Feb 13, 1972

 Dear Mom & Dad,

Thanks a lot for your letter.  I was real glad to hear that you are recovering OK from the accident.  Also, thanks for the pictures of your new car.  It looks like you got a good one this time, in fact, when I first glanced at the pictures I thought it was a Cadillac

Really not a heck of a lot has been happening over here which would be of interest.  Our new commanding officer of the Brigade seems to be a real go-getter and has been working everyone fairly hard. He's expanded our working hours by two, which means all officers now work from 7:00AM to 6:00 PM.  enlisted men get off at 5:00 PM.  Starting tomorrow morning all officers and NCO's in our headquarters have to do P.T. beginning at 7:00AM to 7:30.  He claims that we will work up to running two miles a day.  I have my doubts.  Things like that make me glad I am almost out of the Army.  As far as when I will be getting out, I still haven't heard.  Every day that goes by convinces me more that I will be here until July.  If I was going to get out in March or April, I would have received my alert orders by now.

I have sent away for applications for graduate school, to Portland State; University of Minn and San Francisco State College.  None of them have arrived yet. I am also going to send for applications for the University of Oregon, University of Washington, Wash. State, University of Portland, and Stanford University, also Penn. State.  I don't think I will apply to every one of the above, because it costs between $10 to $20 just to apply and it could be quite a sum to apply to too many. After looking at all their programs I will decide on which ones and apply to as many of them as possible, to give myself a wide range of choices.  At the moment I am only considering getting my Masters in Psychology and I think I will want to concentrate my energy on that.  I have considered a school like Stanford because if by some chance I were to get accepted it might be worthwhile to attend there if just for the name sake alone, even if it isn't close to home like I would prefer, and is somewhat more expensive.  Penn State, because they give priority in admissions considerations to veterans, and University of Minn. because of the catalogues that I have seen so far, they have the best Psychology program I've seen and there is something to be said about being close to relatives, even overly religious ones.  The other schools on the list are there because they are relatively close to where I want to be, and they all offer some kind of graduate program in Psychology.  I'm not going to decide on any of them before I find out more about them and see who will accept me. In April I will be taking the Graduate Record Examination, which will be given in the Army Education Center in Nurnberg.  I'm not looking forward to it, because it's supposed to be fairly difficult but I have to take it since so  many of the schools require it.

For the next week I will be without transportation, because my car is in the shop .  Yesterday (Sat) I drove it up to Aschaffenburg, about 100 miles away to a lotus repair shop to have my 12,000 mile or 12 month check-up done .  It's a long way to take it, and the guy is kind of expensive, but he's the only one Iv'e found who I really trust to do real good work.  Besides the tune-up and check up that he will do, I am having him fix all the minor problems with it that have been bugging me for so long.  When I pick it up next Sat. It should be in A-1 condition.  I am strongly considering having my car shipped back with me.  I am thinking about picking it up on the East Coast when I get out of the Army, and driving back home across country.  I think that would be a real fun and interesting trip.  

Speaking about driving, I have favor to ask of you.  My Wash. drivers license runs out on May 29 of this year, and it really looks like I won't be back until July.  Could somebody check for me down at the drivers testing place and see if there is some way I can renew my license  from over here by mail. If there is no way that I can do it without being there in person, then could you ask if a United States Army, European driver's license is valid in Wash and if so for how long.  Also USA license plates.  I know that both plates and license are good in many states for up to 60 days, but I don't know which ones. I should have checked this myself when I was home, but at that time I really thought I would be back by May.

Well like I said, I don't have much news of interest this time, so I will stop this letter for now.

By the way , I guess you better start sending my mail the the address below. I'm beginning to lose contact with the Officers Club and picking up my mail there is becoming a little more inconvenient than it was before.

