Private Snafu (23) - Hot Spot

Pretty funny!!

COL Mikel J. Burroughs Maj Marty Hogan SGT John " Mac " McConnell LTC Stephen F. Cynthia Croft Sgt Randy Wilber SGT Gregory Lawritson CW5 Jack Cardwell TSgt David L. Cpl (Join to see) Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPL Dave Hoover LTC Greg Henning Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Alan K. CWO3 Dennis M. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Lt Col Charlie Brown SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL TSgt Steve Waide

Here is a true story that happened at Ft Polk, B 1/61, during ARTEP training on Peason Ridge around May 1976. I had a a private that was some thing else......
I joined the 5th Division a second time in November 1974, at Ft Polk, LA. The original members were around 14 and building daily. Around June 1976, the division was near full strength and was preparing for the Army Test and Evaluation Program (ARTEP) that consisted of field test starting with squad, platoon, company and finally battalion exercises. We were training at the off post training area named Peason Ridge, which was formally the Viet Nam training camp for Infantry AIT during the war. We were conducting company ARTEP drills and were building fighting positions for the defense. Before I go any further let me tell the reader about PVT Dunce. Practically every line unit in the army at one time is blessed with a soldier like PVT Dunce or PVT Pile. His name was similar to Dunce so I'll use that name to protect his identity. PVT Dunce was my first leadership nightmare. You could dress him, shine his shoes, polish his brass and he would have black polish all over his Khakis because he stepped on his toes and scratched his nose with his collar the during the last five minutes before inspection. He was an inspecting officer's dream for finding everything wrong that could go wrong while walking down the ranks. Back at Peason Ridge we were digging what was called the DePuy fighting positions. These were modified foxholes with overhead cover and a berm in front permitting weapon's fire from the sides. The fighting positions were configured in what was called a "lazy W" where each hole supported the ones on each side to cover the blind spot in the front. Needless to say this new doctrine was not popular with the Viet Nam veterans because the system depended on mutual support. Suddenly, an officer came running through the company perimeter yelling for the whereabouts of CPT Rankin while muttering, "The General is coming." Just my luck, here comes GEN DePuy with a group of straphangers and he goes to PVT Dunce's fighting position. Before I can get out of my position and get to Dunce, the general asks him who is on right and left flank and where is the final protective line. PVT Dunce calmly says, " Uh, I don't know sir, my squad leader didn't tell me". There's more fill in information before I go to what happened next. Bravo was blessed with one of the finest "Piss & Vinegar" First Sergeants the army ever had, 1st Sgt Wiley Mal Clark. Wiley invented the NCO professional program before the Army thought of it years later. Wiley was the type of 1st Sgt who believed in the Ranger doctrine of "Rangers Lead the Way" and stressed the importance of doing things the right way. He made sure that ever NCO in the company could give a clear and simple operation order. His policy was that every soldier in his company would write down every op order. He would spot check to make sure it was done. His middle name also meant "Bad" in Vietnamese and believe me, one with any sense wanted to spark his anger. Upon hearing PVT Dunce's answer, the general stated he wanted this man's entire chain of command to assemble in 20 minutes and to send his heilo to get the colonel. There I am, standing in 90-degree heat, knees shaking, and mentally visualizing both my E-6 stripes going with the E-5 stripes I was wearing. I was on the promotion list for SSG. Finally, the chain of command was in line, at attention, shaking, when General DePuy asked, "First Sergeant, why doesn't PVT Dunce know who is on his left or right flank? I will never forget the look on Wiley's face and the "I want to kill you" tone of his voice as he repeated the general's words. Stuttering and scared I said for him to check PVT Dunce's left front pocket. The general beat the 1st Sgt to the private's breast pocket dislodging a button in the process. He looked at the book, threw it on the ground and ordered that this man be gone from the army before these good soldiers return from the field. Dumbfounded, I thought he might say something like, "Sorry SGT Mathers," or something similar. The general didn't say another word and headed to his heilo and was gone shortly there after. I saw General DePuy again in 1990 at the wall in Washington, DC. I asked him if he remembered the incident. He simply said no.