THIRD PLATOON ALPHA COMPANY 1/39 INF (M), 1987 – NCOs
Turning now to some of the NCOs, I remember SSG Arvin Eck, SSG Birk and SGT Mitchell. SSG Birk and SGT Mitchell both lived there in H D Smith Barracks. I don't know where they ended up, although I'm pretty sure SSG Birk decided to leave the Army and go back to The World. For some reason I think his home was in Kentucky.
SSG Eck and I once had the unpleasant task of visiting one of the junior platoon members down in the Mannheim lockup. It was hard to feel sorry for the guy in question since he'd deserted more than once and brought it entirely upon himself, but, still, prison is a pretty miserable place. I hope that the military runs them better than the civilians, that's for sure. Everybody ought to get a good close look at a prison before he's old enough to get himself locked up in one.
1SGT Henderson -- Top was a thin, keen runner. We'd wrap up PT in the morning and he'd tear-ass out of the Company AO and go run another five or ten clicks. Like most First Sergeants he wasn't an easy guy to please, but I still remember how happy he was when we nailed all those EIBs in 1987. Alpha Company had something like seven out of the eleven EIBs that the battalion earned that year, and everybody knows that it takes a strong set of NCOs to turn out that kind of result. Now that I think of it, I've got my EIB right here at my desk. CIBs were another story, since the Vietnam vets were starting to retire in big numbers by the late 1980s. We never imagined there'd be so many young guys with CIBs now. I haven't read the figures but it would have to be something like 90% of the MOS.
I do remember a lot of other NCOs from Baumholder, especially in 3rd Platoon Alpha Company 1/39 Inf (M), but I can't recall all their names right now.
Before I forget -- please add your name to the roster if you haven't already.
SSG Eck and I once had the unpleasant task of visiting one of the junior platoon members down in the Mannheim lockup. It was hard to feel sorry for the guy in question since he'd deserted more than once and brought it entirely upon himself, but, still, prison is a pretty miserable place. I hope that the military runs them better than the civilians, that's for sure. Everybody ought to get a good close look at a prison before he's old enough to get himself locked up in one.
1SGT Henderson -- Top was a thin, keen runner. We'd wrap up PT in the morning and he'd tear-ass out of the Company AO and go run another five or ten clicks. Like most First Sergeants he wasn't an easy guy to please, but I still remember how happy he was when we nailed all those EIBs in 1987. Alpha Company had something like seven out of the eleven EIBs that the battalion earned that year, and everybody knows that it takes a strong set of NCOs to turn out that kind of result. Now that I think of it, I've got my EIB right here at my desk. CIBs were another story, since the Vietnam vets were starting to retire in big numbers by the late 1980s. We never imagined there'd be so many young guys with CIBs now. I haven't read the figures but it would have to be something like 90% of the MOS.
I do remember a lot of other NCOs from Baumholder, especially in 3rd Platoon Alpha Company 1/39 Inf (M), but I can't recall all their names right now.
Before I forget -- please add your name to the roster if you haven't already.
posted by mhg at 11:25 PM
4 Comments:
Hello,
Do you remember anyone from 2nd platoon?
87-90
You also had a Sgt. Riggs, and a Sgt. who had come from 82nd high speed guy, and I remember a Lt. Quintana. We always were having a good time on that floor- 2nd/3rd platoon.
Yes, you're right about Riggs and the E-5. I can't remember the name of the Sergeant from the 82nd but I definitely remember who you mean. Please let me know if his name comes to mind -- after twenty years (!) it doesn't get any easier.
I'm pretty sure I posted more about LT Quintana elsewhere on the web beacon. He's another guy I can't track for some reason. You may remember that Nick rented a former church upstairs from the Baumholder taxi stand, not far from the cafe and pubs. It had this giant bath in the living room where people used to get baptised. Last time I saw it the thing was full of beer and ice, which struck me as being eminently civilized and perfectly attuned to the cultural preferences of our German hosts. Make for a lousy baptism, though.
Like you say, always having a good time.
Spotted your other messages and will reply direct.
Cheers
Matt
Hey Matt, Sean here, The Sgt's name was Spradlin, they also had a slow mover named Sgt. Alton.There was another who took over the platoon- He is on the photo I sent you, big picture in the middle of the NCO's
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