Heroes

HERO #1

Some of you may have received a separate email from me about two vets I met onboard, but I want to share this wonderful experience with more. On our very first night onboard Regatta, 20 Dec 2017 Suzy & I, at the last minute, decided to dine at Toscana and to 'Share' a table for four.

Fen & Bunny Ludtke

We were seated aft with a couple older than us (hard to believe-isn't it?) Fenton (Fen) & Bunny Ludtke from Savannah, GA. Fen, then 94 now 95, and I got to the topic of WW II, and what a wonderful continuing experience that conversation started. Fen shared stories as if they were yesterday. He was an aide to Patton and did he have stories about that. He also shared stories about meeting Eisenhower at a senior staff meeting in France and later as a cub reporter for the Pontiac newspaper meeting Ike again on a campaign whistle stop in '52. From that he got an exclusive interview with Ike. I believe his front page headline read 'Today I Talked to Ike.'

So we were with them again last night for dinner and the state of Michigan came up, like where have you/we been or visited. I mentioned some of the places I'd been, one beginning back in 1946 at Cross Village, MI at my uncle's cabin on Lake Michigan. Fen asked if I'd been to Legg's restaurant. I couldn't remember so I emailed my cousin who still has a home there, and Texas. Barb came back and said she had once been a waitress there in the summer!! This conversation will continue.

HERO #2

Mel Pollack, Ex-POW Vietnam

We've all heard a non-serving politician proclaim POWs are not heroes; let me beg otherwise. It was in Darwin at an air museum when a fellow traveler came over to me and said a guy over by the B-52 seems to know a lot about warbirds. I walked over and introduced myself to Mel Pollack, Lt. Col. USAF (Ret) and Ex-POW Vietnam. What blossomed from that conversation, and meeting his wife Sheila, has been a humbling experience. I honestly didn't want to ask Mel questions, but let him share what he felt comfortable telling. He was out of Da Nang flying an F-4 40 miles north of Hanoi when a 'Golden BB' shot them down. He was a prisoner for 5 1/2 years. He shared his stories, many of them how they communicated and his respect for John McCain. Even though Mel is quite liberal, John asked Mel to give a campaign speech for him in PA, which Mel agreed to do. I could write for pages, but let me close with what happened when they were finally released. On the ride back,  Mel immediately asked for a pencil and paper as he wanted to write down all of the names/details he could remember from his 5-1/2 years in captivity; he wanted no one to be left behind. You might access this link for what Mel is currently involved with https://www.vetshelpingheroes.org. Make sure you read about the board and directors. Mel and I, through word of mouth, have organized a Vet's Get Together in Horizons and I organized a cocktail party for Vets in our suite later on. I guess if we had been Friends of Bill W. Oceania would facilitate an announcement and time and place for us to meet.

Fen & Mel--Two Heroes

Above are just two examples of why we enjoy longer cruises with some days at sea.  But we are confused when Aussie time zones change by 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour and a half.

Needlepoint Thank You

Needlepoint Thank You