LT Mark Barnes: The 1/39 Inf (M) Chemo

LT Mark Barnes arrived in Baumholder pretty much the same day I did back in 1986. He had some time in service by then and was already a 1LT.

Mark and his wife were the best of folks and kept an eye out for a lot of us junior single guys. They had a lovely apartment (that they'd helped renovate) in a farmhouse down in Niederalben, at the far end of the south tank trail. They didn't live far from SGT James Farrell.

'Round about 1988, the Barnes family moved up to a Division level slot at Bad Kreuznach where they had an immense Bavarian-style house overlooking the fields set just around the corner from where the spy Conrad had lived and been arrested.

Last time I heard from Mark he was an LTC up at Rheindahlen (circa 2005), with many, many kids and expecting to retire not too long after he hit twenty years.

Twenty years! Well, those were good days and perhaps with time I'll write more about them here. Meanwhile, I hope he and his tribe are doing well and I would be very happy to find a current email address for them if anyone's got one.

AAAO!

UPDATE: in 2018, Mark and LaDean caught up with me while they were travelling overseas. There's much goodness in their lives, and they haven't changed a bit since we were in our twenties. I have their contact details.

Paddy's Gang: SSG Russ Nehmer (2006)

I've belatedly posted news from Russ Nehmer over at the 4/12 Inf (M) web beacon, in which he's listed a number of fellows who may have also served with Paddy's Gang before the redesignation from 1/39 Inf (M) to 4/12 Inf (M).

Russ is up in Darmstadt right now and looking to get in touch with anyone who served with him back in Baumholder. His contact details are available through the link above.

AAAO!