European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 27, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday april 28, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 3wwii vehicles Roll in for a amps Celebration Sas Jim Oer Helm Alex Robinson 11, wears the uniform of a world War ii Cra medic saturday during a display of uniforms weapons and vehicles at the stars and stripes compound in grips him Germany. By Vince Crawley staff writer Griesheim Germany a Dieter Clobes was 9 years old when he saw his first american jeep and he Wasny to impressed. It was March 31, 1945, and a wehrmacht army outfit had spent the night camped in his family a barn near Kassel Germany. The German unit pulled Back to a neighbouring Village to make a stand and the americans entered Clobes Hometown unopposed. A i was hiding behind behind a big stove a Clobes recalled. A but my grandmother Wasny to afraid and said a Why Are you hiding they done to want to Hurt a so Clobes ventured outside to watch a jeep from Gen. George s. Patton a 3rd army Roll through. The Young Clobes thought the jeep looked decidedly Small and old fashioned compared with the German equipment that had camped in his barn the night before. A i thought it looked kind of antique inferior to German vehicles a Clobes recalled. He has since changed his mind. Clobes now 55, works in Frankfurt a financial District and in his spare time collects and restores the ungainly �?og.p.,�?� or general purpose vehicles that symbolized America to a generation of postwar germans. A member of the Rhein Neckar military historic society his own jeep was part of a Convoy of eight Vintage american world War ii vehicles that rolled Down the autobahn saturday and set up Camp at the 50th anniversary ceremony for the stars and stripes newspaper. A a they re just a Bunch of kids dressed up in uniform a quipped Pam Moyer whose husband sgt. 1st class Donald Moyer spends his spare time keeping old jeeps tanks and Hal tracks running. A we have a lot less breakdowns than the real army does a she said after the groups flawless Convoy from the North of Frankfurt. Some of the equipment such As Clobes jeep is privately owned but the heavy vehicles like tanks belong to the army and Are normally kept at military motor pools in Friedberg. The army allows the club to use its Vintage tanks and Hal tracks in ceremonies in Exchange for keeping the old War wagons Road worthy. A the vehicles Are kept in better shape with the club than if they were just sitting in monuments in front of buildings a said Dan Patterson director of the 1st army div museum. Aside from being a a Bunch of Amateur military historians and backyard mechanics a the club a gives people a Chance to touch and feel and experience history a said Mai. David Hruska who like Moyers husband is assigned to a tank battalion in Friedberg. Their favorite Way to spend a weekend he said is to dress As world War ii gis and Convoy to a ceremony or military open House. Most of the vehicles at the newspaper saturday came from the 3rd army div a a spearhead chapter of the Rhein Neckar society. The club has about 20 members 18 of which Are German. Although the spearhead division was recently inactivated in favor of 1st army club members said it would Cost too much to change All their patches and insignia. Besides the 1st army a old Ironsides div fought in North Africa and Italy but not in Germany. So More than a dozen americans and germans wore spearhead patches on their world War ii i uniforms and stood in formation while the stars and stripes honoured its correspondents killed on assignment. One exception Cyrus a. Lee wore a Vintage German sergeants uniform and said he hoped his presence would not offend the . War veterans. Lee a Hanau schoolteacher and infantry sergeant in the . Reserves said he likes a to share my knowledge to portray the German Soldier not As what he a portrayed As in the movies. He a a human Lee became interested in world War ii by listening to his uncles stories of combat in North Africa and Anzio Italy. The teacher has published two books of what he plans will be an 11-part series on German soldiers in world War ii. Much of Leeds uniform equipment including the boots came from the former East German army whose gear was largely identical to German world War ii equipment. Vehicles though arc another Story. When Clobes became interested in collecting wartime equipment a there were no German vehicles around that had not been destroyed or junked a he said. So he turned to the gigs virtually indestructible jeep. Jeep restoration while seemingly a labor of love can also be profitable. A comparatively rare Model built by Ford can sell for More than $20,000 when it has been restored to like new condition. Clobes own Model a More common one made by Willys is Worth half that. Editor s note a spearhead club members Call Thor Vintage outfit a co 83rd army recon in and accept invitations to such events As Corom Onles and opon Housos. They can be reached by calling 069-523082, or at the Ray Barracks motor Pool in Friedberg military 324-3281 or civilian 06031-81-3281. Sas Ken George it Snow Gen. Mauldin columnist Andy Rooney left has a few words about his former co worker Pulitic right photo Mauldin receives a certificate from Dick Pierce right making sgt. Or prize winning cartoonist Bill Mauldin during festivities for the stars and Mauldin an honorary commanding general of the third United states army. Stripes 50th anniversary saturday at the Darmstadter club in Germany. In the Pierce a los Angeles screenwriter came dressed As Gen. George s. Patton
