Paul A. Piechowski  CTI3  1968-1972

Valley News

I was a young, just out of the Seminary, Rural Western Minnesota Kid in 1968. My first overseas station 
was Morocco North Africa. (then I was told that I would be part of highly classified unit of Cytologists)

I remembered being worried about the Security Clearance that was performed ...not realizing that I was about 
as clean as any whistle they had ever seen. We were at a small U.S. Naval Base along with a detachment of U.S. Marines.

Of course, any contact from the outside world, was especially welcomed. I was the son of a 
Polish Commercial Fisherman and Mother of a brilliant writer. Each month we would receive our 
Periodicals (magazines and newspapers) from home. Of course there were the favorites, Playboys, Cars, Baseball.

As for newspapers, Nothing match the excitement of the Valley News. Nope not even the Boston Hearld or the 
New York Times. My home town paper never NEVER, reached my hands first. I would find groups of buddies 
huddled around reading it out loud with hoots, and howls of laughter. The paper would have comments written 
in nearly every section by my Mother. Kind of the like the guy who does color commentary at football games. 
She just didn't want me to miss anything. It was kind of secret code to me about the events.

The guys had their favorite sections: Like the personals….you got to Imagine these guys from all around the 
country big cities and they knew what personals were: but the Valley News now that was personal: example: 
Louie and Sarah Lewindowski visiting Francis and Helen Hendricks at their home in Pever SD where they 
did ditch pIcking of weeds for Fall decorations and stopped at the only filling stations wihin 4o miles for 
Maple Nut ice cream cones (two) of course they shared!! There would be dozen of these stores all very 
innocent and just made you want to go HOME. There was no Crime, Scandal or Trash but there was INTRIGUE AND SUSPENCE.

One evening, I found the guys on the floor with laughter. They had just finished the Lost and Found section. 
Emma Dewer had lost her Rosary coming home from St. Stanislaus Church. It was precisely described..
down to the worn parts at the foot of the crucifix. She said she had searched thoroughly and just knew some 
good soul would find it, however, just in case she called the city copy to come and look for it. Yes, kind of one 
of those 1 bullet Barney Fife town cops. Who I am sure just jumped at that piece of community service. 
She said, that if someone else finds it. They will be rewarded because it was full of plenary indulgences 
(a catholic thing meaning serious heavenly benefits. She ends by telling whoever if they find it that there is a 
real reward; a jar of pickled Northern fish and a bottle of homemade Boysenberry Jam.

This might not sound like a big deal to most who read this except Veterans but it was Four buddies of mine upon 
returning state side who had to visit my Mother in Browns Valley Minnesota to tthank her.She was then the town 
editor of the paper and of course that news was damn near frout page.

If you are a Veteran and have been overseas or in isolated deployment, you clearly understand that those moments 
of laughter are what kept us WHOLE and SANE because many of us came home not whole but in pieces we could not put back together.

Paul A. Piechowski Son of a Polish Commercial Fisherman and a brilliant Mother.