Uncle Noble

80 years ago this week, my “Uncle” Noble and the 9th Infantry Division sealed off the Cherbourg Peninsula eleven days after D-Day during WWII. I was thinking about him while watching the Band of Brothers on TV. When Easy Company jumped into Normandy for their first wartime engagement, Noble and the 9th had already been in combat for over 1 1/2 years.

 Noble was Dad’s best friend, after his brothers, Mick and George. Both he and Dad joined the Army when underage in 1940, over a year before WWII started. They were in B Company, 60th Regimental Combat Team (RCT), of the storied 9th Infantry Division. 

Dad and Noble in ‘41 or early ‘42.

Mom, Dad, “Uncle” Noble and “Aunt” Myra were great friends through the years and got together several times a year.  The four of them had a close friendship that lasted a lifetime.  I learned a lot about life, and about enjoying life from all of them, but particularly Dad and Noble. They told stories from their time in the Army – almost always funny stories of things that happened. The serious stuff?  The stories of death and destruction? Those didn’t make it to the kitchen table where folks gathered, drinking coffee and listening, as these two combat veterans told their tales. 

Noble’s actual WWII story is interesting.  It’s one you can’t really tell without also telling the story of the 9th. 

Dad and Noble’s wartime experience started on November 8th, 1942, when the 9th took part in the Invasion of North Africa. Until D-Day happened, it was the largest wartime amphibious assault ever. After three days of battle, they took Port Lyautey, Morocco and the Vichy French surrendered.  After some downtime, in January of ‘43, the 60th RCT was the only unit selected to take part in a review for President Roosevelt who was at the Casablanca Conference. Dad and Noble were both there and told us funny stories of the comments in the ranks as Roosevelt passed their unit in a jeep for the review. “Hey Rosie – who’s leading the country while you’re over here?” “Hey Rosie – Who’s keeping Mamie warm while you’re over here?”

Roosevelt Reviewing the 60th RCT During the Casablanca Conference

Things got tough again after that. Starting in February, they fought their way across Algeria and then Tunisia. Station de Sened, Maknassy, Bizerte – forgotten names now, but deadly locations in the spring of ‘43. The Germans eventually surrendered at Bizerte, on May 9th, 1943, just over a year before D-Day. 

The 9th wasn’t finished though. A little over two months later, in July of ‘43 they took part in the invasion of Sicily.  The 60th conducted the famous “Ghost March” through the mountains of Sicily, which the Germans originally thought were impenetrable. Dad was shot three times there, and almost died. It took them a few days to evacuate Dad to an aid station, and then a hospital. The war was over for him and they eventually sent him back to the States. 

Chicago Tribune Asking for a Picture After Dad was Wounded.

In fact Dad’s wounds were so severe, Noble thought he had died, or would die shortly. As they evacuated him, Noble and the 60th continued the fight. 38 days after the invasion began, Sicily fell on August 20th. Noble was there when Patton addressed the Division on August 26th, congratulating them for their efforts.  

In September of ‘43, the 9th deployed to England for rest and refitting. With just over nine months until D-Day, the 60th had already fought in four countries on two continents.

On June 10th, D-Day plus 4, Noble and the 9th landed on Utah Beach. Their mission? Attack towards Cherbourg and cut off the peninsula. This they did and on the 17th of June, reached the ocean on the other side of the peninsula, and eventually, captured the port of Cherbourg itself. If you’ve forgotten your history, Cherbourg was critical for the allies to establish a port on the Atlantic Seaboard. Back home, the news singled out the 9th for their efforts. 

Ernie Pyle and Time Magazine Talking About the 9th on the Peninsula

From there, they started on the great chase across France. The 9th advanced over 600 miles by the end of September thru France and into Belgium. In 3 1/2 months they were engaged in three major campaigns and were only out of action for a total of five days. 

The 9th was among the first units entering Germany itself. For actions on December 12th in the Hurtgen Forest area of Germany, Noble’s unit, B company 60th RCT, received a Distinguished Unit Citation for combat actions in Germany. At the time, the company probably had around 80 or so men.

Noble and B Company, in Action Just Before the Bulge

Just after the 12th, The 9th was pulled out of the line due to the heavy casualties they had sustained. It was “resting” in the Monschau Forest area of Belgium, when on December 16th, 1944, the German winter offensive, the “Battle of the Bulge” started. Thrown back into combat, the Division beat back the enemy at the northern edge of “The Bulge”. 

The Battle of the Bulge, The Ardennes, the fight across Germany to the Rhine River – Noble saw all of that. On 7 March, when the American 9th Armored Division captured the bridge across the Rhine River at Remagen, Noble and the 60th RCT were among the first Infantry units to cross under heavy fire and defend the bridgehead from the East side of the Rhine. 

The 9th at Remagen

On across Germany – The Ruhr, The Hartz Mountains… On April 26th, 1945, a patrol from the 60th RCT linked up with the Russians at the Elbe River. The war in Europe officially ended on May 7th. 

Noble spent 2 1/2 years in combat, fought in seven countries and survived without a scratch. Miracles do happen. 

In 1950, a minor miracle also happened. 

In July of that year, a knock came at my parent’s door and Mom answered. A young couple was standing there and wanted to know if William Hall lived there.  Mom said yes and called Dad.  All of a sudden there was yelling, and exclamations, and hugging, and dancing and back pounding – it was Noble, and his new wife Myra.  

It turned out Noble and Myra were traveling from a vacation in Wisconsin back to Southern Illinois where they lived, when they passed our hometown – Ottawa. Noble thought Dad had died in Sicily, and then remembering he was from Ottawa, decided to stop in and see if he could find Dad’s parents and offer his condolences. He looked the name William Hall up in the phone book, and stopped off at the local VFW to see if anyone knew of Dad or his relations. They then drove to the address from the phone book, assuming it was my grandfather’s home. Instead, he and Dad saw each other for the first time since August of 1943 in Sicily. 

I was born in ’55 and named Max Noble Hall in honor of Noble.  I always enjoyed seeing him and Myra over the years during their visits.  Later, at West Point, and then while spending my own time in the Army, I often asked myself if I was measuring up to these men from B Company of the 60th RCT.  

Noble and Dad in the Mid-‘70s in Ottawa. Still Ready to Kick Ass.

I feel so lucky having known them and having heard the stories Noble and Dad told. It’s only in the last decade I’ve matched those stories up to the details in history books. I can tell you they greatly underplayed what they did for America and the free world. What I wouldn’t give for another day with Noble and Dad – listening to the stories, and this time, asking more questions. 

The “Greatest Generation” is mostly gone now. I think it’s important we not let them, or their stories be forgotten. 

Here’s to you Uncle Noble. Thanks for everything you did for this country and being an influence in my life. It’s a debt I can never repay. 

Addendum:

• Some of this blog was extracted from a blog I did a few years ago about Dad and three of his buddies from the 9th. You can read it here if you want: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/17/dad-deason-boggs-and-noble/
• I relied on the book, “Eight Stars to Victory, A History of the Veteran Ninth U.S. Infantry Division”, published in 1948, as background for much of the factual information in this blog. 

