SHAEF

Bernard D. Bernstein, deputy chief of SHAEF’s Financial Division and my father’s commanding officer, was ordered to take charge of recovering the treasure.

At SHAEF, my father was promoted to lieutenant commander and assigned to G-5, the Financial Division, where he served as chief of the Foreign Exchange and Property Control Section.

On April 8, U.S. soldiers and members of SHAEF’s Financial Division entered the Merkers mine and found what was later referred to as Room No. 8, a 75-by-150-foot vault-like room that contained more than 7,000 bags and containers, stacked knee-high.

Incredibly, Winter was able to use the reins to keep the bit in Shaef's mouth and steer him through the rest of the race to finish second.

This race is chiefly notable for the amazing horsemanship of a young Fred Winter on Shaef, whose bridle came adrift at the water jump on the first circuit.