European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 26, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Journey the sign tells the Story As mrs. Bruce l. Buchner serves dinner to sgt. Purdue and his family. Buchner family is in the foreground with Back to camera. By George Zeberl staff writers lightning flared in the North Ern Kansas skies a bus loaded with eary 24th inf div personnel crunched a halt outside King Field House at t. Riley Kan. Lit was the end of the Road at least import warily for another Batch of a 0-committed Taro men and their de indents who Are being uprooted from be rolling Countryside of Bavaria and planted in the vast sweeping Prairie ind of Kansas in operation reformer he redeployment of part of the 24thflf div to the . In their fatigue the new arrivals beamed almost oblivious to the Oom Zahed Welcome of the waiting military d As soldiers and families trudged to the brightly lighted Field House to pet their sponsors and undergo what mounted to the next to last step Over he Long but superbly organized haul at had begun some 24 hours before in Early morning darkness at Augsburg Taro men and dependents Ping into the grouped easy chairs Inie Field House had a kind of Anonym a. Although tired they exuded a. � ment of the Middle West the final moments in Germany were eased by close friends and neighbors Cpl. And l. Buchner whose apartment on the final night in Augsburg was As jammed As a Munich Beer tent during oktoberfest. With their own apartment stripped of everything save suitcases while await ing a 4 . Final inspection the four Purdue literally moved in with the six Buchner Bruce wife Louise and Chil Dren Michael 14, Matthew 11, Mark 8, and Susan 5 on a Rainy lint Gray Sun Day for the final supper the last night s sleep and the last breakfast a nodding3 . Meal that was starting Point for the Purdue longest Day. Over mashed potatoes Louise Buch Ner explained an unusual variation on the Domino effect sure it s work but i Don t mind. People have helped us we help John and Sandy am1 they la help somebody. We Veall been through it and we know what it s after dinner for 11 pfc. Leonard Preston lightly described As an adopted son was also on handheld ironically under a reproduction of a Vinci s the last supper and appropriately in front of a mounted sign Reading homeward bound the kids maintenance sergeant for the 2nd in 34th arty. And Sandy Between reminiscences with Louise about the Short timers party of the previous week itemized several of the things she looked Forward to in the . American to. Watching to from a Bathtub. Root Beer stands. A real american Ham Burger. Buying cigarettes and Gas without showing a ration card or said she apropos the latter it la continued on Paye 12. .".,.wu6ii Bucu Buiejr Caus cd iv.0 Prancl of patience and durability Char headed for the television set and the it Enzig the military Man and to . John d. Purdue was Sneiman together with his wife Diguira Kay and their two Young Daugh is Denise Dede Dawn 3, and Besir i Mouths of had Trcka in to Environ grown up types sat around the cleared table swapping last minute jibes that thinly concealed a kind of sentimentality and sadness at being together for the final time. I. He 23-year-old John a sturdily built Alert no who had already logged six years in the army spoke casually Augsburg where lie finished up As a mrs. Purdue shares a Farewell Oast in european style with Cpl. Buchner As mrs Buchner looks on with a wide smile. Wednesday june 26, 1968 the stars and stripes Page 11
