Detained by the Russians behind the Berlin Wall, shot and wounded twice in Vietnam (Purple Hearts), survived 3 aircraft crashes, retired Army Infantry Lt. Colonel. Ask Me Anything!

Thank your for your commitment, and service to our country.

Thanks!

Thank you everyone for all of the questions. They were really good, made me think, and brought back a lot of memories. They made me appreciate how fortunate my life has been and I have so much to be thankful for. Thanks to my daughter Corey for typing for me during the AMA. Have a great Thanksgiving and safe travels.

As someone of Russian decent... Sorry about that...

Funny! Actually the Russian soldiers tried to befriend us and always wanted to do some small item trading such as belt buckles. It was the East Germans who really were nasty pieces of work.

So do you still have any cool cool things from those Russian soldiers?

Yes I do. I have a 8 x 11 shadow frame full of insignia from different Russian units that I display along with an East German flag that I liberated from the Russian Garden of Remembrance late on night.

My great Grandpa hated Japanese people because of serving over there in the war, and so did his wife, my great grandma.

Do you find this really common still in the military? Do you have any hatreds or dislikes for cultures today based on what you saw when you were serving?

No judgement given either way :) And thank you for your service!!!

Different times and different wars. I didn't experience the hatred for the Vietnamese people that I heard expressed by my fathers generation against both the Germans and Japanese. It was not the Vietnamese population that hated Americans like the Japanese did. The people we fought were infiltrators from the North and Vietcong who were tired of any foreigner military presence in their country. That had been going on since WWII and they wanted people out of their country.

As someone of German descent....sorry about that.

As someone of Mexican descent.. well I have no relation to the matter. Hallo.

Yeah, I don't remember shooting any Mexicans.

First off, from one vet to another thank you for you service.

Question: How do you feel with the 5.56 rounds and stepping to the 9mm instead of a higher caliber round?

Love the 5.56 and trusted it completely. 9mm is just not enough. I love the . 45 because it gets the job done.. if you are man enough to handle it. Thank you for your service as well!

Daaaamn.

If I may ask, what was the scariest moment in your army career?

When I was being extracted on a rope by helicopter through the jungle canopy and the guy in the bird forgot to tether the rope. My interpreter and I were hanging in a loop and felt a drop of about five feet. All I could see was hitting the hard patty from about 200 feet. I found out later that 3 more feet of rope and I would have been a flat cat.

Was it worth it?

For our country - No. For my military experience - Yes.

Good to know, as I am currently undergoing medic training with the Canadian Forces

Best of luck to you in your training. You will be a valued asset to a valuable service.

Holy Crap,You are a badass in my book,sir!:)

I was just a typical young Infantry Officer of my time. One of many I served with during the heyday of Vietnam. But thanks for the compliment.

If what you did was typical, then boys must go into basic training as, well, boys, and come out as Iron Man.

What you've accomplished is beyond belief, I have a lot of respect for you.

Thank you. That is very kind of you to say.

Was there any misconceptions about other countries that you found out to be true or false?

The misconception that the Vietnamese soldiers were dedicated to their cause didn't seem to hold true in my experience. I saw them cut and run too many times as units and as individuals.

My uncle often had night terrors about Vietnam, but do you often get bad terrors? You seem kinda tough, but I know that taking a person's life and seeing your comrades die is enough to turn anyone like that.

It didn't bother me for years. I am sad.. not terrified. I get tears in my eyes when I think of my friends who died and all of our young troops who are having this same experience today. I can't handle Taps and other emotional thoughts of what that means. I don't think anyone comes from war untouched no matter how tough we pretend.

I was with the 173rd through OEF 8 and that is exactly how its been for me. The only thing that really bothers me is the guys that I lost, that's the only thing that really hurts. All you ever hear or see about war or ptsd in movies and stuff is people being haunted by the fear or having killed someone. I got shot, we were in a lot of fights but none of that really bothers me. I lost a third of platoon though, that shit eats me up. We were close and I miss em a lot. There's also a pretty damn large list of music that I won't listen to because I know it'll just end with me holing up and downing a bottle of Jameson

You nail it exactly. At one point I was down to 67 people out of a Company of 130. It's tough.

wow thats insane thank you sincerely for your service!

I guess the first thing that popped into my head was where were you shot if you don't mind me asking? and in the aircraft crashes did you parachute or how did that play out?

