4 JULY 1969 BERGEN-HOHNE

[RICK EARLE]

I CAN'T HELP REMEMBER ON EVERY INDEPENDENCE DAY BEING IN THE FIELD IN THE SUMMER OF 1969. WE WERE AT A BRITISH TRAINING AREA AND RANGE IN BERGEN-HOHNE. WE WERE GIVEN A TRAINING HOLIDAY ON THE 4TH OF JULY WHICH WE DIDN'T REALLY EXPECT.

THE FUN PART WAS WHEN THE BRITS ALL KEPT ASKING WHY WE WERE OFF AND WHAT THE HOLIDAY WAS . KEEP IN MIND THIS WAS A TIME BEFORE "POLITICALLY CORRECT" WAS AN ISSUE BUT FOR SOME REASON A COUPLE HUNDRED OF US DIDN'T WANT TO EXPLAIN TO A FEW THOUSAND BRITS THAT WE HAD AN ANNUAL HOLIDAY TO COMMEMORATE HAVING TOLD THEM TO KISS OFF IN 1776, WE WERE AFRAID THEY MIGHT NOT SEE THE REDEEMING VIRTUES OF THE EVENT. I THINK WE TOLD THEM IT WAS "PATRIOTISM DAY" OR SOMETHING SIMILARLY GENERIC AND GOT OFF ON ANOTHER SUBJECT .

UNFORTUNATELY OUR (B BTRY) MESS SGT AND FIRST COOK STARTED CELEBRATING EARLY AND DISAPPEARED SO WE HAD TO TRACK THEM DOWN, NATURALLY THIS REQUIRED THAT WE VISIT MORE BRITISH UNITS AND EVERY GASTHAUS IN THE AREA WHILE SEARCHING FOR THEM AND REQUIRED THAT WE FURTHER PROFESS THE LEGEND OF "PATRIOTISM DAY" WE FINALLY FOUND THEM IN ONE OF THE LOCAL GIN MILLS AND HAULED THEM BACK, ALL IN A DAYS WORK I GUESS ;D (WERE WE EVER THAT YOUNG?)

[lakota]

Rick I remember that trip to Bergen-Hohne very well. Do you remember when we pulled along side of the road to rest and the Brits were on the other side resting also. Everyone jumped off of the guns and ran over and started trading their ball caps for the British berets? I still have two of those berets in my memorabilia. They were also two small for my head which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. I remember hearing them talk and their Cockney accent was so strong I ask a guy in my section..Gee! I thought they spoke English. When we got back to Garrison we were demonstrating how the loader rammer worked to one of their high ranking officers. Sgt Joe Ferguson (Fergy) from A Btry got the chain hung up and tried to release it with his hand. It gave way and ran his hand right up in the breech and he lost a couple of fingers. Do you remember that? What a mess. I was standing right beside him and it threw blood everywhere. I still have the Stars and Stripes that featured the 2/92nd in our Battery test up there. They interviewed Bob Boone but back then he was called Cletus Boone remember? By that time I had made Sgt E-5 and I was struck by the fact that none of the British EM would talk to me. I found out later that they did not fraternize with their Non Coms. Great time!