Dad and Al Capone

It was May of 1943 in Bizerte, Tunisia. My Dad, then twenty year old Sergeant Willie I. Hall looked at the German soldier and said “Chicago”. The German answered “Chicago?” Dad stared back. “Chicago. Al Capone”. Now the German’s eyes’ widened …

… After the battle at Maknassy, Dad’s unit, the 60th Regimental Combat Team (RCT) reunited with the rest of the 9th Infantry Division. In late April of ‘43, the push was on to finish the war in North Africa, and in the words of the division Commander, Major General Eddy, “A world spotlight will be focused on us from the moment we attack until we have killed, captured, or driven every Axis soldier from Tunisia…”

The history books tell us that as a part of their assault, the 60th, attacked through the Sedjenane Forest and after driving the Germans out of the area, hit a bottleneck at Djebel Cheniti. On May 5th, the 1st Battalion of the 60th (Dad’s Battalion – about 500 men) attacked Hills 207 and 168 (see diagram below) and Djebel Cheniti by a direct assault with fixed bayonets. You read that right. Fixed Bayonets. In the words of the 9th Infantry Division Record, “One of the strongest positions in the final Axis defense was assaulted by one battalion of Infantry, with artillery blasting a shell-strewn pathway for its advance. Another story in the annals of foot soldiers, who do the dirty tasks of warfare”. After several hours, they took the hills and Cheniti.

I never heard dad say a word about the battle at Cheniti. Not one.*

1st Battalion, 60th RCT’s Path While Attacking Djebel Cheniti and then Bizerte

On the 8th of May, they arrived in Bizerte, and on May 9th, the Germans surrendered. The battle for North Africa was over. In the words of one soldier of the 60th, “We were all 20 pounds lighter and 20 years older.”

Soldiers of the 60th RCT in the Hills outside Bizerte, Tunisia on May 7, 1943.

At this point, I’m sure you are saying, “This is all great history Max, but what the hell does it have to do with your Dad and Al Capone?” Good question.

Now we come to the rest of the story.

With the collapse of Rommel’s Africa Corps, the allies captured prisoners. A lot of prisoners. Over 275,000 Axis prisoners were taken in all, including 25,000 in and around Bizerte alone. This included General Jürgen von Arnim, the German Supreme Commander.

There were, of course, no prisons, so in the immediate aftermath they confined the Germans in large “holding pens” with single strands of barbed wire around each of the pens. The 9th, along with other units, were then drafted into guarding the prisoners until more secure facilities could be established.

Prisoner Holding Pens Near Bizerte, Tunisia

Dad talked about guarding the Germans and the Italians. You have to remember just a few days or weeks before, they were in a kill or be killed mode with the enemy, with plenty of butchery to go around. All that separated the two sides now was a bit of barbed wire. According to Dad, the Italians never had much fight, and the captured Germans knew they were beat, so they generally behaved. Still, you needed to be careful.

During the days they were on duty, dad’s platoon always guarded the same area, and after a while, they would recognize certain prisoners, talk a bit back and forth, and maybe even pass a cigarette across the wire. At the same time, Dad said he wanted to make sure he looked tough so no one did anything stupid.

As Dad tells the story, he was talking with a few of the Germans one day and someone asked where he was from. He answered “Illinois”, but the Germans looked confused. So dad thought about it a bit, and then trying to look a bit tougher he said “Chicago”. The German answered “Chicago?” Dad stared back. “Chicago … Al Capone”. Now the German’s eyes widened. Everyone knew who Al Capone was.

The German looked at Dad and said with a smile “Al Capone…. Ratatatatat….” While making a machine gun like motion with his hands.

Dad looked back at the German, nodded his head, patted his M1 Garand Rifle and without smiling, said “Ja, Al Capone.” The German stopped smiling and didn’t say anything else.

Dad always told the Al Capone story with a chuckle. When getting to the punchline, he would draw himself up to look bigger and meaner. But he was deadly serious about the Germans not trying anything. After what they had been through, I don’t think it would have taken much for him to put a bullet in someone, for doing something stupid.

A little over two months later, after a bit of rest and relaxation, Dad and the 60th were back in Combat against the Germans on the Island of Sicily. There, he was wounded and almost died. You can find a link for that story in the Addendum below.

Dad at the WWII Memorial in 2008.

Addendum:

* Except for the story of how he was wounded, Dad never said much about any of the battles he was involved in. For the most part, he told funny stories about events during the war. I was shocked when doing some research for this blog to find he had been involved in a charge with fixed bayonets. As a soldier, you know things aren’t going to be pretty when you receive an order to fix bayonets. That is combat at its most up close and personal. I have to figure that after you’ve been given the command to fix bayonets, and then taken part in a bayonet charge, everything else in your life, maybe for the rest of your life, must seem pretty easy. It may explain a bit about why Dad always had such a good attitude throughout his life.

Al Capone – As everyone knows, after being the Crime Boss of Chicago for much of the Twenties, Al Capone was incarcerated for tax evasion in 1931. He was released from prison in 1939, but wouldn’t die until 1947. He had a worldwide reputation for murder and violence that may have been the equivalent of his actual deeds.

You can read more about Dad almost dying in Sicily in August of ‘43 here: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/14/wounded-in-sicily/

You can read more about the 9th Infantry Division in Tunisia here: https://9thinfantrydivision.net/battle-history/tunisia-battle/

The Lions and the Warthogs

When we returned to the Chobe Game Lodge, we were still animated from our safari that afternoon. The manager asked us how it went, and we excitedly told him about the lions hunting the warthogs. He asked “Ahhh, and who did you bet on?”

We had arrived at the Lodge the afternoon before. Located in Chobe National Park, it’s a wonderful setting. The Park is particularly known for some of the largest elephant herds anywhere in the world and didn’t disappoint – we saw hundreds of elephant along the Chobe River on our drive to the Lodge that first day.

The next morning, we were on safari when our guide, Thuso*, received a radio call that lions were at a certain location near the river. We quickly changed our route and drove to the spot by the Chobe. Sure enough, there were a couple of female lions and we watched them, as they settled in for a sleep. We were told they had cubs, but the cubs stayed out of sight in the brush. For me, big cat sightings are always special, and this time was no exception.

Settling in for a Snooze

Eventually we moved on and resumed our planned route. For the rest of the morning we had the opportunity to see plenty of ellies, baboons and male Kudu. We’d seen plenty of female kudu on previous safaris, but it was a treat to see the males with their huge spiraling horns. Later, we returned to the Lodge for lunch, and siesta time.

I love the Kudu’s Spiraling Horns

When we left for our afternoon game drive, it was bittersweet. After three weeks of travel, this was the final safari of the vacation and our friends, Bill and Sharon, would fly back to the States the next day. We made a joke with Thuso about it being our last safari, and we hoped she could make it special. She laughed, and then said “Let’s go back and check on the lions. I doubt they moved during the heat of the day.”

Our Wonderful Guide, Thuso

We drove for twenty minutes or so and arrived back at the location of the lion sighting from that morning. As we pulled around a corner, there they were, not two, but seven lions sleeping or lounging in the shade. We watched for the next twenty minutes, as the pride woke up, and started moving around. It was fascinating to see their nonchalance as they slowly stood, stretched and nuzzled one another.

The Pride Starts Coming to Life

The matriarch of the pride eventually crossed the path in front of us and strolled to a nearby stream for a drink of water. Thuso quietly said “I think she is on the hunt.” and pointed out two warthogs, perhaps two hundred yards away, foraging along the bank of the Chobe River. As the lion drank from the stream, her view was fixed on the warthogs. She crossed the stream, and after sitting briefly, slowly started covering the distance to her prey.