I was shot in the leg with an AK-47 by a Vietcong on a Combat Assault. The second time I was hit by a rifle grenade with 11 pieces of shrapnel in my back. The first crash we rode into the mountain side in Germany and totaled the craft. Second Crash shot down over Cambodia with auto rotation hard landing. Third, I was pulled at the last minute from a flight that crashed on landing with full casualties.

Good thing you werent on that third one. If it crashed as it was, it certainly would not have been able to handle the weight of your steel balls . I think you may be in the running for overly manly man... rock on, veteran. Thank you for what you have done.

That is the coolest compliment that I have ever had. Thanks!

Could you describe the relationship between East Germans and the Russians? Did they get along? I always thought this was odd considering the brutality they faced from each other during WWII and after.

Damn good question! My knowledge is limited from a short term perception but I believe they West Germans hated the Russians still while the East Germans had bought into the Communist thinking. Even then, I am not sure the East Germans loved the Russians. I saw no evidence of them mixing much in East Berlin. The Russians kept to themselves.

How was your time spent behind the Berlin Wall? What was your experience?

7 and 1/2 hours of boring driving around and a half hour of scary stuff! Like getting detained 9 time by the Russians and the East Germans who were really nasty characters.

I don't understand where the East Germans angry at you or detained you

Point blank - the East Germans were Communists and simply did not like Americans. This was the leading edge of the cold war and they found opportunities to harass us.

With your experience, what film do you think that portrayed the Vietnam war very well, and what film you think was a "joke"?

The real Vietnam war was Mel Gibson "We Were Soldiers." The junk war movies were "Platoon", "Deer Hunter", and any Sylvester Stallone movie. While Platoon was an Oliver Stone masterpiece, I served in that unit and it was nothing like my experience.

Sorry to bring up a bad memory if there is one but, did you ever lose a friend while serving in Vietnam?

No problem. My class from the Infantry Officers Advanced Course was the high casualty class of Vietnam. I lost 22 of my classmates on their 2nd tour. Several sat next to me in class. One was my next door neighbor and one I had replaced as a Company Commander on our 1st tour. He was also a classmate. That makes it up close and personal.

How did you get behind the wall? I mean, what were you doing there - there's gotta be a story behind that. And how did you get out?

My command made regular vehicle patrols behind the wall 24 hours a day. These were official missions to gather intelligence. Usually a team of 4 soldiers with specific observation targets.

(Since its Ask me Anything). A man of your age must've lived a colorful life. So here are my 3 questions!

• What is your most beloved memory?

• If you had the opportunity, would you change any decision you did in the past?

• What is your favorite type of food? :)

I am 72 years old so I have had a full life! Most of the excitement was lived between age 21 and 27 during my first years in the Army. 1. I am an avid boater, owning 4 boats currently, and spend large amounts of time on the water. This has been consistent my whole life. there is just something about being on a boat. 2. I would not change any of my decisions. I am happy where I am and do not practice 'what if'. 3. Fried crawfish! We lived in Louisiana 14 years and I really miss the Cajun food.

which medal is your favorite (either by rank, sentimental value, or the actions that gained you the medal)

The two Purple Hearts would be on top. I have a medal for Valor which is dear to me since I earned it by saving someone.

How did you save that person and from what?

I was flying in command of a helicopter gun strike. My 2nd gunship got target fixation and flew into a tree, followed the rocket down. I had my craft hover over a clearing in the jungle and my interpreter and I dropped off the skids from about 15 feet. I was only armed with a .45 and my interpreter was unarmed. We made our way to the crash site where the helicopter was burning, and ammunition was cooking off, to look for any live crew. The 2 pilots were still strapped in but a door gunner had been thrown from the helicopter. He was alive. A passing helicopter heard my Mayday and hovered over the scene. In a million and one chance he actually had a rope on board. An Army Captain on board made a loop and dropped it to us. I put the crewman on the loop and had him hoisted to safety. The helicopter came back and motioned to pick us both us because they were red lining on fuel as they extracted us. This is when the rope was not tied down and though we would be flat cats.

How close do you stay connected to today's army, or have you left that part of you behind?

