European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 25, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily Magazine spec. 4 Ronnie Waddell driving on off Bach Bremer Tuyen Tun with Apo Holiday mall on the Road with Santa hauling Apo mail Story and photo by Tim to i1 in staff writer was the week before Christmas. I and Santa was nowhere in sight at Tho i rest Slop on autobahn 15 outside of Dillon Burro Germany. The Windshield wipers went out on spec. 4 Ronnie wad doll s 400-horsepower Sleigh. And he had to gel the Christmas mail through. I hate driving somebody else s truck Wade full �1 said As he hopped oui of the Cummins truck to iry to gel he Windshield wipers going again. He had a trailer full of Christmas mail bound Lor Bremerhaven one of the longest routes out of the army Post office in Ollen cacti outside of fran Lurl. Apo Germany mail is town to and from the Frankfurt air terminal and sorted Al the Ollenbach warehouse while Santa Claus Ted Rudolph to help him get through one foggy Crins Mas eve. Waddell did t have Reindeer of anybody else to help him fix the Windshield wipers. The night began at Midnight. Waddell backed his in up to the trailer and hitched in on then wont through his pics preventive maintenance checks and systems. The drive had not started out Well before he could go anywhere the Mechanic noticed thai his run mtg in gals did t work. Waddell wifi help from the Mechanic pfc. John Chango. Had to switch the cables trom the 12-Volt ims to the 24 Volt backup Fiat every truck carries Santa never had problems with running lights bul if Wynn Tuii wanted to do his part As one of the elves getting the Christmas mail through he was going to have to Scruff up his pressed Battle dress uniform and plug that Cable on every Ghl 13 trucks pull out of the Offenbach Apo. But at Christmas time up to an additional seven can go uni depending on the volume of mail thai comes into Tho Frankfurt at terminal one of the Vorst rides is the Friday december 25. 1987 Bremerhaven run made by Tho 1?6lh trans co to mors and i to worst time of year is the Holiday season White Man Drivers fear the Black ice Hal May show up at any time Waddell is like Santa clans to thinks fog and rain Are worse and to does 1 Havo Rudolph to help Seo him through or to Hil Tho brakes you can to driving through log and ram. And you can t acc  he said then you can come around a curve and to right on them and have to Hil Tho brakes top Speed for these sleighs is 50 Miles per Houi nol because that s As fast As they can go but Boom so thai is As fasl As they arc allowed logo however with a five Speed automate transmission Tho Cummins trucks handle Hills Wilh far loss Strain than Many other trucks on the autobahn. Even though it is Christmas season Tho sounds coming from Waddell s Jerry rigged stereo Sysin arc not carols Tho fat boys Pence l l Cool a ind Lis a Lisa and cult Jam arc Waddell s Christmas carols with a 7 /2-hour, 350 mile trip ahead of him. Wad Tell is Munro concerned Wilh slaying awake than Wilh gelling in Tho Christmas spot. Sorry about the music he said As he i the outskirts of Bremen. I m starting to get Burn and i need something to Wake to up " burnout is a biggest problem lot the Drivers on he Long haul Between Offenbach and Bern Craven another Driver had said. Despite Hal Waddell who is making his last run Afler three weeks d driving the Offenbach Brume Haven Sorc Lacfi said to wished he could slay on in i like it i d Tike to drive the same thing every  Waddell also has a vested inic Resi in his Load even though the trailers Are seated in Offenbach and not opened until the first Slop Al Garls Edt Waddell is hoping his Christmas package is in the Load he is carrying. Under no circumstances is Waddell allowed to break the Seal on the trailer. If there was a fire common sense would i Ell me to hell with the regulations Waddell said i m nol supposed to open the Container under any circumstances but it there was a tire 1 would feel i would have to open it and try to put he fire out he has driven 38,000 Accident tree Miles Aller a shaky snarl when i got Over Here t had two incidents in my first 2,000 mares he said i Havo had a lol of tight moments on the Road. One Lime i went under an underpass and when 1 came Oul i was hydroplaning i Hil the brakes and the truck turned completely around i ended up facing the wrong direction on Tho autobahn but i Dicon t hit  Waddell was just past fran Lurl on a-5when a German truck started to pass him and guided voc into his Lane see that he said As he hashed his in gals to warn the other Driver. He s probably falling asleep " fatigue is always with the Drivers on the Orenbach Bremerhaven run As is the problem of sitting for tvs hours. The Cummins trucks Are nol built for Comfort they re built for putting heavy loads Whert i first got Here a scream told me the secret to avoiding haemorrhoids he said you sit on one Cheek that Way your you know whal in t Lak no the Brunt of every bump crack and  every bump crack and Bounce gets bad when Waddell is about an hour outside of Bremen he warned his passenger Hal they were hitting the worst stretch Nghil As a song called Why you Taal a so sad boomed Oul of his Boombox Waddell pulled into Carl 5chur2 Cavern at 930 a m. He was Home or Christmas but later that afternoon spec 4 Tony Good poohed up his no to fhe trailer and pulled out at 2 30 Chosta 15 i req Days away As no Heads up the Road a Akintu the Jast of she outgo my Christmas mail to Ollenbach he also had no carols Obj song  his Ery rigged stereo system instead a band called while Snake blasted Here i go again Down the Only Road i  the stars and stripes Page 13