Frank and Paul 2003
In August I traveled to Volgograd for the third consecutive year, for a visit of a few days. Vladimir, Paul from Norway and me then drove to Rostov, Novocherkassk (luckily on the evening of a major Cossack festival) and Sochi, on the Black Sea.
Like most people raised in the US during the Cold War, I had an incomplete understanding of the sacrifices the Russian and other Soviet peoples made at Stalingrad and in the war in general. After three trips to Volgograd, I begin to have a better understanding. This year, for the first time, I was involved in finding missing soldiers – 5 Soviet soldiers, all found on the battlefield where they died in Summer-Autumn 1942 together with their equipment (cartriges, PPSh repair tools, coins, pencils, metal insignia, spoons, etc.). Unfortunately, only one has been identified. Efforts are underway to contact his surviving relatives.
Finally, I was in Russia during watermelon season (August). This is a Russian-sized slice, eaten al fresco on the steppe; not bad.
Another great thing in Russia is the fresh cold kvas, which cannot be found in the US. This is me at the kvas tank, ready to sell some kvas.
Some children with puppies, on the road from the Volga beach heading to Red October housing area. What could be cuter? It is impossible to imagine what kind of scenes occurred on this same road in 1942-43.
Memorial plaque "names of veterans of this district who are still living" near the Red October factory.
This is the area of Stalingradsky airstrip, discovered with maps and aerial photos. This was the last German landing area for a few days in January 1943.
Soviet light machine gun magazine, in the area where the Soviet MIAs were found.
Inside the magazine, which was completely full.
Mess tin found with one of the MIAs. The name inscribed is “Ahmedshin,” but this was not the name of the soldier, who had identity papers showing a typical Russian name.
Papers and a small crucifix found with the MIA. These papers were legible and were later used to identify the soldier.
The soldier’s identity capsule – only a fraction of the soldiers carried these, and the paper inside is often illegible. In this case, forensic experts were not able to read the paper inside.
The missing soldier’s helmet, with a clearly visible bullet hole.
A youth group from Siberia searching in the same area.
Soviet Cossack sabre found in the same area as the MIAs.
Trip to Black sea.
Don river at Rostov.
Church at Novocherkassk, capital of the Don Cossacks.
Same church at Novocherkassk.
Dinner and drinking with friends at Sochi.
Cold mountain stream near Sochi; good hangover cure.
Russian jeep in the mountain stream near Sochi; bad for the hangover, but fun.
Outside of Stalin’s dacha at the Black Sea.
Courtyard of the Stalin dacha.
Former movie theater inside the Stalin dacha.
Underground tunnel connecting hotel/sanatorium to beach (Sochi).
Our friend Paul with a glass of special cold "medicine.
Paul from Norway "tending" bar at Sochi.
Inside the Stalin dacha.
Swimming in Stalin’s private pool – Sochi.
Stalin at his desk, with Paul from Norway.
Another photo from inside Stalin’s office. Where is Vladimir?
The front porch.
From the upstairs dining room in Stalin’s dacha.
Dining room for guests in Stalin dacha.
Russian Caviar store
At the top of Krasnaya Polyana, in the Caucasus mountains in the Sochi region.
Same.
Finally, a photo of Vladimir, 2,200 meters off the ground (taken by me from my parachute). In Russia they call this “paraplane” (aka “paragliding”).
Unique road between Krasnaya Polyana and Sochi.