O'Hare's WWII Diary: A Final Glimpse at a Time When We Were "Prima"

These are the final entries from my dad's brief writing career, a diary which he started almost immediately after being released as a German POW. My father was a complicated man, and I considered him a cold bastard much of the time. These diaries, and some other letters he wrote to his own "mommy and daddy," opened my eyes in many ways.

I wish I had been a better son.

In addition to the personal impact, these diaries provide a brief glimpse into that greatest generation. Like my father, most WWII vets share very little about the sacrifices they made when the entire world needed them. Sadly, a thousand of them die daily, and with them the memory of a time when Americans were considered "prima."

5/23/45

My lazy senses responded sluggishly to the blare of a bugle that had commenced blowing about 5:30 this morning. Some character dramatically announced that it would be appreciated if everyone fell out. A true count was needed due to the fact that today had been chosen as 'the day' by the powers that be. I did not fall out. Soon after we drew rations and packed. At 11:30 we fell out, were issued cigarettes and were given cigars by the Russkies. Then, after waiting for the usual period, we marched to the exchange lot. As is usual in all these matters nothing went as scheduled. We waited in the exchange lot for almost three hours during which it rained most of the time. The trucks finally arrived and we loaded and were off.

Vonnegut, Dannine and I were lucky enough to get a civilian bus instead of a G.I. truck. Kruse, Jones, Coyle, Watson and Burns also piled into a civilian bus but unfortunately not the same one. After three hours rolled around we arrived in Halle. According to the authorities we will be here three days at the most waiting to be flown via C-47 to LeHavre, France.

I have just digested my first Army food in 6 months - '5 in one' rations consisting of ham and sweet spuds, cheese, crackers, pineapple, rice pudding cigarettes and chocolate. How amazed the limeys were when we told them that the above was for one meal and not one day! We got separated from Jones, Kruse, Coyle, Watson and Burns.

5/24/45

Awoke, washed and drew more '5 in 1' rations of the same unsurpassed American caliber. Before much of the day had passed we moved to a new area of camp. They are separating the English and Americans. I wish they had done that six months ago. Spent the rest of the day on my lazy back reading.

5/25/45

Routine day. I showered, deloused, read, ate and am about to turn in. Red Cross Clubmobile presented itself and I basked in about six doughnuts and a cup of real coffee. Prima.

Blogger's Note: First published 12/17/07.

O'Hare's WWII Diary: Half-Starved Soldier Worries About Brother in South Pacific

This is the latest installment from my dad's short-lived diary, penned shortly after his release from a German POW camp. In these entries, my eighty pound and half-starved father worries about his brother, Art, who was then serving in the South Pacific.

Uncle Art was wounded shortly after my father's posts, but not seriously. He was shot in the ass. When I once questioned him about it many years later, he snarled, "I was in front of the front lines, going for extra ammunition."

That's about all he ever shared. He kept no diary. He drank a lot, too.
5/20/45

All of my equipment, loot, real and personal property was once again in moving order waiting to be donned on my aching back as soon as the order to move was given. I waited and waited, a practice at which I have become very adept, for hour upon hour but no such order came. As we were lined up for midday chow ten G.I. trucks pulled up as only G.I. trucks can and I thought that this day would at last see me back to our own lines. However, due to the absence of certain documents or some such reason we are again detained by the Russians. I'm becoming a firm believer in the Vonnegut statement that "getting out of Germany is like walking in sand." The rumor now seems to be that we will pull out tomorrow when the trucks return with the proper papers. More of Hq. Co. showed up today in the persons of Sgt. Shuve and Pfc Sabbatino. Both look OK except for the loss of weight common to all POW's. Neither could give me any info regarding the whereabouts of Sgt. Boyle, Heinbeck, or Edgeworth. I'd certainly enjoy seeing those boys again.

