So sorry I've been away from Emails and Mail
Call so long. I've been reading them (some from a hospital bed). I
had a bout of "something" that caused my butt to be stuck in ICU for a
week. Now, I've been home for a week and seem to be recovering from
whatever it was that took me down.
Thanks to Mail Call I've been able to connect to Gary Poole
who was also a member of the 517th and served in HQ Battery of the
460th. He brought back to my memory an incident that happened while
we were training at Camp Mckall. A particular training mission was to
teach us how to fire and handle a bazooka properly.
Gary Poole was shaving early that morning while I was in my
tent writing letters when we heard a loud explosion in the barracks near my tent
location. Gary and I both ran into the barracks to lend some first aid as
there was a lot of hollering going on. Apparently someone had
dropped a bazooka shell. In the explosion one paratrooper was killed and
twelve were seriously injured.
If any of you troopers out there remember this incident I
would appreciate it if they would contact me or Mail Call. I would very
much like to hear from anyone. If I'm not mistaken, my memory tells
me it was Dog Battery in that barrack. It is the same barracks that
I had been transferred out of the day before because I was being transferred to
HQ and HQ Service Battery.
Ben, we have long ago made our reservations at the
DoubleTree. Our son, David, already has reservations there with his
family. Due to a bout with ill health I have hesitated to sending in the
registration monies, but since I seem to be approving we will surely not wait
much longer.
By-the-way, Ben, I sometimes see in Mail Call "Lucky
Hiers Bio." The one I sent in was extremely brief in answer to someone's
specific questions. BUT, this winter since I could not ski, and
between bouts of illness, I have been working on a more comprehensive bio
-- particularly of battle engagements. I am TRYING to keep it brief about
my personal life.
As always, I have one more request before signing off, DOES
ANYONE OUT THERE REMEMBER ALL THE WORDS to "Blood on The Risers?" I can
remember singing as a group the words as we marched down to the sweat
shed. I remember the tune well ... it was sung to the music of "Glory,
Glory Hallelujah." The only words I can remember are "glory glory
what a hell of a way to die."
For a reason I do not know, I recall another song we sang, but
I don't know what tune we sang it to. The song goes like this:
"I wouldn't
give a bean
to be a fancy
pants marine.
I'D RATHER BE
A TROOPER LIKE I am.
I wouldn't
trade my old ODs
for all the
Navy's dungarees.
For I'm the
jumping pride of Uncle Sam.
I'd rather be
a jumper like I am.
Now the
posters that you read
sez the
Army builds men,
but
they'er tearing me down
to build me
over again.
I'm just a
dog-faced soldier
with a rifle
on my shoulder.
I shoot
a kraut afore breakfast every day.
So pass the
ammunition
to any good
division
and
send me to the USA.
I really
mean it; send me to the USA.
Once again, Ben, thanks for the work you're doing.
Having Gary Poole in Oregon, and Charlie Cook in Alaska contact me with some
memories of their own has been a bright spot this last year and trust you have
some bright spots because of your efforts on the behalf of us all.
Lucky Hiers
************
Bob Barrett
