Honor Page 18

It was an cold Winter day when I got to Berlin on Feb. 15, 1958. My comrades and I went to McNair Barracks to be dispersed to where ever I and other guys were supposed to go. While at McNair some guys volunteered for special units like Honor Guard and such, I volunteered for the Horse Platoon. Alas I was told "it was being disbanned as we speak" , so I was trained as a Tanker and was sent to Tank Co. 6^th Inf. Reg. at Turner Barracks on Huettenweg. The barracks were located at the edge of the Grunewald forest. Arrived there, I was assigned to Tank #43 as a gunner. There were 4 platoons equipped with heavy M48 (Patton) battle tanks. We also had tracked & wheeled recovery vehicles, trucks & M38 jeeps.

Turner Barracks maintained a large building right next to Huettenweg. Here were billeted the troops. In the middle of the main company building was our mess hall. In the back was a huge parking lot, the flag pole and in the rear the large flat maintenance building. At the left end of this building (opposite of the local cemetery), was a small commo & an arms room. There we stored our .50 & .30 cal machine guns and other important equipment.

Other days we drove down about 5 miles to get to Parks Range, an large open military practice area, right next to the GDR border. It was located in Lichterfelde, a subdistrict of Zehlendorf. There always was "show time" for the East guards whom watched us from their wooden towers, located behind the barbed wire. Many Berliners gave us a friendly Hello, it was very impressive to drive all the way down Clayallee & Teltower Damm through the center of Zehlendorf district.

I did know that Berlin was behind the Iron Curtain (read it in a book) but not much else and after a couple of weeks of being restricted to the barracks I got my first pass and I've LOVED BERLIN ever since! I thought Berlin was a really beautiful and clean city and was I treated very kindly by the Berliners which I consider myself a Berliner now too.
A few times I took the usual Army Tour Bus tour of East Berlin and found that very interesting, but in 1958, East Berlin reminded me of a Ghost Town, not sure I seen any people or cars on the street, it was certainly just the opposite in West Berlin.

On June 1st, 1958 or there abouts, our Company was changed to Co F(PATTON) 40^th Armor and our Plt (4^th) was changed to the 1^st Plt and our Tank became number 13 (I figured they wanted the BEST PLT as the 1^st Plt).

We had many practice alerts around 05.00 hrs and one RED Alert on Nov.15, 1958 around 21.00 hrs, thought the balloon was going up that night, (always wondered how the Berliners always knew when we were going to have a practice alert,) some how they sure did.
All in all I had a great experience in Berlin and loved every minute of my time there.

I remember some of the finer establishments we use to frequent like the KBS, ABC, Green Laterne, White Horse (was on the way to Parks Range) and others. Some of these finer establishments had some nightly extra curricular "activities" if you know what I mean. But back to the life in Turner Barracks.

There also were the Company sports activities which I participated in Basketball Football, Softball & Volleyball. Also I like to mention the various Track and Field events, for example the submachine gun competition with the British and French.
I remember practicing with that Grease Gun from May or June to the end of Sep, 8 hours a day, every week day. There we wasted for sure a lot of rounds. And then, the competition in October, I recall going to Tempelhof Air Base (TCA) to fire salutes for all the big wheels that came to see this GREAT CITY OF BERLIN and there sure were a lot of them.
I remember going through Berlin in our Tanks looking at all the pretty Frauleins waving on the side walks. Wow !

At Parks Range we chased rabbits around with our Tanks until they had enough of us and our games and went under the border fence to the Russian Zone, -- what wonderful times we had.

One time that was not so wonderful was the time I spent at the Berlin Command NCO Academy where I didn't volunteered to go (our CO said "you --you--you--and you" , -know what I mean) Sure can't say I enjoyed the NCO Academy. The Commandant Cpt Stanley Zawadny told us (4 Tankers) that he hates Tankers and I knew then that this wasn't going to be an enjoyable experience. I did so many pushups the first day that I thought I was going to get muscle bound and maybe look like Charles Atlas or Arnie. The lowest number they knew was 50 and a lot of times they would use a much higher number and there was all those runs. Then there was the infamous "TREE DRILL". I never could get that blasted tree to bring its limbs down to its side when I called it to "Attention". Only one man to a tree was allowed but of course there was more men than trees and if two guys were caught at the same tree they had to climb the tree. Can you say "MESSED UP SPITSHINED BOOTS", looking back its funny now but not so funny then but I did make it thru the NCO Academy and now look back at it with a smile on my face. I didn't want to leave Berlin but I had to (Emergency Leave and they got me out of Berlin in 30 min.,- didn't think that was possible). There was not enough time left to come back but I'll never forget Berlin.

