The Chaplain-In-Charge, Father Laurence Pestle, enjoyed the inging and playing of Corporal Danley, It gave the folk mass a certain amount of energy, and kept some of the young people coming to Mass. Thus, he did not object at all to Danley's little impromptu concerts, after the adult parishioners had left.

Michael Young, age 17, was one of those young people. His father, Colonel William Young, was a typical career U.S. Army officer, enjoying his three year tour in Europe, and the alternative cultural experiences it gave his family. Prior to moving to Germany, the family had spent one bad year stationed in California. During that year, Michael had begun to grow his hair long, dropped out of church and scouts, and been friends with the unsavory types that particularly occur on the west coast. Colonel Young and his wife were grateful for the chance to spend some time outside of the United States. Mike was still at a very impressionable age, and life away from the moral degeneration of America was a good thing.