erald Union H Vol. XXII, No. 21
Inside this issue: Feedback:
Wiesbaden: Our home in Germany
July 30, 2015
ACS celebrates 50 years
How are you dealing with the summer heat?
Reader Spc. Willis Myrick said while the heat’s bad, he’ll be ok - he’s a Soldier. More feedback on page 2.
Motorcycle Safety Day
Riders get training, chance to learn new skills. See page 5.
Photo by Shayna Brouker
U.S. Army Garrison Commander Col. Mary Martin, garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Roy Rocco, Volunteer Coordinator Earl McFarland and longtime volunteer Chris Eisenberg cut the cake at the Army Community Service’s 50th birthday luau July 24. See the full story, and more photos, on Page 12.
Garrison member serves over 70 years By Shayna Brouker
U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Public Affairs Office
Cultivating friendship
See page 13 to learn about Thomas Jefferson’s visit to Hochheim’s vineyards.
Chapel holds dinners for those in lodging Story and photo by Jacob Corbin
U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Public Affairs Office
Your first week, and those that follow, can be a little rough. Facing jet leg, culture shock and dealing with a big move can all be stressful. On top of that, you have to figure out the age-old question … “what’s for dinner?” The U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Chapel has stepped-up to help with at least one of those, bring ing dinner for those staying in the Wiesbaden Lodge. “It’s a nice way to welcome people to the community and to tell them about our Chapel programs,” said USAG Wiesbaden Chaplain Lt. Col. John See ‘Dinners’ on page 8
Arthur Chee doesn’t hear very well. Ask him a question or introduce yourself, and he may ask you to write it down. But it’s only because he wants to understand, and he has no shortage of stories to tell. After all, “Mr. Chee” as he is known, has 93 years’ worth. The former employee of the Wiesbaden Army Lodge, still a fixture in the community, shared a few one afternoon at the lodge. The Air Force veteran laid witness to post-World War II Europe, survived the Vietnam War and traveled just about everywhere. But his story began in Hawaii, born to parents of Asian descent, to which he credits his work ethic. “The people of Hawaii, especially the Asians, did all the hard work on pineapple and sugar cane plantations,” he said. He went to Catholic school and at some point (some of the details are murky more than 80 years later), he was drafted as a classification specialist at Schofield Barracks in
Photo by Shayna Brouker
Arthur Chee has served in numerous capacities during his more than 70 year career. Hawaii. Then he enlisted in the Air Force, and was promoted from private to staff sergeant in nine months — an accomplishment he proudly mentioned twice. He came to Europe in 1945. “When I came over it was nothing but bombed-out buildings and ashes,” he recalled. Since then, he was stationed in Ramstein twice, Wiesbaden three times and Lindsey Air Station
twice. Bad Kissingen, Munich, Paris and London were also stations, and he travelled all over – once driving from Munich to Monaco because he “wanted to see what it was like.” “All the millionaires had yachts in the harbor and the ladies used to wear furs in the dead of summer,” he said. While stationed in Saigon during the Vietnam War, and then northern Thailand, he visited Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tokyo and the Philippines while on R+R. At Clark Air Base in the Philippines, he observed the Filipino natives who lived there. The men took care of livestock and crops, and the women worked as house maids and cooks and in the military laundry shop. But a favorite destination? He has none — “I have no favorite place because each place is different and unique in its own way,” he said. All the traveling left little time for long-term relationships. He mentioned only a brother and sisterin-law in Hawaii, no children or See ‘Service’ on page 3