The year was 1966; and when October arrived so did my "Greetings" from then President Lyndon Johnson. It appeared to me that he had heard I had been going to college only part-time and working as a plumber's helper, also only part-time. He was suggesting in a very authoritative manner that I should go to work for him full-time; for at least the next two years. He informed me that I should show up at the Grand Rapids Main Post Office on November 7, 1966 for forwarding to an Armed Forces Induction Station. I thought; he must need me quite badly to give me such short notice; so I complied. When I arrived at the post office on November 7^th I looked around and saw about eighty other young individuals who had been given the same opportunity to get one of these government positions. We were all told to board waiting Greyhound buses which would transport us to our next destination Detroit, Michigan where we would be given a physical and, if we passed, would be sworn into our new job. I passed with flying colors and was on my way to what I now consider to be two of the greatest years of my life.

From Detroit we were moved by train to Fort Knox Kentucky where they gave us a whole bunch of free clothing and other goodies we would need. After a few days of tests and indoctrination we were put on a plane bound for Fort Ord California. This is where I remained for approximately the next four months. During that period we received our Basic Combat Training and then upon completion of that training, we were moved across the post to the Advanced Training area where they taught us the skills to become 11 Bravos (Infantrymen). The next step in my training was APC School back at Fort Knox, so I backtracked to Kentucky. The next three weeks were spent learning all about the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier and how to drive them.

I have to admit, that being a non-swimmer; when they told me to drive that 11 ton piece of machinery into a lake and drive to the opposite shore I had lots of reservations and I am not talking dinner reservations. But I completed that exercise and also the three week course and was prepared to receive my orders for a permanent duty assignment so I could put into practice all these new skills I learned. I was pretty much resolved to the fact that; because I had an MOS of 11B with APC Training, and also that the Viet Nam War was at its boiling point; I would be receiving a new issue of clothing more suited for wear in the jungles of Southeast Asia and subsequently sent off to my next assignment. It had slipped my mind however that I was in the Army, and you should never expect the obvious to happen. So when, with trembling hands, I opened my orders I was dumbstruck to see I was headed to the 2^ndnd Battalion 6^th Infantry somewhere with an APO of 09742. Having no idea where this APO was, I asked the closest person available. I evidently was the only one in the area who was not aware that 09742 was Berlin, Germany; because I was greeted with a chorus of "You Lucky Bastard; that is Berlin." In the next eighteen months I would find out exactly why they were calling me "LUCKY".

So it was on to Fort Dix New Jersey to get shipped over to Germany. At this time I had no idea what the future would be and definitely did not anticipate the enjoyment I would experience, because, after all, this was the Army. Before we reached Berlin we made an overnight stop in Frankfort at the 21^st Replacement Battalion which was standard procedure for troops entering Germany. This was where I had my first chance meeting with someone from home. A comrade stuck his head out the window of this building where we were all waiting for the next orders to get us onward to Berlin, and to my astonishment it was an old childhood friend who lived down the street from me when we were both quite young. His name was Bob Hull and he and I got together that night to reminisce about the past when we were both elementary school students, and I filled him in on what had occurred in the three months he had been in Frankfurt. He reassured me how lucky I was to be going to Berlin for my permanent duty station.

The following day we arrived in Berlin via plane, not the Duty Train, and landed at Tempelhof Air Base. From there we went to another site which will have to remain nameless because I can't recall where or what it was. I do know that someone looked at my orders and those of six other fellow replacements and he told us to step off to the side. Well we all know that getting singled out in the Army is not usually a very good omen. This time however it was not a really bad thing. The guy who set us aside came to us and said that they really didn't need any replacements at the 2/6 in positions that we could fill; but the Armor Unit needed men and we were going to be sent to Company F 40^th Armor. It made you wonder why you had spent about three months learning the ropes to be an infantryman and then end up as a tank crewman. This just reaffirmed my belief that the term Army Intelligence is an oxymoron.

