Stories of the Highway Patrol

THE ESCORT

by Norm Hoewischer

   Norm Hoewischer, Det. D & HP 113

In the Spring of 1957 (I think) Detachment D was notified that Catholic Cardinal Spellman would be visiting the Kaiserslautern Officers club and that we would assume control of his escort on the Autobahn and escort him to the Officers club.  I was selected to provide the escort and was instructed to park near the front of the club, quickly dismount and move swiftly to the front door.  I was to open the door with my left hand as the Cardinal approached and salute with my right hand.  

Having several days to prepare for the assignment, I bought a new pair of boots and worked on them daily to obtain the most perfect spit shine.  I got a new white hat, and as with the boots, I shined the brim daily too.  I put coat after coat of white shoe polish on the hat to make it stiff and super white.  I bought white boot laces and soaked them in white shoe polish several times to get just that perfect white tint.  When all of this was done, I gently threaded the pearly white laces into the ultra brightly shined boots and Lord they looked good.  I borrowed a white lanyard and somehow I had enough sense to not soak it in white polish.  

My uniform was cleaned and pressed and I re-pressed it again.  My brass was shined to a golden glow and my new white brassard sparkled.  I picked up the Cardinals convoy on the autobahn and escorted them directly to the club as directed.  The weather was beautiful all along the route, but it seemed to be clouding up over K-Town.  As we arrived at the club, I jumped from my sedan and was moving quickly to the front door when all hell broke loose.  The rain was like a tub of water had been dropped on me, as the Cardinal approached, I saluted and was nearly blinded by all of the "White" rain running down my face and uniform, my boots were nearly all white with splotches of shiny black and my OD uniform was ruined with all the white shoe polish.  The white lanyard made out just fine.  

Those in the Cardinal’s party were quite amused, I was embarrassed to no end and never volunteered (very often) for more escorts.  

This story previously appeared in Volume #2, Issue #5, December 1999 of  "THE WHITE MICE"