Spandau Prison

My first guard duty would be at Berlin's Spandau Prison. Here we used all four countries to guard the last WWII war prisoner, Rudolph Hess. This was interesting for me because my Grandmothers maiden name was Susie Hess. This photo was from guard tower number one. We were not allowed to take pictures from in there so I can’t tell you where this one came from. What happened to me here; was while pulling guard from this tower the Russian Warden came walking up on the trail you can see on the left side of the photo. We were required to give the greeting of the day. I gave my own greeting of “I would rather be dead then red Sir”. It would turnout that the Russian Warden went to School in Minnesota on an exchange program where we train the Russian KGB to speak American English so that they can hide better. Well anyway this would be strike one on me, me saying that Rudolph Hess may be my Uncle would be strike two, and that thing that happen with the Warden’s daughter (her fault, her idea, I just played along; really, ask anyone; I am a push over). The Warden had more problems with catching this soldier with his daughter then any of my other problems that I made. This would be strike three and I was out (please remember I was a 17 year old guy mainly playing Army but sometimes house; I'm still a guy). Also when we met she was sitting on her bedroom window sill wearing so little that if I put everything together I could not make boot strings for my boots (OK, a little more then that but not much). This would give me some free time to see more of the city. I would find my way to Berlins biggest lake. There I would learn that swim suits may be optional which was good for me because well I did not have one anyways. I would meet a nice girl there that would show me around the city. Oh, Mike was growing up fast.