That part of my life is closed. Been there, done that. Loved it but have moved on. I am now part of the USCG Auxiliary and spend a great deal of my time on official orders. My Son In Law is a current Navy Pilot who is attached to the Battle Staff of the E-4B National Airborne Command Center. So my family continues an unbroken chain of military service, just a different color uniform.

Great to hear. Since you're now a Coastie, your Son in Law and I officially allow you to root for the right side during the next Army/Navy game!

USCG AUX is only a part time job. So how about I root for Navy during the first quarter?

What firearm did you use the most,did you feel it was sufficient for your tours?

I loved the CAR 15 and the Colt .45. The .223 will take out anything in the jungle and the CAR could be fired full auto with one hand. The .45 is a knock down caliber especially at close range. Great weapons for what I did!

Hello, random non US-redditor here.
I'm mostly interested on your experience on Berlin.

Why were you detained during that time? How did they treat you while detailed?
Where the soldiers at the East mostly Russians? East Germans or an equal mixture of both?
Did you see any crossing attempts during your time? What was the protocol if you saw somebody jumping the border?

Thanks

I was detained 9 times. Several times it was because I was sent specifically to create an international incident with the Russians.. which I did quite well. We were just screwing with them in retaliation for something they had done. Most retentions were by the East Germans. It was an equal mix of Russians and Germans in terms of volume. I saw no civilian crossing attempts in my time. However, we were sent on several occasions to retrieve soldiers who were attempting to help escapees. I quote my orders "LT, You figure a way to get them in the car and back through Checkpoint Charlie." Don't need to say anymore about that..

What did you enlist as, and did you plan on making such a great career out of it? How many jobs did you go through in that 20 year timespan?

I was commissioned as a regular Army Officer from ROTC and planned from day one to have a 20 year career. I couldn't believe I could paint my face, have a jeep, and all the free bullets I could shoot. As a poor kid from Mississippi this was heaven. I was an Infantry Officer who went through all the positions in the field then went to the Pentagon to work for the Chief of Staff.

What was the worst and best experience you have had during your time on active duty?

The worst time was working for a numb nutts General in the 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley. He was basically incompetent and unfit to be a general officer and was a total bully to his staff. The best experiences far out weighed the few bad ones. I loved my time working for the Army Chief of Staff at the Pentagon. I got to observe a lot of high level Army decisions.

What were you thinking when you were in the crashes?

In the first one it was my first ride and I remember saying to my Captain "Are all these helicopters like this?". On the second one when I got shot down there was no reaction until I put my feet on the ground and got weak kneed from the ride down. On the third I dealt with that for days.

Where were you when the wall came down?

In 1989 I had retired and was working as an International Consultant out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I clearly remember the day the wall came down as I did clearly remember what I was doing when the first blocks were laid. I have an actual chunk of the wall on a plaque in my library.

Have you ever ran out of ammo and had to grab a russian weapon? If so have you used the SKS. A fine weapon it is.

No, never ran out of ammo. In the 25th Infantry Division the two things we made sure we had plenty of was water and ammo. I have never had to use a Russian weapon. As an Adviser I did have a wall full of strange weapons but no SKS. I brought an SKS back from my 2nd tour but traded it for a hunting weapon. I'll stick with the CAR 15.

How did you get the SKS back home? And did things like this happen alot?

I brought an SKS Carbine and a K54 pistol home in cheap locally made gun cases with paperwork declaring them as war trophies. I did not bring ammo. Also, in my briefcase I carried a Randall 6 inch blade #1 fighting knife. I carried these on board my flight from Tan Son Nhut airbase to the Baton Rouge, Louisiana airport. This was normal for the day and time. Try that today!

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Not until years later when I woke up one night and thought "Oh shit. I could have been killed". Was I young or just stupid? Maybe both.

What opinions did you have of other allied nations soldiers? For example, Canadians, Australians/New Zealanders, British and so on.

Love all that you listed. They are tough, professionals with amazing histories. But my experience with the French in Berlin was that they took too much time in the middle of battle exercises to have a glass of wine and play soccer. My experience with the Vietnamese Marines, RF/PF, Airborne, and regular Army were not very positive.

I read your answer about the pentagon, whats it like inside?

At the time, 1980's, it was the largest office building in the world - 35,00 people and 17 miles of hallway. The 5 acre center court yard was Ground Zero long before 9/11. The hallways could handle two way car traffic. My office was a desk and a chair bordered by two dividers. We had no space to work and out of date equipment. The eating facilities were over crowded and impossible at meal times. The traffic to and from the residential outlying areas was a steady stream of taillights. Parking was non existent so it was a one way hour bus ride each day. It was a good career ticket but impossible for family life.