1st Lt Martin L Burrows

HHC 3rd Bde, 1st AD

Attn: DIC

APO New York Ny 09139 

Jan 16, 1972

 Dear Mom & Dad

As you probably guessed, I made it back to Bamberg OK, and without any problems.  I sure did hate to leave when Dad in such bad shape.  Please drop me a note soon and let me know how everything is.  I sure hope he didn't have anything seriously hurt.  On the trip back from New York to Copenhagen I flew on a 747 as I had guessed that I would.  That sure is a large airplane, but it flies just as smooth (except for takeoff which was a little shaky) as any plane I've ever flown on.  

when I got to Copenhagen I didn't leave the airport, because I didn't really have as much time as I had thought, and mainly I was too tired to do any sightseeing.  I did wander around the airport for a while, and picked up a few things in the stores there.  The book mark in this envelope is for Lore.  Also in this envelope are a few more coins for her collection and a few stamps for moms collection.

When I got back to Bamberg, I found a large backlog of work to do, but I'm just about all caught up now.  I was expecting to find something here telling me an exact date of when I will be leaving Germany, but there wasn't anything.  I will of course let you know , whenever I find out myself.

Well that's really about all I have to say for now, except for thanks again for making my Christmas very enjoyable and be sure to let me know soon, how everything is!

Dec. 13 1971

 Dear Mom & Dad,

This will just be a short note to let know that my plans have not changed since the last time I wrote you.  I am still expecting to arrive Portland at 4:27 PM on Sat, 18 Dec.  Although I have not heard from you yet, since I wrote you to tell you I am coming home I am taking it for granted that you did get my letter.  If you didn't I guess this letter will be quite a surprise!

I got your very good tape, which you recorded over Thanksgiving and was sure happy to receive it.  Also I got your Christmas gifts and I will bring them back with me.  I had to take them out of the box you sent them in, in order to fit them in my suitcase, but I haven't opened them except for the one from Aunt Wilma which had the paper torn on it, so I could tell what it was when I took it out.  It's just as well, because I can use it on the trip home.

Well that's about all.  I sure am looking forward to seeing everyone, and I hope this letter get to you before I do!

Nov 21, 1971

 Dear Mon & Dad,

I seemed to have lost or misplaced all of my pens, so rather than writing in pencil I thought I would type this one for a change.  This way I can blame all misspellings on typographical errors.  I sure did like your tape which I got as few days ago.  I sent you another one right after I got yours.  I hope you have received it by now.  As I said in my tape, I did apply for a leave and I got it.  Yesterday I went to Frankfurt to get my plane tickets.  Here is my itinerary for the trip home: 

Date 18 Dec 71

From: Frankfurt to Copenhagen 9:25AM- Airline - Lufthansa #002

From: Copenhagen to Seattle 12:45PM -Airline SAS #933

From Seattle to Portland  3:40PM - Airline Air West #531

Arrive in Portland 4:27PM

So barring any unforeseen difficulties I should see you at about 4:30 on Saturday the 18th of December.  Please keep in mind though  that due to possible bad weather in either Frankfurt, Copenhagen or Seattle, I could be late.  If for some reason I'm delayed for more than a day I will send you a telegram, which takes a day or two at the most to get to you.

Well guess what happend after I sent that last tape to you?  This Friday I got a letter from The Department of the Army that said that my Voluntary Indefinite status has been changed back to my regular two year obligation!  This has been happening to quite a few LT's who were  V.I.  About two months ago I wrote D.A. and requested that they do this, but I was't real sure that they would.  My new date getting out is now July 21, 71. I am expecting that this date, also will be set up, because nowadays almost all OBV-2 (2 year obligation) officers are getting an early out before their 2 years are up.  This early out could be as much as 4 months.  Like I said, I am pretty sure I will get it because everybody that I know who has got out recently was released early to some extent at least.  I don't think I will request an early out though because I would just as soon stay in to July, but not much longer.  Well even knowing that I could be coming home for good, as soon as the end of March (If I do get the four month early out) I still have decided to come on back for Christmas, since I already had my leave approved and everything.  Also I got a fairly good deal on the ticket back.  The round trip ticket only cost $355., and that wasn't even the Military rate.  This was a Youth Fare (if you are under 25 nowadays you are considered a youth) which is cheaper than military.  

