Biographical Notes reCharles A. (Chuck) StonePage 2 of 4 Pages, of Chapter 10,NATO PERSPECTIVES |
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| The U.S. Naval Hospital facility in Naples provided us with medical services. As leery as our family had been from past experience, we, for one of the few times in our military service, received good care from this Navy facility. It was interesting to note that when we checked in, turning over our family medical records to the Hospital, the Hospital Commander called us into his office. He had just finished reviewing Nell’s records. He told Nell that he would be her personal doctor during her stay in Naples. He further stated that he would be the doctor for our family. What more could we have asked? As you will learn along the way, he came through for us a number of times and he cared for Nell as though she were a member of his family. By the way, Nell, now on oral insulin, was beginning to feel better than she had felt in many years. That diseased gall bladder had been causing problems and had tried to drag her down over much of her lifetime. That was a special gift for us all. We began to settle in and find our way around NATO, the U.S. support services and the wider community of Naples. It was a wonderful experience in so many ways. The Army Colonel, in our apartment, and I began to carpool, leaving our car at home every other workday. The car just sat there for a while, with Nell screwing up her courage to get out into this amazing Neapolitan traffic and “drive!”. I will never forget the grin of satisfaction I found on her face the day I came home from work and she announced that she had driven to the Navy PX and Commissary and back, without damage. A real step forward. There couldn’t have been more than a couple of stop lights in the entire city of Naples at that time. Most traffic directional change was achieved in traffic circles. You got into the circle and tried to work your way to the outside and then escape on the avenue of your choice as it came around. We found the Italian drivers, who had too few opportunities to be assertive and independent, became very much so when driving their cars. If you challenged them, they would take you on, big time! If they realized you were being polite, they would break their necks to be more polite than you were. We learned to move about the city by demonstrating politeness in every way we knew how. And, it worked. We had a common joke that the primary goal of the typical Italian male driver was to be the man, passing a man, passing a truck, on a hill. Would you believe we observed, just that, in full progress, on our trip to a swimming beach south of Naples one day. Driving a stick shift car in that hilly, crowded, environment was an added challenge. We learned when to bring the emergency brake into our shifting, clutching and braking routines and managed quite well. Our daughter, who was just old enough to get a driver’s license in the U.S. said she wanted nothing to do with driving in Naples. That was a relief to her Mother and Dad. |
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| General Recagno called me into his office one day for a chat. He shared his concerns about the drab condition of the building our Headquarters occupied and asked me what we could do to brighten up the part occupied by the Directorate of Plans. I suggested to him that we could get in touch with the tourist bureaus of each of the five countries represented in the southern region and ask them to send posters that they believed best represented their country. We could conduct a self-help effort, within our division, mount and frame the posters and hang them in the various hallways in our part of the building. I had already become acquainted with the base woodworking and photo shops and knew we could do what needed to be done. He asked me to go right ahead and initiate the project. After obtaining the required addresses, I wrote letters to these agencies, using NATO stationery and General Recagno’s signature. We had an empty office down the hall and I was authorized to turn it into a temporary carpenter shop. My Italian Sergeant and I went into Naples and purchased a Ulmia Miter saw. I used my own money, because I wanted to keep it for my own use anyway. We found and purchased lumber that could be cut into simple framing material. The photo lab had a mounting press they agreed to let us use. Soon large mailing tubes of pictures were arriving in the mail and they were of a perfect size to really have an impact in a hallway display environment. |
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| I asked any people in our Division, who might be interested in helping, to come in to the improvised shop and give us a hand. At first there were a few from other nations, but they quickly faded away. I learned that the lowest enlisted man from some of these countries had their own sense of status and it would be demeaning for them to be seen working on this project. Some wanted to participate, but their countrymen talked them out of it. My Italian office assistant. Joe DeLuca, felt a sufficient bond to give me assistance. Having a USAF officer of the rank of Major, in that shop, making dust, hammering and sawing, was just inconceivable on the part of many people in that headquarters. |
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| As soon as the Air South Commanding General caught wind of the project he dropped by to see General Recagno and myself and suggested that, as long as things were going so well, we might as well do it for the entire building. How can one disagree with a three star general. Anyway, we were glad to have his approval and glad to do it. The project moved forward to completion with remarkably effective results. |
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