The Lioness was Keeping her Focus on The Task at Hand

Meanwhile, while there was no apparent communication, the rest of the pride slowly stood up, and one by one, at perhaps one or two minute intervals, crossed the road, and made their way to the stream for a drink, and then oh so slowly, followed the matriarch’s lead.

As the matriarch proceeded towards the warthogs, she occasionally slowed or stopped, or shrunk down to the ground. The rest of the lions followed her lead and acted similarly. While she moved on a straight line to the warthogs, the rest of the pride slowly spread to the left as they crossed the stream. With the River on the far side preventing the warthogs movement in that direction, the lions spread in a lazy “L” to the left, creating something of a classic ambush setup. The warthogs were blocked in on three sides and oblivious to what was about to happen. We were barely breathing as we watched the lions set up the attack.

The Lions Set Up a Classic Ambush Pattern

The matriarch was pretty much low crawling at this point. Finally, she was perhaps fifteen yards from the nearest warthog. She paused, then, with a leap, charged the warthogs. And…

Two of the Lions and One of the Warthogs. Note the Lead Lion in the Crouch

Do you remember watching the Roadrunner cartoons as a kid? When the roadrunner disappears in a flash of speed and a cloud of dust? That is exactly what the warthogs did. The warthogs turned to the left, turned on their afterburners (who knew warthogs had afterburners!?!) and were gone. I swear, they moved 50 yards instantly. The lead lion raced for perhaps ten yards, and then just stopped. The other lions didn’t do much more than stand up to join the chase, and immediately stopped as well. We watched the dust trails form behind the warthogs as they raced parallel to the Chobe River. They were quickly out of sight and all we saw was their dust lingering in the air.

We were silent for a second, and then all of us burst out laughing and talking at the same time. Of all the possible outcomes, this was one we had never anticipated. The lions had a great setup, they had three sides blocked, and yet, the warthogs made their escape, and made it look easy.

We eventually continued on our safari and saw several more animals, but the hunt didn’t leave us. Even as we drank our last sundowners that evening, the lions and the warthogs dominated the conversation. We had spent close to an hour watching the hunt. It would have been hard to find a better way to end our final safari of the vacation.

The Perfect Ending to our Last Safari with Bill and Sharon. We were Still Laughing about the Lions and the Warthogs

Returning to the Lodge, we were still animated. We saw the manager and he asked us how the afternoon went. We quickly and excitedly told him about the lions hunting the warthogs. He asked “Ahhh, and who did you bet on?” We looked at each other and all of sheepishly admitted we mentally bet on the lions. He chuckled, and then with a smile, said “Never bet against the Warthog.”

Addendum:

⁃ * Thuso was the first female guide we had on this trip, or on our previous trip to Africa. In fact, all of the Guides at the Chobe Game Lodge are female. They must meet the same exact standards of schooling, tests and field work as the male guides. She was an excellent guide – as good as any of our previous guides at the other locations.

⁃ Thanks to Bill Reichhardt for the great photo of the stalking lions. When I asked him whether he had any pics of the hunt, he replied “This shot shows two of the lions and the intended prey – the super speedy warthog – just before he turned on the afterburners. I didn’t have a fast enough shutter speed set for that.” ;-). If you want to see more of Bill’s wonderful photos from Africa, you can view them here: http://billreichphoto.com/

⁃ This is the eighth and final blog about our 2021 trip to Africa. The previous blogs are listed here, in the reverse order of their publishing.

• Receiving a special delivery, while in a boat on the Khwai River, in the Okavango Delta: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/11/09/a-delivery-on-the-khwai-river/
• Spending a night camping in the Kalahari Desert during a rainstorm was a special, and what turned out to be spiritual event: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/27/rain-and-a-blessing-in-the-kalahari-desert/
• An amazing cruise on the Zambezi river that combined drink, food, wildlife and sunset: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/20/an-evening-on-the-zambezi-river/
• Our visit to The Hide safari camp, with lions dominating our sightings: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/16/the-hide-never-fails-to-deliver/
• Anticipation of the trip, just days before we departed: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/09/21/our-bags-are-packed/
• Covid testing requirements for the trip were quite extensive, even though it was much safer in Africa than Florida or Texas here in America: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/09/01/africa-and-covid-testing/
• Africa in our blood. Why we decided to return to Africa, after having “the trip of a lifetime” in 2018: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/06/02/africa-in-our-blood/

⁃ This is the second time we have used Karen Dewhurst, of Sikeleli Travel & Expeditions as our travel consultant. After working with her in 2018, there was no doubt we would use her and Sikeleli again. All accommodations were amazing, the food and wine excellent, the logistics and travel arrangements perfect and the animal viewing exceeded all expectations. If you are coming to this part of the world, I highly recommend her and them. You can reach Karen at: karen@sikelelitravel.com | (+27) 81 067 1094 (South Africa). Their overall website is at: https://sikelelitravel.com/ .

A Delivery on the Khwai River

We were in a small safari boat on the Khwai River in Botswana. We’d just finished some up-close sightings of hippos and elephants when a boat came speeding straight toward us. What was up? Was something important happening at camp? Was there a rare animal sighting on a different part of the river? We were about to find out.

We had arrived at our camp, Xakanaxa, using a six-seater plane the day before. Xakanaxa is located in the Moremei Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta, a World Heritage Site. The waters in the Delta created a lushness that was different from the other safari lodges we had visited. At one point, between the lushness, and the abundance of animals in close proximity with each other, I thought to myself “This is what the Garden of Eden looked like.”

The Garden of Eden

Later on that first day, we had an unbelievable leopard sighting. Harry, our guide had seen the leopard the day before at the site of a kill, so he knew roughly where it would be. Still, this was amazing. After tracking the animal, he located it dozing near a tree. You or I would have gone right by and never known it was there. We were only about five yards away, and watched the leopard for about fifteen minutes as it dozed, woke briefly, and then dozed some more.

A Leopard, Up Close and Personal

On the afternoon of our second day, we chose to take a boat safari instead of a driving safari in the land cruiser. You have a different vantage from the boat, and sometimes, when lucky, enjoy incredible views. That was the case that afternoon, as we saw two swimming elephants (only the second time we’d actually seen elephants swim), hippos, crocodiles on the bank and in the river, and one elephant just a few yards from us in the water, munching on grass.

Elephant having a Bite to Eat in the Khwai River

A bit later, as we were motoring back in the direction of camp, we were held up when a hippo submerged ahead of us in the river. The river “path” was narrow enough at that point, that Harry didn’t want to proceed without knowing exactly where the hippo was – if it rose under the boat the potential to be upended was real, something that’s never a good idea in a river filled with crocodiles.

While waiting for the hippo, we had some luck and saw a rare bird – the “Little Bittern”. It was first seen by our friend Sharon (“What’s that?”), and identified by our guide. It turned out that sightings of the Little Bittern are pretty unique. Returning to camp later that evening, we learned some birders from South Africa had looked for it over the previous three days, but never managed to see it. Sharon later joked, “Yep, we were lucky to see the elusive, and exclusive, Little Bittern. And who saw it first?” 😉

“The Elusive, and Exclusive, Little Bittern”

It was after the Little Bittern sighting when we saw the fast approaching boat. Although Harry didn’t look concerned, the four of us had unspoken questions. What the hell was going on? Why would someone be coming down the channel that rapidly? Was there a problem somewhere? Had someone else’s boat been upended by a hippo? Were they going to warn of us about an issue up river? Was there some exciting sighting further up the river? We then recognized Mox, the lodge manager, and Harry said “Mox has a delivery for me.”, which raised more unspoken questions – What was so important that a delivery was needed in the middle of the Khwai River during our safari? Were we low on gas? Was oil leaking? Was there an unknown engine problem? Mox gave a wave, smiled and slowed down as he approached our boat.