The war in the Pacific seems to be progressing favorably, although we are meeting stiff resistance on some of the islands. I have an uncomfortable feeling that I'll learn more of that phase of our international troubles through first-hand experience. I'd like to see that part of the world but it would be just my luck to accomplish the feat through the medium of being a POW of the Japs, and twice in a lifetime is too much. The Russian band serenaded us again tonight. I'm getting to really like Russian music. The Russians are very much like Americans in their outlook on life. I suppose that is what queers the English with them. A few of us went across the hall to where we had discovered a radio in the room of one of our comrades. We listened for a while and left being driven out by static and by the system the joker in charge was using to operate the darn thing. He's one of that particular species of mankind who thinks he's operating the blue network whenever he comes across a radio with more than two dials on it. We are now preparing for bed at the end of a rather uneventful day.

5/21/45

Lo and behold I am still in Riesa. No trucks appeared today or had been rumored. However, we did receive a visit from two chaplains - one Protestant and one Catholic. They both held services and I heard mass and received communion for the first time in five months. The chaplain who was from the 69th division claimed that we would be out of here in three or four days. He seemed pretty confident that we would be back in the states within a few weeks after we hit our own lines. My inbred scepticism [sic] prohibits me from placing too much stock in his optimistic statement. Time and time alone will tell. The chaplains also brought some V-mail along with them. I wrote to my parents and to Aunt Mae. The letters are supposed to be on their way, having been brought back to our own lines with the chaplain who left here seven o'clock this evening.

5/22/45

A very routine day. I slept through reveille and all the morning, arising only for breakfast. Most of the afternoon was spent by all of us chewing the rag in the room where we were assembled. I thought of home today. Nothing now seems more welcome than news of the family. I am worried especially about Art. I certainly hope he has been as lucky as I in regard to ducking bullets and artillery.

It is early evening now and all of us are in the room now writing, reading, playing cards and talking. Things will no doubt continue along the same line until bed time. Blogger's Note: First published 12/17/07.

NorCo Council Race Update:

In late November, I told you that the terms of five at-large seats on NorCo Council will expire at the end of next year. Those five members are elected countywide as opposed to a specific geographic area. The five current at-large members are Council President Lori Vargo Heffner, VP Ron Heckman, John Brown, John Goffredo and Jeff Corpora. None has announced plans to seek another term. If they do, they'll have company. Those who are interested in seeking a position include Nadeem Qayyum (announced), Tom Gilmour (Facebook page), Patti Bruno, Leslie Altieri, Wind Gap Borough Council member Jason Boulette (announced) and union leader Paul Anthony.

"If Lori runs for council - I will challenge her. You can quote that," says Patti Bruno, who in 2021 finished 7th of 10 candidates for 5 seats. Lori Vargo Heffner finished 2d. 

Siegel Definitely Running For LeHi Co Exec

Earlier this month, I told you that State Rep. Josh Siegel intended to run for county exec in Lehigh. He's relying heavily on support (and lots of money) from the trade unions, but you'll see nothing from firefighters or police, whom he alienated during his brief tenure as a member of Allentown City Council. According to Lehigh Valley News, he's now made it official. That's no surprise, but I am disappointed to see that he already has the backing of incumbent Phil Armstrong. He knows better. Siegel is a carbon copy of Controller Mark Pinsley, who stands for partisanship and divisiveness. 

Lehigh County at one time was more Republican than NorCo, but that has changed. Unless a decent Democrat or a viable Republican announces, he's going to win on a platform of walkability and amenities. Translation: build, build, build. 

NorCo Judges Want Witnesses in Former Custody Master's Federal Lawsuit to ID Themselves on Criminal Arraignment Day

Yesterday was arraignment day in Northampton County Courtroom #1. That's our historic and ceremonial courtroom, with portraits of scowling dead judges littered along the walls between colossal windows and a ceiling that rivals the Tower of Babel in size. The well of the court has plush carpeting and a mammoth mahogany bench for the court en banc, although there are now more judges than room for them all to sit there together. There's an ornate jury box with cushioned chairs. The well also includes a ring of cushioned chairs and a few benches at which lawyers can be seated. Everyone else is an untouchable and must sit in one of many hard wooden pews that make their way from the well to the back. It's very much like a church, except the priesthood consists of judges and lawyers. When a robed judge marches in, everyone must rise until told they may be seated. During yesterday's arraignment, 33 pages of criminal defendants were formally notified of charges against them and were asked how they intend to plead.  It's a cattle call but can be very intimidating for people stepping foot inside a courtroom for the first time. Yesterday's call of the list (which is what arraignments are called) may have been intimidating for some lawyers as well. 

