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| Messages 1 - 11 of total 11 in this topic |
Wild Bill
climber
Ca
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 5, 2007 - 10:48am PT
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R.I.P. Carl
Carl climbed and skiied the Alps, because that's what most boys and young men did. Learned to plot with compass and map.
Fled the pending Nazi invasion of Austria in 1938 and came to America. After college, enlisted in the U.S. Army to fight in WW II. Trained in Colorado with the Mountain Rangers. Through several snafus, was permitted to become the first non-naturalized Army officer.
War hero several times over - single-handedly retrieved a company of lost men behind enemy lines with his backcountry route finding skills honed in the Alps. Other bravery that he only described once in sixty years, for hours, to a rapt audience of four.
On VE day his company was entering a jubilant French village that had been bombed extensively. The rumbling of the Army's tanks caused an already damaged stone church to collapse. Vertebrae were crushed, his recovery was long, and the pain stayed with him the rest of his life.
Nuclear physicist dedicated to non-proliferation - never worked on a weapons project, an unpopular move that eliminated him from contention when it came to funding, jobs, colleagues. But he managed his career well anyway, and provided well for his family.
Showed his children the mountains, the woods, the ocean. One of them became my wife. We met while climbing, of all things.
So hug your folks, and remember that your own climbing may actually inspire and touch someone else's life.
RIP Carl.
--Bill
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Sounds like a good life.
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L
climber
The Rebel L Gang
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Very touching eulogy, Bill.
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TopRopeGun
Trad climber
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Sounds like an amazing man, and a wonderful life well lived. Cheers to Carl!
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Wild Bill
climber
Ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 5, 2007 - 11:22am PT
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Carl WAS a good man. And his daughter is hot! Thank god she married me.
Thanks for your thoughts. I'm off to help put him to rest, I'll see you all at the Taco Stand in a few days.
Bill
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
St. Looney
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Sorry to hear of this loss. We'll be thinking of you and your family. Best...
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up2top
Big Wall climber
Phoenix, AZ
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Nice tribute. A salute to him from me for a life well lived, and condolences to his friends and family for your loss.
Ed
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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"The greatest generation" ... Tom Brokaw's phrase came to mind reading your tribute. Quite a life, engaged with a remarkable chunk of history. Carl sounds bright, principled, brave and interesting, and he certainly left a legacy. We might all wish to do as well.
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Roman
Trad climber
3 hrs. from Seneca
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Bill,
You did Carl quite an honor writing that. It reads like a Trip Report of a very rich life. Very cool.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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May 22, 2007 - 09:19am PT
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Wild Bill, I didn't see this thread when you first posted it and only came by it from the 'Memorial' thread.
Condolences to family and friends.
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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May 22, 2007 - 11:35am PT
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Wild Bill-- Thanks for the post. 10th mountain div. had quite a number of refugee climbers from Europe. Still others fled the Nazis, including Hannes Schneider. Nice contrast with say, Heinrich Harrer, who instead joined the Sturmabteilung, then carried the Hakenkreuz up the Eiger before landing a cushy expedition gig in the SS.
Can you tell us Carl's (Karl's?)last name? And do you know his hometown or region?
Cheers
Kerwin
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