Mox, Approaching our Safari Boat

Mox pulled up next to us and then all became apparent – he handed a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey to Harry! Harry and Mox both started to laugh, and then let us in on the rest of the story. When we left Xakanaxa that afternoon, Harry packed Gin, Tonic Waters and limes for our sundowners, but forgot to grab the Bottle of Jameson. Our friend Bill had switched between G&Ts and Jameson over the course of our trip, and Harry wanted to be prepared for either choice, so he radioed back to camp to have the Jameson delivered to our boat. At that, we all broke out laughing. This was service above and beyond the call of duty. With a wave and a smile, Mox departed and went back to camp.

Mox and Harry Making the Critical Handoff

A half hour later or so, Harry piloted us to one side of the Khwai and prepared our drinks. On safaris, Gin and Tonic was virtually always my drink of choice for sundowners, but I knew that evening I was going to have a Jameson. Harry made G&Ts for the ladies and two Jamesons for Bill and I. We all toasted each other “Pula!”** and enjoyed our drinks. I have to say, I always appreciate Jameson, but it was extra tasty that day on the Khwai. As we sipped our drinks, we joked with each other the whole thing would have made a good Jameson commercial.

Pula!

We sat there, enjoyed our drinks and watched the sun set across the river. It was another perfect ending to a great day. I looked around and then said to Harry, “Do we have time for a second drink?” He smiled and answered “I was told to bring the bottle back empty.”

The Perfect Ending to a Great Day

Addendum:

⁃ **Pula actually has four different meanings: rain, a blessing, “Cheers!” If toasting someone over a drink, and lastly, it is what they call their currency. It’s a pretty versatile and important word in Botswana.

⁃ This is the seventh in a series of blogs about our 2021 trip to Africa. The previous blogs are listed here, in the reverse order of their publishing.

• Spending a night camping in the Kalahari Desert during a rainstorm was a special, and what turned out to be spiritual event: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/27/rain-and-a-blessing-in-the-kalahari-desert/
• An amazing cruise on the Zambezi river that combined drink, food, wildlife and sunset: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/20/an-evening-on-the-zambezi-river/
• Our visit to The Hide safari camp, with lions dominating our sightings: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/16/the-hide-never-fails-to-deliver/
• Anticipation of the trip, just days before we departed: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/09/21/our-bags-are-packed/
• Covid testing requirements for the trip were quite extensive, even though it was much safer in Africa than Florida or Texas here in America: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/09/01/africa-and-covid-testing/
• Africa in our blood. Why we decided to return to Africa, after having “the trip of a lifetime” in 2018: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/06/02/africa-in-our-blood/

⁃ This is the second time we have used Karen Dewhurst, of Sikeleli Travel & Expeditions as our travel consultant. After working with her in 2018, there was no doubt we would use her and Sikeleli again. All accommodations were amazing, the food and wine excellent, the logistics and travel arrangements perfect and the animal viewing exceeded all expectations. If you are coming to this part of the world, I highly recommend her and them. You can reach Karen at: karen@sikelelitravel.com | (+27) 81 067 1094 (South Africa). Their overall website is at: https://sikelelitravel.com/ .

November, 1942 – Dad and the Invasion of North Africa

They were kids really. These men getting ready to invade North Africa, were kids. On November 8th, 1942, the invasion of North Africa began. Dad had turned 19 just two weeks before. Under the Command of Major General George S. Patton, Sergeant Willie I. Hall and his squad were among the first troops on the beach. It was the first US offensive ground engagement against the enemy during World War II.

Dad joined the army in September of 1940 at the age of 16. Pearl Harbor happened a little over a year later, and the training became serious. Along the way, he was promoted, and then promoted again to Sergeant and made a Squad Leader in B Company, 1st Battalion, 60th Regimental Combat Team.

Dad, Probably in 1941

He said a final goodbye to family and friends in Ottawa, Illinois during a leave in August of ‘42. In early October, his unit received their last weekend passes from Fort Bragg, and tore up the town of Charlotte, North Carolina. Some of the troops were late returning, but no one paid any attention. Things were about to get real.

A few days after that weekend, on October 14th, their unit loaded in trucks and moved to the coast and their embarkation point, Norfolk, Virginia. There, they boarded the ship, the USS George Clymer, and departed US waters on October 22d, Dad’s 19th birthday.

Operation Torch had three distinct landing areas in French Morocco and Algeria and they would be fighting against troops of Vichy France. The 60th was a part of the “Western Task Force” under Patton. With combined units from the 9th and the 2nd Armored Division, the Western Task Force was at about Division strength, and unlike the other two Task Forces, consisted solely of American Troops.

Operation Torch – Dad would Land at Port Lyautey, as a part of the Western Task Force under Patton

On November 8th, during the early morning hours, Operation Torch, and the invasion of North Africa, began. At about 4:30AM, the men of the 60th started climbing over the side of the ship, working their way down the landing nets and into the waiting Landing Craft (LCVs). At about 5:40AM, Dad and the 60th came ashore at Port Lyautey, Morocco, 80 miles northeast of Casablanca. Their objective was the Airfield beyond the city, and the Casbah (a fortress on higher ground). Even as they were landing, French shore batteries opened fire on the warships and French aircraft strafed the beach. The 60th suffered it’s first casualties.

The 60th Landing at Port Lyautey on November 8th, 1942

What followed was almost three days of intense fighting. It was the first combat for the vast majority of those involved on the American side. Reading the after-action reports and historical perspectives of the battle, the word “chaos” is used frequently to describe those days – the ships were 90 minutes late arriving at the drop off points for the 60th; a radio broadcast was made at the time the attack was suppose to take place, asking the French to lay down their arms. Because of the delay in deploying the troops, all the broadcast did was warn the French of the impending attack; the 60th was dropped off in the wrong spot and landed 1 1/2 miles south of their assigned landing zone; the seas turned rough and landing craft foundered or capsized; and, tanks weren’t on the ground until the very end of the first day, so the US Infantry had little to counter the French tanks on the initial day of combat.

Brigadier General Lucian Truscott, the Commander of the Northern part of the Task Force under Patton (including the 60th) that landed at Port Lyautey had this to say: “As far as I could see along the beach there was chaos. Landing craft were beaching in the pounding surf, broaching to the waves, and spilling men and equipment into the water. Men wandered about aimlessly, hopelessly lost, calling to each other and for their units, swearing at each other and at nothing.” Truscott later commanded the 3ID, and after that, VI Corps, and then the 5th Army. He retired as a four star general.

Years ago, I talked to Dad about the invasion. He didn’t talk about any of the “chaos”, although I’d guess if you are a grunt in the middle of an invasion, it all looks either chaotic, or crystal clear; maybe both at the same time. What he remembered was his Company knew they had a job to do. It didn’t occur to him they could or would fail. It simply wasn’t an option. He did talk about how fiercely the French fought the first day, but on the second day, they started taking prisoners, lots of prisoners, and that’s when he knew the battle had flipped. Of course this being dad, he also talked about liberating some wine in a cafe where they captured a number of prisoners…. ;-). I’d always laughed when I heard dad tell this last part, but in fact, it’s documented in historical accounts of the battle. B Company DID capture a cafe with a number of French soldiers inside.

