A Trooper Super Hero In Disguise?
Down through the years we have been inundated with Super heroes. Male, female, and even alien ones. They roam about righting wrongs and battling those with nefarious ways and of course truth and justice always prevails. Superman, Sheena, Captain Marvel, Batman, Robin, and Batwoman to name but a few.
Well the 504 had a trooper who had a secret identity too. While he did not fight for truth and justice, fight he did. Send him downtown and guaranteed he would battle before the night was over. Friend or foe it made no difference to him at all. If it had alcohol in it he imbibed thereof. It was near the end of the month when funds were short that he would assume his other identity. He would prowl about and sneak into various lockers searching for his magic elixir that enabled him to change from mere fighting trooper to none other than "Aqua-Velva Man". Yes he was such an alcoholic that he would imbibe in downing all the after shave lotion he could lay his hands on. He told me once that he thought Mennen was the best followed closely by Old Spice. But in my mind when I think of him I always think of him as Aqua-Velva Man, good buddy, hard charger, career private, top shelf soldier but a man with a severe drinking problem. Hope you made it okay.
Lou Schreiner
The Medics
No it is not true that the medics jumped up and down with glee, rolled up their sleeves and smiled, when a guy streamered in like it says in our song. Each and every medic that I knew was a knowledgeable practioner in his craft.
Many times I saw a medic apply first aid to a trooper who was in need of his services whether it was a major or a minor injury. They were always "Johnny On The Spot". One from Head & Head Co. was a good buddy of mine named Louie Smith from my neck of the woods, Red Hook territory, south Brooklyn, NY. In addition to being a pro in his field he was a black belt in judo. He only stood 5'6" or so but was the wrong guy to mess with.
Quite often when in the field running manuevers in the rain, snow, winds, and bitter cold, you could always approach the medics and bum a bottle of "GI Gin". GI gin is a cough medicine containing terpin hydrate that had a very warming effect going down and if you chugged down enough of them, the weather was machts nichts.
I saw the medics in action once when a guy broke his neck on a jump and often applying first aid for assorted broken limbs due to rough PLFs, and I never saw an incompetent move on their part. Each and everyone of them not only applied his craft like a pro but also displayed "a bedside manner" that many a doctor I've met would envy. The only time I saw them at a loss was when a farmer's frau was having a baby in a field where we had jumped but what the hell that wasn't their field of expertise.
Lou Schreiner
Didja Ever?
Didja ever stop and take a good hard look at a paratrooper walking down the street in his Class A uniform. Notice the way he carried himself with pride? Didja ever wonder why?Didja ever feel a bit of envy wishing that it was you so attired?
Didja ever take a second look and see what I often saw then when I served and still do? I see "The American Fighting Man", the guy that has kept this country free for you and me. If you scrunch up your eyes kind of tight and let your imagination run free and sort of look past his shoulder, you can see them all. See who, you query? All of them that is who. The guys from the Gulf, Viet Nam, Korea, WWII, WWI, right on back to Concord Bridge. We often short change them and have no use for them in time of peace but best you pause and remember without them, you would live under a different regime. Sometimes I see standing in a long line behind them people like, George Washington, George Custer, J.E.B. Stuart, R.E. Lee, Pickett, Audie Murphy, Colin Kelly, Ira Hayes, "Mush Morton", John Baselone, Jimmy Doolittle, and many many more. All branches of the service, every war and interim between wars, they are all there. You just have to look. If you perchance read this and those names are not familiar, you owe it to them but more to yourself to hike on down to a library and find out who they were and what they did for us. Then pass those names and that heritage on to your children, let them know why that flag of ours should never be dishonored by the idiots who don't have the God given brains to know better.
THINK ON IT.
Lou Schreiner
That Old Black Forest
The Black Forest in Germany is an awesome woodland. In places it is dark and gloomy barely penetrated by sunlight and so dense that one can sit under the tall fir trees in a heavy rain and receive nary a drop. The forest abounds with stags, boars, and of course that dastardly cuckoo bird of the raucous voice. It is so dense in places that no sound can be heard and one can easily lose their way.
I sat in my gun jeep somewhere in the forest while the remainder of the crew slept. It was pitch black, no light of any kind, and the wind barely stirring the branches. To kill the time until my turn on guard was over, I harkened back to my childhood and recalled as many of Grimm's Fairy Tales that i could. As I sat and thought it took no effort on my part to conjure up Hansel and Gretel losing their way. Quite vividly I could imagine the crones who might dwell within this forest and the witchcraft they might ply. I mused upon the fairy tale denizens who dwelt within this magnificent land so long that I never bothered to awaken my relief.
