Hey All, Wisdom comes with age.............hopefully. I know that many of us have to learn things the hard way.............sometimes I think there's a sign on my forehead.................vacancy.
I arrived at Fort Lewis, Washington State in Dec 1979. I was assigned to HHC 2nd/47th Infantry Battalion and would be working in the motorpool. The barracks were mostly empty as almost everybody was on leave for the Holidays. I wandered around post with nothing to do and had nobody to report to until after New Years. When everyone returned, I learned that we were going to Alaska for winter training for six weeks. We would be staying at Fort Wainright near Fairbanks. There was a lot to do to prepare and I still had to be issued my field gear and get everything settled for this assignment.
It was mid January 1980 and we flew on a Air Force cargo plane from nearby McCord AF Base to Alaska....................they were noisy and not built for comfort, but, thankfully it wasn't an extremely long flight. We were issued winter training gear, which included skis, poles, air insulated boots(they were called Mickey Mouse Boots for their appearance) and an outer sleeping bag to put our regular bags in to.We settled in to our assigned barracks.................. just a large room with beds and lockers. It was pretty cold while we were there with temps in -50 degrees. We left vehicles run overnight as a precaution because they were left outside. They call it the Land Of the Midnight Sun.....................in the middle of winter it should be called land of "where is the sun?" as it rises on the horizon, stays for a few hours and sets again.
At the end of the month was to be my first payday at this assignment and I sure could use it by this time as I hadn't gotten paycheck since I left my last assignment I cashed my check and went to the PX to buy all the basics I was in need of. When I got back to the barracks, I was met by two cooks assigned to HHC as cooks........Steele and Battle. They had a bottle of Bacardi 151 Rum and wanted to drink...............and I did. I was intoxicated to be sure but not falling down drunk. We went to chow and I was one of the first back and I wandered around in the back of the barracks, which were empty. Steele and Battle came in behind me didn't realize that I was there. I heard them talking...............they were planning to take my pay and were looking for me................. that's why they were so friendly and free with the rum. They went back out and went to put my money in my locker but I couldn't remember my combo. I was drunk and panicked....................so I went to see SSG Thomas Small and SSG Charles Jordan, they were also assigned to the motorpool and had a room down the hall. I asked them if they would inventory and hold my money and why I was asking them to do it. They refused...........................insisted that I was just drunk and paranoid.......................nothing was going to happen. I decided to sleep with my money in my pockets and reasoned....................... I would wake up if somebody was digging in my pants while I was wearing them. I laid down on my bunk and took my shoes off. By now everyone had returned to their bunks and either were talking among themselves or had laid out in their bunks. The four bunks in our corner were occupied by motorpool personnel..........................Bob, Dwayne, Rob and myself. I laid there in the darkness for quite awhile...................listening to Bob Shaeffer(spelling?) and Dwayne Hogan talking. I stayed to myself, on guard and feeling vulnerable. Bob called to me and I didn't answer..................he called twice more and again I didn't answer. He then said to Dwayne, "wouldn't it be funny if he woke up with a black eye and didn't know how he got it?" Dwayne said"ah, come on Shaeffer , leave him alone, man." Bob came over and leaned over me................I didn't think he'd do it.................that he was just fooling around. I had my eyes open ............but he couldn't see that in the dark...............he hit me three times in the face before I could react. My temper flushed and I came off my bed with a lunge and Bob almost fell backing up..........................I grabbed one of my skis and started after him, cursing as I went. Bob quickly jumped on to his bunk and tried to tell me that he didn't do anything and to calm down. I was grabbed from behind and SSG Small and SSG Jordan heard the commotion and came in.. I told the story, showed the red and puffy side of my face...........................and Dwayne wouldn't verify or deny my story.................he said " don't involve me man, I don't know anything." . Yeah, Bob got away with it and I'm the one who got in trouble.................because I had been drinking. Eventually, everything settled down and I laid back down on my bunk, fully clothed and tried not to fall asleep.
The next morning, I woke up and had a slight hangover.............................I took my pants which were neatly folded by my head and put them on....................I headed to the soda machine for a Pepsi and when I got there, I realized I didn't have any change in my pocket............................I had some yesterday. I quickly checked my wallet.............................. it was empty. I informed SSGs Jordan and Small and it went up the chain of command to the CO(Commanding Officer). It was afternoon by the time the CO, CPT Bunjour, could investigate.................by then, Steele came walking into the barracks with his new 35mm SLR camera he just bought at the PX. It cost more than he was paid................ so, since he gave me the rum and since I heard them talking.......................he was suspect. He was brought to the CO and Steele told him he received cash in the mail from home and that was where he got the money. CO couldn't prove otherwise ..................he got away with it too. Once again I blamed myself.....................for being stupid.
It was a hell of way to start my new assignment..........................................and a forewarning of what was to come. I sure played the fool and it was a superior performance. I was once again assualted in my bed. I had my months pay taken, even the change from my pockets..........................it was February 1st, 1980..................my 19th birthday.
