Comments

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  Garrett "Papa" Bruen May 30, 2013 16:14

  John, Good memory on my name. It was Garrett Papa Bruen. Not sure who started calling me that. May have been Sheridan Miller because I was on the old side at 21. Or maybe because my middle initial is P and P is papa in the military alphabet. I also remember Paladini well. He used to like to dress up fancy, leather jacket, every hair in place, and go down town looking for women. I also remember CW4 Bazinsky very well. His name was actually CW4 W.R. Baczynski. The reason I know the spelling is I made a copy of my 201 file before I left the Army. He signed my separation orders along with 1st LT Carl H. Chaboudy when I got an overseas discharge. I also think Baczynski saved my life. More on that later.  

  Yes I left the Army in June 1967 shortly after you got there. And yes Tudor and I were into a few “side deals”. I also played poker and was a loan shark. When I left the Army I had a lot saved up and was able to pay cash for a new car.  When I got the overseas discharge also I lived with my girlfriend Luise and we travelled around Europe a bit. She couldn’t take much time off work from Woolworths in Bayreuth so when we weren’t travelling I would sit out in her patio in the garden waiting for her to come home. I was looking for a job but I didn’t speak German and couldn’t find anything. Remember the “wurst” man? He would come up in the morning and sell bratwurst from the back of his car. I considered doing that but couldn’t see making a lot of money selling hotdogs to hungry GI’s. But who knows it could have started the first Der Wienerschnitzel 10 years ahead of its founder!

  I finally got bored sitting in Luise’s patio so I returned to the US. I went back to work in Aerospace at McDonnell Douglas in Santa Monica California. I was going to go back to Germany, marry Luise and bring her to the US but that meant bringing her son and mother too. Luise’s mother depended on her for everything. All their family was also in Germany so it just didn’t work out. Luise and I kept writing each other about once a week for 8 months. I found a lady at Douglas that would translate Luis’s letters. She wrote in beautiful script and I still have the letters. I tried searching for her years later but was never able to find her.

  I hadn’t thought about Sedor or Schiotis in years! Don’t know if you knew this but when I was sent to Germany my MOS was 36A10 or Field Communications. When I was processing in at personnel I noticed they were really busy. I told Sedor that my civilian job was in the office so I could type, keep records, etc. So if they needed anyone I could help them out. He took my file down the hall to Baczynski. When he came back he said okay so they put me to work in personnel but didn’t change my MOS. Later as Vietnam was ramping up they came looking in Europe for troops. They sent requests out for 36A10’s to the 2d Armored Calvary. Sedor and Baczynski got wind of this and had to change my MOS to 71H20. Sedor told me much later that I was on a list to go but Baczynski intervened. I think if it wasn’t for them I may not be writing this to you now. I remember they use to publish lists of people killed in Vietnam in the Stars and Strips. Several from our unit that were reassigned and later killed. The one I never forgot was A Troop’s 1^st Sgt Fishel.

  Boy you’re sure bringing back memories! I sure remember the Lindi. We also used to hang out at the Cherry bar. I hated the Army every minute but as I look back it was one of the most memorable parts of my life!  I used to have a list in my wall locker starting with 730 and down to 1. I was drafted so 730 days was 2 years. When I got back to my room I would cross off another day. I’d give anything now to go back and relive some of those times over again.

  Got to go now but next time I‘ll tell you the story about Stanley Dempley. You may not have known him but he was a guy in our unit sent back to Leavenworth for killing someone. I think he
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  Garrett "Papa" Bruen May 24, 2013 15:33

  John,

  Not sure you remember me. I was in personnel from 1965 to 1967. Before I left I typed up a list of 26 of us and mimeographed (remember those) off copies for everyone. I still have it. You were #6 on the list. We talked about having a 20 year reunion with everyone on the list which never happened. I was in contact with Sheridan Miller (computer specialist in Louisville Kentucky) and Dennis Okuma (driving a cab in Hawaii) in 1994 but have since lost contact with them. Dennis and I took a train trip up the Rhine to the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and Sweden in 1966. I still laugh about all the things that happened to us on that trip.

  Garry Bruen 
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  Jesse Kelley July 25, 2011 10:16

  
  HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN
  Wishing you many more, from all of us at DragoonBase!!!
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  Jesse Kelley July 25, 2010 9:50

  HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN
  Wishing you many more, from all of us at DragoonBase!!!
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  Michael Wayne Roberts November 20, 2009 9:14

  Hi John, thanks for the e-mail address, I believe phil hart rotated early in 69 ... as far as knowing some of the guy's in personnel . Was there a guy there by the name of wally, or maybe he was in S-3. I can't remember....seems like I remember a guy by the name of moss, was he promoted to E-6 eary in 69... you asked about some of the places down town, I didn't go down town much when I was there, I spent a lot of time on the border, and also drove a warrant officer around to the border camps to pull (alerts) I'm sure everyone remembers. Nice talking to you.. you can also e-mail me at mroberts47167@yahoo.com until later, Mike
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  Michael Wayne Roberts November 18, 2009 19:09

  Hi John, seen where you were at the rock back in 69....I'm not sure I remember you but maybe you can recall some of these names from the S-2 section....Phill Hart, he was getting ready to rotate frome germany when I got there...SFC George Wheaton, MSG. fullgam, SFC Murphy, CPT. Barns, Rick Baltes, Geoffry Tacker, to name a few......( I tried to e-mail you with no luck) nice talking to you, Mike Roberts.
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  Harry Warner November 12, 2009 20:20

  Welcome John,
  This an invite to join the Oldtimers group. You may run across an old friend or make some new ones.
  Harry
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  Jesse Kelley November 12, 2009 19:45

  

  Toujours Pret John,
  Welcome to the new DragoonBase, the new Base has plenty of newer features, lots of sub-groups,(ie, Officers Club, F-Trp., Amberg, Medics, etc.) and links for 2nd Cav News and History.
  Robb Russell has posted some tips for navigating the site (ie,photos,links,ect) in the Forum.
  Make sure you stop by and read the latest Tacoma Dave ‘Triva Quiz’, learn some 2nd Cav history and you can even win a kool prize.
  If you need any help, you can contact Robb, or any of the 5 admins listed at the top of the page, or just yell out, another member may be able to help you.
  And our only wish, ‘Keep it clean’, use our Real names/with Pictures (pix from back in the day, work best for searching for Brothers, but any picture will do).
  And that you please tell all your friends about the new DragoonBase.
  
  Thanks again for joining Dragoon Base, and for your service to our great country,
  Jesse Kelley