Of course I was accused of sleeping on guard but when I told Sgt. Cunningham why I didn't awaken my relief, he shook his head and said I was heading for a Section-8 at the rate I was going. We shared a laugh and I told him just for that I wouldn't tell him about the patrol of trolls I had observed scoping out our gun jeep.
Lou Schreiner
The Soldaten Who Didn't Stillgestanden
During "Operation Wintershield" somewhere down around Hohenfels in that general vicinity we are sitting with the gun jeep at that inevitable crossroad guarding against panzers. The Bundeswehr (German Army) were part of the aggressor forces. It was snowing to beat the band, wind clocking 25 mph or so, teeth chattering like castinets, when lo and behold we spy an 8 man German patrol. The riflemen at our position let them come up close then open fire with their guns (blanks of course) and the Krauts start to return fire and manuever in a hasty retreat. One of our troops yells out, "Let's get a prisoner." This causes a stampede after the Germans, with me joining in (got chewed out later) - - "Not Your Function". One Kraut is out of shape and is floundering in the deep snow, we overtake him and surround him, weapons leveled. He keeps circling looking for an exit. I brilliantly shout at him, "Achtung, Stillgestanden, Du Scheisskopf." As he gapes at me, one of the guys butt strokes him with his M-1 in his scheisskopf. His helmet flies off and he is out like a light that has been switched off. Squad sergeant chews out the trooper who conked him, then says,"@#%%$#@ it, lets get back to our position. We do so and the sarge asks what the hell I said to the guy. Tell him I said, attention, stand still, you s - - - head. He laughs and says maybe next time he runs into the 504 he will stillgestanden. Never heard how the kraut made out.
Lou Schreiner
The Fraulein Said No
Downtown one night with a bunch of guys in Frankfurt, after sampling the beverages at the Dolly bar, we decide to head off into the non-GI area of town. About 6 or 7 of us are making merry, sampling liquid refreshments in numerous establishments, and after a bit feeling no pain. We stagger into an unlit mini park and sit down on the grass and are about to light up when we hear a woman scream. We jump to our feet and observe in a bushy area, a fraulein pinned against a tree struggling with a leg. She is screaming, nein, nein, bitte, bitte, nein, hilf mich, politzei,(no,no,please,please,no,help me, police). We gallant troopers snatch the leg by his stacking swivel and are lumping him up when the police arrive. They start to come at us with their guns drawn but the fraulein hastily explains to them that we are the good guys. Police holster their guns, smile, shake our hands, kick the leg a couple of times, throw him in a car, the girl in another, and off they go with those sirens screaming. I guess for that one night at least the 504 wasn't America's Baby Faced Teenaged Killers. Merely unsung heroes of a damsel in distress and dispensers of instant justice. We saw in one of the army papers a week or so later that a leg from the 3rd Division was locked up in Frankfurt for attempted rape, no mention of us, just that the police came upon him while mauling the fraulein.
Lou Schreiner
Jerry's BAR
Tis true in his youth ole J.D. Ray was known to frequent bars and yes he did have a sweet tooth and was known to chow down on may a candy bar but, I am referring to the weapon that he toted around in the boonies as an infantryman. The BAR in this case is the .30 caliber, 1918A2, Browning Automatic Rifle. It weighed in at 19.4 lbs by itself but when you added in the bipod which it usually was equipped with it increased by another 2.38 lbs. The length was 47.8 inches, trigger pull was 6 to 10 lbs. It fired ball, AP, tracer, incendiary, API, blank, and dummy rounds.The maximum effective range was 500 yards but it traveled as much as 3000 yards. It had a selective switch marked as follows; S for safe, A for fast cyclic rate 550 rounds per minute, and F for Slow clyclic rate of 350 rpm. The maximum rate of effective fire was 120 to 150 rpm. In order not to overheat the barrel 40 to 60 rpm was suggested. In it's day it was a great weapon and was used in both the assault ,usually fired from the hip and in defense, from the prone, or from a foxhole using the tripod. Korean war vets said that when the weapon froze up due to the extreme cold in that clime, one could urinate on it and it would then function. They said as the gun fired and heated up there was an awful stench but as long as it mowed down the enemy it smelled like heaven.