What's one of the funniest pranks you saw pulled while you were in the army?

Several LTs made the advanced party to Wildeflecken, Germany from Berlin. A Captain trusted us to take his beautiful Boxer with our party. One night in the BOQ we got the dog drinking from German flip top beer bottles. The dog got totally wiped out and we took him out and threw him in the snow bank to sober him up. Little did we know we could have killed the dog!

Thank you for your service! Do you hold any animosity for the enemies you fought in the past?

Not really. I realized they were just doing their job as I tired to do. However, had I been captured and tortured as some POWs I would have a hard time with it. BUT I have no place in my heart for people who commit atrocities such as the Nazis, Pol Pot, Stalin, and the garden variety terrorist of modern times. I would give them no quarter. Then or now.

During the 3rd plane crash did it get to the point where you were like "ah fuk, not this again!"?

And you're a champ!

No, my whole team got bumped by a Colonel and his team so I was not actually on the plane. The plane crashed on take off with the other team on board but it should have been us. All were killed. Divine intervention must have stepped in at the last minute.

Ah fuk, my bad, read the whole situation wrong. Didn't mean to be insensitive

I should have been more clear.

May I ask what type of plane was it and cause of crash?

Thank you for your service, sir.

It was a twin engine Army aircraft common for its day (1976) . I think it was a Beech. The plane lost an engine immediately after take off and wheels up. The pilot made a right hand turn back toward the strip and did not make it. This one was in Ft. Riley, Kansas.

How much bones have you broke?

Mine or others? I've been bent up, shot up, but never broken. I've never broken someone else's bones but I am not sure if shooting them, dropping bombs on them, or frying them with Napalm counts.

I just want to thank you for keeping our country safe. God bless you.

Appreciate it. Thanks.

How do you feel about the Gulf of Tonkin incident?

I think the jury is still out and we don't know what really happened. Given the politics of the day and the world players, it could go either way. Personally I believe the President of the United States stretched the facts to fit his need to go war.

Any crazy stories about going out with the boys while on leave?

Just curious why you retired after your 20? With your history and decorations I would think that you would have made full bird with ease.

On my 2nd tour I went on R&R to Australia. I had been an Adviser living with the Vietnamese. When we got to Sydney we tried to eat everything in the restaurant the first night and for the next five days. After eating eating snakes and bats we were into real food. The day I was commissioned I made a promise to retire at the 20 year mark unless something really fun was going on. It was the boring '80s, I could not go back to a combat unit, and was stuck in Washington. To make full Colonel I was 3 years away from consideration and to retire as a Colonel would have required two additional years. I also wanted to get a head start on a civilian career.

My dad was an enlisted sailor on the midway. He has told me stories of when they went to port in the Philippines and some bar had a kangaroo with boxing gloves on it's arms. Said there was like a prize of 50 bucks to anyone that could whip the kangaroo. He said sure enough there was always a drunk enough sailor to challenge the kangaroo. He said that the kangaroo would simply kick the opponent and match was over. haha

Or the time when there is roughly 10000 sailors at an arena and you could volunteer to be put in a boxing match. His friends thought it would be funny to put his name in the event. He says when your name gets called out and 10000 men are cheering he says time to man up.

I guess being an officer you couldn't get so rowdy.

Sounds like Army R&R was not near as exciting as the Navy shore leave. The difference was we had plenty of fighting already, we just needed food!

Danger - can you speak in a little more detail about your missions behind the wall? What were you doing there - how and why were you detained - how did you get free?

Under the Status of Forces agreement all Allied Forces had access to all parts of Berlin. The Russians could come to our side and we to theirs. They seldom did but we did it 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This was specifically to keep Checkpoint Charlie open. We were basically keeping tabs on specific Russian units. We were also gathering information about certain locations and the activities in and around the locations. I was detained specifically for deliberately creating situations for our intelligence people to measure the Russian and East German responses. The longest detention was one full day and the shortest was a couple of hours. During this time they occasionally put loaded guns to our head in our sedan. We were in contact with our Operations Center and Mission Commander all steps of the way. After a period of time, when the East and West talked, we were released to cross back over the boarder. a couple of times it got really dicey. One of our sedans was actually fired upon and I was threatened to be shot a couple of times.

