|
|
|
| Post 372, Martin Ave. at Marlboro, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 (856)665-3889 | |
|
VETERAN'S CORNER GONZO’S MANTRA; “TRUST YOUR SKILLS!” My first assignment as a young lieutenant out of Special Forces School was to observe a National Guard detachment from Alabama on their annual evaluation. They were a sage and savvy lot, all Vietnam veterans, and good! For two weeks we patrolled miles of North Carolina under simulated combat conditions, culminating in an offensive mission to destroy a major line of transportation; a train bridge. This happened back in the days before GPS-aided navigation. If you couldn't use a map or compass, you were, essentially, doomed. Fortunately, even as a young lieutenant, I had a reputation for possessing good navigational skills (veterans know the stories and anecdotes about giving a Lieutenant a map and compass). We arrived at the target, surprised to find it unguarded, but placed the demolitions and blew it up. Elated that we had accomplished the mission, we began to move, but received a call from the chief exercise controller - my boss, Stan Dodson, a Special Forces Major with 2 tours in Vietnam in the famed 82nd Airborne Division. He wasn’t happy. The opposing forces (OPFOR) were members of his former unit, and they insisted we hit the wrong target. Major D ordered me to meet him on the bridge we targeted. Thank Goodness for my navigational abilities… Minutes later, on that bridge, we confirmed the target – it was a railroad bridge over a river. Meanwhile, five hundred meters to the north was a bridge over a railroad track, which was where 2 companies of the prestigious 82nd Airborne Division were camped all night awaiting our 'surprise' attack. After a handshake and an exchange of salutes, Major D was off, and I continued on, knowing that several cold beers awaited me back at company headquarters - a fine baptism for the new 'ell tee' (LT). I have yet to rely on a GPS receiver. Joseph A. Andrzejewski Major (Ret.), U.S. Army Special Forces |
  To contact American Legion Post 372 email Don McDonough at donmac0412@yahoo.com. Print This Page / Email this site to a friend / Message Board Website Design and Hosting by DesirePC Corporation. Email sales@desirepc.com. http://www.desirepc.com . 2005 Copyright |
|