Lou Schreiner this photo is of Charles Martinez......A proud member of the 505 Airborne Battle Group
106-mm Rifle M40A1
The 106mm could be fired from a position on the ground or mounted in a jeep. It had a .50 caliber spotting rifle mounted atop the main gun that fired a tracer round so that the gunner could tell if he was on target prior to firing the 106mm round. The spotting rifle's magazine held 5 rounds. The total weight of the 106mm rifle was 460 lbs. which consisted of; the 106 itself 251 lbs., the spotting rifle 25 lbs., the spotting round rifles empty magazine was 1 lb., the site with instrument light for night firing was 3 lbs., and the tripod desinated as an M-79 was 180 lbs. The weapon was mounted and dismounted from the jeep by three men, one lifting by the barrel while in the jeep and two men lifting by each rear leg of the tripod mount. It had to be a team effort or it was no go to lift that sucker into the jeep. It's length was 134 inches, height when on the ground on the tripod was 44 inches, width when tripod spread was 60 inches, closed 31.5 inches. The maximum range was 7700 meters, maximum effective range was 1100 meters. It fired both high explosive anti-tank and high explosive anti-personnel rounds. It had a large traversing mechanism to track left to right and one for up and down. A smaller mechanism was used for minute adjustments. The spotting rifle was fired by pulling out on the firing device and pushing in to discharge the main battery. One had to avoid the back blast when firing the 106mm round for it was of such force that it could maim and or kill. All in all it was a very effective weapon in it's day.
Lou Schreiner
Brief Description Other 504 Weapons in 1960s
Sidearm was the .45 caliber recoil operated semi automatic pistol; 7 rounds in magazine and one in the chamber, 8.62 inches in length and weight of 2.43 lbs.
.30 caliber M-1 carbine, semi automatic, 15 or 30 round magazine, 35.6 inches in length, 5.5 lbs. in weight. Also M1-A1 which had a folding metal butt stock, the M-2 which had a selector switch for semi and full automatic fire, and the M-3 which was equipped with an infra red snooper scope.
.30 caliber M-1 Garand, 8 round clip, 43.6 inches long, weight 9.5 lbs, could also fire rifle grenades when equipped with an adaptor. M1-C and D were equipped with a telescopic sight.
All .30 caliber weapons were replaced in 1961 by the M-14, a 7.62mm nato round selective fire rifle, 20 round magazine, 44 inches in length and 8.7 lbs in weight.
M1919A6 .30 caliber light machine gun, recoil operated, 53 inches in length, 32.5 lbs. in weight, with a 14 lb. tripod.
The M-60 a 7.62 mm gas operated machine gun was the light .30s replacement; 43.75 inches in length, weighing 23.05 lbs with a 15 lb. tripod.
The 40mm M-79 grenade launcher a shotgun type shoulder weapon, break open single shot, weighing 6.45 lbs. with a length of 28.78 inches also was issued in 1961.
Each company had an 81mm mortar squad.
Heavy weapons company provided us with 4.2 inch mortar support.
There was also a tracked vehicle used for anti-tank purposes that was equipped with a 90mm gun and a .50 caliber spotting rifle on it.
It was designated as a SPAT, Jerry Higgins crewed one.
Lou Schreiner 1919a6 machine gun...it was replaced by the m60 S.P.A.T. self propelled anti tank
Then Of Course We Had Bayonets
The infantry has always prided itself on it's ability to use the bayonet. Not merely as a weapon of last resort, but also to affix to one's rifle during the attack to instill fear in the enemy and to use for close in fighting. The spirit of the bayonet was instilled in us from basic training onwards. The spirit of the bayonet was "TO KILL".
Many hours during the course of our service was spent practicing the use of the bayonet in drills; Long Thrust, Short Thrust, Parry, Horizontal and Vertical Butt Strokes. Many were the hours spent running the bayonet course which consisted of various obtacles such as running full tilt across a ditch on a slippery log. Many a man slipped and bruised the family jewels. There were numerous dummies on the course (not us) that one had to attack using the various bayonet fighting methods. And by the end of the course you were hoarse from constantly screaming "KILL, KILL, KILL." Quite a few of us also shouted a wide variety of curses as we tore along.
All of this to instill in the infantrymen, the motto of the infantry. FIND THEM, FIGHT THEM, FIX THEM, FINISH THEM....
