My
ARMY
Career
C-7-2, Basic Combat Training Brigade, Ft. Jackson, SC
APR 77
I don't remember many (I guess I should say "any") names from that long ago, but I do recall that there was a Filipino dude in my company who, when he heard that I was from Guam, was bound and determined to stick up for me in any jam that I got into. And he did on a few occasions. I also remember my boy from West Chester, John Nevin. If either of you guys are still around, email me
here
.
B-14-4, COBET, Ft Jackson, SC
JUN 77
Ahh, the delightful Dovie Clark. I often wonder what direction our lives might have taken if I'd had the balls to marry you.
AIT, Co. B, USAICS,
Ft. Huachuca, AZ
SEP 77
The late Gary Krapek from Iowa, Hagopian, and my buddy from Zanesville, Ohio, Joanne E. Are you still alive, girl? Get in touch! Holger, you were right. Dow is a great electronics technician because of his Navy training. And thanks a million for the cd changer. It's great!
This is a follow-up -- I read Gary's obituary online a month ago. He passed in 1997. Bye, buddy.
Permanent Party, Co. A, USAICS, Ft. Huachuca, AZ
SEP 78
Worked on the
Grumann OV-1B, OV-1C and OV-1D Mohawk
aircraft. Got about 50 hours of flight time with Bucky Buchanan and a cracker CWO2 from Georgia named Jones who always tried to make me puke while I rode second seat with him.
We had simple, er, I mean
civil
-servants in our shop who fixed the SLAR, IR and camera systems on the Mohawk. One of them was a guy named Connie. Another fellow was J.C. Nichols, and there was a third guy named Jerry something who called me "two-stroke" after I made the mistake of asking what the difference was between 2- and 4-stroke engines (big mistake for a 20-year-old who didn't know his ass from his elbow). I also remember a young guy who had serious problems with kidney stones (ouch!).
Since the civilians worked on the systems that the Army spent 40 weeks training us soldiers to fix, we ended up doing nothing more than the grunt work of installing the systems in the aircraft and removing them when they needed repair. The civilians fixed 'em all. Pretty frustrating, but we did do something productive -- we played Pinochle. All day (well, in between the grunt work at least).
I worked for an SFC named Craig Basgall. He was a great boss and a good guy, and not a bad Pinochle player. His dad, Monty, was the infield coach for the Dodgers and used to get us autographed baseballs and other collectibles. I gave my ball to my oldest son many years ago, but I doubt his psycho mother allowed him to keep it.
Speaking of psychos, this is where my life ended as I knew it. Marriage. "D'Oh!" as Homer would say. Chalk it up as another learning experience. Got two great kids out of it, though. Hey, guys! Email your
Dad
sometime.
JAN 81
Honorably discharged from the United States Army at Company A, United States Army Intelligence Center and School, Fort Huachuca, Arizona, home of the Buffalo Soldier.
email me
This page was last updated on 04 July 2011