On the third day, they took the Casbah (the fortress on the high ground overlooking the city), then Port Lyautey itself, and the nearby airfield. The fighting was over for now. I never had the sense from dad he experienced any of the butchery that would be a part of the fighting a couple of months later against the Germans in Tunisia and Algieria.

The remains of 84 U.S. soldiers who lost their lives from the 60th during this operation were laid to rest in a newly established military cemetery near the Casbah. 275 Americans were listed as wounded or missing.

The US Cemetery Near the Casbah

Years after the war, in the 70s and 80s, whenever in Ottawa on leave from my own time in the Army, Cathy and I went out to dinner with mom and dad. If dad was in a good mood (and he was ALWAYS in a good mood), he’d be talking to one of the women in our group, or another woman we happened to meet at The Steak House or some other local restaurant. Bringing out his very best sexy French Charles Boyer voice (hell, dad sounded more like Charles Boyer than Charles Boyer sounded like Charles Boyer) he’d quote Boyer talking with Hedy Lamarr in the great 1938 movie “Algiers”** and say “Come with me to zee Casbahhh…”, inevitably getting laughs and giggles. The thing was, dad had already been to the Casbah in 1942 with the 60th. There was no Heddy Lamarr, but there were a helluva lot of Frenchmen trying to kill him. Maybe he was just quoting from the movie for laughs, but later in life, I wondered if it was his own private joke with himself, remembering 19 year old Willie I Hall kicking ass in French Morocco in the Fall of ‘42.

Dad at the WWII Memorial in 2008

Addendum:

• ** The movie “Algiers” came out in 1938 and featured Charles Boyer and Hedy Lamarr. It was an instant hit and many considered it a forerunner to the movie “Casablanca” which came out in 1942. Boyer actually received an Oscar nomination in his role as Pepe Le Moko, a French jewel thief hiding in the Casbah. He falls in love with the mysterious Heddy Lamarr, and is torn between returning to Paris with her, or staying in the Casbah. I recently learned the famous line “Come with me to the Casbah…” was in the trailer for the film, but actually cut from the movie itself. Boyer’s role as Pepe Le Moko in Algiers was already famous, when animator Chuck Jones based the character of Pepe’ Le Pew the romantic skunk, on Boyer.

Boyer and Lamarr – “Come with me to zeee Casbahhh…“

• You can read a fascinating blow-by-blow description of the battle for Port Lyautey at: https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/2019/01/12/a-hit-or-miss-affair/ – many of the facts I’ve presented in this blog come from that article, and from “Eight Stars to Victory”, a history of the Ninth US Infantry Division published in 1948. Photos of the map, the cemetery and the beach landing come from both sources as well.

Here are two blogs I previously wrote about dad’s last visit home in ‘42 and dad’s last weekend pass before the invasion.

• In Aug 1942, Dad had A last visit home before the invasion. This tells some of that story. https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2015/11/10/veterans-day-a-blue-star-a-flag-and-a-letter/

• In late September or early Oct 1942, dad had his last Weekend Pass before shipping out. This blog recounts some of that last wild weekend. https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2017/12/04/the-%EF%BB%BFlast-big-weekend-before-the-invasion/

Rain and a Blessing in The Kalahari Desert

We were in the middle of the Kalahari Desert, on the edge of the Ntwetwe Salt Pan when it started to rain. I’d just started my second Gin and Tonic. Dinner was still a bit away, and we made a dash for shelter in the Land Cruiser…

We’d arrived at our Safari Camp, Leroo La Tau (The Lion’s Paw) the day before after a 1 1/2 hour flight on a six seater plane out of Kasane. Our camp was in a remote location along the Boteti River in the Makgadikgadi Game Reserve.

Cathy and the Plane that Flew us to the Makgadikgadi Game Reserve

One of the reasons we were excited about Leroo was that we were to spend one of our nights under the stars at the the Ntwetwe Salt Pan. We would be as remote as possible in the Kalahari Desert, with no ambient light, or connection to other humans. Literally, it would be just us, the desert and the sky – vastness and emptiness, intertwined.

By luck, or by happenstance, we arrived at Leroo on September 30th. Our hosts were celebrating the 55th anniversary of Botswana’s Independence from the British on September 30, 1966. After dinner, they served us a cake decorated in the colors of Botswana’s flag, and explained the meaning of each of the colors*. As we were eating our cake, it started to rain – not for long, perhaps only 20 minutes. We learned it rained on September 30th, 1966 as well, and as Botswana is such a dry country, rain is considered a blessing and a sign of good luck, particularly on Independence Day. We weren’t yet aware how that rain was going to impact our trip.

The next day, as we were getting ready to leave on our five hour drive for the Pan, we learned there was some concern on the part of our guide, Isaac, and the staff. It turned out not only had it rained at Leroo the night before, it probably also rained at Ntwetwe. The condition of the Pan was unknown, and we might not be able to drive on it, or even approach it without our vehicle sinking into the mud. We would not know until we arrived.

A decision was made to give it a shot and we piled into our Land Cruiser. In addition to Cathy and I, and our friends Bill and Sharon, there was a crew of three. Our guide was Isaac, who had led previous trips to the Pan (we were only the seventh group to actually do this). He was accompanied by Dabe, a Bushman (The San People) who was very familiar with the desert environment, and Kago, a manager from the camp.

Setting out for the Ntwetwe Pan in our Land Cruiser

After driving nearly 50 kilometers on a highway, we turned off into the desert. We had nearly 70 kilometers to go, which doesn’t sound far, but with no real road, we would follow a path through the grass and shifting sand. There were still several hours before we reached the Pan.

The “Road” Through the Grass and Sand

As time passed, the environment became starker and vegetation started to disappear. There were no more trees, and few bushes. We were left with a sea of grass. Animals too disappeared. Other than some birds, meerkats, and mongoose, we saw no other wild game on the trip. We were told there wasn’t any real water this far into the desert, so the big game stayed away. Interestingly, we did pass some herds of cattle.

This Meerkat is One of the Few Animals we Viewed on the Drive

Eventually, around 5PM we arrived at the Ntwetwe Pan, with sundown still about an hour away. It had definitely rained on the Pan and it would be a bad choice to drive on it. Although it appeared dry, our Land Cruiser would have soon sunk up to the hubs and been trapped. Instead, we camped on the edge of the Pan.

We connected with Maipa and Mash who drove “The Elephant” (a vehicle with the kitchen equipment, lights, tarps, loo, etc) to the Pan earlier in the day. It was they who set up the kitchen, and the dining area. You could already smell good things cooking on the fire and stove for our dinner. We were served sundowners, and then received a safety talk and a briefing on how to use the loo.

Our Chef, Mash, Fixing Dinner, While Isaac was Making our Sundowners…

We had time before dinner and wandered around. As I took a sip of my G&T, my gaze looked to the east across the Pan. Vastness and Emptyness? Sure. The word Nothingness also came to mind. There was nothing but a line on the horizon separating the sky above from the salt pan below. Loneliness … desolation … flatness… all were also good descriptors. It was flat as far as you could see in any direction.

