My Dad celebrated his 83rd birthday this week. He showed me some of his old military photos. He was stationed in Germany, fighting the Cold War in 1953-1954. Look at this cool photo. I couldn’t help but share:

Who are all those people? From left to right:

3 Star general McAuliffe, Commanding General 7^th Army Germany

John Sleyak, Under Secretary of Army

Corporal Charles R. Sasse, “Dad,” 4^th m.p. Company 4^th infantry division

4 Star General William M. Hoge, Allied Commander in Chief of the United States Army Europe

My Dad thinks this was a photo taken for Stars and Stripes and later given to him by the publication. If you zoom in, you can see “Sasse” on his jacket.

Last weekend when I was at the PNC Park enjoying the Pirates game, my dad called after he discovered that 61 years ago that day, on July 4, 1954, he was on the Rhine River in Germany taking in the sights and sounds of the Rhine River Valley. Just weeks ago, I got to do the same thing with my family. It was awesome to see a little of what my Dad experienced in Germany back in the 50s.

(I have another really amazing photo of my Dad holding a bazooka, of which he never fired. I’ll save it for another day.)