John and Hilde Maeckle emigrated from Germany to the U.S. in 1953 aboard a freighter called the Jesse Lykes.
Hilde, affectionately known as “Oma,” in her later years, was the only woman on the ship. John, “Opa,” had recently returned from serving four years as a prisoner of war in England. He had joined the Luftwaffe to escape his fate as a bastard child to a resentful father.
It all turned out well in the end. They built a life, raised a family, and operated a successful custom home business in the Dallas area. Their story conveys a realized American Dream.
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