The Way of the War part 4

The Way of War Part 4


I showered and dressed in my new Majors Uniform. I looked in my mirror and I thought I looked rather dashing. I walked out to meet the waiting Cpl. I got in to the jeep. Unlike most of my drivers of late this one never shut up. We pulled up to a building …

98th Field Artillery Battalion
Are you sure this is the right place he nodded and I got out. I entered the building and walked up to the Duty Sergeant and handed him my orders.

He glanced at my orders, Jumped up, Saluted and said the Colonel has been waiting for you. He lead met down the hall to the Colonel’s office and knocked, A booming voice said “Enter” the Sgt opened the door and said, “ Major Chase,” he backed out and was gone.

I stepped in and saluted “Major Chase reporting Sir.” He motioned me to a chair, ‘ Sit down son sit down. We weren’t sure you would make it before the first class starts tomorrow. I understand you wish to be trained with the rank and file and not as an officer… may I ask why…

“Sir my training will only assist me, there will be no one for me to pass along orders. I will be on individual assignment. When I walk out of your office I walk out as PFC Chad Lincoln. Major Chase is just a name on the books at BOQ . “

“I need a requisition to take to supply, to replace Duffel bag lost in transit. Then a barracks assignment. Oh a German & French language course will also be needed.” The Colonel handed me a package containing a set of fatigues and cap.

You can change in my office I will have the Sgt make out the requisition, Barracks assignment and I will have him check on the language course. He has been with me for 5 years any thing you need just check with him he has my ear.

I had just finished dressing when the door opened and the Sgt walked in with the forms I needed. I told him he might as well send the driver back to the motor pool. He has a motor mouth and is sure to blab about the Major who went the Colonel’s office and came out a PFC.

He laughed, Don’t worry about Clancy he is one of the Colonels boys. The motor mouth is a front. He is assigned to you today even if you turn into a German General. I said okay then see you later.

I climbed into the jeep and handed the Cpl my forms. He said supply first it will take a while we will leave the form and come back later to pick them up. He laughed , “You sure go through a lot of clothes” I laughed with him “Tell me about it.”

We arrived at the barracks and I went in and signed in and was issued sheets and blankets. It was a thirty man barracks One side had ten double bunks the other side had five and the latrine. The barracks office was all the way across the front and included the duty NCO bunk room. My bunk was the middle of the five on the bottom.

I started back out of the barracks and the duty NCO asked where I thought I was going I looked at him. Not wanting to cause trouble I explained about my duffel bag. He got cocky and said I should have taken care of it before checking in to the barracks.

I pointed at the jeep the Colonel thought it important enough to have his driver take me around. It was obvious that this was a freshly promoted CPL, and not a candidate for the school, trying to exceed his authority.

I noticed my driver step inside the door, I glanced at him he held his hands in front of him palms facing outward. ‘Colonel says for you to handle it.’ The duty NCO had a nightstick in his right hand slapping it into his left. I looked him dead in the eye, “Are you stupid enough to make threats to someone you don’t even know. Didn’t you hear the Colonels driver I have permission to kick your lilly livered ass all over the barracks.

I stepped toward the gate when he drew back the nightstick and swung towards me. I let it go past and grabbed his shoulder and the seat of his pants and drug him over the gate and threw him out the front door of the barracks. The sergeant on duty laughed and said, “ What a dumb ass. If he comes back in send him back to the duty office” and he picked up the phone.”

I got back in the jeep and said , “ So much for being inconspicuous. We both laughed and went to pick up my clothes. When we returned with my clothes I thanked the Cpl and went to put everything away.. Every where I looked there were smiles. It seems the Cpl was not too popular.

The next morning at 0345 we fell out with fifty pound pack for a leisure 5 mile hike, to us country boys it was a walk in the park. After the hike we cleaned up ourselves and the barracks. Then it was off to breakfast.. After breakfast we fell out on the Parade Ground. The Colonel Addressed the troops from the podium.

‘Welcome to an all volunteer outfit. The name of our Outfit is the 98th Field Artillery Battalion but don’t let the name fool you, the only Artillery most of you will see is incoming. It will be tough on you being the First Class specially since some of you are needed out there yesterday .Your days will be long for we have to cram in two or three months of training into barely a month. I want you all to know that there is no shame in dropping out.