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Static Line - Three Winds of Death
May 1991
Once in a great while, a person reads an article in a magazine or elsewhere and is left with the feeling that everyone should be made aware of the contents. I read such an article in the March 13 issue of the Aberdeen Proving Ground news, and is entitled, "Swiss village remembers U. S. troops," by Debra Fowler USAREUR Public Affairs and is as follows: "The silent majority of the neutral nation of Switzerland wants the United States to know that the Swiss people stand strongly behind the allied coalition in the Persian Gulf." So says Gabriel Thomas, a Swiss citizen from Grueningen, a small village near Zurich. Thomas' words are backed up by 16 tons of packages that private Swiss citizens have put together for the thousands of U. S. Army soldiers and airmen who deployed from Europe to Saudi Arabia. Thomas delivered the packages in a donated truck to the American Red Cross European Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany in February. "When the war started, I was with a group of people and we were talking about how Saddam Hussein is a dictator and that the allied troops must stop him. "Thomas said in a voice hoarse from too little sleep and constant dealings with anxious Swiss donators. "The anti-war demonstrations were upsetting to us. So I said, “Let's not just talk, let's do something about how we feel.” For 10 days Thomas' home was inundated with phone calls and people delivering packages stuffed with chocolate cookies and other items for soldiers in the Gulf. Of her own volition, Thomas wrote an article for the Grueningen newspaper asking those interested in sending packages to American troops in Saudi Arabia to drop off the packages at her home. Not only did the Swiss read the story and respond to it, but they also posted Thomas' request for packages in hospitals and other public buildings. "My house soon was full of boxes and so was my garage and the garages of my neighbors," Thomas said. "People were dropping off things from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Our small town post office had to close because it was full of boxes. The postman said he couldn't move around. Everybody contributed," she added. "Young, old, rich, and poor people brought things. I had people who are more than 80 years old tell me that we must support the Americans. They remember what happened in 1939 with British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. He wanted peace with Hitler and then look what happened." Thomas said she was shocked by the Swiss reaction to her plea to demonstrate support for the soldiers in Saudi Arabia. Even as she grabbed a few minutes' rests in Stuttgart after delivering the 16 tons of boxes, Swiss citizens still were delivering packages to her home, she said. "A friend is taking care of my house, and she can't stop the packages from coming," Thomas said. 'We want to put out a message from the silent majority that we support the American soldiers and their families. About 6,000 to 7,000 Swiss people have gotten involved in this. A big Swiss chocolate company wants to donate chocolates and bring the packages here for free." Joanne Jones, public affairs director for the Red Cross in Europe, said the reaction in the Stuttgart American military community to Thomas' delivery has been disbelief. "No one can believe how much she brought," Jones said. "It took 25 people three hours to unload it. Most of the boxes have letters in them to the troops in Saudi. Our building is full of boxes." Jones said the Red Cross is working out a way to get the packages to the Gull. Some packages may go to the families of deployed soldiers. "We'll do our best to get as many to the Gull as we can," she said. The families of deployed soldiers helped do the unloading, according to Thomas, who said the family's reaction was wonderful. "One lady was crying and falling around my neck and kissing me," she said. "They were all happy. It gives them a warm feeling from us in Switzerland." Thomas owns a small antique shop in Grueningen and is a single parent to a six-year-old daughter. "I have to go back to work because I have to pay the interest on my house this summer," she said, "but I won't stop working with this, of course." Thomas admitted she has received some threats from what she calls "leftists." Their threats she said won't stop her either. "I hope this gives the American people a warm feeling from the silent majority in Switzerland. Tell the people we are behind them, and we feel responsibility, too," Thomas said. "I am just one single person who said it's no time to talk. It's time to do something." A postcard or letter of thanks to Gabriel might be in order. I believe she would receive anything addressed to her at Grueningen, Switzerland, bei Zurich. "Hey, Sam, how about the 503rd officially recognizing her at our upcoming reunion? And by now all of you should know that our reunion will be in Phoenix next month from 5-9 June. John D. Reynolds Co. "D" 503rd PRCT 718 Towne Center Drive
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