Long Hot Summer, Waiting | Archives of the American Field Service and AFS Intercultural Programs

We were waiting for the invasion of Italy for five months under these olive trees. In the heat of the day with the temperature around 120 F in the shade, we used to gather like this around my ambulance to listen to records, write letters, read, play games, swat flies, etc. We tried unsuccessfully to stay cool and forget about the war.

In the middle of the group, with the sun on his hair, is Vern Preble who was killed in action in the Battle of the Sangro River soon after we got to Italy. Sitting at Vern’s right is Ralph Beck playing checkers with Chan Keller; to Vern’s left are Joe Wolhandler and Luke Kinsolving (reading). Back to (swatting a fly) is John Leinbach. To John’s left is Chan Keller playing checkers with Ralph Beck. On Chan’s left are "Fox" Edwards and Jay Nierenberg, who are both sitting on the stretcher with Chan.

This group, and a few others, (mostly C. Platoon, 567 Co.) were together most of the war and have continued to have reunions for sixty years.

Location: In an olive grove near Tripoli.