Page 17 - AHATA

A14 LOCAL
Wednesday 6 november 2019
Friendship between Aruba and U.S.

a waltz that is now the na- in Africa while continuing
tional anthem of Aruba. He after that to Italy. I started
is a musician and songwrit- as a replacement in the
er who has been recording front line, and I was also a
and composing for several scout. We needed to find
decades, and he is also out where the enemies
called the “father of our were and inform our cap-
culture.” Lampe was hon- tains accordingly. It went
ored by the Kingdom of the wrong and they shot a lot
Netherlands with a Silver of ours and captured the
carnation. Likewise, Vito rest.” He experienced be-
has been honored in the ing war prisoner in Munich
last seven decades as a where the Nazis treated
veteran by presidents, gov- them bad and restrained
ernors, mayors, the New them from food. I weighed
York Knicks … you name it. 165 pounds and came out
“Last year he graduated of prison with weighing 130
from high school because pounds. We were eventu-
ORANJESTAD — A few good it is here and they try Special Men before he never got the ally liberated and we came
months ago, Aruba To- to book the trip but many Jeff is Aruban-born and chance to do so due to his back to USA where every-
day met two men with a times it is fully booked and proud of his island. “I dedication to the army,” one was so happy. The last
remarkable story about they can’t go. We have showed papa Vito and his says Jeff. guy of my army group died
their friendship. Friendship to reserve one year in ad- family the real deal of Aru- last year.”
has everything to do with vance sometimes. That is ba, the history, the food, Into Service
love, respect and joy and how good this town is.” Vito everything. I take him to vis- Vito: “I come from New Jer- During the visit at Padu’s
all of that is applicable to praises the food, the ser- it special places and char- sey and was born in 1925. house, Vito shared his story
the duo Jeff Angela and vice and the people. “You acters. Last year we visited In 1943, I stepped into ser- while his daughters heard
Vito Traus a.k.a. Papa Vito. treat us good, you respect the marines and that was a vice at the age of 18 and I the history of our Padu. “This
Aruba Today released this us and that makes us come fantastic experience. Now quit school. Our basic train- is all about sharing and re-
article about the two. With back every year. If I can’t we are here in the house ing happened at Alabama spect towards men that
sadness we received the come back anymore in the of Padu Lampe.” Padu in the infantry, after that carry a history of achieve-
news this past week of the future for sure my daugh- Lampe or Padú del Caribe a ship took us to Europe, ments. And it is about the
passing away of Papa Vito, ters will,” says the 93-old is 99 years old now and he but stopped on the route mutual love for Aruba,” as
so we have decided re- World War II veteran. wrote "Aruba Dushi Tera," for a two weeks training Jeff proudly stated.q
publish their story again as
an honoring to Papa Vito.
We wish the family all the
strength in this hard times.

They met years ago when
Vito visited Aruba and Jeff
showed him and his family
around the island. “We are
pals for life. This gentleman
deserves all the respect
there is as he is a good man
and veteran who fought
for our liberty and freedom
as we have it today”, says
Jeff. Vito smiles through-
out the full interview and
repeatedly expresses his
love for this island and its
people.
“One day my daughters
came to Aruba and they
took me with them. That is
where we met Jeff as we
booked a tourist tour with
him and since that moment
we are pals. He took us all
over the island and we fell
in love with Aruba. We tell
people back home how