Tuesday, August 23, 2005 around 9:30 pm: Today’s Torgauer Zeitung ran a lengthy story about our project in the field. The photo of me screening was o.k. but they identified me as a 61 year old woman! This will never do.
Bad weather entitled us to a day away from the field which allowed me to walk around Torgau, visit the castle, and finish a great historic novel about the artist, Raphael (The Ruby Ring). In response to the many emails expressing interest in photos, believe me when I say I am trying everything I know to make that happen. I spent several hours today adding captions to the photos I have so they can be transferred to this space. Perhaps tomorrow.
Two of the team guys with whom I had dinner tonight told me that the major moment of the excavation will be when the cockpit is uncovered. The reasons are obvious and I expect it will be a moment of mixed emotions for me. I have assured the team that I wish to hear the truth about what they find. I had a lengthy and honest discussion with the team leader and with Dr. Fox about this issue and the team has been told that thez should take me at my word. I suppose it seems strange that I can approach this possible discovery in such a manner but I will only know how it feels when it happens. Above all else, I am not doing this alone.
The warmth of the local people is incomparable. It is as though they have watched over my father for all these years. I romanticize perhaps but I am grateful. Today Frau Theil sent fresh flowers to the cross on the site. It was a glorious burst of color in a very gray day. Tomorrow, sun willing, Der Spiegel will begin the interivews at the field. Each person on the team is interesting and has a great story. This is the 22nd mission for Craig Thomas, one of two people who are clearing the impact site. From here, he goes to Laos. He says the team members are away from home on an average of 200 days. Who says there is a shortage of adventurers?
A dear friend and daughter of a missing Naval Commander from WW II, wrote that this is a “field of honor.” The honor extends to the people who do this work for the satisfaction of bringing home the missing. I am in good company, indeed.