A GI’s Story

(Based on a true story)

He was a stoic man who did his time in World War II and, like most of the other veterans, returned home, resumed his previous life and essentially closed the chapter that involved his war services. One year after he returned, he married his hometown sweetheart, ran a moderately successful farm north of town and raised 5 children all of whom became wonderfully productive citizens.

When his time came, he quietly accepted admission to the Veteran’s Home. With his wife gone, he certainly did not want to be a burden to his children nor his grandchildren. His children always described him as an unassuming man who never complained, always accepted the good and the bad that came his way with the same quiet fortitude and evenness. His children thought he seemed older than he was. They would often ask him about his time in WWII. Much like many of his fellow GIs, he would always reply, “ I served my country like Uncle Sam asked me to.” No details were ever provided.

But when he entered the Veteran’s Home, he began to share his experiences with the other residents whom also served in the war. He found these interactions surprisingly helpful. Suddenly a burden was being lifted from his soul; one that had been so deeply buried he had nearly forgotten its existence.

One week before he passed, his grandson visited him. Seeing the many decorations commemorating WWII in the facility, he asked his grandfather what he did in the war. His grandson fully expected a recounting of his time spent as a cook behind the lines. What he heard was nothing short of astounding.

His grandfather had decided to join the US Army with plans to become a career military man. His older brother was going to take over the family farm and there just were not enough prospects in this post-Depression time for the second oldest. He entered a military academy and within 2 years had become a captain specializing in military intelligence.

Things were heating up in Europe with the ever-growing presence of Hitler and his Nazi regime. The young captain was immediately dispatched to Northern Italy to put into practice his newly acquired knowledge of military strategy and troop growth serving in a part of the Army that would later become the CIA. He was dropped into central Italy on his own with only an assortment of Italian money and a small pack of peasant clothes. His mission was to travel by whatever means he could procure to far northern Italy and insinuate himself into a village community. While there, undercover as a visiting relative, he was to make daily reconnaissance trips into Nazi-occupied Austria to provide intelligence on the location, manpower, training and strategy of the growing Nazi army.

He was successful in all of these endeavors. He was able to convince a poor family at the northern most end of the village that he was a friend of a distant relative sent from America to help them with their struggling farm. He had the skills acquired from his formative years in central Missouri and in a short time had learned the local dialect to be convincing as a native. His time would be spent out in the fields always near the border tending to their livestock while slipping ever closer to the German troop encampment. His new family knew absolutely nothing of his real purpose. They were grateful for his help. They only had a young daughter and were desperate for the physical assistance he provided. They put him up in a small stone cottage behind their house and invited him to have a meal with them every night. The cover was perfect. In the nearly two years, the information provided to the Allies became crucial during the European theater buildup and especially during the invasion of Normandy on D-Day.

His grandson was stunned speechless. His tall, thin, quiet, unassuming grandfather was a spy! He was a genuine war hero! But what he heard next amazed him even more.

By the end of his first year, the captain really began to feel a part of his adoptive family. Not only that, he began to fall deeply in love with their nineteen year old daughter. She was a classic Italian beauty and she had truly stolen his heart. She was kind, considerate and most importantly, accepted him for who he was without judgment. She would wait for him everyday and escort him to their meal. Afterwards, they would spend the night on her family’s back porch talking of their dreams. He would enrapture her with tales of distant America. It was clear to all who saw this young couple that they were meant for each other.

Halfway through his second year and against the orders of his commanding officer, he proposed marriage to this young woman. She readily accepted. He received the immediate blessings of his soon to be in-laws.

His grandson was shocked. He and Grandma were the perfect match. They were married for nearly 60 years. They were the model of marital fidelity and bliss. Everyone assumed that they were always sweethearts. Assumptions can be wrong!

The young couple married in a ceremony that the entire village attended. They danced in the streets and drank wine until dawn. They moved together to the small stone cottage and shared all of their time together. The soldier could never imagine being happier.

The captain was tormented by his secret life. He was not to reveal his real purpose to anyone, not even his new wife. The growing Nazi sympathizers throughout Italy were especially prevalent in the border town. Nazi soldiers were beginning regular patrols throughout the area.  People, even his friends who attended his wedding, were beginning to become suspicious of their neighbors and especially, of any outsiders. His CO told him that he would be extracted in two weeks.

But he absolutely could not leave without his wife or his new family. Through much pleading and bargaining with his superiors, he was granted permission to tell his new family on the night prior to leaving that they were all going to America and would leave immediately after he had informed them. He was ecstatic. He couldn’t wait to finally fully share his life with these people whom he had become to love with his whole heart and soul, especially his radiant and beautiful wife. To make life even more complete, on the night prior to their planned departure, sitting on the back porch, she announced to her husband that they would soon have a child! He was overwhelmed. Tears streamed down his face as he stared into the stars imagining what his life would be like with his new family back in the States.

But, for many, happiness is fleeting. The life of these newlyweds would soon irrevocably change.

The young captain could barely sleep that night. He waited for the first light then kissed his young bride as she slept. He silently went out of the front door then ran faster than he could recall ever moving. He went to the fields to make sure the livestock was properly watered and fed. He then made his final journey through the well-hidden path to the Austrian border for one last time. He kept his journal neatly tucked in his breast pocket. As he wrote, he couldn’t help but stare at the shiny ring he wore.

Dawn turned to sunset and the soldier ran home. He knew he could probably make the trip blindfolded; he had done it so many times. As he rose to the top of the last foothill, he saw the homestead strangely unchanged from the morning. There was no smoke in the chimney, no sweet smell of bread and the animals were exactly where he had left them. Most importantly, his wife was not waiting for him at their door. He froze in his path. It was obvious! They were gone. Hope against hope, he thought the US military had already come for them. He approached the homestead cautiously; for a growing, impending fear crept up his spine. When he arrived, he could see his worst fear realized. There had been a struggle. The doors were off the hinges. Inside, tables and chairs were overturned. In the far corner, a dark tarry red stain menaced him. He could remain there no longer. He left quickly and approached the main village in the shadows.  His fears were realized as he saw the German soldiers going house to house looking for any enemy of the Nazis. He circled the village from both sides but did not see his wife or her family. He found out later that they were the first group taken because of their association with him. He also was told his father-in –law had been badly beaten as he tried to protect his daughter from the horrors they were to endure. The young captain had heard rumors amongst the villagers of concentration camps and unspeakable tortures. Would this be their fate?

He returned to the farmhouse. He was utterly alone. He felt hopeless and completely helpless.  Strong feelings of rage burst from his soul as he sobbed at the table they had shared for so many nights. He could bear no more. He left without taking anything. Everything was too heavy to carry because of the powerful feelings they held. He turned as he ran and saw the fading sun reflecting off the ring he left behind.

He met his contacts at the rendezvous point alone. They had heard what happened. Even if they hadn’t, the devastation in the soldier’s eyes told all. He was no longer the young captain. He was now the stoic veteran.

He spent the rest of the war assisting the Army in utilizing his intelligence to put an end to the Nazi scourge. His commanders were amazed at the energy, passion and dedication he showed. They were even more surprised when he volunteered to lead a company of soldiers landing on the beaches of Normandy. He suffered shrapnel wounds but kept on fighting. He could not be stopped. His heart slowly hardened but his love never faded.

His grandson sat at his bedside weeping softly. All of his words had left him. All he could find to say was, “I love you Granddad.”

One week later, the old soldier slipped off peacefully. His grandson knew what no one else did… even his second wife had no idea. He was rushing off to see his beautiful young Italian bride and live the life with their children that Hitler denied.

Alan J. Scharrer, M.D.

Class of 1986