Guest Book
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Sue | 
April 27, 2009 11:34 am
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Hi Cliff,
My mother told me you’d given her a copy of “Into Life’s School.” Going online to find a copy I was happy to see you have a website. I look forward to reading of your experiences. My dad rarely spoke of the war years, and my Uncle Ken only did during the later years—and what stories he told.
What a great thing you’ve done, recording your life for the future and for those of us whose lives touched yours.
I’m happy to hear from Mom that you both are doing well. I wish I could have gotten her to come out here with us, at least in the winters, but she’s pretty rooted there in Minneapolis and Chris is close at hand to keep an eye on her. Mom and I talk at least once a week, usually Sunday evening. When he was alive, my dad nagged me incessantly to call her once in a while and I rarely did. I just reminded him that her phone made calls as well as received them. Since he’s gone, I’ve done what he asked. Funny how much smarter he gets as the years go by. It’s hard to believe he’s gone 15 years now. But he’s still around when I need him, and the kids have fond memories and stories to share with their kids.
All the best,
Steve
Hi Cliff 3.22.2010
You made my Day with your phone call.
Fisrt, let me Thank You for your Service to our country.
Gosh after leaving Radio Electric in 1966
We meet via the phone because I read about your WW II Roundtable in the Legionaire. Bernice and I just returned a week ago to Sun City AZ after 4 weeks on Waikiki Beach. We’ve been Sno Birds here for the past 16 winters.
We head back to our home in Bloomington, Mn
about May 1st if it’s truly spring by then…Haha
Looking forward to seeing you soon there after
for a cup of Coffee and comradship.
We’re newly weds, only married 56 yrs
Mel Behnen
February 27, 2010
Mr. “CB” Digre,
I heard you speak at the WW II Roundtable a couple of weeks ago. I
enjoyed your responses so much that I bought a copy of your book. I
just finished reading it, and found it very entertaining. It is rare
to hear what the pilots and crew of WW II bombers went through. I am
glad you talked about all of your experiences, including life at the
air bases.
Thank you for your service, and for sharing it with the state of Minnesota.
Sincerely,
Pete Hoffman
St. Paul, MN
Hello Cliff,
I am the great great nephew of Tucker (Earl Rinehart, your crew’s engineer/top turret gunner). I am glad to know now what exactly happened in his death. I thought for a long time that my uncle just got shot and died but now I know it could have been a lot worse thanks for writing the book I realy have enjoyed it.
Mr. Digre,
My wife Roxanne and I are good friends with Carrie and Chad. We are part of the congregation at Cross of Christ where Chad is the pastor.
I just finished the copy of the book you autographed for our son Micah. He is a Marine assigned to the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion at Camp Pendleton, CA. Micah and his Recon buddies will likely be deployed to Afghanistan sometime soon.
I want to thank you for your service to our country. Thank you also for sharing the stories of your life. It shows the human side of military service. The camaraderie, challenges, heroism, hilarity and how life-long friendships are forged. It also showed us the reality of dealing with the profound loss of life and the toll that war can take.
Through all of that you teach us to learn, laugh and work hard at everything you do. You also teach us that faith and a personal commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ is the most important element of walking this earth.
I will proudly hand this book to my son who will soon face some of the same challenges as you. It is a different time in a different war facing a different enemy yet the lessons taught in your “life’s school” will be handed down to a new generation.
Sir, you have our deepest thanks and respect.
Roxanne and Dean Fulmer
Lakeville, MN
Hi Cliff;
I just finished reading your very interesting book about your WW11 experiences. You really put your life on the line for our country, Thank you for your service.
I was reminded of a short poem “The Death of a Ball Turret Gunner” that I read while in college. It always stuck with me and now I know one !!!
It was a pleasure meeting you on the Norwegian coastal cruise several years ago… your easy going personality sure plays out in your book. I can see why you have so many friends.
It was hard to put your book down until I finished it. The special note you sent me will be kept in the book for safe keeping.
Thanks again for sharing the memories of your B-17 days and your return to civilian life. It was fascinating to peek into your life story. Hope we find ourselves near Minneapolis sometime soon. I will give you a call.
Your Friend;
Al Koschnick
Mr. Digre,
I will be ordering your book very soon and am so glad I stumbled upon your website. I am Greg Larson. George Larson is my Dad. He passed in the early 90’s…too young. He never spoke of his WWII experiences so I am looking forward to reading your book. I loved the picture you posted of my Dad. Thank you.
Hi Cliff;
Just received your Christmas letter…and was thrilled to learn of your book. I have just ordered it and look forward to sharing your memories. CiCI and I will never forget our Norwegian Coastal Cruise in 1998 with you and your lovely wife Bernice.
Cliff,
It was fun to visit with you and your family at the 457th Reunion in Colorado Springs.
I just finished your book a few weeks ago – it was a fabulous read, so fun to read about your adventures, perils, etc. It was both informative and an easy and fun read.
Also fun to see pictures and accounds of my Grandpa Don and your adventures with his crew!
I am working my way through Fait Accompli (book #1) and it much more of a trudge to make it through all the mission records – I am looking forward to the personal accounts chapters that follow.
