1950

In January 1950 I was transferred to Guatemala where I stayed working with the IAGS in the mountains of Guatemala until June.  In June I left the organization and returned to the USA in time to attend the US National Boy Scout Jamboree.  Following the Jamboree i went to Europe and hitch-hiked throughout most of Western Europe until December.  I returned home to NJ in time for Christmas.

Christmas 1950

Dear Friend

Another year is coming to a close and a new one starting.  I hope that this coming year will bring you happiness and bring the world closer to peace. This past year has been a full one for me.  Unfortunately, it seems to be that the more I do the less time I have to write to my friends about it. Therefore, I am compiling this letter to bring you up to date on my wander-ings of this past year.  I am not trying to get around ay obligation to my friends by printing this letter, but am supplementing the letters I have found time to write and will write In the near future.

In January 1950, following a Hew Year celebration in Panama City, I spent three weeks in the Perlas Islands to the south of Panama for the mapping outfit by whom I was employed.  At the end of January I was transferred to Guatemala.  From the first of February till the middle of June I worked in Guatemala. The work was interesting.  Almost all of the time I was outdoors in the mountains and jungles.

In May I flew to Mexico City and spent ton days there on pleasure.  I visited an American Boy Scout camp near Pachuca, Mexico and revisited many old friends from my first visit In 1940.  While in Mexico I decided to attend the National Soy Scout Jamboree in the U.S.A.  Following the Jamboree I intended to go to college.

Upon returning to Guatemala I submitted my resignation from my job, and on June 16th headed for the Panama Canal Zone to terminate.  Rather than go direct to Panama, I spent several days in Nicaragua where I met several scouter friend., After finishing the paper work in the Canal Zone I flew to the U.S.A. in time to attend the National Jamboree in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.  The Jamboree was Immense—too large, in fact, for one to see it all.

Once the Jamboree was over I got itchy feet and decided to go to Europe.  I sailed on the S.S. Washington from New York City for Southampton on the first of August.  After a rainy voyage I spent a rainy three weeks In the British Isles.  I hitch-hiked around England and Scotland with Pierre Thaunier, a French Rover Scout, for a distance of 1200 miles.  In London I visited the Imperial Scout Headquarters and also the International Bureau, where I once again met Colonel Wilson.  While in London I spent much of my time at the Roland House, East London's scout settlement.

Early in September I sailed from Newcastle for Bergen, Norway.  From Bergen I went by bus, boat and ferry to Valdall.  In Valdall I was able to get a ride in a private automobile to Trondheim.  I looked for Bjarne Gaustad, a pen pal of mine, but found that at that tine he was In England.  After a few days in Trondheim, visiting several scout meetings, I took a train through Hell (a town in Norway) to Stockholm, Sweden.

In Stockholm I stayed on a ship which was used for a Youth Hostel.  After five days in Stockholm I went on to Denmark end Germany, stopped in Holland and Belgium, and ended in Paris.  Unfortunately, traveling by train as I was, I saw very little of the countryside between Stockholm and Paris.  I did see a bit of scouting in Denmark and Holland, though.

In Paris I stayed at the home of Pierre Tapie whom I had met at the Roland House in London.  After ten days in Paris I went on to Zurich, Switzerland, where I visited a scout training course; then on to Salzburg by train.  In Salzburg I met Schweighofer Gunther, a scout whom I had met at the National Jamboree in Valley Forgo.  We took a trip together to Bad Ishel, where the next World Jamboree is to be held.

From Salzburg I want on to Vienna, where I met Glenn Kappelman, an American traveling by himself.  We teamed up together and went in his car from Vienna to the Yugoslav border, which we tried to cross.  We were permitted to go in to Yugoslavia but not with the car.  He therefore left and headed through Austria for the Italian frontier.

After crossing Into Italy we went to Venice, San Marino, Roma, Naples, Pompei and Capri.  Be climbed to the top of Mt. Vesuvius.  We went back to Paris by way of Rome, Florence, Pisa, Genoa, Monaco and Nice.  Before leaving for home we went to Normandy and Brittany, spent a night at Mont St. Michel, and visited the invasion beaches.

I sailed from Le Havre on the Ile de Franca on the 27th of November and arrived In New York City on December 4th.  I'll be spending Christmas at home, and will then enlist in the U. S. Army for three years.

I wish you the best for a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Azzever,

George Drake