Nothingness…

It started to get dark, and we viewed lightning storms on the horizon to the north of us. In Botswana, the weather generally flows east to west, so Isaac thought we were safe. Of course, there IS the occasional freak storm ;-)… I’d just started on my second G&T when the sky opened and it began to rain.

Lightning During the Rainstorm in the Kalahari

Three things then happened in quick succession. First, Isaac directed us to the Land Cruiser where we could stay dry and stay out of the way. Next, the staff divided into two crews. The first one quickly broke down the dinner settings and packed them away. Our table, complete with white table cloth, glassware and china was secured. The second crew grabbed our sleeping mattresses and at the same time popped open small two-person tents and put the mattresses in the tents to keep them dry. If you recall, we were to sleep under the stars. That was no longer going to happen.

It was pitch black, except for the occasional flash of lightning. We were staying pretty dry under the Land Cruiser roof, and then one of us started laughing. Pretty soon all of us were. Here we were, in the middle of the Kalahari Desert, one of the driest places on earth, getting rained on while sipping our drinks in a Land Cruiser. How could you not see the humor in that?

Twenty minutes later the rain stopped. The crew quickly reassembled our dining table and just before 7:30PM, we sat down to dinner. Our chef, Mash, served a feast of rolls cooked in a dutch oven, salad, beet salad, a cauliflower and cheese dish, ribs, and chicken filets in a cream sauce. White and red wines were opened. One more surprise awaited us. The tarp above our table had gathered a considerable amount of rain and while eating our first bite, some of it spilled on the table. We quickly moved the table and then we made our way through the delicious meal. We were still chuckling about the rainstorm, but it was a different chuckle as our bellies grew full.

Mash Serving Dinner After the Rain

After dinner, we joined the crew around the fire. Some stories were told and of course a few jokes. A couple of us may have drunk a Jameson. The sky kept changing from clear to cloudy and Isaac confirmed we would sleep in tents. It was a good call, as it rained twice more during the night.

I woke once in the late hours of the night to go the bathroom. The sky had cleared by then and as I looked up, I saw my old friend Orion high in the sky overhead. I smiled to myself – it’s nice to know some things never change.

The next morning while still dark, I woke to a voice softly singing. It was Kago singing her morning prayers. I listened quietly and out of nowhere, felt an immense sense of peace come over me. I can’t help but wonder if the remoteness of where we were also contributed to the feeling.

The camp started stirring and I got out of bed about 5:30. Although still dark, a fire was already going, and our morning breakfast was cooking. The eastern sky was turning gold and red, as the sun was about to appear on the horizon.

The Moon was still high in the sky as dawn approached.

As the sun rose, I walked to edge of our camp by myself. I again saw the vastness and emptiness of the Ntwetwe Pan to the east. There was a beauty to it that provoked an ache in my heart. Even now, I find it hard to describe.

Sunrise over the Ntwetwe Pan in the Kalahari

In Botswana, the word for rain is Pula*, which also means a blessing, as rain is so scarce. Although the rain the night before and on Independence Day changed the tenor of the trip, I think it also gave me something else I can’t define. As I looked at the vastness of the Pan that morning at sunrise, I felt the presence of something larger. God? Perhaps, but I don’t think so. It was more a feeling that even though I am so small, I belonged to something much larger than myself. To me, the vast emptiness I was looking at no longer felt like nothingness or loneliness. There was a weight and depth to it, and yes, a peacefulness. I felt blessed to be in such a remote location. Maybe hearing Kago sing her prayers earlier in the dark is what changed my feelings to something more spiritual. I doubt I will ever know.

My Friend Bill Surreptitiously Snapped this Picture of me Contemplating the Pan

A bit later, I rejoined the others and soon we ate a breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs, pancakes, yogurt, fruit and freshly made biscuits. Afterwards, we packed up, and just after 7AM, started the five hour return trip to Leroo. Later in the afternoon while on safari, our guide Ollie tracked and showed us a Cheetah and her three cubs, which was amazing. For me, even as I was viewing the cheetahs, my mind returned to the sunrise at Ntwetwe and the ethereal feelings I experienced.

Addendum:

– *Pula actually has four different meanings: rain, a blessing, “Cheers!” If toasting someone over a drink, and lastly, it is what they call their currency. It’s a pretty versatile and important word in Botswana.

⁃ I’d like to thank Isaac Mpuchane, our guide, for reading my blog and providing input. As we traded emails, he sent me a link to an article that places the Ntwetwe Pan as one of the possible locations for the start of human civilization. Maybe my spiritual feeling wasn’t as accidental as I thought. You can read the article he sent me here: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50210701 If you want to learn more about Isaac, or see some of his amazing photography, you can do so at: http://www.instagram.com/isak_naturephotography

⁃ I’d also like to thank Bill Reichhardt for the picture of me on the edge of the Pan. Bill is quite the photographer and if you would like to see more of his pictures from Africa, you can view them here: http://billreichphoto.com/

– * The colors in the flag of Botswana have the following meanings: The light blue represents water, and specifically rain, as it is such a precious resource. The black band with the white frame has two meanings. First, they symbolise the harmony and cooperation between the black and white people who live in Botswana. Furthermore, they represent the stripes of the zebra, the national animal of Botswana.

Botswana’s Flag

– This is the sixth in a series of blogs about our 2021 trip to Africa. The other blogs are listed here, in the reverse order of their publishing.

• An amazing cruise on the Zambezi river that combined drink, food, wildlife and sunset: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/20/an-evening-on-the-zambezi-river/
• Our visit to The Hide safari camp, with lions dominating our sightings: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/16/the-hide-never-fails-to-deliver/
• Anticipation of the trip, just days before we departed: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/09/21/our-bags-are-packed/
• Covid testing requirements for the trip were quite extensive, even though it was much safer in Africa than Florida or Texas here in America: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/09/01/africa-and-covid-testing/
• Africa in our blood. Why we decided to return to Africa, after having “the trip of a lifetime” in 2018: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/06/02/africa-in-our-blood/

⁃ This is the second time we have used Karen Dewhurst, of Sikeleli Travel & Expeditions as our travel consultant. After working with her in 2018, there was no doubt we would use her and Sikeleli again. All accommodations were amazing, the food and wine excellent, the logistics and travel arrangements perfect and the animal viewing exceeded all expectations. If you are coming to this part of the world, I highly recommend her and them. You can reach Karen at: karen@sikelelitravel.com | (+27) 81 067 1094 (South Africa). Their overall website is at: https://sikelelitravel.com/ .

An Evening on the Zambezi River

Watching an Elephant swim across the Zambezi river from Zimbabwe to Zambia was a first for us. For all the world, it looked as if he was doing the breast stroke, with his trunk and head rhythmically coming up for air. It was an amazing thing to watch.

We’d arrived in Victoria Falls the night before, making the drive back from The Hide. We were only in town for two nights, so it was an active day. We started with a visit to the Falls in the morning and they didn’t disappoint. It was our second time seeing them, and the first time for our Friends Bill and Sharon. The Falls had more mist this time and it was quite evident why they are called “The Smoke that Thunders”. There were times the mist obscured the falls themselves and your only connection was the deafening sound of them crashing to the river below.

