had a price. You would serve for a longer time, often in a foreign country far away from friends and family. "C Trick" tells the story of some of those who volunteered. The book is a tale that describes how one group of young citizen-soldiers met their military obligation during the last half of the Sixties. The book describes what it was like to be a soldier in a special Army unit stationed in what may have been the most important Cold War hot spot. Using prose from the era, the book captures all the humor and frustration experienced by young men coping with the rigors of military life. The reader will experience the frustration of these men when they were expected to perform difficult technical work in an important national security facility while also dealing with military absurdities. This book captures all the details of how these soldiers worked, played and tried to avoid military life while serving in the Army. It is a very refreshing account of how Cold War soldiers spent their time while their lives were on hold." (Amazon.com Book Description).


You can order your copy of C TRICK by Donald M. Cooper:

A Cold War of Spies and Swaps and Berlin...

Yesterday, a friend asked me what I thought about the recent spy swap that took place between the United States and Russia. I told him that it was no big deal as spy swaps have been occurring for as long as there have been spies that have been caught and it obviously continues after the fall of the Berlin wall. Swapping Spies will continue long into the future.

This time the question should be why did the exchange take place in Vienna and not in Berlin?

First a little history: since the end of World War II there have been numerous spy swaps that took place between in what was formerly known as East Germany and West Berlin. The swaps to place at a bridge connecting West Berlin to East Germany, the bridge was called (and still is) Glienicke Bridge otherwise known as the Freedom Bridge. The most famous of the Glienicke Bridge spy swaps was that of U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers and Rudolf Ivanovich Abel on February 10, 1962. Then over the years many other exchanges took place on that bridge. The last known official spy swap took place on February 11, 1986 when Soviet Jewish dissident Anatoly Shcharansky was exchanged for nine other alleged and convicted spies.

Now to answer the question of why not Berlin? The answer is quite simple. There is no more West Berlin; there is no more army of occupation. From 1945 to about 1991 the British, French, and U.S. Armed forces occupied the city of West Berlin and the Soviet Forces occupied East Berlin. That meant that the respective occupying governments governed both sides of the Berlin wall. It also meant they controlled how information processed and disseminated within the city of West Berlin. Therefore, when an exchange took place it took place out in the open but under tightly controlled conditions. That meant the media circus was kept to a few official military photographers and videographers that would release images to the top media exchanges of the day such as the Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI), and Reuters.

To even attempt the type of exchange that took place in Austria on the tarmac of the city's Vienna International Airport in the city Berlin would only be feasible if it took place on one of the city's currently operating two airports (Tegel Airport or the soon to be Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BBI)). In this the modern, 24/7 always on world there are very few locations that are still under government control where access control is highly maintained. This makes airports such suitable facilities, for several security reasons there are areas that will never be photographed up close and there are certainly several areas, on the airport grounds, where aircraft can sit uninterrupted for extended periods of time where such exchanges can take place. This is especially important when the anonymity of the participants is not only needed but also expected.

The answer to the question of when can the next Spy Swap take place in Berlin? So long as the next spy swap happens after Berlin Brandenburg International Airport officially opens in 2012, Berlin can be next. Currently, Berlin Schönefeld Airport (Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld) is undergoing an expansion that will accommodate the air traffic generated with the closure of Tempelhof Airport in 2008 and Tegel Airport in 2012 when Berlin Schönefeld, which will be renamed to Berlin-Brandenburg International, will be ready for operations. At this time, BBI is full of construction equipment and personnel throughout the airport and the city of Berlin’s growth around Tegel Airport makes both sites not conducive to executing such spy swaps. However, in 2012 Berlin can then reclaim it's standing as the premier "Spy Swap" location on the planet.

In the meantime, back in the Gulf of Mexico...

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• Cold War • Berlin • West Berlin • Berlin Brigade • US Army • British Forces • French Forces • Soviet Forces • Spies • Spy Swap • Glienicke Bridge • Freedom Bridge • Tegel Airport • Tempelhof Airport • Berlin Brandenburg International Airport • Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld