My Life Of An Army Wife

I guess I will start back in 1960 when I met & married the Love Of My Life &
Soul Mate. I was 17 (almost 18) & Gene was 19 when we were married.
Gene was already in the Army 2 years.
My Father & Gene were stationed at Camp Hanford (Richland),
Washington. Our first big move was December 1960, Gene was assigned to a
Nike Hercules Missile Site in Byron, Georgia.
We was the typical poor low ranking couple, couldn't afford a "Pot To
Pee In Or The Window To Throw It Out Of". We was there 6 long months, we
didn't like it there as the south at that time was segregated
& we was from the Northwest & hadn't seen that before...July
1961 Gene got orders for Okinawa, I went to home to live with my
parents, (who was still in the Army & stationed at Ft. Lewis,
Washington.)
In 1962 Gene was transfered to a Nike Hercules Missile Site in Medical
Lake, Washington. Where we lived & love the area until 1965 Gene was
on orders again only this time Germany.
By this time he had enough time in service & rank for me to go with
him. He left by ship in August 1965 & I joined him in November 1965,
only I got to fly. We lived in the small town Waldbrol, where he was an
adviser to the German Air Force Nike Hercules Missile site.. I loved
Germany the Germans was so very friendly & helpful. We didn't live
on a Military Base NATO furnished our Housing. If we wanted to shop at a
Commissary or P.X. we had to travel a couple of hours to the nearest
Military Installation. I guess you could say we was an isolated
assignment. There was a total of 10 American families. So we became a
large family. On July 27, 1967 Our son Norm was born at Weisbaden A.F.B.
Hospital, a 2 hour trip from where we lived. My Girlfriend went with us
just in case our baby came before we made it to the hospital.
(We was married 7 years & 2 months, thats when I told everyone they
could quit counting) In June 1968 Gene received orders for Minnesota,
at that time We both said where in the Hell is Minnesota? Because 6
months earlier Gene filled out his dream sheet asking for California,
Washington (State), California. We landed at McGuire AFB, picked up our
car (which we shipped 3 months ahead) & traveled across America to
Twin Falls, Idaho where we visited with Gene's Family for a couple of
weeks, than we came to Ridgefield, Washington to visit with my Family.
Then we set out for Minnesota & saw some more of our beautiful land.
Our trip was planned to come one route & go back another that way
we didn't see the something twice. We lived in Mound, Minnesota &
the Nike Hercules Missile Site Gene was assigned to was in the middle of
a Cornfield in St. Bonifacious, Minnesota. Again there was no Military
Base with a commissary Or P.X we had to depend on the local economy. We
made some lasting friends & loved Minnesota. On July 15, 1969 our
beautiful baby Daughter was born in a civilian hospital in Watertown,
Minnesota. Early spring in 1970 everything became very stressful. Gene
received orders for Vietnam he was going as an MP (his secondary MOS).
We again made our trip across the Northern US, stopping off in Twin
Falls, Idaho to visit family, than to Vancouver, Washington where my
babies & I lived until Gene returned home.
When Gene arrived in Vietnam he was assigned to the Dusters (tank with
40mm guns), he was on several Fire Bases, he spent his year in the
field. He received medals for his bravery.
I became very active in the POW movement, and belonged to a Military
Wives Support Group for the wives of servicemen stationed in Vietnam. It
was the longest, hardest separation we ever had.
While he was gone Ann took her first steps, went from bottle to drinking
out of a glass, & she was talking. She didn't like men other than
my Dad, Brother In-Law & Brother.
Norm became the helpful big brother, very protective of his little
sister. He went from being a toddler to a pre schooler. Norm got really
sick around Thanksgiving 1970, he wouldn't eat (couldn't keep any food
down) for several day's. After a few trips to the doctor they put him in
the hospital for tests. They never could find anything wrong with him
other than his Daddy was missing in his life, they determined that this
was Norm's way of letting us all know how much he missed his Daddy. So I
had a large 8x10 picture of Gene in his uniform & I put it on the
kid's dresser. We would say good night Daddy, give him a kiss & told
him we loved him. That helped allot as when Gene returned from Vietnam
we met him at the Portland, Oregon Airport & Ann who didn't like
strange men went right to her Daddy & Norm wouldn't let Gene out of
his sight, not for even a minute. I notice that Gene had changed over
the year he was gone. He left as one person & returned as a complete
different person. He had been though allot, saw allot of combat,&
one of his best friends died of wounds in his arms. (His best friend was
due to rotate back to the states in 3 weeks) while waiting for a flight
form Seattle to Portland he had time to kill so he went into the Barber
shop for a haircut while he was sitting in the barber chair a man came
up to him, called him a baby killer & spat upon him....That was a
common thing back than as the Vietnam war was being protested & the
American didn't support the Troops back than...