For the mission of the U.S. Infantry was and is and shall always be to head for the sound of the guns and close with the enemy.
The Infantry - - -Queen of Battle - - - -
Lou Schreiner
The Sarge Lost A Hundred Marks Bet
One evening while sitting about spit shining our jump boots with several of my fellow troopers, we were discussing an experience we had in Copenhagen, Denmark. While visiting that fair city we chanced to enter an establishment we had been told about where all of the personnel who worked there be it as waitresses or acts on the stage were all female impersonators. We were discussing how feminine they looked and how they could fool you if you were unaware of the fact that they were men. A certain rebel sergeant who must go unnamed said to us he would never be fooled. After a heated argument a 100 mark bet was laid (I held the bread) that he would never be able to spot them if we went there. Several weeks later the sarge, myself and three other troopers went to Copenhagen. We hit a lot of juice joints and once old sarge was seeing double we went to the place in question. Old sarge was in heaven I will merely say that he was loving it up with a waitress until we dropped the bomb on him. After he went berserk and we had a hell of a time fighting our way out and escaping in a taxi and having to prevent him from killing us, he paid up but only after we swore not to tell any of the guys back at Lee Barracks about this escapade. Sarge we kept our word as you know, since we are no longer at Lee Barracks, I set this down with a clear conscience but I will not divulge your name except to one other trooper who will not bandy it about.
Lou Schreiner
The Brothers Who Went To Jail
The following tale I remember like it was yesterday because when I first read of it in I believe the army times I was awed that anyone could be so stupid. It seems that there were two brothers, one home on leave prior to shipping out to Germany, the other a civilian. The brother who was a civilian and had been turned down by the recruiter for a reason that was not revealed in the paper talked it over with his brother and they switched places. The civilian now a soldier sailed to Germany on a troop transport to take his brother's place while the soldier now a civilian stayed home. I don't recall what outfit was involved but the scheme was exposed shortly after civilian/soldier brother reported to his brother's duty station. Uncle Sam having no sense of humor locked the two of them up on a host of charges. The last I read was the real soldier brother went to Leavenworth while the other one was awaiting trial in a Federal court.
Lou Schreiner
Footprints In The Snow
Not too far from Mainz/Gonsenheim is a town called Budenheim which is where the following incident took place. One night in the dead of winter 1961, a young trooper met a fraulein in the Copa who spoke only a smattering of English, he no German at all. Between sign language and a few words they understood in each others tongue a date was made for the following night. Obtaining an overnight pass the next day, the trooper hopped on the old eisenbahn and got off in Budenheim. He found the fraulein's haus which address she had written down for him. Upon entering with several jugs of wine he observed a baby about 6 months of age. Again through the few mutual words he understood her to say, nein mannen, der frau divorced. Around 0200 hours the door opens and as the fraulein who was actually ein hausfrau screams, he notes a huge German paratrooper thereat. The kraut roars with rage, snatches the wife, and starts punching her out. The young trooper hurriedly grabs his clothes and departs nude out the door. He hastily dresses in der schnee and runs to the bahnhof. Alas and woe for him the trains did not stop at Budenheim again until 0600 hours. No taxis, no buses, no horse to steal. As he keeps walking about to keep warm he observes his footprints in the snow plain as day and figures the kraut will track him down. All night he freezes and imagines the kraut tracking him as he keeps on the move. 0600 he catches the train back to Mainz. Sequel to tale in the summer of 1962 he runs into the frau in a joint in Frankfurt. Speaks better English than he can and now has a card certifying that she is free of sexual diseases. He shakes his head and goes on his way.
Lou Schreiner
His Motto Was - - - - - - - "Zwei Bier Bitte" - -
In the 1/504 Airborne Battle Group, in "E" company to be exact there dwelt an infantryman, whose origins were from south of the Mason-Dixon line. Until one got to know him, he constantly fooled anyone who accompanied him to the local beer joints due to his peculiar ordering habits. When he and a fellow trooper would sit down and the waiter or waitress came to take their order, this GI would drawl, "Zwei Bier Bitte". Actually it would sort of sound like twsai beeeer bitter ya'll. The trooper he was with would be stunned when the beer was produced and this stalwart would snatch them up, one in each hand and commence to slurping up those suds. The other trooper would then order drei bier bitte, one for himself and two more for his obviously thirsty buddy. Not wishing to name names I will only state that this good old boy's initials are J.D.R. and another hint is that he runs this page. I always felt that he should adopt that plaintive wail as his personal motto and should have had it tattooed on his chest next to the name Betty and the one of his mule.
