Seeds of 56-year marriage planted during Berlin Airlift (A Love Story that Lasted)

Air Force Links ^ | October 5, 2006 | Staff Sgt. Jeremy Larlee

[SandRat]

10/5/2006 - ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AFPN) -- Retired Lt. Col. James and Ellie Spatafora possess a unique answer to a common question couples are quizzed about.

When asked where they met, they answer that the seeds of their 56-year marriage were planted during the historic Berlin Airlift.

The couple was able to catch up on old times with friends during a Berlin Airlift plaque dedication at Veterans Memorial Park here Oct. 4. More than 150 people attended the dedication, which was one of numerous events held during the weeklong reunion of the Berlin Airlift Veterans Association.

The Berlin Airlift was a 15-month humanitarian mission spearheaded by American forces. Three years after the end of World War II, supplies could not to be delivered by land or sea because the Russians were blocking those routes. From June 1948 to September 1949, more than 2 million tons of essential supplies were delivered by aircraft to Germans in West Berlin.

The tense situation was caused by disagreements in how to govern Germany following the war. The situation intensified the growing Cold War between the United States and Russia.

Colonel Spatafora arrived at Rhein-Main Air Base in Germany in the summer of 1948 to support the mission. As a hydraulics specialist in the rank of airman first class, the Brooklyn, N.Y., native said he remembers he often had the dirtiest uniform of any Airman on the flightline following a shift.

He noticed that even when his uniform was clean he could not get it as neatly pressed as the radar operators. He asked the operators about their uniforms, and they shared with him that they took their uniforms to a dry cleaners off base and invited him along on their next trip.

At the dry cleaners one of his friends introduced him to Ellie, who had a job there. She grew up in East Prussia in Germany and had seen the war firsthand. The two married Dec. 24, 1949.

She said she believes the American efforts were essential to the transformation of Germany into a better place.

"The Americans did a great job there," she said. "I have done a lot of volunteer work in my life because I feel indebted to what this country has done."

Colonel Spatafora said it was the most important mission of his 30-year career and that he is grateful he had a chance to contribute to it.

[SandRat]

Retired Lt. Col. James and Ellie Spatafora attended the Berlin Airlift plaque dedication at Veterans Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., Oct. 4. The Spatafores will celebrate their 57th anniversary Dec. 24. They met in Germany during the Berlin Airlift. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Jeremy Larlee)

[SandRat]

A Real True Love Story!

[cyborg]

ping

[AmericanMade1776]

Retired Lt. Col. James , looks all clean and clothes pressed even to this day, Nice story.

[Raffus]

God bless our military men and women! Great story!

[BykrBayb]

Thanks. I just love a good love story!

[Twinkie]

Thanks.

[potlatch]

Thanks for the ping SandRat

Very nice story, not too many like that huh?

[SE Mom]

After all the ugliness of the last week..this is like a breath of fresh air..

Lovely:)

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[SandRat]

Nope, a rare breed now days.

[SandRat]

Glad I could find something to let a fresh breeze come in and air the stench out.

[SandRat]

Nope, not of the generations since the WWII generation at least.

[potlatch]

My parents were like that their whole lives, as you say it is rare.

Heading for bed now.

[SoldierDad]

Great story. As my wife and I prepare to celebrate our 26th anniversary this next week, I can only wonder what celebrating our 56th will be like. This couple provides a great inspiration to us all. God Bless them both, and God Bless all our Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Sailors, and Coast Guard.

[fredhead]

Here's another one.

1942. A young soldier from eastern NC is stationed at Camp Forrest, Tennessee during maneuvers. He is attached to the Medical Detachment of the 13th Infantry. He was supposed to be driving one of the trucks. But the Regimental transportation officer caught him playing around in convoy and banished him to the back of the truck.

While passing through the small town of Alexandria, TN he sees a girl on the town square. He writes his name and address on a slip of paper and throws it to her. She responds with a letter. He visits her with her family while still stationed in TN.

He gets transferred to the Mojave desert for more training, and then sent to Northern Ireland in preparation for the invasion of Europe. He goes ashore at Normandy one month after D-Day and fights until the German surrender. They continue to exchange letters.

After a short time doing occupation duties his regiment is sent back to the states to train for the invasion of Japan. That's where he was when, in his words, "Harry Truman saved my life" by ordering the a-bombs dropped on Japan, thus ending the war.

He is discharged near the end of September 1945. On October 20, 1945 he married the girl he threw his address to that day in 1942. They settled back at his home in eastern NC, and raised two children.

In 1995 they celebrated their 50th anniversary, and their 60th last year.

On the 18th of last month, my father passed away, one month after his 87th birthday and one month shy of the 61st anniversary.

[The Right Stuff]

Condolences on the loss of your father - that was a wonderful story.

[SandRat]

Yep! Those were the love stories of the WWII generation. My folks were and are the same still today.

[jlarlee]

Wow I was googling myself(I know true nerdy)to find one of my articles to show someone and came across this. Always good to get some feedback as a writer. Those two wrote the story honestly, very nice genuine people. Some interesting facts got cut out of the story though. They actually had to get married 4 times because either the military or the country wouldn't recognize the authority that had married them previously. Their last marriage was in 1959 in a catholic church after they had their 3 children. They had a waiver of some type. Both of them still do a lot of volunteer work it is amazing.

[SandRat]

Well I'm glad you're smiling.

Thanks for, ... ahem ..., filling in some of the blank spots.

lol