Welcome to the American Story. This is Chris Flannery with the Claremont Institute.

This story is one in a series about an immigrant boy who became my good friend

and holds a special place in the history of the

Claremont Institute.

He was born American but in the wrong place.

I call this one of oranges and Shakespearean dreams.

In those fateful days in November 1956,

when William and Rose Schramm and their nine-year-old son Peter

and his four-year-old sister Marta escaped communist tyranny in Hungary and made their way

into Austria?

Willie knew where he wanted to go next.

America, the land of the free.

In a small miracle, he was able to contact the man Dr. Joseph Moser, a Hermosa Beach dentist who would make that possible by becoming their sponsor to become American citizens.

Within a week of contacting Dr. Moses from Austria,

the shrams were shipped off to Munich and then to New York City,

where they landed just before midnight on Christmas Eve,

1956, one day after Peter's 10th birthday.

Over the years, he told the story many times.

He was in a hospital, a temporary holding place for refugees.

Many children were seated along the walls of a long hall.

The children didn't talk.

It was the night before Christmas and nuns were passing out small

...