My father, Chaplain Hudson Phillips, was a life-long Scouter and he regarded the Scout program as central to his work with military dependants at every duty station to which he was assigned. Prior to WWII he organized a mounted scout troop at Governor’s Island, using government horses and equipment. He continued his Scouting work at Selfridge Field, Michigan. The war years involved him with the 11th Airborne in the Pacific, but when he returned to the States he immediately set up a Scouting program at Randolph Field in 1946. Upon his arrival in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1950, he found that Scout programs had begun almost immediately after the war, wherever there were military dependents. These were largely decentralized, with each troop working unilateraly with the Boy Scout program in the United States. Quite often, our Scout uniforms were created out of military uniforms that were dyed green or were ordered directly from the States. The Scouts in the Seventh Corps area of Stuttgart Area formed their own Council and began having campouts in the Black Forest. It was not long before Stuttgart was the dominant program in all of Eucom. At this same time, Scouting was returning to German children. During the pre war and war period, German boys were organized as Hitler Jungend (Hitler Youth). Quite often their new Scout uniforms were the old Hitler Jungend uniforms with the insignia torn off. Early campouts with the Germans were often very tense affairs, but several experimental overnights took place prior to the international World Jamboree at Bad Ischel, Austria—Scouts from all over the world attended this one in 1951.

My brother, Tony, and I left with my mother and sister to join my dad in August of l951. The Stuttgart Council sent money to us to buy supplies from the Grey Owl Trading Post in Brooklyn, New York. We were to begin making costumes for the campfire ceremonies. (We, actually completed a double tailed, simulated eagle feather, bonnet, a, simulated Buffalo horn, bonnet, a Chippawa roach headpiece, a, simulated bone, breastplate, leggins made from discarded pool table cloth from the Fort Sam Houston Officer’s club, and breech clouts, made from discarded maroon material from the Post Chapel.) Through the fall months, Scouting in Eucom experienced major changes. William E. Hoffman, the first professional Scouter, was brought in from the United States to organize the Scouting program. His office would be in Heidelberg and he would soon systemetize the program throughout our military bases in europe. In order to work within the rank-conscious milieu, Hoffman obtained the civil service rank equivelent of a general in the military and designed a snappy looking uniform for himself. He was a dark, handsome man who resembled the television actor, Victory Jory. I first met him while completing my senior year of high school at the American dependant’s school at Heidelberg, where he was recruiting his staff for the coming summer camp at Fussen, German.

The Eucom BSA camp was one mountain ridge away from the famous Neueschwanstein castle built by King Ludwig. To get to the camp one had to drive through a narrow opening between two sides of a mountain. Tucked away amidst the forest, the lake, and the surrounding mountains, the camp afforded a spectacular and very private experience of nature. It was a boy’s dream come true. Year’s later, I was to learn that the previous group of tenants at this location had been a top secret Nazi V-2 rocket program. During the final days of WWII, Nazi weapons and equipment had been sunk in the lake. One could say that the Boy Scouts redeemed the location with their daily flag raisings and lowerings and their bugle calls. The Voice of America radio network made a tape of our ceremonies to broadcast throughout the “Iron Curtain” countries. During the winter, the Scouts held ski camps here, so Scout presence became almost continuous.

The first Order of the Arrow calling out ceremonies begain in 1952. The ritual team was composed of myself (Alowatsakima) my brother, Tony (Meteu), Larry Pautsch (Kitchkinet) and Miles Henderson. David Parsons was on the team in 1953. The ring for the ritual ceremonies was on the back side of the circle of hills and ridges behind the main lodge. It afforded a view of Austria and of ruins of an old castle. The calling out ceremonies were of great interest to the German locals, who referred to the appearance of the costumed Scouts as “Indian Night.” Included in this entourage of feathered white people was the 60-year old figure of William Hoffman—known as “Chief”—in breech clout, leggings and full headdress!

The Black Eagle Lodge was formed sometime during this time. I have seen names listed of people who are credited with founding the Lodge but I never met or was aware of any of them. As Lodge Chief, I think that is rather strange, but many people were doing things at this time, unaware of each other. Bill Hoffman did little to discourage this, and this becomes a problem in writing the history of the Lodge at this time. Brother Tony and I were called out to be Vigil Honor members of the Order of the Arrow. We each were led to points overlooking the camp to spend the night in meditation. It was a wet and very cold experience. Each of us had been given a few matches to light a “Vigil Fire,” but it was impossible to find anything that would burn under those conditions. So we sat in the darkness—very miserable and somewhat humiliated. Our advice to others who find themselves in this situation would be, “burn your underwear,” no one would ever know. There were many military people that worked with us as staff members and leaders—some names come to mind: Al Mink, Bob Kyle, Parks Olman, George Madrey (American Red Cross), Sgt. Granger, Cpl. Sprague, and Bob Spratt. Other staff members include—David Parsons, Bob Hoaglund, John Plant (Canadian), Horton Chandler and Dave Murphy. Many of us formed the contingent of American scouts that attended the Scottish Jamboree at Blair Atholl in 1953. A very moving moment for us on that trip was during our visit to Westminster Abby. We circled the monument of Lord Baden Powell and repeated together the Scout Oath. During the 1st Gulf War, I listened to a “call-in show” that involved a General being interviewed. Another General officer called in. The first thing he said to the other—“Black Eagle Lodge.” I smiled.