we shortly thereafter were known as Captain Kasavubu's Spear Chuckers and we were damn proud of it. Another guy comes to mind who was in E. Co. gun jeeps was Jesse James McNew he had a brother named Frank James they hailed from West by God Virginia. When the wall went up in Berlin, we were on standby to jump at Templehof Airbase and were to fight a delaying action while they tried to evacuate the military dependents. As I recall they told us if the baloon went up we could expect 80% casualties. Obviously the East German Lugerheads and their Russkie buddies knew about us and backed down. Just kidding but that would have been a hell of a scene. Lou Schreiner
One bright day, a 2nd enlistment, loud mouthed M.P. was assigned to us while going to jump school, he would regale us with tales as to how airborne wasn't so tough and how many troopers heads he had cracked and locked up while in Japan. He also prominently displayed in his locker his judo outfit with a black belt. Several guys wanted to crown him, but Plat Daddy Carroll (a great man and soldier) told us leave him be when he gets his wings he will know what it is to be one. Anyway, his first jump in school he catches a Mae West, scares him so bad he quits. As he is packing his duffle bag for Korea (that's where the quitters went) we ride him unmercifully. He says the wrong thing and one of the guys (not me) flattens him. Didn't like you then wouldn't like you now. Did you regale your kiddies with your tales of derring do of how you was once a big bad paratrooper? Get lost leg like you did once before. Lou Schreiner
We had swilled many a flip top and a bottle of champagne ( bartender in the Copa sprang for it when Frenchy told him he was going home- he must have been well known and liked there because I never saw them give anything away for nothing. While standing waiting for the train to Bremerhaven we were more than a little loud and boisterous in Frankfurt (we had just said goodbye to the Texas and Dolly bars) an M.P. starts yapping at us that we better knock it off or else we wouldn't make our train. He spoke through his nose in a high pitched voice ( broken nose? deformity? who knows?) Frenchy immediately speaks through his nose telling him we would be good or something to that effect. M.P. says,"You making fun of me?" Frenchy says"No." M.P. screaming yes you are I'll lock you up. Me the peacemaker as usual tell the M.P. that I've soldiered 3 years with Frenchy and he always talked that way. M.P. is mollified and wanders off. Good thing cause one of the guys was in back of him and about to stretch him out. We would have been detoured to Mannheim if he had. We get on the train, Frenchy shouts out crystal clear loud as a bugle F- -k you leg. I had never laid eyes on Frenchy before that day but he was a typical trooper. We drank our way on the train arriving in Bremerhaven drunk as lords but made the boat, sobered up two days out to sea. Oh yes as Jerry Ray and Lindsay were taking their last Army P.T. test a week or so before rotating home and loping along at a very slow leg pace on the run portion every time that their left leg hit the ground one would shout Geiger the other Patch (for the uninformed those were the troop transprts that took us home. The N.C.O.s all had a good laugh. That's the way we were. Lou Schreiner
Anyhow shortly after arriving in the 504, sometime in the winter of 1960, a bunch of us meandered into our barracks (the old building before they moved us across from the leg truck drivers) all quite inebriated due to mixtures of steinhagers in our beers at the Helige Geist (Holy Ghost). One bold trooper announced that he had realized that there was nothing to flying a jet plane, and that he could fly. Sure, right,uh huh said we. I'll show you he said and leapt out of the first floor window. When he came back in we say ha ha thought you could fly (more strongly put). I can, I can, I didn't have enough altitude and up he goes to the third floor, climbs into the window in his best stand in the door position (we thought he was joking and before we knew it) out he leapt. Upon discovering he couldn't fly he crash landed on the cobblestones below. Broke both is ankles and his nose. Off he went to Weisbaden with the medics. Never saw him again, anyone know what happened to him? Medical discharge? Section 8? Jump status terminated? Schreiner, Louis G. one each, government issue 
But as i matured in the service and looked at those weather beaten men and remembering the N.C.O,s I met when I was taking advanced infantry training at Fort Riley with the 1st Division (another proud outfit) how those guys in their late 20,s looked 40 years old (WWII and or Korean War vets). I finally realized that these lifers were what made the army work and I still salute them for a job well done. Often I have heard it said even by former servicemen that these people stayed in because they couldn't make it on the outside. I've always responded that that is B.S. because no man who makes a career in the fighting branches of our forces is a guy that can't make it anywhere. All of them guys who were infantry more so airborne were and are highly skilled dedicated men of the highest caliber. Whenever, I see a lifer, I always say hello and when circumstances permit buy him a beer. I just want to say thank you to those I knew and to those I've never met . You guys by soldiering on keep us safe at night. I thank you and say a prayer for you every night. Lou Schreiner 
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