STUTTGART, Germany - A retired U.S. Soldier living in the Stuttgart area recently marked his 102nd birthday, a milestone that celebrates his longevity and honors his extraordinary lifetime of service to his country.
A pilot at heart served with distinction across three major twentieth-century conflicts: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He has not only witnessed history in the making, but has actively shaped it with his dedication to duty and his constant craving for adventure.
Charles Ferber was born in January 1922 in Greenwich, Connecticut. After completing his education at the State Technical School in nearby Stamford, he was in the workforce for about a year before joining the military at the age of 20.
Years after Ferber left the military, he began writing his own biography in diary format, detailing his life in the army. The following is an extract of his experience when first joining the military.
“A bus load of us were driven to Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Here Army life started, such as barracks life, mess halls, formations, and long waiting lines. We were equipped from head to toe in uniforms etc. and two barrack bags. Our pay was 21 dollars per month.”
Throughout his military career, Ferber learnt many valuable skills as a young Soldier, he took construction courses while working with the corps of engineers, learnt parachute jumping and found his passion in flying while learning helicopter and airplane flying. A pilot through and through, he continued flying even after separating from the military for a decade before deciding to enlist again.
His diary recounts the time the deployed young Soldier, still early in his career, spent Christmas far away from home on a ship in Morocco.
“The convoy arrived off the coast of Casablanca on 24 December 1942. It was a pretty sight to see Casablanca shining so white in the sunlight. We remained on board overnight. For the Christmas Eve meal, we had a can of sardines, soda biscuits, and an orange.”
Ferber’s career was not without its moments of terror and dread, one of which was when his infantry unit led the Allied landing on the beaches near Anzio, in January 1944, also known as Operation Shingle.
“On the way in, about 1 am, the sky lit up, then terrific explosions took place. Two barrages of 1500 8-inch rockets lit up the sky and made a roaring noise. At the time we didn't know if it was the enemy greeting us. This and being in the earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska, were the two most frightening things in my life. All hell broke loose for four months. It was muddy, rainy, and winter. Clothes and bedding always damp. It was the most miserable living conditions I was ever in,” Ferber wrote in his diary.
Four months later they achieved a breakthrough and moved on to Rome.
Moreover, living a life as a Soldier also meant being exposed to certain diseases he otherwise may never have encountered. For instance, he contracted Malaria while on duty in Africa in 1943. He became ill a few years later, while completing his OCS (Officer Candidate School) in Fontainebleau, France and had to be hospitalized immediately.
“After one month in the hospital, I was released. The war in Germany had ended. I was shipped to Regensburg, Germany. We were in an old German post called “Altes Lager”.
Ferber was then sent to Auingen, Münsingen, close to Stuttgart.
Being brought up in a large family meant that life became a little lonely living in the barracks. One day, he decided to send some photos home and looked for a photoshop. He found one in Münsingen called Fotohaus Schmidt and became close with the owner, a lady in her 50s named Louise, and her family.
“I made friends with a German family. Although non-fraternization was in effect, I still visited my German friends quite often.”
Ferber didn’t realize at the time that his newfound friendship with this German family would eventually lead him to his future wife.
His stay wasn’t long, and after about two months, he said goodbye to Germany and was shipped back to the U.S. in October 1945.
After ten years in the military, Ferber decided to separate from the Army in 1952, becoming a bush pilot in fixed and rotary wing aircraft (helicopters and airplanes).
“I taught myself flying in the Rocky Mountains, flew the barren land in winter and summer, I flew the Arctic Circle and the Coast Oil Fields of Prudhoe Bay,” Ferber wrote in his diary.
But his draw for real adventure pulled him back into military life more than a decade after he separated from the Army. Ferber, at this point in his 40s, heard that the Army was taking back former pilots. After being turned down due to his age, he applied for the Warrant Aviation Branch. He was accepted in 1964 with orders to go to Germany.
“When I got to Germany, I was sent to the 97th Flight Detachment, which was located on the Stuttgart Airfield. Things hadn’t changed much in the Army since I left. I started the process of learning about flying in Europe and all flight rules and regulations. I picked up my car at Bremerhaven and was able to finally get around to see some of Germany as it was 19 years since I was last here.”
While studying a map of Germany, he saw Münsingen located close to where he was staying. So, one day in February 1965, he made his way back there to visit his German friends.
Although Eleonore, a niece of the photo shop owner, hadn’t met Ferber during his first stay in Germany, she had already heard many stories about him from her family.
“I was told that there was this nice American man who would bring oranges and chocolate, which was a grand gesture since it was after the war and all of us didn’t have much…even himself,” said Eleonore, Ferber’s wife.
When Ferber arrived at the store, Eleonore was there coincidentally, helping out as her sister, who typically worked at the shop, was away skiing. Since the store was busy, Eleonore's aunt Louise asked Ferber to come back at another time so that they could talk without interruption. When Ferber returned a few days later, many people had heard about his upcoming visit and were curious to meet him. As many of them did not understand English, Eleonore sat with Ferber and translated for him throughout the evening.
“And yeah, you know how it goes, he invited me to dinner and that’s how we got together,” said Eleonore.
In May 1970, Ferber was ordered to return to Vietnam and while traveling, he stopped in the Philippines to attend jungle school.
“In jungle school we learned about survival and how to escape [and] evasion. They taught me to watch the monkey. Eat what the monkey eats, and if he doesn’t eat, eat the monkey.”
He departed Vietnam in November 1971 to take up his final duty station in Heidelberg, Germany, bringing his storied Army career to a close three years later. He was awarded two Purple Hearts during his time in service, for wounds received in combat during his deployments in Vietnam and Korea.
He has resided in Germany ever since, and it was at his home – in Münsingen, of course – that he received a birthday card in February from the Secretary of the Army, the Hon. Christine Wormuth, sending well-wishes for his 102nd. The card was hand-delivered by the USAG Stuttgart Retiree Services Officer, Rachel Doran.
“He is the epitome of ‘Soldier for Life,’ and I’m honored to be able to help recognize him in this special way,” Doran said.
Ferber is not just a “Soldier for Life,” but an aviator for life as well. In his diary he wrote:
“I retired with a total flying time of ten thousand flying hours in fixed and rotary wing time to include both military and civilian time. I have flown over all terrains, temperatures, and all types of weather.”
Ferber believes that the secret to his longevity lies in his simple diet.
“Always eat good food, none of these fast foods. I weigh the same as I did when I was 60,” said Ferber.
His wife, on the other hand, sees a deeper reason for his long and healthy life.
“He has always been very optimistic; he never gets dragged down. Charles has a special way about him to stay positive and hopeful at all times,” she said.
Social Sharing