Great story...
...from
Mostly Cajun. He was in the Army for a while, drove and taught Tanks. He was reassigned to Fort Knox and his first day was a little less than optimal. Neither was his Tank.
Fate was not smiling, she was laughing out loud with milk spraying out her nose.
It begins innocently enough:
Another “What did you do in the war, Daddy?” post.In 1972, after two years at Fort Polk Louisiana, where I was a drill sergeant, I received orders for transfer to Fort Knox Kentucky, for assignment at the First Training Brigade of the Armor Center as an instructor.
In irony not unusual for the Army, I found myself assigned to the same training unit, Company “A", 2nd Battalion, 1st Training Brigade, that I’d graduated from in January of 1969. Even more ironic was walking into the orderly room and running into the same crusty sergeant first class who’d been the field first sergeant when I’d graduated. We’d both had a couple of tours since my graduation, but we were back, and this time I was a buck sergeant (E-5) instructor.
I was suitable welcomed. The next day I found myself out at the driver’s training area with the rest of the company, where I was given my M60A1 tank and one of my four trainee crews. My instructions for the days' activities: "Take ‘em out and let ‘em drive. Talk to ‘em about how to navigate rough terrain. You know, teach ‘em sh*t!"
Armed with such specific information, I introduced myself to my crew and we climbed on top of the tank to do “pre-op” checks. Opening the heavy grille doors that gave access to the engine, I watched them go through visual inspection and checks for presence of oil in the engine and transmission. We then mounted up, me in the tank commander’s hatch, one trainee in the bowels of the turret in the gunner’s seat, another with his head out of the loader’s hatch, and the third in the driver’s hatch, gleefully anticipating the impending activities.
It gets better -- Hell, meet handbasket.
Posted by DaveH at March 19, 2005 9:53 PM