The Mist Rising Over One Part of the Falls

We ate lunch at The Lookout Cafe with it’s wonderful view of the Zambezi River and the Victoria Falls Bridge crossing from Zim to Zambia. Built in 1905, the train bridge is still used today. After lunch we made a quick stop at “the Big Tree”, a Baobab tree estimated by some to be nearly 2,000 years old, did a bit of shopping, and then went to our lodge to clean up for our Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi.

We arrived at our boat, The Victoria, around 4:15PM and were greeted by the boat’s bartender Trymore, with their version of a Pimm’s Cup. The boat pushed away and for the next two and a half hours, we cruised the Zambezi. Due to covid, the four of us were the only guests and we were treated quite well. The boat had a three person crew -Trymore, PK the chef, and our Captain, Misheck.

Captain and Crew of The Victoria

We knew the cruise included appetizers, but were surprised to discover we would have four courses. The next two hours were a surreal combination of drink, food, wildlife and scenery. Even now, I have trouble wrapping my mind around our time on The Victoria.

As we motored along, we switched to Gin and Tonics, or Jameson, depending on your vice, and the first course of Biltong, Beerstick and rotti was brought out. We were heading down river, and would ultimately stop about a kilometer above the falls. It was a beautiful afternoon and we were passing some ellies and a few hippos in the water. Suddenly a huge hippo actually breached the water and all thoughts of food disappeared. Our friend Bill, an excellent photographer was in the right place at the right time and grabbed a stunning shot. We all looked at each other and laughed a bit – THIS was fun, amazing and crazy all at the same time.

Biltong and a Leaping Hippo – What’s not to Like?

As the second course of sushi arrived, we were nearing the Falls. At about 800 meters away, we stopped for a bit. You could see the “Smoke” caused by the mist of the Falls themselves. As the Captain cut the engine, the thunder and rumble of the Falls was unmistakable. It was an incredibly peaceful scene, except for the roar emanating from the horizon.

Sushi … and “The Smoke That Thunders” Viewed from Upriver

The boat turned around, and a bit further on and we saw something in the water, but couldn’t quite make it out. It was an elephant swimming across the river from Zimbabwe to Zambia! For all the world, it looked as if he was doing the breast stroke, with his trunk and head rhythmically coming up for air. As the elephant climbed out of the river and into Zambia, our third course of veggie and chicken “satay” kebabs arrived. By now we’d switched to wine and were still jabbering with each other about the swimming elephant. Although the kabobs were excellent, I have to tell you, a swimming elephant grabs your attention just a bit more… ;-).

(Click on Arrow for Swimming Elephant Video)

Both the river and time drifted along. It had been overcast, so we didn’t hold much hope out for a great sunset. Suddenly there was a shift of clouds in the west and the sun appeared above the horizon. We watched for several minutes, mesmerized by the colors of the sun playing across the sky and water. It was one of those moments where time froze in place. As we finally returned to our seats, the fourth and final course, “Mini beef Wellingtons” arrived, along with some red wine.

Sunset, accompanied by our Final Course

We were quieter now, basking in the glow of the evening twilight. We passed a few other boats, and more wildlife. Eventually, our dock appeared in the distance and the evening was over. Was it really only two and a half hours ago we’d started out? It felt like a lifetime had passed.

The Zambezi as Twilight Settled in

Addendum:

⁃ Thanks to Bill Reichhardt for the picture of the leaping hippo, and my wife, Cathy for the amazing sunset shot. Special thanks to Sharon Murray for providing the fascinating video of the swimming elephant.

⁃ This is the fifth in a series of blogs about our 2021 trip to Africa. The other blogs are listed here, in the reverse order of their publishing.

⁃ Our visit to The Hide safari camp, with lions dominating our sightings: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/16/the-hide-never-fails-to-deliver/

⁃ Anticipation of the trip, just days before we departed: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/09/21/our-bags-are-packed/

⁃ Covid testing requirements for the trip were quite extensive, even though it was much safer in Africa than Florida or Texas here in America: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/09/01/africa-and-covid-testing/

⁃ Africa in our blood. Why we decided to return to Africa, after having “the trip of a lifetime” in 2018: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/06/02/africa-in-our-blood/

⁃ This is the second time we have used Karen Dewhurst, of Sikeleli Travel & Expeditions as our travel consultant. After working with her in 2018, there was no doubt we would use her and Sikeleli again. All accommodations were amazing, the food and wine excellent, the logistics and travel arrangements perfect and the animal viewing exceeded all expectations. If you are coming to this part of the world, I highly recommend her and them. You can reach Karen at: karen@sikelelitravel.com | (+27) 81 067 1094 (South Africa). Their overall website is at: https://sikelelitravel.com/ .

The Hide Never Fails to Deliver

The Hide was the one Safari Camp we rebooked from our last trip to Africa in 2018. We knew we wanted our friends, Sharon and Bill to experience it as well. As our buddy Dave said in 2018 “The Hide never fails to deliver.” He was right.

It took two and a half days to travel to The Hide Safari Camp in northern Zimbabwe. We left the States on a Tuesday evening, arrived in Jo’burg, South Africa Wednesday evening and spent the night. The Next morning we flew to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and spent another evening there. On Friday morning, we made the three hour drive to Main Camp in Hwange National Park, where our guide, Sean Hind, picked us up and then spent another hour driving on “roads” of dirt and sand to finally arrive at The Hide.

Our guide, Sean was excellent. On the very first afternoon, as we were leaving for our first Safari, we passed a large elephant pack (also called a memory of elephants) heading to the watering hole back at The Hide. Sean stopped for a second, and then said “If you are up for it, let’s head back to The Hide and watch the elephants approach – we could be in for a show.” We turned around and made our way back, not realizing what a treat we were in for. There wasn’t just one herd of elephants, but five or six that paraded in front of us for the next hour and a half. Each memory came in from the sunset in the west, drank water, played in the mud bath, and then exited to the east. We sat there mesmerized, drinking our sundowners and watching them pass. We saw, perhaps, 100-200 Ellies in total.

Ellies in the Mud Bath…

On another day in the morning, Sean drove us over an hour to the pan (water hole) called Mbiza, where we sat and waited to see what might appear. There were baboons, zebras, and warthogs, some ostrich in the distance and many beautiful birds. While sitting there, all of a sudden a dark line appeared on the horizon. It then became a dark line with dust in the air over it. A large herd of Cape Buffalo was approaching. We watched for fifteen minutes as they slowly made their way to the pan. They were in no hurry, and it was more of a march. Finally they arrived and crowded the bank of the pan on the opposite side from where we sat. We were perhaps 40 yards away from the massive herd. Sean said there were over 600 of them. When we asked how he knew how many there were, he answered straight faced “Oh it’s easy. I just count the legs and divide by four.” We all burst out laughing.

Some of the Cape Buffalo at the Mbiza Pan

The last thing I’ll mention is the number of lions we were able to see. On our last trip to The Hide, we “only” saw two lions sleeping. This time? On the first two days, we saw two different prides, including one with cubs only three or four month old. For the pride with the cubs we were only about 5 yards away from them. It was amazing.