Judge Sam Murray handled yesterday's arraignment. But instead of starting off by calling the names of the numerous defendants, he had an announcement. At the request of the President Judge, he wanted two people who are named as witnesses in a federal lawsuit to identify themselves. 

This federal lawsuit in question is a civil rights action filed by former custody master Lissa Tresslar on April 5 against Northampton County Court alleging wrongful termination and retaliatory actions for her free speech in criticizing the way that custody matters were being handled. That matter is currently in discovery. 

Tresslar is currently employed as an assistant District Attorney, but her role insulates both her and the courts. She handles the numerous appeals before the Superior and Supreme Court and thus has no contact with the county judges. 

But yesterday, perhaps in an abundance of caution, the courts wanted two witnesses in Tresslar's lawsuit to identify themselves. Those two witnesses, like Tresslar, happen to be prosecutors. One of them was "devastated" after being publicly outed. Some attorneys, who themselves are potential witnesses, delt this was an attempt by the courts to intimidate them and make them less reluctant to testify.

More likely, the court was simply trying to determine if there are situations in which an individual judge assigned to a matter involving that lawyer might feel compelled to recuse himself or herself. 

Frankly, I fail to see how a lawyer's involvement as a fact witness in a wrongful termination lawsuit has any bearing at all on the administration of criminal justice. Moreover, it appears that the court could easily have applied less intrusive methods of establishing who may have knowledge of facts in a totally unrelated matter. This could easily be accomplished via colloquies on the record between the judge, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney and defendant. There was no need to bring this out in a courtroom filled with hundreds of people. 

Unfortunately, I do not have the transcript of what occurred and am going by reports from third parties. I'll have more details when I review it. 

Basically, I find no fault with the court's attempt to determine whether there is a need for recusal. I just think it went about it with a buzzsaw. 

O'Hare's WWII Diary: Still No Word About Dresden Firebombing

This is the second in a series of entries from my father's recently-discovered dairy. He kept it about a week after his release from a German POW camp. This second post, like the first, is strictly present tense. Yet just three months before, my dad and writer Kurt Vonnegut had ringside seats, as POWs, to the American and RAF firebombing of Dresden - Florence of the Elbe.

POWs hid in meat lockers underneath a slaughterhouse during this incineration. One POW blurted out, "I wonder what the poor people are doing tonight." I can't help but think that was my dad. That was his humor.

In a public radio interview, Vonnegut speaks of a conversation he had with my father, some twenty years later.

"What did you learn?" Vonnegut asks.

"I will never believe my government again."

Churchill, who had advocated the firebombing, was knighted.

5/18/45

We moved over to the other compound today. That seems to be the chief benefit accruing to those who have been deloused. The rooms here are much cleaner and better equipped. We eat three times per day restaurant style and the shilly (chile?) is both good and thick - a happy set of circumstances not found readily in Germany. We spent most of the day getting our loot in order and this afternoon learned to our gratification that we were scheduled to move out. About an hour later a sergeant from the 1st Rangers division put in an appearance and announced that trucks were on their way to bring us either to Riesa or Leipzig where there are concentrations of former P.O.W.'s. I had no idea the sight of a G.I. would be so sensational. Needless to say, the limeys hogged him before any of his own countrymen had a chance to learn much from him concerning the good old U.S.A. Well, the trucks finally arrived and after the normal red tape we piled into them and took off. Approximately two hours later we found ourselves in Riesa. Temporary quarters were provided for us in some Jerry barracks. We are supposed to move in the morning to some other place in town where there are more G.I.'s. Our present barracks aren't at all bad except for the lack of anything soft upon which to lay our weary bones. There are some limeys here who have been waiting to get out for almost a month. It seems that Stalag W-B was liberated by the Russians on April 23.
Blogger's Note: This was originally published on 12/12/07.