Lou Schreiner

Ah Hain't Yo *#@^%*(&* Prisoner
In the Tannes mountains we were once on manuevers dug in along side a gravel road. The entire company was awaiting an attack by the 1/505 who were the aggressor forces. The moon was shining so bright the road looked like it was painted white. Down the middle of the road comes a squad sized patrol of the enemy. We open up and they belatedly hit the prone. Then they at their squad leaders command decide to take a prisoner and grab one of our Texans. He says, &^&^%%$ you, if anyone is a prisoner you guys are. Push and shove and a fist fight breaks out. A lieutenant who was disliked by all jumps in the middle to break it up and is popped several times by several troopers. He goes nuts wanting to know who hit him. 1st Sgt. Doty responds and calms him down. The 505 flee back to whence they came. Next A.M. the Lt. is sporting a fat lip and the start of a shiner. Big "D" passes by with him, looks at us and winks as he smirks and says he is going to raise hell with them 505 guys for striking an officer.
Lou Schreiner
Far Across Deep Blue Water
Far across deep blue water,
Lives an old German's daughter,
By the banks of the old river Rhine,
Where I loved her and left her,
But I can't forget her,
I love my pretty fraulein.
So went the song and so I did love my pretty fraulein. I met her at the behest of that mean old ogre 1st Sgt. Doty. I first saw her at Weihnachszeit 1961. I saw her only one other time at Christmastime 1962. It was love at first sight for both of us. We were to wed but it was never to be, for I rotated home and left her there somewhere along the Rhine river. Her name was Anneliese, blond hair, blue eyes, and she was an eight year old orphan. I had been detailed with several other troopers to attend a little party being hosted in a tiny church in Mainz for a bunch of orphans. She sang in a choir and sounded like an angel as she sang lead, the carol, "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nach". I gave her a doll in 61 and another in 62. She wanted to marry me and I promised her I would wait for her to grow up. Now I often think of her especially at Christmas and hope she found "Mr. Right" and had children of her own. I have never forgotten her and hope once in awhile she might think kindly of me. This was the only good deed I did while stationed in Germany. Every Christmas since I always play my German Christmas carols and drink a toast to my Anneliese and wish her a Froehliche Weihnachten.
Lou Schreiner

 I'd Rather Not
The following poem was written by a trooper named, Charles R. Vogel, a Sp4 with the 82nd Airborne back in 1960 or so. I just found the copy I had sent to my dad and so here it is.

"Jump!", he said, "Who me?", says I.
"But Sarge, I'm too young to die!"
"That ground is a bit too far away,
I think I'd rather not today."
"You scared?", He asked. "Of course, "I said.
"A man remains a long time dead."
"I know that I'll get extra pay,
But still I'd rather not today."
"You're going!", he barked. "I'm not", I stated.
"This jump will have to be delayed;
It looks like rain, the skies are gray.
Truly I'd rather not today."
"Hook up!", he roared. So up I hooked.
I knew right then my goose was cooked.
My legs were weak, I felt like clay,
I thought I'd rather not that day.
"Now go!", he growled. "Go where?" I cried
I couldn't do it if I tried.
His foot went back a little way - - - - -
"Hey, Ma, look here, I jumped today.
Lou Schreiner
Das Ist Nicht Schnee...Das Ist Ein Panzer
Operation "Wintershield" snow swirling around like insane hyenas around a carcass, freezing to death, gun jeep camouflaged at the edge of a treeline, on a elevated bit of terrain in the vicinity of Wurzburg. I'm looking across an open field at a tree line 500 yards or so from our position and believe I see a German panzer (the aggressor forces) about 10 yards deep into the wood. Tell Sgt. Cunningham and rest of crew we look and look, and me and Cunningham think it is a panzer, the other two say all it is, is a weird snow and tree formation. A rifle squad comes by on their way to patrol the area, we tell them, they can't agree what it is or isn't. They get 3/4 of the way across the field and das panzer comes a flying out of the woods firing blanks like mad. We simulate firing the 106mm at the panzer. An umpire from the 505 who we did not know was observing all that transpired appears and rules the squad of infantrymen are all killed and the panzer knocked out by us. The tank was painted with white and black camouflage to break up it's outline, and between that and the swirling snow that is why it blended in so well with the woods it was hiding in.
