It's always good to speak the language.
In 1967, I was sent to U.S. Army Security Agency Field Station, Bad Aibling, West Germany.
I was a German linguist, recently trained at the Defense Language Institute, West Coast, Monterey, California. Because of my 24 week intense immersion course, I could get along fairly well in German.
Some GI's were not as lucky.
After arriving at Rhein-Main Air Base in Frankfurt, I was put on a train to Munich. As we were approaching a train station along the way, and the train slowed down to a near stop, two nervous young GI's, obviously unschooled in the language, became very agitated and started yelling, "This is our station! This is where we get off!"
As the train began to pick up speed again, they grabbed their bags and bailed...in the middle of nowhere as the train pulled away.
They had just been telling me that they were headed to Augsburg, which I knew would have required changing trains in Munich.
I looked out and just caught sight of the sign which had probably caused their confusion..."Ausgang", which means "Exit". I still have no idea where the train actually was when they jumped off. However, the German railway police are very efficient, and I am sure they got where they were going...eventually.
Donovan Baldwin