One of the first people I met at the Altenburg Lutheran Heritage Center and Museum was volunteer Bob Fielher. At the time, I just thought he was a nice guy who knew a lot about area history.
I wish I had recorded some of this stories. Unfortunately, Bob died of cancer in 2009, and I missed the opportunity. Over the years, I have gotten to know his son Gerard, and Gerard has done a great job of keeping his memories alive.
Gerard tells about a boy who had never been further than St. Louis, who was drafted at 18; drove a tank in the Battle of the Bulge at 19; won a Purple Heart; stayed in Germany as a translator during the Occupation, and then returned to Altenburg to work in the family garage.
“He had lived a whole lifetime …”
“He had lived a whole lifetime by the time he was 20 years old,” Gerard observed.
This is a video worth watching on Veterans Day.
Thank You, Gerard, for putting together this wonderful memorial of your dad, fondly remembered by his extended family. My Uncle Del Huttegger visited Bob often when he lived in Jackson and especially during his last years. Del and other family members always spoke fondly with a lot of respect for Bob Fiehler.
Ken, thanks for a very personal and fitting tribute for Veterans Day.
The one thing I miss the most was not getting to know my father well enough about life. I left for the AF
in 66 and never got the chance to talk to him about
WW2 and just life in general. I got out of the AF in 71 and thought I had all the time in the world to get to know my dad. He died in 1975. Funny how we know everything when we’re young. I’ll have a talk with dad at the cemetery and we’ll have a good talk.
Great story. Makes one wonder wher were you when you wer 18 to 20 years old. I had a brother-in-law and a cousin who fought in D-Day, but they were reluctant to talk about it.
I am so enjoying these video interviews. Thanks
Great video and so appropriate for Veterans Day. Thanks for sharing. By the way, my husband, Jack was with the FIRST Marines to go into Vietnam and he was only 18!
Gerard, Just found this today, very well done. You have inherited your father’s gift for story telling. We’ll have to sit down with a few Shiners and you can tell me more. I won’t tell mom….
this was remarkable. He sounds like a great guy. So much love went into this, and it surely shows. Think he’d be very proud of you….
Thanks for paying this great tribute to your Dad. As a kid sister-law I took a lot of teasing from Him. I always had great respect for him still miss Him.