October 14, 1944

 
Frank Hauck with pigeons in Holland 

October 14th arrived with convoy in Maastrich, Holland continued to Valkenbourg where we were billeted in Valkenbourg Castle; set up (pigeon) lofts surrounding mothe.

[Valkenburg aan de Geul, Limburg, The Netherlands]

It is still raining every day and its miserable and muddy out in the field training the birds. Half of us billeted in a hall of a hotel in town. This place was just taken and there is still snipping and shooting all night long. Bombs dropped near us one night and almost demolished hotel. Woman who ran hotel was later taken as a spy. We traveled back and forth from castle only during daylight hours.

Photo of Louis Lee Sapienza was taken in the European Theater during WWII. It was published in the Pittsburgh Press and the Army newspapers.

According to his son, Louis J. Sapienza, "My mother did not know that my father was overseas near the battle action until she saw this picture in the Pittsburgh Press. My father told her he was somewhere safe."