I eventually got over the shock of the situation and thought this could be my lucky day because I would now be riding instead of walking and the two pairs of boots I was issued should last the remainder of my obligation. We soon were being let out of a bus that had driven us to Turner Barracks which was to be my home for the next 18 months.

I was certain they were pulling my leg when they told me I would be simonizing a tank and spit shining the rubber mud flaps. But I soon came to the awareness that they were as serious as a heart attack. These tasks were necessitated to prepare for the numerous parades for which the Berlin Brigade was noted. One parade in particular required extra effort on the part of our platoon because we had received five brand new tanks just a little over a week prior to the parade date.

To get these vehicles ready was no minor chore. It took a concerted effort between us and the maintenance platoon to have these parade ready because of the condition they were in when they arrived. They were coated with cosmoline and had no finish coat of paint nor any markings. It appeared it would be a monumental task to get them prepped; but with a good game plan and a considerable amount of elbow grease, the objective was reached and the five new tanks of the Third Platoon rolled proudly through the streets of Berlin.

Grunewald exercises usually consisted of at least one overnight stay. These overnight exercises would require much prior planning and preparation. One of the most important duties was to make sure that the ammo wells in the tank turrets were filled with, what I liked to call the "Vittles and Vitals." The vittles would consist of snacks to tide us over between meals and the vitals were several bottles of Thunderbird. Thunderbird I am sure you all are aware was what is referred to as a fortified wine. Fortified wines, as opposed to fine wines, do not have a specific vintage nor do they have a cork that needs to be kept moist. Thunderbird had a gold metal screw cap and most likely was vintage yesterday. Although it may not be found on too many wine lists in restaurants; it does warm your inners. When not in the field, if you were out on pass visiting one of the local drinking establishments or just wandering around the barracks, you were most apt to hear songs playing like, "The Green, Green Grass of Home" by Tom Jones or "The Letter" aka "Give me a Ticket for an Aeroplane" by the Box Tops. Other popular songs were by artists from Motown the new sound that was becoming so popular.

Besides the afore mentioned meeting with my old friend in Frankfurt, I also met other people from back in my hometown. One person I did not know prior to getting to 40^th Armor was Dick Vanderkamp who also was a Grand Rapids native and member of our company. And on one occasion I was in the laundromat and met a girl who I had gone to high school with whose husband was there with the Air Force. Another day as we were traipsing through the Grunewald on an escape and evasion; I met up with a friend who I went to college with, Jim Lago.

But the most pleasant surprise meeting came on Christmas 1967.

My roommate Mark Fenske and I had decided to attend midnight Mass instead of having to get up and go the following morning. This would be my first Christmas away from home and as might be expected I was feeling more than a bit melancholy. Being forty-five hundred miles and six time zones away from friends and relatives was not the place anyone particularly wanted to be on Christmas. But my spirits were bolstered as the evening progressed. Seated in the Chapel as the bell rang to signal the start of Mass; I glanced toward the altar and noticed a familiar figure entering the sanctuary to say the Mass; it was Father James Yeager, my high school principal. Now in high school I was no angel and we got to know each other quite well during those high school days and he reminded me that I had probably spent more time in his office than his furniture. He had always been in the National Guard since his stint during WWII and he wanted to finish his career on active duty and had just been assigned to Berlin that week to complete his time before retirement. Later during the Mass as people were walking by on their way to Communion; I felt a tap on my shoulder and it was a good friend who I had gone all through school with and we participated in sports together all those years. His name was Mike Neuman and he was with his wife Virginia who we also went to school with. Mike had just graduated from West Point that June and this was his first duty assignment.

Mike was not aware that neither Fr. Yeager nor I were in Berlin. We all five got together after church services and had many dinners together in the following months.

Needless to say this all made the holiday a little easier with which to cope. It also gave me a realization that even though Berlin was a big city; it was in a small world.

I left Berlin on October 18^th in 1968.

The following year (1969) on December 1^st the Selective Service System held the first draft lottery. My birth date of June 8 was number 366. I laughed when I heard my number would have been 366 and I thought to myself; I am glad they didn't have that lottery a few years sooner because I most likely would not have had the experience of my life, ---my great time in Berlin--- !