The Oligarchs Among Us

Elon Musk holds no elected office. Yet House Speaker Mike Johnson is hopping like a scared rabbit after Musk voiced opposition to a continuing resolution to fund the government. When we speak of oligarchs, we tend to think of Slavic billionaires, who call the shots from their dachas in Sochi. But there are an increasing number of American oligarchs on both the left and right ends of the political spectrum. They are far more dangerous to American democracy than some poor bastard who fails to get the necessary papers before he moves here. 

O'Hare's WWII Diary: "We are Being Looked After Like Pet Children by the Russians"

Writer Kurt Vonnegut's letter home, written soon after his release from a POW camp, was published here yesterday*. Believe it or not, my dad was the real writer back then - he even kept a diary for an entire week.

Unlike Vonnegut, he sheds no light on what had actually happened to him as a POW. He provides no explanation about his weight going from 150 lbs. before the war to 80 lbs. as Adolph's guest. Mum's the word. He'd stay like that the rest of his life. Vonnegut's three-page letter tells me more about my dad's POW experience than he himself ever shared.

He just drank. A lot. Especially at Christmas time. That didn't kill him. Neither did the Germans. The cigarettes did.

But for one week, my father chronicled his post-release experiences in amazing detail. Just twenty-two at the time, he was a pretty good writer himself. Occasionally, he mentions Vonnegut, who was just a "minor being" at the time. For the next few days, I'll share my dad's thoughts with you, day by day.

5/17/45

Our mangy but well-fed crew left DiHille's at noon today. We proceeded over the Elbe to Russian headquarters in the city and after much confusion - due to our ignorance of the Russian language and vice versa - we were directed to the Hitler Caserne on Konigsbage Strasse. Here we find ourselves confronted with the perpetual situation of no one knowing anything about anything. However, we are being looked after like pet children by the Russians. We have been here only four hours at the most and have already been fed twice, showered, de-loused and billeted. As near as we can gather from speaking to the limeys and G.I.'s here, we are to stay put until our troops come seeking us. Except for the anxiety that we all have concerning our parents and families, we don't give a damn how long it takes them to root us out.

I heard my first radio program since I was captured. Dannine and I went across the compound and fell in with a few Tommies who have a wireless set in their flat. We heard an A.M.G. broadcast from Hamburg. That American music certainly sounded good. The Tommies surprised us before the evening was over with a meal of spuds, meat and beans. We rejoined our crew with a full stomach and a highly satisfied mien. I don't believe I'll ever get up out of bed again. Goot nacht.

*) Vonnegut's letter home will be published here on Christmas Eve, 

A Modest Plan to Retain NorCo County Workers and Provide Workforce Housing

Over the past year, there's been no shortage of stories about the need for affordable housing. This was even an issue in this year's Presidential race. This is a problem that was actually created back in 2008, when the Great Recession resulted in a collapse of construction. That industry is still only a shadow of its former self. But even with a booming construction industry, many cities like those in the Lehigh Valley have very limited space on which to build and can only do so much. County governments, and perhaps some townships, can do more. Aside from its own courthouse and Gracedale campus, Northampton County owns 500 acres of land. Instead of leasing it to farmers, couldn't some of this land be used to create affordable housing? Better yet, couldn't some of it be used to provide affordable housing to county employees who are increasingly difficult to retain?

Northampton County has about 1700-1800 employees, though its actual number should be closer to 2,000. It has problems attracting nursing care at Gracedale, despite offering retention bonuses and even building a daycare that may or may not yet be open. This is a nationwide problem, and the county has been forced to hire outside nurses to provide care at higher rates than it pays its own. 

In addition to a shortage of nursing care at Gracedale, there is also a shortage of corrections officers, youth care workers and 911 dispatchers. They are often forced to work overtime to fill gaps in coverage, which exhausts them and can make conditions unsafe. 

Couldn't we express our appreciation to these unsung heroes by providing them with an affordable place to live?

