Jon Looks for Love in the 60s. Part 1 of 6. Scroll up for the rest.

Jon in July 2011

Jon Completes Airborne Training

Jon in Munich

Jon was the first Sampson to graduate from college. He took a degree in recreation from the University of Oregon, and a few hours later, having finished his ROTC training, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. Now he had a degree, a car, a job, and all he needed was a woman. But like his high school yearbook had said, "All women are nice, but none are perfect."  That is, until he met Barbara.

     Graduation (& Commissioning) day on June 10th 1962, was a turning point of this young (now officer's) life. With a $222.30 monthly salary, there was no longer a need to budget for each ice cream cone or cup of coffee. I spent part of that summer at Ft. Lewis, WA, until time to drive to Ft. Benning, GA, for Infantry Officer Basic Training, Airborne, etc. After a leave back to the west coast, I arrived in Germany, to my new assignment, in mid-December. The tradition in the Battle Group I joined was that the newest lieutenant would be given "command" of the Battle Group for one day each year (that was me). I wore appropriate clothes, the Colonel's, for the social event, because mine were still in transit.

     I was assigned as a platoon leader of a mechanized rifle platoon. During a river crossing exercise that winter, I "overran" the battle group "objective" with my platoon. (The deputy battle group commander pointed out that we would have been killed, because platoon sized units don't do such things.)

     Later, when the Army was reorganizing, and called for volunteers to serve in Armor or Artillery, I volunteered for Armor (put some metal between me & them). I served my platoon leader time in a newly formed armor company (& battalion), and was scheduled to move to the battalion staff in the intelligence section.

     About that time, summer of '63, Dad (Johnnie) flew over for a visit of a week or so. In my '58 Chevrolet, we toured Austria, Switzerland, and made it to northern Germany before running out of gas coupons (which were rationed). We drove back to the area of my Kaserne (barracks), where I needed to attend a wedding on a weekend, and then decided to drive to Munich so he could confirm a return airline reservation. At the entrance to the Autobahn, on the outskirts of Augsburg, an attractive young lady was looking for a ride (not uncommon in Europe then....& maybe still). We stopped and she took the middle position on the front bench seat of my '58 Chevrolet. It turns out she was going from Frankfurt to Munich to look for a better job & new housing for both herself & her mother. They had come to Germany from Czeckoslovakia . While Dad was confirming his airline return reservation, I offered to treat the young lady to some refreshment. She commented on my ring (Mom's diamond which I had had reset, and tended to switch from hand to hand). I said it didn't mean anything relative to marital status, just a habit when I wore it, and that I was single. When Dad joined us, she offered to treat us to dinner in her home country section of Munich. We agreed, (with slight mental reservations). Once in the restaurant, she suggested an aperitif (it was a clear liquid, and came in what resembled a bud vase). Anyway, we didn't find ourselves in the alley the next morning, and after dinner parted ways to continue our journey to the Armed Forces Recreation area for some golf, etc., before Dad's return to the states. (I didn't think it wise to establish even a social contact with somebody from behind the iron curtain given my current & possible future assignments.)

     Not long afterward, I was transferred to 1st Brigade headquarters in the position of Asst S3 (operations) for Air & Plans. This was in Augsburg, and my new living quarters were sharing with another bachelor a set of previous maid's quarters, 9 to 11 rooms, on the top floor of dependent housing. 

     A favorite place to socialize for people of our age in Augsburg was called the Western Saloon. During that tour in Germany, I dated mostly German girls, but, on a couple of occasions, an American who happened to be a Major. We had to keep that pretty low profile, because, rank-wise, I probably would have been considered her "boy-toy."

     The Army sent me via troop ship back to the states in Nov/Dec 1965. I picked up my car in New Jersey, stayed the night in a BOQ (bachelor officer's quarters), and headed for the west coast the next morning. For some reason, I was still in uniform, so at the first interstate rest area, I went into the rest room and promoted myself to captain by pinning the bars on (I didn't want to report to my next assignment as a 1st Lt, and was due for promotion anyway).

     I drove the 3200 miles in 4 1/2 days, with overnight stops in north Indiana, Lincoln, NE, an Inn in Wyoming, and Ontario, OR. When I arrived in Florence that afternoon, Dad & Bette were having a late lunch of Braunschweiger sandwiches.

     I drove to Ft. Lewis during that holiday/leave period at least once to coordinate my new assignment (for career purposes, I needed command of a company). I decided to report for duty early, on the 31st of December, and drove up stopping briefly in Portland for a final touch base with a girl I'd been writing to for three years. She offered to come up for New Years Eve, but I didn't encourage it, so she allowed as how she might go off to the mountains to "meditate." (May still be there for all I know.)

     I met Barbara that night at a party on Ft. Lewis, and.....as they say, the rest is history.