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    Old School Cool

    May 5 1985, I was active duty military. Drove for President Reagan and West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl at Bitburg AB, West Germany. Tan suit to the president’s immediate right… I was only 22.

    The President laid a wreath on the tomb of an unknown soldier from WW2 in the Bitburg city cemetery.

    Brand new CNN was present along with about a hundred global agencies.

    Yesterday, 5 May 2026, was the 41st anniversary of the event.

    Yesterday, 5 May 2026, CNN founder Ted Turner died as well.

    Thank you, Ted. My mother saw me on CNN.

    by InitiativePlus877

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    41 Comments

    2. frisland on

      Did Nancy hit on you? one of my father-in-laws favorite stories was when she got a little touchy feely in the back of a limo

    5. Advanced-Humor9786 on

      This is great! What an interesting time in service he must have had? Thanks for sharing this.

    6. misteraitch on

      The Ramones’ song ‘Bonzo Goes to Bitburg’ commemorates that occasion.

    7. Dudeus-Maximus on

      Nice. I got to do a few days augmenting his security in Korea a year later.
      Being on a presidential detail as a jr enlisted is awesome. A memory that sticks with you forever and a story that never dies.

    12. SouthernLaugh7929 on

      I got volunteered one time in Ohau. Had to be the photographer for the event. Only reason I was chose, is the captain had just seen me earlier in the day on the ship with a camera.

      Lots of senators, etc where there and back in 82 you really had no idea how your photos would come out until they were developed.

      Captain, when the pictures came back, told me that I was the worst photographer they had ever had.

      I do know, my thumb, girls, trees, flowers..all got in the pictures. The captain did not get into any of the pictures with the senators etc. lol

    13. efcomovil on

      Surprised to see something actually cool and oldschool here. Good stuff OP, nice story!

    14. SunriseSurprise on

      Lol my first thought looking at this was “aww how cute, Reagan had his own Cheney.”

    15. Ok_Arachnid1089 on

      There’s nothing cool about American presidents. Especially this one

    16. catgotcha on

      Politics aside, this is actually kind of cool. And I think you mentioned the tan suit on purpose because ya know. 🙂

    17. Syring on

      Did they give you any extra training, like a Secret Service crash course or anything? If things went sideways I would hope the driver would have some idea what to do 🙂

    26. DazzleSkylar on

      Imagine being 22 and having the leader of the free world in your backseat. The level of focus and nerves you must have had that day is legendary. Thanks for sharing this piece of history.

    29. ReadingRambo152 on

      So the Ramones wrote Bonzo Goes to Bitburg because you drove him there 😂

    36. JamesonThibodeaux on

      I’m friends with Reagan’s Pilot’s daughter! This is awesome sir!
      Tan suits are cool! Beat Obama to it by 2 decades!

    37. n_mcrae_1982 on

      The Berlin Wall would come down just four years and a few months later, then Germany would reunite and the Soviet Union break up not long after.

      Did you ever think you would see such things? I suspect few in West Germany did at the time.

    41. SpamFriedMice on

      Buddy was a motorcycle cop who’s only job was escorting dignitaries and US officials motorcades.

      Lot of waiting around, but he got to ride their Harleys everyday.

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