Gee, whiz, golly, what a difference more than 30 years make!

I hope you remember that I never used “gee,” “whiz,” or “golly” while I served my nation staving off the Vicious Red Horde, helping to keep the Reds out of France (damn, in the long run it didn’t work!).

It was August 1974, and I was RIF’d from a photo job with the Corps of Engineers in Kansas City, MO. A month later, on a balmy September evening, about 10 p.m., I was standing in formation in front of a shack in south-central Missouri with a nasty DI trying to make a bunch of ‘cruits line up properly.

Six-plus months later, after Basic and AIT at “Fort Lost in the Woods, Misery;” and a three-week stint at ADM school at Ft. Belvoir, VA; we flew to Rhein-Mein AFB, FRG, at the end of February 1975. We were trucked to Darmstadt, the post where the Army formed the 567th Engineer Co., (ADM).

We were in Darmstadt for all of two hours, sitting in and around a deuce-and-a-half. By evening we were in the field somewhere in Germany. Roger Harris (Herc) and Peter O’Shea were among the soon-to-be miscreants.

After our inaugural field trip to a forest somewhere in Germany (complete with mud, drizzle, a GP small tent complete with atrium and space heater, we discovered a nearby village and decided a recon mission was imperative. Our hosts did not seem to mind our scruffiness, muddiness or aroma. They did like our money, and the beer flowed freely.

In its infinite intelligence (I love alliteration!) and wisdom, Uncle Sugar sent us to Francois Kaserne, in bee-you-ti-ful downtown Hanau, FRG. From what I’ve heard, it was better than Darmstadt. After our first prolonged introduction to C-Rations in the field, we arrived at Francois and discovered that the Army provides more substantial quarters in the city than in the field (the quality of the food was another issue). The other downside was that there were more stairs to get to our bunks!

The 567th was a consolidation of all the various ADM platoons serving various U.S. and NATO units, each of which had specific missions supporting their “parent units.”

The 7th Platoon, 567th Engineer Co., (ADM), previously was the 317th ADM Special Weapons Platoon, attached to the 317th Engineer Battalion, which supported the Third Armored Division. The 7th Platoon of the 567th ADM continued that mission.

I don’t remember the name of the platoon sergeant when I arrived in early March 1975, but I remember SFC Brubaker, who made me platoon clerk and NRAS clerk.

Brubaker was succeeded by SFC Duncan (“Dunkin’ Donuts”), who was succeeded by SFC Charles Purvis (I called him “Charlie the P”, but not when he was within hearing!).

I don’t remember the name of the platoon officer when I joined the 567th, and I didn’t get to know him as he transferred shortly after I arrived.

My second platoon leader was 2LT Anderson, an ROTC from South Dakota. He was a good guy, and as I became the platoon clerk during his tenure, I worked with him a lot, along with Sgt. Brubaker. Anderson was a reasonable, but firm guy. I don’t want to say that he was laid back, but he didn’t get on your case unless you deserved it. I always wondered if he stayed in the Army.

After Lt. Anderson, Duane Bjorn became the platoon leader. He was a Willie-Pete, so go figure.

However, as I recall, just before I left platoon office duty, 2Lt Royce Kincaid became the platoon leader, with “Charlie the P” as PSG. This was in 1976, probably in the late winter or early spring of 1977. Lt. Kincaid was almost a “homie” - he was from Columbia, Missouri (home of the Tigers), and I was from Kansas City.

I was the platoon clerk from approximately the fall of 1975 to late 1976, and so spent a lot of time in the basement of that 80-plus-year-old former German Army barracks.

After about a year and a half as platoon clerk, I went back on a special weapons team, headed by SSG Gene Arial. “Mean Gene” was a great guy (he even let me borrow his ridiculous little Fiat one time). Echo Team was Sgt. Arial, Cpl. Etheridge, Jerry Russell, Elmer Fink and me.

We were Echo Team of the 7th Platoon, 567th Engineer Company (ADM), 130th Engineer Brigade, APO NY 09165, and we were DAMN GOOD!

Easy Echo received a certificate of achievement from LTC Bernard P. Slofer, acting CO of the 130th Engineer Brigade,

“For outstanding performance conducted 16 May through 20 May (1977).

The team received no comments or deficiencies

in the performance of technical operations.”

I have the original certificate, dated 3Aug77, framed and hanging in my home. Mean Gene and the guys gave it to me at a “see-you-later” party just before I shipped out in Sept. 1977. It is one of my most prized possessions.

When we were on the top of the “Short-timer’s Board,” we left on a dreary morning for the trip to Rhein-Main. We flew from Rhein-Main to McGuire AFB and then took a fornicating “cattle truck” to Ft. Dix. Dix was a trip in itself, a long weekend, long paperwork and finally a plane ticket and more than $600 in unused vacation.

I was home a couple of days after arriving “Back in the World.” What’s happened since is another story.

Another prized possession of my Army service is a wooden tablet with the 567th Engineer Company “Ready” badge carved on it. A plaque reads:

To Chuckles

From LT Kincaid, PSG Purvis & SSG Arial

For Out Standing Service

My Army career was a great adventure. I won’t be maudlin, but my service and working with guys from all over America and getting to know people with different backgrounds has helped make me a better man. - Oh shit! I was maudlin! (That’s “mushy” for you 12Bravo’s.)

Charles E. (Chuck) Isaacson

SP4/MOS 12E10

567th Engineer Company (ADM)

March 1975 to September 1977

Hanau, Federal Republic of Germany