This Friday we had our first snow of the year here.  Today, Sunday, it is really coming down hard.  There must be two or three inches on the ground already.  Two or three inches is almost enough to completely bury my car!

Well that's about all.  I want to get this off tomorrow so you will know about me coming home as soon as possible.  I sure am looking forward to seeing everyone again, and I hope you all have a real good Thanksgiving, and I'll be thinking of you.

Oct. 13, 1971

Dear Mom, & Dad

Well it's been a long time since Iv'e sent you any pictures, so you're probably ready to see some more, so here they are.  This roll is quite an assortment of different subjects that I've taken in the last few weeks.

To start with, I have a few shots of the "Befreiungsholle"in Kelheim.  A few weekends ago, I went out looking for a place near Regensburg that I had read about.  It was a building that was supposed to look just like the Acropolis in Athens, and had been built in the 19th Century as a memorial to great Northern European Scientists.  Well I got to Regensburg OK, but someplace along the line I took a wrong road, and couldn't find the place I was looking for.  I was just about to give up, and go back, when in the distance on a very large hill, I saw this other massive building.  At first I thought this might be what I was looking for, but when I got closer to it, I could see that it was round, rather than rectangular.  

So as an alternative to the place I was really looking for I went to this one.  It turned out to be a very interesting building in it's self.  The name of this place was the Befreiungshalle", but I can't tell you exactly what it is since I couldn't find any information on it, in English.  I do know that it was built around 1850 and it has something to do with King Ludwig of Bavaria.  His name is above the entrance.  I think you will agree that it is an unusual design for a building.  You can get an idea of how large it was by looking at the people on the side walk.

These are just closer shots of the front of the building.  Those statues around the outside of the building are probably 10 to 15 feet high, I would guess.

This is a poor picture, because my one little flash bulb didn't give out enough light, to illuminate the whole inside of the building, but it will give you a general idea of what the inside of it was like.  I took this one from a balcony looking down on the main floor. (Note the people walking along the side)  Besides the ring of statues, holding hands, and the inlaid tile floor, there wasn't much else inside.

As I said, the building was on a high hill which offered a very good view.  I took this from the top of the building.  That's the Danube River and the small town of Kelheim, below.

These next five pictures were all taken in Bamburg.  The event was the annual "German-American Shoot".  This is when we open up one of our rifle ranges here on post to the public, Germans and U.S.  For a small fee a person can come and try out one our M-16's.  It is co-sponsored by the Bamberg Polizei, and the funds collected go to some kind of worthy cause, so I'm told.  Also as you can see a lot of the units here bring out some of their heavy equipment for the kids to look at, and play on.  I thought some of these were kind of interesting pictures of your tax dollars at work.  I know for a fact that three 50 cal. machine guns were broken during this demonstration, by kids.

These next two were also taken in Bamberg.  I wanted to get a shot of some of our German allies.   A Bundeswehr truck, and some Bundeswehr (German army) troopers.  It's not unusual to see the Bundesweher on and American post because we do a lot of joint maneuvers and training with them.  

These next pictures were not taken in Cody Wyoming, but Bamberg Germany!   This is a travelling rodeo that goes all around europe to American installations and puts on shows.  All the riders and contestants except a few, are local GI's who enter it for  small cash prizes.  It was real good entertainment for a change of pace,

 My last shot is of a small collection of German beer mugs I have started.  The one on the far right is a 1/2 liter mug.  This is the usual size given in Guest houses and restaurants.  The 3 in the middle are 1 liter mugs.  This is the size that is usually given at Beer- fests and other special occasions.  The one on the far left is a 2 liter mug ( a little more than 1/2 gallon!) and is for real BIG drinkers.  I that one from the Lowenbrau "Beer House" in Munich.  Well that's all the pictures for now.  I will have some later from Heidelberg.  Also in my next letter I will tell you about a deal on how you come to Germany, Round Trip for $230.00

September 29, 1971

 Dear Mom & Dad,

Well true to my word I am writing again to fill you in on more details that I left out of my first letter.

