By Andrew Frutiger
Veterans Day honors all of those who have served the country in war or peace and, being the son of Korean War Veteran, this day always had special meaning in our house. It is with this in mind that this month’s article focuses on one of our own veterans, Bernard “Lefty” Kreh, and the example of service he set supporting Project Healing Waters.
Many of us have heard stories of Lefty during World War II, from serving in the 69th Infantry Division to helping to liberate a concentration camp, to suffering from frostbitten feet at the Battle of the Bulge. What I had never heard until now was his experience. In his words, “We were scared as hell a lot of the time, but today we all agree: It was the best experience of our lives. You learn that you can do things you never thought you could do.”
It was with this spirit of “Anything is Possible” that Lefty traveled the world fishing with dignitaries and celebrities but, unlike many who would have let this change them, Lefty never did. He maintained the role of teacher wherever he went and this was never more evident than with his work on Project Healing Waters. Whether meeting him in person or watching him work with others, you always felt like he could teach anyone how to fly fish, no matter the challenge. It is in that spirit that we approach our own Chapter of Project Healing Waters, as teachers willing to overcome any obstacle to help service men and women find joy in the sport we love. Thank you Lefty. Be sure to view the Project Healing Waters tribute to Lefty.
If you have any questions or would like to participate in any of our upcoming fly tying sessions at Fort Detrick, please reach out to me at any time at andrewfrutiger@yahoo.com or go to our Facebook page at Project Healing Waters – Frederick Chapter.
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