April 17, 1943

Andrew Carter

"So, where were you when the world ended, Dad?"

Crazy, the thoughts that run through your head.

I never thought that would be the question my kids would ask. I always thought it would be "Where were you when the war ended?" But now…now it's likely I'll never even see those hypothetical kids, or even the end of this horrible war. Because this may really be the end of the world. And I don't even know for sure what happened. All I can tell you is that I am trapped in the wreckage of what used to be Barracks Two and it is dark and cold. I am scared. I am hurt. I am alone. Dear God, help me…

Peter Newkirk

I can't tell you for sure what 'appened. One minute, we was just sittin' around the table, playin' cards and talkin' about last night's mission. Kinch had just gone down to contact London. All the sudden everything started shakin' like crazy and the world collapsed around us. It's dark…and there's somethin' pinnin' me down. I hurt like hell!

The others must be around me somewhere. They can't have disappeared. Andrew, where's Andrew?! He was layin' in 'is bunk…'e hit his head pretty hard last night. Please, God, where is 'e? I know you and me don't talk much but 'e believes in you. Take care of 'im, please! I hate bein' stuck like this! I gotta get out of here an' help me mates…

March 1943

Life was never exactly normal for Papa Bear and his team. After all, how many German prisoner of war camps unwittingly played host to an allied espionage and embarkation base?

But that is exactly what Stalag 13, located near the small town of Hammelburg, was.

Colonel Robert Hogan and his team had been stationed at Stalag 13 to coordinate the allied war efforts with the local underground. The entire POW population was in on the operation to one degree or another, but "Papa Bear's" core team was mainly made up of the men in Barracks Two. Stalag 13 was known throughout Germany as the toughest POW camp in the country because there were never any successful escapes. What the Kommandant of the camp did not know was that there were no successful escapes because most of the men in the camp were volunteers…they were there because they wanted to be a part of the operation. Even those who were not actively part of the team agreed not to try to escape to maintain cover for the operation. Anyone brought into the camp who was not a suitable fit for the operation was quickly transferred out without ever being made aware of what Stalag 13 was really all about. Each one of the core team was uniquely talented and chosen for those talents. All the men who were part of the overall team used their abilities to make Papa Bear's operation the most successful and secret sabotage and espionage weapon the Allies had.

March 29: The Green, Green Grass of Home

The warmer weather was a relief to all the men, but no more so than to Andrew Carter. He was a very happy man. For today, he was finally able to unveil the secret he had been harboring down in his tunnel chemistry and demolitions lab for the last few months. It had been a long, hard winter, which had taken its toll on all the men. Andrew had not been as badly affected as the others, as he hailed from North Dakota; he was used to the cold, but the poor food and clothing—things he would definitely never get used to—had worked against his health as well.

Andrew chuckled to himself as he carefully carried the trays up the ladder. He loved sharing things from home, and he knew this would make his friends happy, too. He banged on the bunk, and was met by the curious stares of his teammates as the bunk opened to reveal the opening into the barracks. Automatically, Kinch reached to help him with the trays and he climbed out to join them. He hopped back down to get the other three trays and the sack of supplies, and as he set them on the table with the others, curiosity finally got the better of his commander.

Col. Hogan tilted his head and asked, "Care to share with the class, Carter?"

"Well, I know it doesn't look like much yet, sir, but when it's done, it's gonna be a little bit of home. I had my cousin send me the stuff." With that, he picked up a stack of the trays and headed outside.

The men all exchanged looks. They were used to their eccentric sergeant's various projects, but this one promised to be especially interesting. To a man, they followed, wondering what would come next. Kinch and Newkirk carried the remaining trays and the sack Carter had brought up with him.

Andrew had thought long and hard about this day. He knew his choices, as a prisoner, were limited. But there were still a few. They had a small garden area where Kommandant Klink had given them permission to plant some flowers. It was outside the Kommandantur. However, what he had in mind was definitely not for the Germans.

His other choice was near the small POW cemetery towards the side of the camp near the woods. The Germans never went near there, and it was therefore, the place Andrew chose. Besides, he had decided, it was somehow fitting. There were several Americans buried there, and perhaps it would make them feel a bit better…

Carter stopped at his chosen spot and looked at the others. He smiled as he knelt down and opened the sack. Their eyes widened as he removed a couple of spades and other small gardening tools. Suddenly, it all clicked into place for Hogan. He took a closer look at the squares of earth on the trays. It was then he saw the beautiful green shoots sprouting in abundance. He grinned.

"Carter, you are a genius! Are you sure it can survive out here?"

The sergeant scoffed, "Of course, sir! This is North Dakota grass! It's tough like us…it can take anything this old German weather can throw at it!"

All the men burst into laughter at Carter's emphatic statement. Newkirk smacked his best mate on the back of the head affectionately. They gathered stones from the area, and formed a border around the grass. When they finished, they all looked on in silence as Andrew knelt for a moment, his hands raised to the sky as he uttered a few words in his native Lakota. No one needed a translation, for they all knew it had been a sort of consecration… a blessing in a place where blessings were sorely needed.

No one found it at all surprising that right before their next mission, each man found a moment to come out to the fledgling grassy patch and spend a few quiet moments, perhaps to pray, perhaps to wish for good luck, perhaps just to touch a precious piece of home. *

~TBC~

*This story was inspired by a true story originally posted a few years ago on the internet about an American soldier stationed in Iraq who planted a patch of grass from home. It is still making the rounds.