I got Mom's last note yesterday, the one with the clipping on the drug problems in Europe.  The man that the article was mostly about, Dr. Forest Tennant, is working in Wurtzburg, about 35 miles from here, and his program for drug abusers is the one we are trying to model ours after here in Bamberg.  The article was correct in it's estimation of the drug problem over here.  In Bamberg alone, we estimate that over 60% of the troops use hash at one time or another, most of that number are frequent users.  Although hash is against the law, it is really not the area of greatest concern of the programs in Europe, to fight drug abuse.  After all, very few men who smoke hash, end up in the army hospitals and most of them are able to do their jobs as well as if they weren't using the drug.

When we give drug abuse classes to the GI's here on post, we don't harp on them too much about the dangers of Marijuana or hash, because for the most part they wouldn't listen anyway.  Usually we even tell them the right way to smoke it so the chances of getting bronchitis and lung damage are lessened.  This approach also gives them a little more confidence in the information we put out about the harder drugs, which are the real danger over here.  I am enclosing some posters that came from the drug information center in Wurzburg (called the "Now House").  I am making up some things along the same line for Bamburg.  We also have a drug info. center here which right now is kind of bogged down because I can't get enough people to work in it.  Right now I only have two young NCO's working for , both of them have Psychology degrees and experience with counseling drug addicts.  Before I started this job there wasn't anyone else in it an I am the first one to be in this position on this post, although there are other places in Germany that also have a Drug abuse officer.  There is no formal job description so it is sort of hard to describe exactly what the job is.  Right now I am trying to get our drug center (It will be called the "Light House" off the ground.  Also in a month or so we will probably get this drug education skit that was mentioned in that article you sent me.  I will be working closely with Doc Tennant for this and other things.

One thing that's come up, that is a very interesting possibility is that there is a chance (a small chance at the present time) of my going to the Yale University Drug Dependence Institute in New Haven Connecticut for a two week training program!  There is an awful lot of red tape to go through first, and I won't know anything definite on it for a while.  

In this job I am working out the office of the Deputy Installation Coordinator which has the following duties:

Internal Security

Post Police

Readiness, Test and alert notification

Coordination of post support activities

Inventory of funds and stock-post services

Operation of Government Housing area

On and off post discipline

Coordination of incident and accident control

Coordination of athletic and recreation programs

Coordination of snow and Ice control programs

Coordination of German-American Relations

Someplace in there, fall my duties with drugs and Equal Opportunity.  Besides those two things though, I have also been given a few other jobs:

Post athletic and recreation officer, Officer in charge of Head-Start orientation programs, and Abandoned Vehicles officer

On the whole, these additional duties are minor and do not take much time .  As A&R officer I coordinate use of the two gym's and 7 athletic fields we have here on post and make sure all units have equal time to use them. I haven't had anything come up under abandoned vehicles yet.

The Head-start Orientation p;program is the only one that takes up a good deal of time.  What this program is, is an 8 hour class given twice a month to all new GI's who have just come to Germany.  We get in about 50 a week here at Bamberg.  The class is kind of like an orientation that might give to new freshman who just came to college.  My job is to get about 5 or 6 different instructors together, arrange class rooms, etc.  Also I give a short talk on the GI's purpose in Germany, NATO, etc.  The next day after the class we take them on a two hour tour of Bamberg so they will be a little more familiar with their environment.  On this, I have to coordinate with the local tourist agency for guides, buses, etc.

Now besides all this, I have also been given the job of writing up a report on the critical housing shortage here in Bamberg, which I almost have done.  

So you can see that I am involved in several things, which tends to keep the job interesting.  

