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, 

Bethlehem NAACP Remembers MLK on 50th Anniversary of His Death

Terry and Ryan Gooding, ages 8 and 6

On Tuesday evening, Allentown's NAACP featured a forum that was supposed to be about the impact of hip hop music. Though I'm one of the few old farts who actually listens to and appreciates this music, I skipped the event because this nonprofit, which is supposed to refrain from partisan politics, featured a Congressional candidate as well as a person who thinks she should be Allentown's Mayor. But last night, the Bethlehem NAACP stayed true to its mission with a march to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was cut down just 50 years ago at age 39. The march of about 50 people started at Payrow Plaza, located on Bethlehem's north side, at 5 pm. It ended at Martin Luther King Park, located on the south side, shortly before 6 pm. And at that hour, the hour that King was assassinated, the bells at Holy Ghost Church tolled. They also rang out at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity.

Despite strong winds and plunging temperatures, the pilgrimage marched. At one time, not so long ago, police officers might have clubbed participants  But Bethlehem Police, including its mounted unit, protected marchers from their biggest enemy at rush hour - traffic. NAACP President Esther Lee, with her ubiquitous church hat, joined the march en route, cane and all.

The crowd arrived at Martin Luther King Park a little early. It warmed itself, not with hip hop, but gospel music belted out by Winston Alozie, program director of the Bethlehem Boys and Girls Club.With no accompaniment except for his audience, Winston delivered a stirring rendition of "Let it Shine."



Bethlehem Mayor Bob Donchez, joined by City Council members Olga Negron and Michael Colón, said Dr. King was more than an advocate for people of color, but a "champion of the overlooked and downtrodden."

State Rep. Steve Samuelson carried a book that contained all of King's most memorable speeches. He said that, a few days after the assassination, King's widow Coretta led a march in Memphis in which people carried signs saying, "Honor King, End Racism." But 50 years later, that dream has yet to be realized. But the dream still lives, as Stevie Wonder notes in a video he just released, including comments from numerous luminaries.



"Dr. King did not die just for black folks," added Lee. She and other speakers spoke about King's fights against residential segregation (more politely called gentrification), poverty, poor wages, police brutality and Vietnam. Some speakers claim that, in the 50 years since King's death, things have grown worse. But for them, standing in a pocket park on a cold and windy day, the dream still lives.

I sometimes have my doubts. I often think of the opening line of poem by e.e. cummings. "pity this busy monster, manunkind, ... not." But then I see two sisters like Terry and Ryan Gooding, ages 8 and 6. How could anyone hate them? The dream does still live.

Blogger's Note: To see photos and videos from yesterday's march, visit my Facebook page.

Hozza Seeking Third Term as Whitehall's Mayor

FROM ED HOZZA CAMPAIGN: Last night, Whitehall Township Mayor Edward Hozza, Jr. announced his intention to run for re-election to the seat he has held since 2008.

“It has been my pleasure to serve the citizens of Whitehall over the last eight years,” said Mayor Hozza. “I look forward to building on my progress in bringing Whitehall into the 21st Century while also remembering our Township’s history.”

Hozza continues to work as Whitehall’s “full-time mayor” and hopes to work to improve the lives of its citizens every day in the future. He has successfully balanced seven budgets over his two terms as mayor When Mayor Hozza took office, the township was at its debt level in 33 years and the township has seen its debt level decrease to its lowest amount since 2003. At the same rate, Whitehall Township will have its planned lowest debt payment in 2017 due to Mayor Hozza’s focus on paying down the township’s debt. By implementing a non-essential personnel hiring freeze, bidding contracts into categories, and switching healthcare providers, Mayor Hozza has saved the residents of Whitehall Township over $5 million during one of the country’s worst economic periods. Whitehall has also stabilized its pension obligations at a level that reduces future liabilities and burdens on taxpayers, stabilizing the budget.

Mayor Hozza also continues to work towards a safer Whitehall for both its residents and visitors. He has begun to plan for future succession plans for the police department by approving the promotions of several officers and has approved technology upgrades to improve information sharing and make the department more efficient. He also reviewed the existing ten-year fire apparatus replacement schedule and expanded it to include every new apparatus for the next 23 years.

“Public safety has been and will continue to be one of my chief concerns over the next four years,” said Mayor Hozza. “I have already begun to study the feasibility of a new police station to replace our current aging one and have studied the possible legal ramifications of the prospect of mandating body cameras on our police officers.”

With Whitehall’s reliance on a strong commercial tax-base, Mayor Hozza has reenergized economic development in Whitehall over the last eight years and will do so moving forward. He resurrected the Whitehall Township Industrial and Commercial Development authority to advocate for redevelopment in the township. His main focus has been the redevelopment of the former Lehigh Valley Dairy and Mayor Hozza continues to call for a tax incentive for developers to reuse the property. He plans on continuing to pursue a CRIZ designation for Whitehall along with a TIF and LERTA for the dairy property with other government entities in the township.

Mayor Hozza also sees Whitehall’s economy moving away from a sole reliance on retail to one focusing on other sectors like the healthcare industry. “With the aging population of both Whitehall and the country as a whole, the need for medical staffing over the next 30 years will skyrocket,” said Mayor Hozza. “I look forward to an announcement on the plans of Lehigh Valley Health Network on their intentions for their 143-acre property they own along MacArthur Road.”

Mayor Hozza demonstrated his dedication to open space preservation in Whitehall Township by working with federal, state, and county agencies to purchase the Prydun Farm, the first case of new open space in Whitehall Township since the implementation of its new strategic plan. Mayor Hozza also worked with the Ironton Rail Trail to complete the paving of the trail by the end of this year and helped to implement the construction of the D&L Trail through Whitehall.

Mayor Hozza is a member the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, which granted Whitehall Township its Transportation Public Safety Award last year for the State Route 145 Safety Improvement Project. Hozza is also a member of the Pennsylvania State Mayors’ Association, the Pennsylvania League of Municipalities, and he and his wife, Denise, are active members of the Whitehall Chamber of Commerce and are active members of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic Church

Blogger's Note: What is less than apparent in this news release is Hozza's great sense of humor. I sat next to him during meetings in which he had me rolling on the floor. He needs to be able to laugh because Whitehall is the fourth largest municipality in the Lehigh Valley. (The largest are Allentown, Bethlehem, Lower Macungie, Whitehall and Easton.)

Commissioner Jerry Palagonia, a former Township police officer, is also running.