The NSO Offers Support in Many Ways
By LTC Christian Wilhelm, DEU-A, Department Director HIED, 18 May 22
"Following my father’s footprints" was the project title selected by Mr Pasquale Caputo (73), when planning to walk 1.700 km from Memmingen (Germany) to his home town Barletta (Italy).
On the road that his father, an Italian Prisoner of War in Stammlager VII B, had taken, the avid marathon runner headed for Oberammergau on 14 May 22 only to find out that this would be the day of the Opening Ceremony of the Passion Play 2022 and that accommodation in town was unavailable.
However reverting to the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO), he was provided with private lodging and Italian-speaking company. And thanks to the support from Mayor Andreas Rödl, he was even able to attend the Play and meet the NSO’s Dean of Academics, Colonel Ryan Craycraft, US Air Force, whose nation had liberated his father on 08 May 1945.
Mr Caputo, who dedicated his peace march to all Italian POWs, was deeply moved when he set out towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen the next morning to continue his 68-day-long journey.