I haven't  mentioned anything about Equal Opportunity yet.  It's  is a lot harder problem to get your teeth into.  A week ago I had a long talk with the Division Equal Opportunity officer who is a Lt. Col, and he didn't seem to know what he was doing along these lines either.  The only thing he was doing was writing a very complicated questionnaire, which I will be helping to distribute.  The only thing that is going on here at Bamberg to help ease racial problems are weekly "sensitivity" sessions, which I'm sure you've heard something about.  These are day and a half sessions with groups of whites and blacks where they talk about in detail, racial and personnel problems.  They are usually fairly good, but they have the limitation of not effecting too many people.  In November I will be going to Berchtesgarden (Hitler's old stomping ground) for a USAREUR Equal Opportunity conference which might give out some good information.  (Also skiing is great there!)

Oh, by the way I just heard that the writers of this series of articles about the Army in Europe were in Bamberg for a day, and one of their stories is on u, so you might watch for it.

Well I hope I've given you some idea of what I'm doing now.  So far I really like the job.  It's interesting and varied and the hours are a lot better and so far Iv'e had every weekend off!

You can keep sending letters to the Officers club, because it's easier to pick them up there than to change it.

So for no, I will close this one.

September 28, 1971

 Dear mom and Dad,

Well I want to thank you all for all your letters that I have been so slow in answering lately.  Also I hope Mom had a real great birthday.  I hope you got my gift by now, and I also hope it got through the mails OK, since it was very breakable.  Also Dad might be interested in some of the Stars @ Stripes I wrapped them in, and also a copy of the notorious "Over-Seas Weekly"with an article on Bamberg in it and also my commanding officer, Col DeRamus.  

Boy, I was really sorry to hear about the dry well.  I really thought you would hit water.  That sure is a lot of money to spend for a hole in the ground.  Mom wrote me about the different options you have open to you, and of the ones she mentioned, the one that sounded best to me was to secure permanent water rights from the guy next door, if he would let you.  It seems like buying the whole house and land just for the water (unless you really wanted it for other reasons) would be kind of extravagant and drilling another hole, with at best a 50-50 chance of hitting water seems like too much of a gamble at the price.  If you did secure his water rights you could always drop them at some later date if you wanted to try another hole and hit water, couldn't you? Or you could maybe buy the house at a later date when it was financially easier.  As far as me buying it with you; that sounds like a real good deal, but right now I just don't have the funds available, mainly because of unexpected auto repairs which kind of set me back and when I do get my funds built up again I feel that it would be best for me to hang on to it for Education. after the Army, especially if it happens to be med school.  If I did have enough money that I could spare, I would do it, because I can see the advantages of investing in land, especially at my age.  Well I will move on to other things.

The picture that mom sent of the three Burrows family fiddlers was very good.    also I was very happy to get the house plan and I looked at them very carefully.  Is that the exact plan you will be using?  If so, it looks very good. 

Mom kept referring to the fact that I had said I was bored in my job at the officers club.  I guess I did say that, but it was a bad choice of words on my part.  I want to clear that up now, so you won't misunderstand.  I was never bored in the usual meaning of the word.  For the whole 9 months that I worked in clubs I worked an average of 12-14 hours a day and usually 7 days a week, and was always kept busy.  And during the time that I did have off I was never bored, because there are so many interesting places to go and see here in Germany and I have made use of my free time over here to get as much exposure to the people and place of Germany as possible and have enjoyed that part of my time here tremendously!  But those times were far and few between and until I started this new job I hadn't had one full day off for over two months.  So bored wasn't the right word, but the job just wasn't too productive or in my opinion, worthwhile or important.  So I hope you understand that I wasn't satisfied with that type of work, but I wasn't really bored either.  

Well I like my new job so far.  I know you're interested in it, but if I go into all the details right now it will take 3 or 4 more pages, so I'm going to stop this letter right now because it's getting real late and I have to get up early tomorrow.  Instead of putting this letter aside and finishing it later like I sometimes do, I want to get it in the mail tomorrow, because it's been so long since I last wrote, I'm sorry to say.  I promise though that I will sit down tomorrow night and start another one and fill you in on all the things I left out in this one...So until then.....