The Three Month Old Cubs

Later we were on our way to the Pan at Ngweshla when Sean received a call over the radio. After a conversation back and forth, he turned to us and said “If you need to use the loo, you’d better find a bush now. There’s a lion on the road between us and the next bathroom at Ngweshla!” We drove on and then saw another safari vehicle going slowly in front of us. Sure enough, in front of the vehicle was a single male lion ambling along. He was zigzagging back and forth across the road so the vehicle could not pass. It turned out they had followed him for over a kilometer. He showed himself to not only be king of the jungle, but King of the Road (Where’s Roger Miller when you need him? 😉 …)

King of the Jungle, AND King of the Road…

The thing about safaris, is you never know what you will see. It’s not a zoo or a Disney Theme park. It’s nature, in the wild and unscripted. The sightings on this trip were different from three years ago in 2018. Not better, not worse, but different. Our buddy Dave was correct though – The Hide never fails to deliver. Thanks to our guide, Sean, for helping us see so much.

Dinner with Sean on our Last Night at The Hide

Addendum:

⁃ Special thanks to our friend Bill Reichhardt for the title picture of the lion and of the lion strolling down the road. The photos are both of the same lion, about 1/2 hour apart. After following the lion on the road for a while, he eventually veered to the side, and rested by a termite mound.

⁃ Many thanks to our guide, Sean Hind, at the Hide. Sean works at The Hide, but also has his own guiding company. You can read more about him and his company here: http://www.safarisicansee.co.zw

– This is the second time we have used Karen Dewhurst, of Sikeleli Travel & Expeditions as our travel consultant. After working with her in 2018, there was no doubt we would use her and Sikeleli again. All accommodations were amazing, the food and wine excellent, the logistics and travel arrangements perfect and the animal viewing exceeded all expectations. If you are coming to this part of the world, I highly recommend her and them. You can reach Karen at: karen@sikelelitravel.com | (+27) 81 067 1094 (South Africa). Their overall website is at: https://sikelelitravel.com/ .

Our Bags are Packed

With apologies to John Denver –

All our bags are packed, We’re ready to go.
Africa holds us, and won’t let go…
Yea, we’re leaving, on a jet plane, 
Didn’t know that we’d go back again…

After three years, we are once again Africa bound. We took our Covid tests on Sunday afternoon and received the negative results back Monday. We start the journey at 4PM later today (Tuesday) flying from Dulles to Newark, and then board a direct flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. We arrive 15 hours later at 5PM local time (11AM DC time) on Wednesday. We’ll have a good night’s sleep and then take a flight to Vic Falls the next morning (Thursday), where the fun really begins. With a bit of luck, we’ll see ellies than evening while having sundowners.

The Safari Camps

We’ll be on this adventure for about 3 1/2 weeks, with most of the time on safaris in Zimbabwe and Botswana. Our first Safari camp, The Hide, is in Zim and a several hour drive from Vic Falls. This is the one part of the trip we are repeating from our last visit. After The Hide, the other three camps are all in Botswana and are fly-in camps. Those flights all set a limit of two small, soft bags and no more than 44 pounds per person. My two bags weigh 40 pounds together. It’s amazing how light you can pack when you need to.

Two Small Bags and 40 Pounds, for 24 Days

Cathy and I, along with our friends Bill and Sharon, started planning this vacation in January of 2020. After a one year Covid delay, it’s finally here. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve and can’t wait for this trip to begin.

Addendum:

I’ve written two other blogs about this upcoming 2021 trip to Africa.

The first one is about why we wanted to return to Africa, after having the “Trip of a Lifetime” there in 2019. It can be viewed here: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/06/02/africa-in-our-blood/ .

The Second blog is about the extensive Covid testing required throughout this upcoming trip, along with some stats showing Africa is actually safer (for covid) than several of the States here in the USA. You can read it at this link: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2021/09/01/africa-and-covid-testing/ .

Africa and Covid Testing

In three weeks, we depart for Africa. We’ll have our first (but not last) Covid PCR* test 48 hours prior to departure. In fact, it will be the first of four Covid tests during the vacation. Although the State Department says we shouldn’t travel to South Africa, Zimbabwe, or Botswana due to Covid, it turns out all are much safer than traveling to Florida.

When we board our plane here in the States bound for Johannesburg, South Africa, we need to show the result of a test taken not more than 72 hours prior to our departure. When we enter Zimbabwe, a day after arriving in South Africa, the TEST RESULTS themselves can’t be older than 48 hours PRIOR to the beginning of our travels. Given that it takes at least 16 hours here locally to receive test results back (for a PCR test, not the rapid test), the logistics are doable, but a bit … challenging.

A week later, when we travel from Zimbabwe to Botswana, we’ll need another PCR test. Eight days after that, when we return from Botswana to South Africa, we will receive our third PCR Test. Finally, when we return from South Africa to the States, we will have our fourth Covid PCR test. None of the tests can be older than 48 or 72 hours, depending on each country’s requirements, hence, the number of tests required. Karen, our travel agent, has already scheduled the tests in Africa for us.

Our Covid PCR Tests are Already Scheduled in Africa

The Department of State is currently warning against travel to Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa due to the increase in Covid cases in all three countries. Here’s the interesting part. The current number of weekly Covid infections per 100,000 people in each of these countries is:

Zimbabwe – 13 infections per 100,000 people

Botswana – 318 infections per 100,000 people

South Africa – 136 infections per 100,000 people

Guess what Covid weekly infection rates are per 100,000 people in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi?

Florida – 691 infections per 100,000 people

Louisiana – 720 infections per 100,000 people

Texas – 397 infections per 100,000 people

Mississippi – 753 infections per 100,000 people

The United States over all – 306 infections per 100,000 people

Seriously. And they are worried about us traveling to South Africa, Botswana and Zim.

In Africa, the precautions don’t stop with the tests. We will fill out health questionnaires at border crossings and hotels. At the Safari Camps where we are staying, the staff are all 100% vaccinated. If they depart the camp, they are retested upon return, and all staff are temperature tested twice daily. They will also temperature test us once per day. All staff members are masked. They will clean and sanitize all public and private areas as they are used.

Is there risk in going on this trip? Sure. There’s always risk. In addition to Covid, there is also the chance of malaria, typhoid fever, cholera, hepatitis, tetanus, stomach distress, and assorted other diseases.

Cath and I, along with our friends Bill and Sharon have discussed the risks and received continual updates from Karen. For Covid, we will mask as needed, distance from others as required, and wash our hands frequently. Although the vaccination rate is not as high in these countries as it is in the US (due to vaccine access), they are doing the right things to minimize the risks.

As to the other diseases, it’s amazing. They have these wonderful things called vaccines and vaccine boosters now that take care of several of the diseases. For the rest, good hygiene and drinking water only from known sources solves most potential issues. As a side note, Cathy and I have had our International Vaccination cards for decades – they are a great way to keep track of the current status of all of our vaccines, boosters and shots. It’s unclear to me whether owning these card makes us a part of some International Communist conspiracy or not :-).

International Vaccination Certificates are a Great Thing to Have.

All four of us are unbelievably excited about the trip. Originally scheduled for September of 2020, we postponed a year, due to covid overall. Now? We are ready to go.

Risks? Yes, we are ready to take some risks, and travel to Africa. Just don’t ask us to go to Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi or Texas. There are some risks we just won’t entertain.

Addendum:

• For international travel, you must have a PCR test, not the rapid test. It is considered more reliable. Unfortunately, it takes longer to receive the results.

• US Covid statistics are at this link if you want to look up your state: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailycases_7daycasesper100k

• African Covid statistics were provided via Reuters. You can look at countries world wide at the following location: https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/botswana/ They provide US overall statistics there as well, which match closely to CDC statistics.