Connecting the Troopers of Today with the Veterans of Yesterday.

First memories of the boarder

Very first foot patrol in camp rotz sector, we ran across a chez patrol going in the other direction. My team leader told me to stay in place and lock but not load my M2 submachine gun while he approched them. During those times (1973) we had to keep a peice of green tape over the top of the magizine so the ammo did not fall out, heavan help you if you were short a round when you returned from patrol. To my horor the magizine would not go into the gun becuase of the residue left from the tape. Afterwards we discovered once the mag had been cleaned the top round also had enough residue that it would not chamber.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dave Gettman on March 26, 2012 at 2:40pm

Yes Robert, I was. Helluva man, though I never met him. Helluva way for a true Soldier to go, too.

Permalink Reply by Robert Haynes on March 26, 2012 at 3:12pm

He was SCO of 1st Sqdn when I was at the Rock, I remember him as a no b.s officer. Hard charging and take no prisoners kind of guy.

Permalink Reply by Dave Gettman on March 26, 2012 at 3:25pm

Tony and I had several conversations shortly before he passed away. I think of him often.

Permalink Reply by Rob Gould on December 11, 2022 at 7:47pm

That bugged me too.

Permalink Reply by Jose L Perez on April 12, 2010 at 4:03pm

Couple of weeks after I arrived in Germany, I troop was sent to the border. I was the new guy from the communication section. The second night at the border, we had a called from the bunker that the telephones were not working. The commo. Sgt. told the senior repair man to go, the senior told the junior to go, and the junior said “send the new guy”. I was told to get a driver, a jeep, password and drive to the bunker to repair the phone. Being a ’cruit” I did not know anything about the border and about the Iron Curtain. I could not imagine an iron curtain. I was told that it was just a fence, but how can a fence be a curtain? We drove to the bunker and I repaired the telephone. It was extremely dark and I ask if I could barrow the binocular to see the “curtain”. I could not see anything. Then, the sky lighted up with flares and machine gun fire from on the Czechs’ turrets with traces bullets going over the tree tops. Holly Margolly !! I thought that it was the Third War World and I was in the middle of it. Boy, was I scared. Everyone at the bunker laughed their Arrs off. I was told that the Checks were letting us know that they knew that we were at the bunker. It seemed that the Czechs practiced every month.

Permalink Reply by howard maxwell tritt on May 5, 2010 at 11:35am

Robb, I also remember it snowing 4th of July, 1979. K Trp, 3rd Platoon was on Camp May. It was the only time I was ever there. I was working an all nighter in OPs. I remember the dawn feely really wierd, or maybe it was the caffeine & lack of sleep. But bigger than Stuttgart, it snowed!!

Permalink Reply by Charles R. (Bob) Lane on May 13, 2010 at 12:30am

My first border tour was not with the 2nd ACR, but with the 11th (Blackhorse) ACR in 1974, at Camp Wohlbach. We were manning OP Sierra, a fixed permanent site. We were notified that a VIP was enroute and to be on our toes. Soon 4 jeeps pulled up, and out hops the Corps Commander LTG Donn Starry, along with my Troop and Sqdn COs and lSGT and CSM. Our NCOIC reported to him, the "General " gave us the once over, smiled, walked up to me and taking off his gloves, said "Specialist Lane, How the hell are you. I haven't seen you since Snoul (Cambodia). In 1970 Nixon sent us into the Parrots Beak in search of NVA COSVN HQ. Then COL Starry had commanded the 11th ACR and my unit HHT (ACAV section) 2nd Sqdn 11th ACR had provided transportation and security for the command party. We had made contact with the NVA several times and COL Starry had been right there with us the whole time, leading from the front on the ground not circling overhead. Later at Snoul a dink threw a frag out of a bunker wounding the COL, our Sqdn S-3 Major Fred Franks (Later LTG Franks who commanded The "Hail Mary" during Desert Storm. ) I helped Doc pull them to safety and never saw the COL again until that day. Instead of inspecting the OP, we talked about old times. While they were mounting up to leave " Top" said "You never told me you knew the General. I answered back "It never really crossed my mind, I was surprised he remembered me." Needless to say my stock went up in the orderly room and the number of "s--t details I got put on went down a lot.

Permalink Reply by Jim Ward on May 22, 2010 at 5:17pm

That was an awesome story! I love reading about things like this. I find it cool that you guys knew the big guys before they were the big guys. Thanks!

Permalink Reply by Dave Gettman on May 22, 2010 at 9:55pm

There have been Dragoons rising to the top all through history. I had two different troop CO's the year I was with C Troop in Bindlach. The first, Pete Schoomaker, went on to eventually command Delta Force before retiring, then was brought out of retirement by President Bush to be Army Chief of Staff. My second CO was Tom Molino, who went on to command 2nd Squadron and is 67th Colonel of the Regiment, not to mention served many years as president of the 2d Cavalry Association.

And who says careful grooming of a young Cavalry officer by a junior enlisted man can't lead to great things? I did pretty well with these two!

Permalink Reply by STEPHEN P. ZURENDA JR on August 13, 2010 at 10:41pm

1st LT Douglas Lute worked in S-4 in Bindlach in the late 70's. I worked with him on occaision when I was Ammo Control Point NCO during Gunnery for D Co. Later he was commander of C Troop. I remember him as a relaxed and easy going a nice guy and officer..
He was with the 2nd ACR during Desert Storm. From 1998-2000 he was the Regimental Commander 2nd Cavalry Regiment. He was promoted to Lieutenant General in 2006 and was Director of Operations of the Joint Staff. In June of 2007 he was the Deputy National Security Advisor. That was the last I heard of him, does anybody else remember him and know where he is now?

Permalink Reply by Dave Gettman on August 14, 2010 at 12:42am

Hi Stephen.

This is from January 2009 about LTG Lute. He's still very much involved with the 2d Cavalry Association.

President-elect Barack Obama will be keeping another holdover from the Bush administration on his national security team -- Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute, who will keep his job coordinating Iraq and Afghanistan policy out of the National Security Council, according to transition officials.

But unlike his role in the Bush administration, where, as assistant to the President for Iraq and Afghanistan, he reported directly to President Bush, General Lute in the Obama administration will report to Mr. Obama through the president's National Security Adviser, Gen. James L. Jones.

Permalink Reply by David Zawicki on September 18, 2010 at 8:18pm