More adventures at Camp Pieri 1981-1984. Thought I would take a second stab some of the interesting things that happened while I was a LT/CPT at Camp Pieri. Trust you will be reminded of your time on the hill. It really is amazing none of my folks was seriously injured for all the stuff that went on.

More Crete stories - I was in Service Battery when I arrived, so when we went to Crete, we stayed a couple of weeks or more and rotated folks as A, B and C Battery took their turns shooting - well firing. In 1982 or 1983 - oh yes, did I mention another alcohol related story – we kept looking for ways to keep some of our folks out of trouble. So in 82 we got everyone together with their alcohol ration and went to Chania and the beach. We seemed to have timed things pretty well. With an afternoon of fun, sun and drink everyone basically fell asleep and we spent the night on the beach with a fire and went back to the barracks the next morning. So far, so good.

Well, in 83, we didn’t time things quite as well. Everyone was up for another overnight beach event. We went somewhere local this time, not NAMFI beach, but some other place where we could actually drive the M880. The timing was off and everyone got started a little early with the drinking. It was still early in the afternoon and folks didn’t feel well – needless to say. We were not going to make it to the evening. So we loaded everyone back into the M880 without any real complaints – they were too drunk, all I could think of was people falling off the back of the truck drunk, and went back to the barracks. So now everyone was drunk on post – well we made it through the night, but I don’t believe any of us tried any more overnighters.

A Navy Crete story – the Navy celebrates Octoberfest. I was doing some coordinating over at the US part of the Airport talking to a Navy Chief about some support – I think we sometimes sent a cook with us and they worked at the Navy Base for a week for something different. Anyway, whatever the Navy was doing to help us out, they wanted some help with their own Octoberfest celebration – Ok how can I help. Well, the Navy Chief told me he wanted Keg Beer flown in from Germany if we could do it. I think I ended up calling Bill Fagan, but I called someone back in Germany and in the end they got several Kegs of beer on the next plane and the Navy had Octoberfest. Somehow the Navy Chief covered the bill – don’t know if the kegs ever got back.

A LT driving a military vehicle. Well, I liked driving, but as you probably remember, officers didn’t drive military vehicles. We had one of our 2 week field exercises and were ready to come back to post – the long awaited return convoy. For those of you in Service Battery at that time, you may remember we were lucky if we could take all the 5 Ton’s, let alone have an assistant driver. I don’t remember what hung us up, but there were a handful of us left waiting to get in the last of the trucks and leave.

We counted everyone, but something went wrong. By the time we got to the M880 and trailer, no one was left to drive – actually there was no one left. I don’t remember if someone got sick, if someone doubled up in one of the 5 Ton cabs, but we were out of people in the field. So I drove the M880. Now for those of you that remember the M880 and trailers, the wiring didn’t always, well, line up well, so of course, no trailer lights and there was fog. But I made it back, although as I passed some of the other trucks, folks were pretty stunned to see me driving. I wasn’t going to do convoy speed in the fog with a flashlight for a taillight.

Same trip, I think, but the story is true – know what your truck needs for a spare. As I was driving the M880 back I saw one of our 5 Ton’s pulled over on the autobahn. So I stopped to see what was going on. Well, changing a flat, but then they told me they realized they had for a spare a 2 1/2 ton and it wouldn’t fit –as they had tried. In the end, they took one of the outside tires off the duals and put it on the front in order to get back to Camp Pieri. Of course by then, no one else had stopped as the truck crew thought they had a good spare.

Changing a track pack in the field. I was in A Battery by this time and my track needed a new engine, so with SFC Allard, I believe it was him, and with help from a 14th Maintenance contact team, we were up on a little hill changing the engine. Well, it was spring and the weather wasn’t bad, until we started changing the pack. Then the weather turned that ugly Germany cold with snow flurries. We got a tent set up and when it started snowing we turned the heater on and went inside. Every few minutes a new band of snow and rain would show up and it was just plain cold. It got so bad outside we ended up with guests. Some German girls showed up, must have been hiking and they were freezing also. For several hours we just sat in the tent, everyone, trying to stay warm. We did get the pack changed eventually.

Buying German homes. We had one of our later field exercises when LTC Yarger was still the Battalion Commander and it was winter. He was trying to do realistic training and we had the alert late on a Sunday afternoon/evening. So everyone gets in, is all prepped and waiting in the Motor Pool to leave. Of course no one is really leaving until Monday morning. So folks tried to get some rest, but as you will read, not enough – pretty big learning point for me. Now I didn’t see this, but it sure did happen and it wasn’t in A Battery. Somewhere about 2/3 of the way to the field near Friedberg, the driver fell asleep at the laterals and I believe ended up in the bedroom of a German couple, track and all. I think the Army bought the house. Most of you probably remember that there were only 2 levels on heaters for military vehicles, cold or real hot. Regardless of what started the falling asleep – not a good day for anyone.

I remember coming back from Frankfurt, just out on a weekend, and as far as the eye could see, there were C-130’s doing touch and go work at Rhein Main. Really reminded you of what was going on then. I think it was SSG Goulet who told me the best sight was standing on an autobahn overpass and watching all those narrow 5 Ton headlights in convoy – a pretty impressive sight also.

Let’s see, what else - a few names from SVC Battery – SGT Fitzgerald, SSG Goulet, SSG Gilliam, SPC Carlson. What about HQ Battery, LT Tracy – married one of the German women from the American Arms, SGT Salisbury in Commo, SPC Spivy in Medical – that whole team – what a bunch of characters, good thing I really never knew what went on up there.

Later in A Battery, SFC Wilkens, I know someone asked about him, thought he was from Suffolk VA. The S4 Shop, I remember SFC King, think he had a great looking Plymouth Duster, maybe it was the Dodge? All the guys at 14th Maintenance – who got in trouble on the weekend when I had Staff Duty – that meant we had to take someone to the hospital at night. MAJ Capps (I think) at 563rd ORD across from SVC and HQ Battery. Let’s see, maintenance, SGT Rugart, SFC Rocky Erlich, SPC Nagel and WO Green – Missile Tech. You guys can correct the names if you remember the folks.

Anyway – hope this stirs up some more posts about Camp Pieri – don’t think I can bring up much more – just a few too many years ago.

Thanks

Mike Hall

Hey Lt Hall. I remember you from A Battery. Weren't you the First Fire Platoon Leader. I got there in Jun or Jul of 1983 and became the Section Chief of Second Fire. SFC Rodandello was the platoon sergeant then.

Ken, pretty sure I remember you also. Like you said in a previous post, I was the tall skinny guy, at least back then. I was there with Bill Pugh and SFC Rodendello, I was with SFC Wilkens.

Glad you are doing well

Mike