We were young and excited about being in Berlin. We had all heard what a great place Berlin was and what a great duty assignment for a tanker it was. I had heard it called "Tankers Paradise". I remember arriving at Turner Barracks in the spring of 1983. There were a few other guys that had arrived the very same day. We only went to the field twice a year for tank gunnery because of the hassle of going through the East Germany zone to get to the West. (Live firing ranges were at Grafenwoehr & Hohenfels) We would occasionally go to Doughboy city (Parks Range) for over night training but that wasn't that often.

Turner Barracks was about 5 miles away of the other 3 U.S. barracks. It was located on Huettenweg right next to the Grunewald. From my window I could see the wide street (so-called "Panzerstrasse" by Germans), Aafes Garage and the edge of the woods. If we left the main gate, there were 2 ways to go only. To the left, about 2 miles was the zone Autobahn (AVUS) and the main part of the Grunewald forest. Most of time we went to the right, all the way to Doughboy city (Parks Range). A German police vehicle would lead our tanks through the rough traffic of Zehlendorf. It was fun to drive by several U.S. compounds like Huettenweg Chapel, DYA field, BB housing, Clayallee, Teltower Damm & other streets. We loved to see all the pretty girls around "Girl-Watchers-Corner". On the way to Doughboy we always passed McNair Barracks, home of the 3 Infantry battalions. From there it was not that far to get to the range practice area which was located right next to the GDR border line. My tank had the number 23. (Second platoon, 3^rd tank)

We did do some training while there also. We trained hard at Doughboy city and had fun at the same time. Sometimes we had to support Infantry units while on maneuver practice. The same happened while on Allied maneuvers in the Grunewald. Platoons of my unit had to respond to support missions. After such training days there were always a lot of cleaning & maintenance work to do. It took many hours to bring our tanks back to good shape. Parks Range was a very muddy "playground". I recall having lots of snow and all roads being very slippery. Driving such heavy tank sometimes was a dangerous adventure.

There are a few instances that stick out in my mind. Once I was driving my M60/A3 Tank and my brakes failed. I told my tank commander about it and he said just drive slow and use the T-Bar to stop the tank, which was no problem. It was dark so I had the drivers hatch closed with night vision sight mounted in the hatch. About that time there was a fire blazed up at my feet in the driver's compartment. I yelled to my tank commander of my predicament and he jumped out of the turret to help me out of the driver's compartment. The problem was the night vision sight was in the hatch which meant I couldn't open the hatch to get out. He panicked and was beating the night vision site trying to get the hatch open. I finally got the sight out and yelled "Sgt. Murphy, get me a fire extinguisher". He grabbed one from the turret and I sprayed the fire until it was finally out. It took two fire extinguishers to get the fire put out. After it was all over with, I had to go to the back deck and throw up because of all the smoke and smell of burning wires and brake fluid burning.

Another time at Doughboy, it had snowed quite a bit and then melted and refroze which made for slippery conditions. Being in a M60A3 tank made it even more interesting. While driving though this wide section between two buildings and I told Sgt Murphy to hold on. He said what are you about to do? I yelled "just hold on!" And got up a good head of steam and jerked the T-Bar to the extreme right which caused the tank to start spinning out of control. We probably spun around ten times before coming to a stop. We were both laughing and having the best time of our lives. It's a wonder we didn't take out two or three buildings in the process. That's what happens when you allow twenty year olds to drive something that big.

Also I like to mention the parade seasons. It's this time when our tanks got picked up by German police, green-white radio cars. With "Blue light & horn signals" we got escorted down to the 4^th of July Platz (4 Ring) next to McNair Barracks. Here we always had to practice for the annual parades. Also other units of the Berlin Brigade have attended that special training program. For some of us tankers that meant to cruise all the time around the huge McNair compound until our "Big Wheels" were satisfied. A lot of noise and stress time to the Berliner inhabitants in that vicinity. The same "drive by" practice was also done by other various vehicles like Howitzers, APC, trucks & jeeps. The rest of my unit had to march in formation like most GI's of the legendary Berlin Brigade. It always took several days of endless practice hours until the big days of review were there. There was the Allied Forces Day downtown (district Tiergarten, 17 of June Strasse) and of course our 4^th of July holiday. Our "Iron Horses" always were shining in mint condition thanks to our intensive baby oil treatment. It was our proud tradition and honor to please the countless spectators (family members & Berliners) whom enjoyed our parades. When the big parade days were over, we finally got some more fun time for ourselves.