Lou Schreiner
The Soldier's Creed
"I am an American soldier. I am a man of the Army of the United States - - a protector of the greatest nation on earth. Because I am proud of the uniform I wear, i will always act in ways creditable to the military service and the nation it is sworn to guard.

"I am proud of my organization, I will do all I can to make it the finest unit of the Army. I will be loyal to those under whom I serve. I will do my full part to carry out orders and instructions given me or my unit.

"As a soldier, I realize that I am a member of a time-honored profession - - that I am doing my share to perpetuate the principles of freedom for which my country stands. No matter what situation I am in, I will never do anything, for my pleasure, profit, or personal safety, which will disgrace my uniform, my unit, or my country. I will use every means I have, even beyond the line of duty, to restrain my Army comrades from actions, disgraceful to themselves and the uniform.

"I am proud of my country and its flag. I will try to make the people of this nation proud of the service I represent, for I am an American soldier.

This creed was on a card we had to carry in our wallets at all times. It had the 8th Infantry Division patch flanking both sides of the creed.
Lou Schreiner

Once upon a time a band of happy young troopers did embark upon das eisenbahn and betook themselves to Wiesbaden to tour that Teutonic City in search of historical sites.
It being a hot day in February one suggested stopping for a few cokes to slake their mighty thirsts and celebrate a buddy's day of birth. Entering a coke bistro and placing their orders in wonderment they realized this ice cream parlor was the haunt of the Bundeswehr. After several hours of trading bubble gum cards and playing bingo an altercation erupted started by those dastardly krauts. Upon leaving several prone German soldiers obviously thought they were either in church, home in bed, or in no mans land, for the following moaning sentences were uttered. "Gott in Himmel." "Ich bin krank." "Vas ist los." We knew what vas los and jogged back to the bahnhof, caught the train back to Mainz, sorely disappointed that our outing had been ruined by a bunch of sore losers.
Lou Schreiner
The Military Oath
I, ______, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
The foregoing is one of many times Vice President Gore swore to uphold the Constitution of this land. Prior to the election when queried if his opponent won the popular vote but he won the electoral vote what did he think should be done. Liar Gore stated, " I would expect Governor Bush to obey the Constitution.
Yet now he flouts this same document. To me this is disgraceful and dishonors all who ever gave their lives for this land.
Regardless of your politics it is my belief that one should honor any oath given and moreso should obey the law of the land. This shameless behavior is an insult to veterans especially today which is Veterans Day.
Lou Schreiner
Mach Mal Pause
When Long John Shewell and I alighted from the MATS aircraft at Rhein Main airbase in Frankfurt, Germany, one of the first things that caught our eye was a billboard. Beautiful women holding a bottle of Coca Cola and the legend, "Mach mal pause trinken coca cola.
We were taken to a replacement company in Frankfurt and told we could hit the town but to be back by midnight. Off we went to the nearest watering hole to sample the local refreshments and returned to the replacement company three sheets to the wind. No cokes that night.
After being in comrade land a week or so I perchanced to order a coke. The first sip I immediately spit out since it had a peculiar taste. Fleetingly I wondered if the krauts were trying to poison me. After conferring with Harley "Butch" Hayes a veteran 504 man he told me that my ancestors preferred their coke with a slight hint of a taste of lemon. Even the cokes on base were the German version of coke and after a while I adapted to that strange taste especially after I and my comrades learned to cut it with cognac.
Lou Schreiner


LONG JOHN
LOU
Was This Payback?
When they were briefing us for the drop into Berlin when the wall went up and having run through the expected enemy opposition and telling us which companies would take and hold what objectives and telling us we could expect 80% casualties, the officer giving the briefing asked if there were any questions?
One of our stalwart troopers a damn good one I might add from down in the heart of Arkansas stood up and in his slow drawl asked, "Ah don't understand something, sir, if we uns can expect 80% casualties where the hell are these companies a-commin from whats gonna take them thar objectives? He was told by the red faced officer, "As you were trooper, sit down."
About three weeks after this briefing and we realized we weren't going to our early demise this young trooper was run up before Kasavubu on an article 15 and lost his PFC stripe. I recall it was some hum bug charge and I and my buddies often felt it was due to this question at the briefing. We had heard prior to this article 15 that the officers felt this trooper was being insubordinate. Such were the trials and tribulations one endured even when one was attempting to soldier.
Lou Schreiner

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