Luck Bomberger was working two part-time jobs in a grocery store and a bank. Don Reist his friend invited him to go to Europe on a cattle boat.

He said yes right then he knew it was an opportunity of a lifetime.

UNRRA hired "Seagoing Cowboys" to take care of the horses, young cows, and mules that were shipped overseas.

Luke signed up with his friend Don.

Before arriving in Greece, Luke turned 18 years old, which meant he could be drafted for military service.

When his draft board learned he was on a cattle-boat trip, they told him to keep doing that for his service.

By the time he was discharged in 1947, he had made 9 trips the most of any Seagoing Cowboy.

The cattle boat trips were an unbelievable opportunity for Luke.

Besides helping people, he had the side benefit of seeing Europe and China.

But seeing the Acropolis in Greece was special.

Luke toured an excavated castle in Crete and marveled at the Panama Canal on his way to China.

It took about two weeks to cross the Atlantic Ocean from the eastern coast of the United States and a month to get to China.

Caring for the animals during the crossings kept him busy.

They had to be fed and watered two or three times a day.

Bales of hay and bags of oats had to be pulled up from the lower holds of the ship.

Stalls had to be cleaned.

Helping out on his aunt Katie's farm as a boy had prepared him for hard work, but not for dangers at sea.

He couldn't work for a couple of days because of cracked ribs.

Being a Seagoing Cowboy was much more than an adventure for Luke.

It opened the world up to him.

He is grateful for the opportunity.

It made him more aware of people of other countries and their needs.

The awarness stayed with him, leading his family to host a number of international students and exchange visitors for many years.