Anyway – just wanted to say thank you for your courage and service and also for taking the time to write and publish your book.
I wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday season!
Regards,
~Justin Rounsefell
From Don, Melbourne, FL, USAF, retired (colonel/pilot).
I want to tell you that I sure enjoyed the book.
I can relate to much of the content, brings back good
and sad moments. Please relay to “CB” my thanks.
Malcolm has the book at this time. We had fellows miss
pilot training or wash out later in flight schools in my class
because they did not pass the color blindness test.
Take care and God Bless.
Don
Thrilled to receive your book as a gift in Baltimore when Kathleen and I were at the meeting. Thank you so much.
CB you tell great stories and wonderful memories and clearly you are very proud of your experiences. Stay well.
Best wishes, Shirley
Cliff:
I just now saw the link to this site on Dan’s facebook page. Am ordering a copy today!
BLESSINGS!
Dick Fisher
Mary Jane wrote on August 9
Dear Uncle Clifford,
I’m so ashamed of myself as I finished your book about a month ago and have not taken the time to say Thank You!!.
I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed reading about your experiences in WWII. The hours your spent in the ball turret, the close calls with other aircraft, the loss of your friends but also the fun times you had on your bike trips to your favorite pubs. Also, I felt like I got to know your “buddies”. At the end when you told the story about how your dear friend Szydlowski always called you on Christmas and one year he didn’t because he had passed away, I felt so sad for you. Many times my eyes welled-up when I read about your visits on Columbus Avenue, and your furloughs back to Hendricks with Grandma, Pearl, Clara and Carvell. Just reading their names and seeing their pictures again brought back a lot of memories. Your book is everything a good book should be – tender, funny, sad and a definite page-turner. Truly, I couldn’t put it down.
With all you have experienced in your life, it’s no wonder you have been so successful in not only your personal but also your professional life. You are absolutely a “small town boy makes good” story and I am very proud to call you my uncle.
Love,
Mary Jane
Joel Wensmann wrote on August 6
Cliff,
I finished reading “Into Life’s School”. I enjoyed the book immensely. It brought back some memories of my own time in the Army.
Let me start off by saying I am fortunate and grateful that there were better medical practices when I was in Bootcamp (referring to page 13-14 in the book). We did march to the medical center for examinations and shots. The scene in the movie Pearl Harbor comes to mind where the nurse jabs Rafe with the needle and makes his eyes water. Some of those shots were unbearable (no pun intended).
Basic Training was not one of my favorite things at the time, but looking back years later I just have to laugh at some of the events that took place. Such as the weapons training where the guy next to me knocked out his front teeth using the rifle site instead of the grenade site on his M203 Grenade launcher.
Another event that stands out for me is the unauthorized trip to the Post Exchange. My ranger buddy decided he needed a sugar fix and talked me into sneaking out of the Barracks to get some candy bars and pop. We were just finishing it off on our way back to the barracks when out from behind a dumpster jumps our drill sergeant. He told us to report to the first sergeants office with the evidence. We were worked over real good and threatened to be put in prison. The remaining few weeks of bootcamp were hell.
One event that sticks out in my head during my advanced training was the Washington DC Half Marathon. Our command was looking for a dozen runners to represent the army. Growing up on a dairy farm in a Minnesota small town, I never had the chance to see a place like DC. I didn’t care about the run; I wanted to see the city. During most of the run I paid more attention to the sites and taking pictures as I ran. The first 8 miles were a blur, but the last 2 miles were tough. I finished 10 miles in 1hr 19min.
While stationed at Ft. Eustis, I remember one afternoon we held a “last man standing” event. The goal was to be the last man inside a big circle. There were about 6 or seven of us left in the circle. One guy was twice my size (about 5’10” and 250lbs of muscle). He charged me and I grabbed him by the shoulders and sprawled back. He planted himself head first into the ground. I was scared for my life when he got back on his feet!
In the footnote on p.28 you mentioned predestination. There was a time during my service I believe God chose a better direction for me. There were 24 soldiers in my company who were hand chosen for a 6 month support mission to Antarctica. After several months of training and preparing medically for the -120deg temps, we were told 3 days before we left only six soldiers would be going on the mission. The rest would be going to Saudi Arabia (+120deg temps) to prepare for Desert Storm. It was because of my time in Desert Storm that the Lord was able to get my attention.
I made the trip over to Saudi Arabia on a 747 Sun Country. Our Transportation Group spent the first several months offloading equipment and ammunition from ships. The next 6 months we spent in the desert just south of Iraq transferring cargo and equipment from aircraft to the ground troops on the front lines. Several events stand out. Just days before Desert Storm was declared, chemical alarms were set up and tested without the knowledge of the rest of the troops. When the alarms went off, soldiers scattered for the bunkers. One guy ran out of his tent straight into a strand of concertina wire (razor wire). After the “all clear” we found him all wound up in the wire yelling for help.
