“YOU’VE ALWAYS GOT MORE” — TRUDI KEHLE SCHOOLS HER YOUNG AMERICAN PROTÉGÉ

After escaping the Czech Sudetenland, Trudi Kehle and Peter Ackerman settle in Gaissach, West Germany, only to be tasked for a mission to East Germany. Fourteen-year-old Evelyn Thompson is a partner in athletic training and Trudi’s willing student of the world’s school of hard knocks.

Trudi and Peter volunteer to parachute behind the Iron Curtain in search of the Nazi war criminal, Herman Nagle. Both have personal motivation for this clandestine mission. With their trained Belgian Malinois, Zara, they not only find and return the war criminal to the West; they also find the Jewish woman, Sarah, hiding in the forest. Separated from her family and unaware the war is over she bonds with Zara and assists in the location of the war criminal.

Trudi and Peter develop a plan to rescue Sarah from the East and reunite the Blumenstein family members. Disaster strikes Trudi during the escape; essentially destroying her short-term athletic aspirations.

Nonetheless, Trudi is jubilant when she witnesses the athletic and personal growth achievements of her protégé, and the conviction of war crimes for Herman Nagle. That the war crimes tribunal sentences Herman to a non-standard repayment to the world for his crimes is an enlightening coup-de-gráce for the world to see.

Gary was a career army non-commissioned officer with over twelve years of Cold War duty in West Germany and one year in Viet Nam. He is the recipient of four Army Commendation Medals and a Bronze Star for meritorious performance of duty in Viet Nam. In West Germany, Gary was an instructor and course chief of the Communications Officer/Communications NCO courses at the United States Army School, Europe (USASCHEUR). Upon retirement from the army, Gary earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resources at the University of Washington. Gary now lives in Everett, Washington.