Quote:
Originally Posted by dragoon500ly
Think about the guys who served in WWII, get recalled to fight in Korea and then have a couple of tours in Vietnam....
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Back in '72 I has an old SFC as my NCOIC at the Inital Receiving Point at the reception station. Kids would always ask him about his war experiences and all he would tell them was his whorehouse experiences.. He had combat bars from his cuff to his elbow. Well I went to his retirement ceremony, the only time I ever saw him with his decorations other than his CIB with two stars. They read off his record per se, not how many times he was busted back from Master Sergeant though.
This man, who was an alcoholic btw, and I then realized why, was in 16th Infantry through out North Africa, Sicily, Normany (Omaha Beach) and on to the end of WW2.. then went to Japan Occupation forces (where a vast majority of his whorehouse stories came from I think). He was in the 24th Infantry Division initally, and was in the 1-21 Infantry (Task Force Smith) that was sent to stop the North Koreans.. he wound up in hospital in Japan for six months and went back to Korea as a replacement in the 1st Cav. He was still in country in '53.
After Korea he was in the fore runners of the Special Forces. He spent five tours in RVN, his first in 1956 as an advisor.. his last in 1970, as an advisor..
The man had two DSC, five Silver Stars and several Bronze with V devices.. as well as seven or eight purple hearts.. and ppl wondered why he drank?
He actually retired as a Master Sergeant, being promoted just before he retired, and not enough time to get in trouble again, and they dried him out..
I often think of Sergeant Johnson. I was a young buck at the time with two tours under my belt, and he was an inspiration to me as an infantryman.
Grae