Wild ... The only thing I've known about that period comes from movies and books so it's always cool to speak with someone who lived through it. Was Markus Wolf as good a spymaster as they make him out to be?

I really don't know much about him but their spy system was very good.

Did you ever hate being used like that? I understand you were under fire in combat but did you feel differently about being told to go put your head up to a loaded gun?

No, I didn't have a problem with it. Remember I was a well trained young 2nd LT who was carrying the American flag across the border in the face of the nasty Germans. At the time, it seemed like a big game from both sides.

I'm not sure if it's been asked. I've skimmed the previous questions but I didn't see my answer. -Did you, or do you agree with the draft lottery? And how do you feel about people who avoided the draft by fleeing?

-Experience any Post dramatic stress syndrome yourself, or experience any others having any terrible episodes?

-I hear a lot about american grunts dropping a lot of acid in Nam, have you done so yourself or encountered anyone else taking any?

-How did you feel when Gorbachev said "tear down this wall" so many years later?

I'm a Canadian, we didn't have any part of the vietnam war from my knowledge. But I can say I respect your honor and commitment to any cause.

I think draft dodgers are basically cowards. I've met many who now regret their actions. All soldiers who have been in serious battle will have post traumatic stress at some point after the war, some longer than others. Yes, I have but I have it under control. Great question about the acid. I have never taken any form of illegal drugs as it is just not me. I never saw drug use in Vietnam because my unit was in the field and it was early in the war. The drug use became rampant in the second half of the war when troops were confined to base camps. I was pleased and give full credit to President Reagan for being the architect of ending the cold war. That was one of the greatest statements in history. 90% of my business now is in Canada. I hunt and fish with many Canadians in Alberta. You have every reason to be proud of your countries participation in every major modern conflict. The Canadian story is basically untold.

Thanks for the excellent detailed reply. As a Canadian I never get much of a chance to speak with Vietnam vets nearly as much as I'd like to do so respectively.

I take it you enjoy Canada? Would you consider moving here if the chance came up? Or would you rather stay in the country you fought for time and time again?

I love Canada and I love my Canadian friends of which I have more than American friends. I have been asked many times about applying for dual citizenship but I am an American. My families roots trace to Jamestown, VA in 1634 so I could never leave my mother country.

Thank you for this AMA.

I think draft dodgers are basically cowards.

Can you elaborate on this? As an outsider, who sees America as having lost Vietnam, it seems like draft dodging was a no-brainer. What purpose would a draftee serve by getting killed by the VC?

Secondly, have you ever read Catch-22? What did you think?

Thirdly, I get the impression that American forces committed a lot of atrocities in Vietnam. How would you respond to that?

First, I don't think the Army lost Vietnam.The political constraints on our battle Rules of Engagement restricted us to the point that we could not fight a fair fight. No none serves a purpose by getting killed. As Patton once said "You want to make the other Son of a Bitch die for his Country." I have read the book but it was back in college. Yes, there were some atrocities. Mai Lai was the classic example. As a Commander I never saw an atrocity. On my first day of Command my first instructions to my Infantry Company were there will be no atrocities or anything that would appear to be an atrocities. We are professionals and will act accordingly.

Given all of the revelations about the NSA and spying on citizens of the US and the world, do you ever feel like the Stasi actually won the cold war?

I believe it was Thomas Jefferson or maybe Benjamin Franklin who said something like "With security comes loss of freedom". American has been the greatest experiment in individual freedom the world has ever known. It will be tragic if we lose that.

If you're still answering questions, I have a few:

*Why did you chose the Army instead of the Navy if you like boats so much? *How many times have you thought "I'm going to die"? *Which war of the ones you participated in had the most action?

Thank you for your service.

The Army ROTC sold me when they offered me $50 a month to sit through some dumb military classes. As a kid from the backwoods of Mississippi I doubt I ever saw a Navy person and didn't even know the Coast Guard existed. As for boats, I have been a fisherman since i was a small child and I carried my boating activities with me throughout my Army career when possible. I know it is going to sound crazy but I just never thought I was going to die. I participated in the Vietnam war. Two times but two totally different experiences.

why the hell has this not been upvoted enough!

