Personal & Mission Statement
My parents emigrated from Wuppertal, Germany in the mid 1930s, and in 1940, I was born in Patterson, NJ. After moving from New Jersey to New York City, I attended public schools and joined the Lutheran Church.
I also became active in the New York Turner organization.
Living in the Big Apple, I developed an interest in aviation. After graduating from high school at age 16, I joined the U.S. Air Force. While in the Air Force I was stationed at Rhein Main Air Base in Frankfurt, Germany. During my three years in Germany I traveled throughout Europe and North Africa. Upon my return to the United States, I was a flight simulator instructor with Pan American World Airlines. While finishing college aviation studies, I simultaneously operated an air taxi company and taught at a flight safety school. In1966, I joined Trans World Airlines as a Boeing 707 pilot, and continued flying internationally for 34 years – until my retirement in the year 2000.
After moving to California, I began volunteering at the library culture section of the Sacramento Turn Verein in various capacities, for several years. I also joined the German-American Heritage Foundation. Over the past ten years, I have been active traveling around the United States – visiting many German-American organizations – in an effort to raise funds for GAHF. My mission is to continue campaigning for German American causes.
I have also been active with many West Coast clubs and the German Consulate in San Francisco, CA. This activity has been very rewarding during my retirement, and I hope to continue so for many years.