We was on the move again this time to Ft. Bliss, Texas (El Paso) the home
of the Air Defense (Missiles)..We stopped in Idaho to visit family.
Gene's little Brother age 10 asked Gene how many babies did you kill?
Gene didn't feel comfortable after that so we didn't stay any longer than
we had to. We went on to Ft. Bliss settled in. It was a good duty station.
We for a change live on a Military Base where there was a Commissary
& P.X to shop at. The Government Quarters we lived in was great, 3 bedroom duplex which meant the kid's had their own bedrooms.
Norm started Kindergarten became very out going, he loved being with his Daddy. Ann was mommies little helper & Daddies little Girl. We lived at Ft. Bliss for 2 years, until the end of June 1973.
We was on orders for Germany for the second time. Only this time we got to
travel together as a family. We again made our rounds to Oregon (my parents
moved to Oregon) & Idaho.
Than we left Idaho & drove across the US to Charleston AFB, South Carolina. Turned in our car to be shipped to Germany. We than flew to Germany with a stop in Shannon, Ireland for refueling. We went shopping at the Airport as it was Duty Free.(no taxes) We landed in in Frankfort, Germany took a bus to
Baumholder where we settled in for four wonderful years.
Gene's assignment was to be an Inspector of the Nike Hercules Missiles in his
Battalion. Gene was always on the road with the Inspection Team. The
kid's started school, Norm became involved in T-Ball, Peewee Football,
& Cub scouts. Ann was involved in the Brownies & Girl Scouts. I
kept myself busy with Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, I served on the Boy Scout
Round table, & I was a First Aid Instructor. Lot's to keep me busy & active with my kid's.
On Sunday's we went to the Dirt Track Races the German/American the had their own "NASCAR"
Living in Baumholder for 4 years is the longest time I have lived in one place in my entire life....
I will truly miss Germany, totally enjoyed all 7 years we spent in Germany. It was like home to me....

We rotated back to the States in June 1977. Our last move before Gene's
retirement from the Army was back to Ft. Bliss, Texas. we landed in
Charleston, South Carolina picked up our VW Camper Van which was waiting
at the Airport for us. We stayed in the Guest House on base & the
next morning we started our trip across the country for the last time.
We went to Nashville & Opry Land camped & took the kids to the
Amusement Park. We camped along the way. Had a good trip until we
reached Cheyenne, Wyoming. We was just out of Cheyenne, we was on the
Interstate & was hit by wind Dark Clouds that seemed to be to be
laying on the ground the closer to the clouds the stronger the wind was.
We had to pull over when the wind started to rock our Van, than the
hail the size of golf balls started. The hail broke all the windows on
the passenger side, broke through the closet & was hitting us as we
was under the table. Gene tried to stay in the front but when the
windshield started it shatter he came back with us. I remember a man on a
motorcycle laying on the ground that had been pelted with the hail. We
traveled as fast as we could to get into Idaho...Stayed with family for a
few days & got some repairs done to the van & off to Oregon.
We spent a week in Portland. than my parents & their Motor home
& us with our camper van set out on a trip to Sacramento,
California. We started at Portland to Astoria, (Oregon Coast) &
traveled the Oregon Coast into the Redwoods of California. It took us 7
days to go from Portland to Sacramento. That was a wonderful trip for
everyone. We separated company in Sacramento.
We continued our trip to Ft. Bliss. (El Paso, Texas) We lived at Ft.
Bliss until Gene retired from the Army on June 30, 1978. It was a good
year, but a year of anticipation about being civilians. It was a scary
time for us. All that I had ever known my whole life was Army life....We
left Ft. Bliss, Texas on July 1st, 1978 to start a whole new chapter in
our lives....

I hope I didn't bore you all with my memories....

Bore us??? Oh my goodness Sunflower!!

Thank you so very much for sharing your life's experiences with us!
What a life you have led and I applaude you!!

Profoundly...I applaude and give your husband Gene, my greatest of respect and admiration!

Both of you have given and sacrificed so much, and you are both truly appreciated.

What a story...Sunflower!! What beautiful people you must be!!

I love your positive outlook on life, and your "elated" way of writing, Sunflower! Your name is appropriate and you are truly an inspiration! :)

I enjoyed your post very much sunflower!

And like Willows I am not bored from it.

Thanks for posting such a wonderful life experience with your life love.

What a wonderful life experience. Not boring at all. Thank you for sharing.