20 years ago, here in Leipzig something wonderful happened. A prayer meeting was held at Saint Nicholas church. After the meeting the people did something that was very dangerous, something others had been imprisoned for, something people had been killed for; they said they were unhappy with their government. The next Monday they met again to pray and voice their opposition, they met together every Monday in September 1989. By October thousands of people were demonstrating and Germans in the west were adding their support. November 9, 1989 the Wall came down, Germany was to be one country again. The fall of East Germany was nothing less than a miracle. Some may have said that the Wall would come down; it had to, because capitalism kicked communism’s butt – it was all about the money. That may have been true, but that wasn’t the miracle; the miracle was that this revolution was so fast and so peaceful and had at its heart, prayer.
196 years ago this month Napoleon suffered one of his greatest defeats in Leipzig, Germany, leading to his first exile to Elba. When flying into Leipzig today (if you land on runway 8R) the monument to this battle stands out even from 10 miles away. The Völkerschlachtdenkmal stands 300 feet tall and is the biggest memorial in Europe. My pictures don’t give any scale, but this structure is massive. The Knights on top of the monument are about 50 feet tall. Soldiers from 20 different nations fought in the battle, but the monument is all-German. Down the hill from the Völkerschlachtdenkmal is a cemetery with another memorial; this one built by the DDR (East German) government. A monument to those who gave their lives fighting fascism; this is the polar opposite to the Battle of the Nations monument. German national pride always seems to be way too big or way too small.
A mural commorating reuionification.
Marines aren’t like everyone else.
Friday I rode back to Atlanta one of our aircraft. This flight was from Leipzig, Germany, where we picked up Marines coming home from Afghanistan to Cherry Point, North Carolina.
They were very happy when I saw them boarding the plane. This was the last leg home. Some of them were a little happier that others, because in Leipzig – if the troop commander allows it or looks the other way – they can drink. One Marine was eager to tell me of the 2 jack and cokes, 2 jagermeisters and 3 beers he had consumed in the hour and a half that the passengers had been off the plane (he was asleep before take off). They were all excited and talkative. I was setting in the last row by the lav and was able to talk to a few of them.
Keaton wanted to talk about how his whole family and wife would be there to meet him, and how they had set up a party for him. Out to dinner and then several bars. He said he just wanted to go to a hotel and chill. He wanted just to talk to his family without the added pressure of strangers around.
Stone asked me about being a pilot. He is getting married next month to his high school sweetheart. His job was a 50-caliber gunner on a fuel truck (we both had to laugh). He talked about the conditions in Afghanistan. Stone is proud to be a Marine, “one of the president’s own” he said. He said the Marines always do more with less. The Marine Corps spend $20,000.00 less per marine than the other forces spend per man. Some of the Marines on my flight had Viet Nam era M-16s. Stone is a mechanic but a rifleman first. He has been a Marine for almost 4 years, and is getting out in April. This Marine who mans a 50-caliber target on top of a truck full of JP8 is worried most about providing for his family. He said bullets don’t frighten him; not having a job after April is what keeps him up at night.
Kirk talked about the 6 month old son he will see for the first time.
All of these men talked little about the fighting in Afghanistan, they had nothing to prove to me and I think they knew I would not comprehend their experiences. They all seemed to want to be a part of that world outside of combat. I don’t get ride in the back with the troops very often, so I asked some of the flight attendants about bringing troops home; they said the troops are always talkative on the way home. Many times telling their whole life story to the flight attendants.
Sometimes while flying troops home I will receive a request to make an announcement upon crossing into US airspace. Whenever I make this announcement I hear a loud cheer from the back. I love to be part of that. Bringing troops home is way better than flying cargo. When the wheels touch down (no matter how bad the landing is) there is a cheer also. Stone said he would love my job, because he could bring Marines home. That’s one of the many reasons I love it too.
Marines on their way to war aren’t as talkative. Not too much joking around (there is some, because, well, they are still Marines), no clapping on landing, or cheers crossing into foreign airspace. I flew some more Marines out of March A.B. to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I rode with them in the back to Leipzig. They would eventually end up in Afghanistan.
I am so grateful for these men and woman. I wish I could bring them all home.
View from the back landing in Leipzig.
