While on this diet, we saw German P.O.W.s going through the soldiers' chow line and being fed fried chicken, mashed potatoes, ice cream, etc. It almost caused a riot as it was more than a "Kriege" could take. (see my story on POW pay)

At that point, I was separated from my pilot, co-pilot and navigator. I never saw Hilde again, although I did see Bud Schauer at the P.O.W. reunion April, 1985. And later, both he and Jean Muller at a P.O.W. reunion in Saint Louis in 1992. We did talk on the telephone though, and corresponded some. I didn't see any of the gunners since we had left our base in Italy, to go on the mission. Having lost track of everyone after the war, I eventually successfuly contacted all but Ives and Layton, but couldn't find them. I later found out that Ives and Layton had passed away.

I boarded a Navy Troop Transport ship, The Walter H. Gordon (AP 117), at Le Harve, France, bound for Trinidad. We had a unit of transport command troops on board that were bound for that island. Some people had it rough. After these were put ashore, we headed for New York. (By a quirk of fate, my cousin, Ralph Speth, traveled on this same troopship when he entered the Korean War several years later).

As we steamed into New York Harbor we could see the Statue of Liberty welcoming us home. The feeling was indescribable, as being in the land of the free is hard to describe, unless you lose it.

We were sent to Camp Kilmer, an Army base across from New York in New Jersey. The first thing I did on the base was place a telephone call to Betty in Denver. How fantastic to hear her voice, and know that in a matter days we would be together again, and I could be introduced to my daughter Carol!