21. Marriage!

Sarky and I talked on the phone now and then, made plans to take a 10-day leave in Switzerland. A few days before we were to leave I received a telegram saying that he couldn't make it, that he was being transferred. I didn't hear from him again for weeks. 

One day the head nurse asked for volunteers to go work in a London clinic for three weeks. I thought it would be a good chance to see England so I persuaded Kay to join me in volunteering. A few days before we were to leave Kay and I decided to go to Paris and see a play. We were sitting on the bus waiting for it to depart. I heard Kay utter a sound. I looked at her, saw she was looking out the window. I followed her eyes - there stood Sarky. I jumped off the bus into his arms. "I have a three-day pass," he said, "how about getting married?" I yelled: "I'm supposed to go to London." I turned to Kay: "I wonder if I can get out of this duty?" The next morning I went to my head nurse, pleaded for a change. She told me it was OK if I would find another nurse to take my place. I started asking all the nurses and finally found Willie Williams who said she would take my place.

Then we began to make wedding plans. The biggest stumbling block was a 3-day wait for a blood test so we hurried off to the laboratory to see if they could speed up the process for us. The lab guy promised to do his best. Then we went to the American Cathedral in Paris to see if it was available at 4 P.M., September 21, 1945. It was. Kay was to be my maid of honor and Maurice Peterson, an Iowan Sarky had gone through jump training with, was the best man.

I asked for a leave of absence to join Sarky where he was stationed, Berlin, for our honeymoon. The head nurse turned down my request, saying I could not be spared. Lyle suggested we go see the base commander, which we did, with some trepidation. He came through with the three-day pass but what a tongue-lashing I got from the head nurse for going over her head. She even threatened to court martial me but, lucky for me, she didn't carry through on her threat.

The day of the wedding an Air Corps car was put at our disposal, indispensable because of the red tape we had to wade through. A driver picked us up early Friday morning: to the lab for blood test results, to City Hall to meet our interpreters and get all the necessary information. Finally to the Mayor's office for the actual civil ceremony.1"· 

We sat on a bench in front of the Mayor, flanked with interpreters. At the appropriate moments in the ceremony our interpreters would nudge us and we would say "Oui." When it was over we signed the papers, presented the Mayor with four packs of American cigarettes and two bars of soap. In return we received a French certificate of marriage and a booklet stating that we should "reproduce.” Then we went out to look for flowers; a corsage each for me and Kay. We must have gone to a dozen floral shops with meagre selection before we found what we wanted - a gardenia for me and an orchid for Kay. Those two flowers cost us $46. 

Shortly after 4 P.M. we arrived at the American Cathedral. Waiting there on the steps were Kay, Pete and the army chaplain. We were late, of course. We got into position, followed Kay and Pete. down the long aisle toward the altar. As we started Sarky; turned to me and whispered: "I'm sure glad we decided not to have music or I would really be nervous." Just then the organ began Lohengrin's Wedding March. Later we learned that when my friends found out that no music had been scheduled, they assumed that we had forgotten this component. So they searched for someone, found an officer who was an organist. 

As I walked down the aisle I felt like I was floating on air. We had a double ring ceremony; I had bought the rings at Macy's on a New York trip. I had wanted a plain golden band with no decorations. When the clerk said it would cost $6 I was indignant. I told her I didn't want anything cheap; I wanted the very best as I intended the ring to last all my life. The clerk laughed until she cried and told me that because the ring is so small, that was all the gold it could contain, and as for lasting all my life, "How naive you are!" 

Forty years later the ring is still good but I cannot wear it because my knuckle has enlarged (Sarky has the same problem with his ring). However, my weight is only a few pounds more than when we married. 

After the ceremony and posing for a few photos on the cathedral steps, our guests told us that a wedding supper was planned at the Red Cross club.

Wedding Day

They departed and planned to meet us later. Sarky and I, Kay and Pete and the chaplain signed the U.S. army wedding papers, after which we left to look for a hotel room. Rooms then were terribly scarce. To get a legitimate hotel room one had to show a wedding certificate. We found one, went to the Red Cross for the supper. Our olive green army sedan was decorated with a sign: "Jour du Marriage" and Kay and Pete kept honking the horn in U.S style.

Wedding day ride

It was a warm and sunny day, with a small shower which lasted for less than a half - hour. The French said it was a good omen for a good marriage; meaning that it will be mostly sunny with only a few black moments. I guess they were pretty close (so far). 

We arrived at the scrumptious club, a onetime mansion, and as we walked into the huge main room the orchestra began to play the wedding march. We were given the floor, danced a bit while all the guests clapped. Our friends had arranged a beautiful meal; creamed chicken in small pastry shells, peas and champagne - all that I recall of the meal. After a long evening of dancing two bottles of champagne were placed in our arms, we were driven to our hotel, said goodnight to the wedding party. 

A luxury hotel it was not, in fact our room was more like that of a starving artist - up in the garret. We were each assigned a small room at opposite ends of the hall. My room had a narrow horsehair-filled sofa which would barely hold one person so we went to Sarky's room which had a single bed, a chair and a sink. We had a wake up call for 0600 as I had to go out to the base, pick up a bag, meet Sarky at the airport at 11 A.M. I remember we drank champagne, poured from the broken neck as we had no opener. 

I got up early, caught a bus back to my base, said goodbyes, grabbed my bag and took off for Orly field. He was late and the plane was ready to depart as he rushed up. The military transport headed for Berlin where Sarky's airborne division was on occupation duty. We arrived at the Templehof field about dark for my three-day honeymoon. Off to Sarky's apartment where I met Carl Munden who said he would be glad to exchange Sarky as a roommate "because he borrows everything, including my toothbrush. Munden hurried us to get ready to go to the 82nd Division officers' club where a big dance was underway and, Munden thought, a good place to announce our wedding. 

Sarky had not told anyone of his plans so it was a big surprise to all his friends, especially an army nurse from Boston who he had been dating. She didn't come to the dance and our paths never crossed, not accidently I assume. 

The announcement was made and again we had to dance to the wedding march. On the next dance Lyle's commanding officer (General Gavin was out of town at the time) asked me to dance. "I've just danced with Marlene Dietrich, also a guest that evening, and I must say you are a better dancer," he flattered me. We talked as we danced and he asked me how long my leave was. When I told him three days he smiled and said that the Air Corps treated their officers miserably. Too bad the ground forces weren't the orders. "We always give 10 days for wedded personnel." "Well," I responded, "don't ground forces outrank the air arm? So why not issue new orders for me?" "Good idea," he said, "I will; come and see me Monday." It was wonderful evening, especially with the good news of an extended stay in prospect.

Chapter 22: The war comes to an end