Being a Seagoing Cowboy is fun! My friend Don Reist invited me to go to Europe in a cattle boat. It sounded fun, the chance to travel around the world and go see places I've dreamed about. I mean how could you pass up an offer like that? So, of couse I said yes. It was 1945, World War II had just ended in Europe, and countries needed help recovering from the war. To help these countries recover more than 44 countries joined together to make the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration or the UNRRA. This program hired "Seagoing Cowboys" (that's what I was) to take care of the horses, young cows, and mules while the animals were on the ship. Don and I signed up of couse it sounded fun, and I had helped my Aunt Katie on her farm when I was a boy so I has some exspirence. Finally we received our orders to report to New Orleans, I couldn't wait to go out and help people. We had arrived on August 14, that's the day the Pacific war had ended. When we got our seaman's papers we boarded to SS Charles W. Wooster, we were heading to Greece, I was so excited. In cargo we had 335 horses plus enough oats and hay to feed of the horses.

I had turned 18 before I had arrivede at Gresse, so that meant I could be drafted for military service, but when my draft board had leanred I was on a cattle-boat trip be just told me to keep doing what I was doing. In the service you help people and help to fight for your country and if he told me to keep doing what I was doing that means I'm doing something that is going to help people in a big way. The cargo is going to help feed people in need because of the war destroying their food supplies. Not only did I help people, I also got to see Europe and China. Seeing the Acropolis in Greece was special. Also taking a Gondola ride in Venice, Italy was amazing too! The city with streets of water was beautiful. I also go to tour an excavated castle in Crete and marveled at the Panama Canal on my way to China.

On theses trips I got to meet new people and see new places. I got to help people in need, and that felt good. It feels good when you see someone that's suffering because their home was destroyed and when you help them they have a smile on their face. Taking care of the cattle, horses, and mules was fun. We also found the time to have fun on board, especially on the return trips after all the animals had been unloaded. Us cowboys played baseball and volleyball in the empty hold where the animals were housed. We had table-tennis tournaments, boxing, reading, fencing, whittling, and games aslo helped us pass the time.

There are so many opertunities when you're a Seagoing Cowboy. "It opened up the world to me." "It made me more aware of people in other countries and their needs." I took an offer of a life time, and you should too! Most importantly to me I know I helped people and I made a difference!