Here's what I would suggest as a pilot program. The Gracedale campus is huge. Some of that land is used neither for farming nor anything else. It's just grass to cut. How about a small development of about 30 homes for workers in critical departments like the jail, Gracedale, Juvenile Justice Center and 911. I'm not speaking of McMansions but am thinking of smaller homes like the Boxable Casita. 

The county could offer these homes and agree to hold the mortgage at a low interest rate. The qualifying employee would own, not rent the property to erase any illusion that this is a company store. If the employee either leaves county employment or decides to sell the property for a larger home, the county would have an option to repurchase at its appraised market value. That way the employee could build equity, and the county could attract and retain good workers. 

What do you think of this idea? Any suggestions to make it better? Is it nonsense? 

O'Hare Describes WWII Firing Squad: "German Justice Taking Its Usual Course . . ."

As time marches on, we are slowly forgetting what military historian Charles B. MacDonald has called "the greatest battle ever fought by the United States Army." The soldiers who fought in it are dying at the rate of 1,000 per day, and with them their history.

Unlike the talkative baby boomers in my generation - with our cell phones, the Internet and blogs - the soldiers of that Greatest Generation are strangely quiet and modest. They managed to save the world from a real Axis of Evil in spite of being caught late and off guard, and then went to work to make our own lives easy.

Although our memory is dimming, Blue Coyote tells us that in some portions of Europe, Americans are still considered "prima." The people of Bastogne still remember.

In his diary, my father never discussed what had actually happened during his captivity as a POW. Below you will find the only instance in which he speaks about the war. It's a letter he sent to the War Department in 1947, responding to an inquiry about one of his fellow POWs who never came home.

In reply to your letter of the 14th inst., I beg to express my regrets that you were required to make two inquiries concerning the above-noted matter. The receipt of your first letter was never called to my attention or you would most certainly have received a more prompt response.

Pfc. Michael Palaia and myself were sent with a detachment of American soldier-prisoners from Stalag IV-B to Dresden, Germany. After Dresden was bombed (about Feb. 14th, 1945), it became necessary for our captors to remove us to a new section of the City which, although not quite, was practically in the suburbs. It required climbing a rather steep hill to reach this place, from the summit of which it was possible to see practically the whole city. At the base of the hill was a moderate-sized street car barn and also a building in which German prisoners were hospitalized. I mention all of this as it may be necessary for you to fix the location of this place, and it is the only way I have of describing it, never having known the name of the section. Dresden is divided by the Elbe River and the section to which I have reference was on the eastern side thereof.

Our work after the bombing consisted wholly of cleaning cellars of their casualties and streets of their refuse. Our food ration per day was very low and survival made it necessary to pilfer food from cellars in which it was found from time to time. Unfortunately, Pfc. Palaia was discovered while doing this and at the time of the discovery one jar of string beans was found on his person. His number (prisoner number) was taken by the guard. The very next day when we had lined up ready to march to work, Pfc. Palaia was taken from our ranks by the German in charge - his official title being to the best of my recollection "Feldwabel." When we returned from work that night we learned that he was on trial for his life. Naturally, German justice taking its usual course, he was found guilty and four days after his apprehension he was killed by a firing squad. Four of our fellow-prisoners had witnessed this shooting, identified his body, dug his grave and buried him.

The shooting took place at some German military installation which, from the witnesses' reports was from five to seven miles from the location of our barracks. It must have been in a general westerly direction therefrom as I recall their stating that on their way they had crossed the river Elbe. I am not positive in my recollection of this, but I believe they also stated that they had constructed a cross for his grave to which they attached his dog tag.

The Month of his death was march, I am certain, and March the l6th, I believe. One of the witnesses was a Frank Terterici from Boston, Mass. I have a record somewhere of at least one of the other witnesses and his address. I will forward this information yo you as soon as I am able to locate same.

I hope the above account will be of some aid to you. Please have no hesitation in making further inquiry if you deem it feasible.

Asking your pardon for not having replied sooner, I am

Very truly yours,

B.V. O'Hare, Jr.