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Switzerland
My keen interest in flying and
hiking came together during my Photo Recon days during World War II with
the 34th Photo Recon squadron. We were in the 10th Photo Group of
the 9th Air Force flying out of Chalgrove, England. In August 1944
we moved to France and were attached to Patton's Third Army so that put
us on the right wing of the Western Front. The only terrain on our
right was Switzerland. We flew by ourselves on those Photo
missions so I had lots of time to admire the Alps mountains as I flew in
and out of Germany. The view was absolutely stunning from 20,000
feet on a clear day. The little mountain villages became smaller
and smaller as the high valleys gave way to massive glaciers. I
promised myself that if ever the opportunity presented itself, I was
coming back to hike in the Alps.
After I retired in 1985 my hiking
partner Ron McAuliffe and I decided to fly to Switzerland for a 2 week
hiking adventure. Our first stop was Interlaken located in the
Bernese Overlands. This is a small town located near the Eiger,
the Monch and the Jungfrau, Mt. Peeks of world renown.
Located between lakes, The Interlaken area is one of the most scenic
areas there is in the Swiss highlands. We also went to Zermatt and
climbed up to the Hornli Hutte on the Matterhorn. We ended up in
Appenzell in northeast Switzerland, home of the Santi Mountain
range. Breathtaking mountain trails make this one of the favorite
destinations of the dedicated hiker.
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Military
History