Something else that stands out for me is the many letters I received from friends and family. One person who stood out was a young girl just out of high school. I never dated or even said hi to a girl before this point. I was fairly shy and figured I was too big of a dope to catch the attention of a nice young lady. I wrote back to Laura regularly while I was overseas. Nine months after the first letter I finally made it home on leave and met her for the first time (in dress uniform of course). I knew in an instant I either had to give up army life or lose Laura to some good-looking guy in college. Several months later on June 15, 1992 I had finished 6 years of service and transitioned back into civilian life. Laura and I were married on June 10, 1995 after she completed college. She is still the cutest looking girl ever and a wonderful wife after 14 years of marriage.
I am sure you would say the same about Bernice after 62 years of marriage. Congratulations on so many years! Happy anniversary. My wife and I are attending a wedding this Saturday Aug 8th of a friend’s daughter. It is supposed to be a warm day just like it was in 1947. May God bless you and your family. I’m looking forward to meeting you again.
Joel
Joel Wensmann wrote on July 15
Cliff,
Before time gets away on me, I wanted to thank you for coming up to take part in the B17 tour at the St Cloud airport. It was a pleasure to finally meet with you and your family. I hope we are able to meet again for lunch sometime. (You have to know I only let you buy dinner this time because you’ve earned the right to be the boss!) Lunch is on me next time Sir!
It was an honor to have met you and your family. You all are too gracious! Thank you for your prior service to this country and your continued service to this day. You Make America Proud!
Joel
Mat Benjamin wrote on July 12
Mr. Digre,
I am Mat Benjamin. I am Stan Szydlowski’s (Sid’s) grandson. I wanted to touch base with you after I became aware of your book. I have had a friend of mine do some digging, because I am looking for some pictures of my Grandfather during the war, when he stumbled on your book. I think this is really a great thing you have done, and am glad my grandfather was surrounded by a group of brothers like you guys through the war.
Howie Flen wrote on July 2
Please tell Cliff it must be very difficult to publish a book where there are so many things that happened to him over the years. He did a great job.
I just happened to browse through Cliffs book and found the part about the Swedish Lutherans and Norwegian Lutherans. Charmaine my wife’s relatives all went to St Olaf in Northfield and of course she was expected to go their too. However she went to Gustavas college in St Peter. She got a little grief about that and we had a good laugh about it.
Take care and hope I get to see you in the future.
Howie Flen
Danny Johnson wrote on June 14
Hello Mr. Digre. I’m Bennie’s son. We met many years ago at the San Diego reunion. Can’t wait to read the book. I’m waiting for another family member to finish it first. Should be interesting . Dan
George Wise wrote on May 23, 2009
Cliff-
I really enjoyed your book and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your service to our country.
You are an inspiration and the kind of man I aspire to be.
Take Care,
-George
PS – I gave Claude your book to read. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it.
I enjoyed your book. A couple of times when the message arrived that your airplane had gone down I was at your Mother’s and saw their faces when the news arrived. Thank you again. Alice
Hi Cliff. Great site! I’m a WWII aviation writer and always looking for books like yours. I have a chapter in my book about ball turret gunners, interviewed three of them extensively for the chapter. God bless and I am going to buy your book.
~Rob
Cliff, it was a pleasure to meet you at the May 14 meeting of the World War II History RoundTable. I now have a real person to relate to while reading your book. I’m so glad you took the time to talk to me before the roundtable.
Your writing style is excellent and as though you were simply talking through the pages in an engaging and conversational manner.
The content is exactly what I enjoy, giving an insight as to what it was like to be alive in those times in how the times were perceived by those living then.
I have only put the book down long enough to pen this quite note on your blog to fulfill your request that I do so. Here is a review as promised.
I’ll likely be a bit tired for work Monday but I’m almost done
Congratulations on such a fine example of sharing to others, what you preserved so well with that diary!
Mike
Congratulation on writing your book.Tommy (Pickles) was my original Co-Pilot. Would like to buy book via-snale mail. Send me some info. Saw the crash pic in France on your web. You, Dan Nose & I have had many laughs about Pickles at the reunions. Norm.
Thanks so much for the book. I rec;d it on Wed. and finished it already. Thanks again for thinking of me and memories you shared of my father. Take care and God Bless
Anita- I appreciate getting your note and I certainly remember you and your parents being at the cabin. It was a fun time. I hope you will enjoy reading the book. – Cliff
Cliff, It has been years since I was at the lake with your family I was a lot younger. Mom & Dad (Myron and Alma Rinehart Miller) and I came to visit. I look forward to reading the book. I read the diary years ago. My best to the family. Congratulations on this endeavor. Anita
Thanks, Gary. I appreciate your comments immensely. Cliff
Cliff, I am so proud to have known you for this brief time. Knowing you were there during my uncle’s death and the information you have provided me over the years has been valuable and a great experience for my son, Tucker. God Bless and I know we will be seeing more of each other.
I just ordered a book. Would you please sign it for me! Thanks!
Cliff:
I bumped into Dan today at my dad’s golf course. He told me about your book and website. I look forward to reading the book and to our cup of coffee next month.
Congratulations!
Dave
Welcome everybody. Looking forward to your messages.