Thanks!

I salute to you sir. Thank you for your service! Just a quick question due to being a officer in the military what do you think of this clip of HBO's Band of Brothers End Speech, do you agree the point that is trying to show? That both sides are essentially similar, despite being enemies they fight for similar reasons and purposes. Here's the clip, I would love to hear your opinion on it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcMk85ZsBh0

Band of Brothers was one of the best I have ever seen. The speech sums it all regardless of the language spoken the message is perfect. Both sides fight for what they believe in and believe right is on their side. This holds true for the soldier but not necessarily the politicians that put them in war.

I salute you, sir. As an enlisted soldier in the Army, it's nice to hear about officers who lead from the front. You guys seem to be a dying breed.

My father served in Vietnam in 1970-72 and was awarded a Bronze Star. I'd love to talk to him about his experiences, unfortunately he's quite reserved when it comes to addressing it, although that's changed some since I joined the Army.

Did you find it difficult to talk about your experiences when returning from Vietnam? Perhaps it was different since you were still in. He says coming home to an unappreciative country was drastically different than what he imagined it would be from watching WWII movies as a kid. He was expecting the parades and the hugs and kisses and got none of that.

Also, what's your favorite Vietnam era book? Just finished Blood on the Risers and The Things They Carried. Could use a good suggestion.

I didnt spend a lot of time talking about it because I knew they couldnt relate to what I had been through. I just didn't have the need to talk about it and wanted to move on. I absolutely agree with your father about the homecoming. I couldn't wear my uniform in public, people were hostile to soldiers, and so forth. "A Bright Shining Lie" by Neil Sheehan. I worked for the principal character in his book on my 2nd tour. It is a perfect description of the two face of the war and should be required reading for every young American.

Do you consider yourself super lucky for surviving detention, being shot twice and crashing 3 aircraft, or do you consider yourself extremely unlucky for being shot twice, crashing 3 aircraft and being detained?

I never thought of it as lucky or unlucky. It was just fact, some guys made it and others didn't. But I do know that I had full confidence in my ability to do jungle combat and would kill you before you could kill me.

Could you please provide some proof that that is you in the photo, like a current photo of you now with your medals?

I am his daughter and I am typing for him. He is currently at my house across the country. He is happy to provide more proof but he does not have his medals with him. What else can I show you? We can do a current photo of him with his ID car, if that works?

I can take a current photo of him, and then give you a link to his business web site which has all of his military info in the bio if that works.

I think that would work. Would you be willing to post that in the thread so that everyone can see it, or does it need to remain confidential?

It is fine as there is nothing confidential. I added a photo to the top proof section of a photo that I just took of him and a link to his web site.

What was your worst (if you don't mind me asking), and best experience in the army/wars?

How has the army changed you?

Also, thank you for your service for our country and us!

War made me realize how fragile life really was and it was my obligation to continue to do meaningful contributions with my life. For the Army, I loved wearing the uniform, the scrambled eggs on my hat as a field grade officer, and ribbons on my chest because I was proud to serve.

Is Obama care going to effect your tri-care benefits?

I sure hope not!

As a business owner have you been able to determine what effect it will have on your business?

I consult to a range of businesses of various sizes and industries. It has basically killed my business because of the cost uncertainties associated with the plan. The first thing that goes is training and the second thing that goes is consulting. Companies are just not willing to spend the money for growth when they are worried about "next year".

How does it make you feel, after you've spent your life fighting against the proliferation of Stalinist shitholes, that traitors within the United States have outsourced American manufacturing to these very places, thereby helping to subvert the American economy for their own enrichment?

Fantastic question! I don't want to get political but basically the whole mess sucks. As a current Business Consultant, I grieve over what is being done to the fabric and infrastructure of our society and businesses. I see it every day across America.

It's terrible! There used to be a time when we would hang traitors such as these, but now, we reward them!

Anyway, you are a great American Sir, and a true badass. Much respect.

Thank you. When I become President I am going to change the Depart of Defense to the War Department and we will kick some ass!

What would you say is the most effective method of crushing your enemys?

I believe as my General use to say "If you can kill a guy with one round, shoot 100. You kill him and scare the shit out of everybody else." I was a firm believer in Danger Close 105 Artillery and I used Napalm a lot.

I am afraid to ask, but can you define 'a lot' in terms of napalm?

