Subj : Re: [PENN] Knights of Mal
To   : ALL
From : KENNETH A. \ KEN\  CAMBER
Date : Wed Jun 28 2000 04:12 pm

 @SUBJECT:Re: [PENN] Knights of Malta                                 N

Hi Dennis:
     I cannot give you much in the way of historical foundation,
although I believe the knights were active in the time of the crusades.
However, they have survived to modern times, and are now a sort of
medical order.
     I don't know where all they may be active, but I do know that they
were active in Germany in the 1960's.  When I was in Vietnam in 1967-68,
their German medical personnel were working in the field in northern
Vietnam, helping the people in whatever way they could.  The German
hospital ship "The Helgoland" was anchored in Danang harbor and served
as their base of operation.  (I have some slides somewhere of that
ship.)  They did not support either side in the war, and anyone of any
political persuasion who needed medical assistance who could get to the
ship or to their personnel in the field could get their help. (As a
practical matter, of course, most of their help went to the government
side.)
     At any rate, they were an interesting lot.  Some of them stayed
with the U.S.A.I.D. personnel in Tam Ky where I was, and they sometimes
went into the field with us.  I remember one incident when a couple of
them almost got shot by government troops when they tried to "rescue" a
couple of statues from a temple there.  But for the most part, they were
good and decent people trying to carry out a difficult task.  I am sure
there is historical information on this group on the internet, but I
will always remember my personal history with them.
                - Ken Camber

Dennis Lynch wrote:
>
> My ancestor Harry Rakestraw was a member of the Knights of Malta in
> Middletown, Dauphin County.  Does anyone know anything about the knights???
>
> Dennis Lynch
>
> -----------------------------------------------
>
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