Until next time....................................God Bless.
I arrived at Fort Lewis, Washington State in Dec 1979. I was assigned to HHC 2nd/47th Infantry Battalion and would be working in the motorpool. The barracks were mostly empty as almost everybody was on leave for the Holidays. I wandered around post with nothing to do and had nobody to report to until after New Years. When everyone returned, I learned that we were going to Alaska for winter training for six weeks. We would be staying at Fort Wainright near Fairbanks. There was a lot to do to prepare and I still had to be issued my field gear and get everything settled for this assignment.
It was mid January 1980 and we flew on a Air Force cargo plane from nearby McCord AF Base to Alaska....................they were noisy and not built for comfort, but, thankfully it wasn't an extremely long flight. We were issued winter training gear, which included skis, poles, air insulated boots(they were called Mickey Mouse Boots for their appearance) and an outer sleeping bag to put our regular bags in to.We settled in to our assigned barracks.................. just a large room with beds and lockers. It was pretty cold while we were there with temps in -50 degrees. We left vehicles run overnight as a precaution because they were left outside. They call it the Land Of the Midnight Sun.....................in the middle of winter it should be called land of "where is the sun?" as it rises on the horizon, stays for a few hours and sets again.
At the end of the month was to be my first payday at this assignment and I sure could use it by this time as I hadn't gotten paycheck since I left my last assignment I cashed my check and went to the PX to buy all the basics I was in need of. When I got back to the barracks, I was met by two cooks assigned to HHC as cooks........Steele and Battle. They had a bottle of Bacardi 151 Rum and wanted to drink...............and I did. I was intoxicated to be sure but not falling down drunk. We went to chow and I was one of the first back and I wandered around in the back of the barracks, which were empty. Steele and Battle came in behind me didn't realize that I was there. I heard them talking...............they were planning to take my pay and were looking for me................. that's why they were so friendly and free with the rum. They went back out and went to put my money in my locker but I couldn't remember my combo. I was drunk and panicked....................so I went to see SSG Thomas Small and SSG Charles Jordan, they were also assigned to the motorpool and had a room down the hall. I asked them if they would inventory and hold my money and why I was asking them to do it. They refused...........................insisted that I was just drunk and paranoid.......................nothing was going to happen. I decided to sleep with my money in my pockets and reasoned....................... I would wake up if somebody was digging in my pants while I was wearing them. I laid down on my bunk and took my shoes off. By now everyone had returned to their bunks and either were talking among themselves or had laid out in their bunks. The four bunks in our corner were occupied by motorpool personnel..........................Bob, Dwayne, Rob and myself. I laid there in the darkness for quite awhile...................listening to Bob Shaeffer(spelling?) and Dwayne Hogan talking. I stayed to myself, on guard and feeling vulnerable. Bob called to me and I didn't answer..................he called twice more and again I didn't answer. He then said to Dwayne, "wouldn't it be funny if he woke up with a black eye and didn't know how he got it?" Dwayne said"ah, come on Shaeffer , leave him alone, man." Bob came over and leaned over me................I didn't think he'd do it.................that he was just fooling around. I had my eyes open ............but he couldn't see that in the dark...............he hit me three times in the face before I could react. My temper flushed and I came off my bed with a lunge and Bob almost fell backing up..........................I grabbed one of my skis and started after him, cursing as I went. Bob quickly jumped on to his bunk and tried to tell me that he didn't do anything and to calm down. I was grabbed from behind and SSG Small and SSG Jordan heard the commotion and came in.. I told the story, showed the red and puffy side of my face...........................and Dwayne wouldn't verify or deny my story.................he said " don't involve me man, I don't know anything." . Yeah, Bob got away with it and I'm the one who got in trouble.................because I had been drinking. Eventually, everything settled down and I laid back down on my bunk, fully clothed and tried not to fall asleep.
The next morning, I woke up and had a slight hangover.............................I took my pants which were neatly folded by my head and put them on....................I headed to the soda machine for a Pepsi and when I got there, I realized I didn't have any change in my pocket............................I had some yesterday. I quickly checked my wallet.............................. it was empty. I informed SSGs Jordan and Small and it went up the chain of command to the CO(Commanding Officer). It was afternoon by the time the CO, CPT Bunjour, could investigate.................by then, Steele came walking into the barracks with his new 35mm SLR camera he just bought at the PX. It cost more than he was paid................ so, since he gave me the rum and since I heard them talking.......................he was suspect. He was brought to the CO and Steele told him he received cash in the mail from home and that was where he got the money. CO couldn't prove otherwise ..................he got away with it too. Once again I blamed myself.....................for being stupid.
It was a hell of way to start my new assignment..........................................and a forewarning of what was to come. I sure played the fool and it was a superior performance. I was once again assualted in my bed. I had my months pay taken, even the change from my pockets..........................it was February 1st, 1980..................my 19th birthday.
Until next time....................................God Bless.
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