We often had the bad guys hug us close, meaning coming in close so that we could not shoot our artillery. In the 25th we shot it danger close, meaning 25 meters. If the situation warranted, for example the distance was far enough out and/or the bad guys were deeply entrenched along tree lines and tac air was available, I would lay down a string of Napalm. This was usually two F-4s carrying Napalm in tanks under their wings. OF 100% days in battle we probably used Napalm 40 to 50% of the time.

In vietnam did you see a major divergence between the NVA units and the vietcong? I know that the NVA was a regular army while the vietcong were guerillas, but I'm wondering about differences in tactics, discipline, etc.

I'm sure you get this a lot, but thank you for your service.

Yes major differences. The NVA were seasoned uniformly equipped soldiers who used organized battle tactics. They had standard command and control systems. The VC were usually local villagers who fought hit and run tactics and popped up from spider holes. Very seldom did they use a traditional standard tactic. They were more of a nuisance than a real threat. We really got worried on the Cambodian border when we engaged NVA battalions in a 360 degree direction from our base camp. These guys were hard core.

First of all, thank you for your service. My question is, what is your favorite memory from your time in the military?

Thanks! It was 20 great years. One of my favorite periods was when I taught Leadership for 3 years at the Infantry School at Ft. Benning, GA.

Please tell us about your Stasi encounters arround USMLM at Lehnitzsee!

We did not work for them. they were a separate intelligence unit. I worked directly for the Berlin Brigade G2. The USMLM was a deep covert type unit that operated independent of the tactical command.

How do they train you psychologically to handle the first time you pull the trigger in a fire fight?

I don't recall any psychological training on how to pull the trigger. they just gave us the gun, lots of bullets, and free range time.

Hardest part of war?

One of the hardest parts for me was as an Adviser I had to eat the local food. A normal menu consisted of rice, bats, ground up water snakes, and whatever vegetable could be picked from the ditch. Of course, this was washed down with a local beer that gave you the runs within 2 hours.

Just wanted to pop in and say thank you for your service.

Appreciate it. Thanks.

Wow, impressive bio. What is your take on the waterboarding controversy? Would you have done it if ordered?

The use of torture in certain situations where immediate prevention of a terrorist act or an attack on my unit would be plausible. As a general method of conduct I leave that to the Intelligence Community or the CIA. Yes, I have seen waterboarding. As an Adviser in the Delta, I had Command responsibility for a Phoenix project that targeted the local VC infrastructure. I witnessed the Vietnamese using waterboarding on a suspect. I stopped the process and told my LT to never participate in that even as a observer. My fear was that torturing some individuals was being used as a tool to solve local squabbles and in fighting which had nothing to do with the VC or NVA.

Do you think after being captured by Russians, shot and wounded, and crashed 3 times that you might not be very good at this whole Army business. Hahaha, just kidding.

My actual question is do you think military style discipline is good for all people in general?

No, I don't. I think as a general rule it is good for some but not others. Having said that, I do believe there are general principles practiced by the military that should be good rules of behavior for all people. Like honestly, integrity, and professionalism.

Do you think you will ever be sent out of country again?

Considering I am 72 years old, and long past my Army hip pocket orders, I don't think so.

Instead of a question, I have a request. Please write a book about your life. Also thank you for your service!

I am honored that you would want to read a book about my experiences. My hesitation is that the story would be identical to many of my brother Officers of the same time period. I am writing a book with each chapter being a major period of my life but this is for my grand kids.

Are you still open to questions?

Yes, I was off for Thanksgiving dinner but I can answer more questions this afternoon. Thanks for asking.

What advice would you giveto a future/aspiring officer of the U.S. Army?

Always honor your profession and never violate your integrity. I assume you are will become an Officer. My best wishes for you wherever your assignments take you.

thank you, also, what in your eyes and the eyes of your soldiers seperated the good ones from bad ones?

The best Officers always take care of their troops. There will be times when, as the leader, you must make difficult and unpopular decisions. The issue is always is it the best option for accomplishing the mission which in the Infantry always comes first.

My question is this: Would you have a problem saluting a president who has never served in any of our armed forces? I sure as heck would.

No I would not have a problem saluting the President of the United States. He is the Commander of the Armed Forces and remember as in the Band of Brothers, the salute is in respect of the position not the man.