INDEX

Give photos time to load.

The Information came from Raymond Urbanski.
 Ray had sent a Christmas Menu to his Mother in 1950 with the complete roster listed.  Ray found it among his Mothers papers after she passed on.  She surely loved her son very much to have saved it after all those years.

AND THE REST OF THE ENLISTED MEN

Ray sitting on the first table, second row, second person. [In the center of photo].
 

Rt. click with your mouse on the pic. and click view image to see this photo larger.
 Here is a picture of all the cooks that prepared the meal.
Front- Men in white shirts [German Civilian Employees]
Left SFC Moneta [Mess Sgt.]
Cooks in white hats.

Bamberg, Germany
First Apt.

Ray and Mary Ann's  first apt. in Germany was in the building above to the left.
 My wife Mary Ann, standing on the corner under the Crucifixion.
These two pictures are of the apt. we rented in Bamberg in 1956.  Later we got Gov. Quarters.
The apt. was on the sec. floor of the building on the left.  It had [1st. window] living room, [sec. window] kitchen, [3rd window] bathroom, [4th window] bedroom.  We had a small coal stove in the living room and carried coal up from the basement.  The owners of the house lived downstairs.  The address was
13 Kunigundenruh Str. Bamberg, Germany.

 A picture of me with my brother Bob.  It was taken
while we were on furlough.  I believe the picture was taken while we were in Austria.  Bob, in uniform is retired from the Army and lives about two miles from me.

Bamberg
Government Quarters
 I had three tours in Germany. My wife and I didn't get married
until 1955 while I was with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment Ft George G Meade, Maryland and then the entire Regiment gyroscoped to Germany, the 2nd Bn, to Bamberg so that was the first time she went there. I was a Sergeant but all of the enlisted men in the vacant officers quarters, so from then on, we had a beautiful apartment, 3 bedrooms completely furnished with maid come in once a week and usually gave her a pound of coffee and for that pound of coffee she spent at least four hours going through that apartment from one end to the other. Since I was working in personnel at the time it was hard for me to get away in order to get a haircut. We had a company barber and he would come to my apartment after he closed when I needed a haircut and cut my hair for a pack of cigarettes.  By the way, that was the last maid my wife had and that was the last barber that came to my house to cut my hair. Those days are gone. .

Seventh Army Tank Training Center

Most of the troops were required to take the above course.

Along with my other duties Ray had to go to the Battalion Mail Room each day and make sure the troops at tank company got their mail.
            He was very popular when it came time for mail call.
 
 
 

Ration Card
..
Ration Card - front and back.

Ration Card  - Inside

This is a copy of the ration card that we used in order to buy cigarettes and coffee from the PX.  Since they were two very good black market items we were only allowed so many of each.

These ration cards were mostly used for coffee and cigarettes.  A carton of cigarettes  - about $1.00.
A carton sold for about 40 -45 marks - 10 or 11 dollars.
That was all you needed for a good night on the town.  Can't do much for a dollar now days!

James H. Holt and Raymond Urbanski meet for a reunion after 50 years!

     To everyone who reads this little article, I want to say that you and I and the rest of the world are so privileged
to have a lady like Irene Moore, her husband Ronnie and her Dad Gilbert Matherne who spend so much time,
effort and money in order that we can enjoy and re-live some of our past and that our future generation can look
back and bring some of the past to them. It is now March 1st, 2000. Just about three months ago I bought my
first computer and for the first time was shown by my grandson Larry how to turn one on.  About three weeks
ago I was searching the web and trying to learn how to use it and ran across the page of A Constabulary
Soldier. While looking through it I found a link to the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment and clicked on to it.  I
came across a listing of different troopers who had joined the US Cavalry Association and when I went to the
3rd Battalion, 14th A/C Regiment I immediately recognized the name James H. Holt. After searching further I
found that I could write a letter, put Jim's name on it, stamp it, put it in a larger envelope and mail to a relay point
and they would forward it to him.  I did just that and about a week later I got an e-mail from Jim. We found that
we only live about 78 miles from each other in this little state of Texas. I last saw 2nd Lt James H. Holt in
September 1951 in Friedberg, Germany until Sunday, Feb 27th, 2000 my wife and I drove to his home and we
had the most wonderful visit going over some of the past. It is quite an experience to see someone for the first
time in so many years. Jim retired from the Army in 1972 as a Lt Colonel, went on to Baylor University Law
School and became an assistant District Attorney until he became a Judge and then to his own law practice
and is now retired from that job too.  Jim's goal, which he has already started is to visit and take a picture of
every county court house in the state of Texas and then write a book.  Here is a picture of me and Jim. I weigh
320 lbs so I think you can tell which one is me and which one is Jim. We also got to meet Jim's wife. He has the
sweetest wife Dot, who is a retired school teacher. They will be visiting us in April when Jim makes a visit to the
VA Hospital in Dallas. In closing this article, I would like to say one more thing. In John 10:10 it tells us that Jesus
came to this earth to give us life and to give it more abundantly. In 1988, Jesus gave me eternal life when I
accepted him as my Lord and Savior. On the 27th of Feb 2000 he added the abundant life by making this
reunion with Jim possible. So from this day on and to all the generations down the road, I pray that we will never
quit saying TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER, AMEN.  - - - Ray

James Holt[L] and Ray Urbanski