Second R & R


by John Kampschroeder


After I had been in country for approximately 9 months, I was assigned as R.T.O. for a new Lieutenant. We were based at LZ Sally, and known as Security Platoon with HHC 2/501.

I had nothing much to do with previous officers until this R.T.O. job came up. Most of the guys in the Security Platoon had no field experience except for me since I had been with A 1/501st for approximately 8 months, wounded once, and had earned my CIB and had seen combat action, so the Lieutenant chose me to accompany him on various intelligence gathering missions. While out overseeing the construction of FSB Birmingham a call came over the radio telling the Lieutenant that there was one seat available for an R & R in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, and did he "...have a troop he would like to use that slot?"
He asked me, and in a heart beat I said "Sure!"

A chopper came out to Birmingham that afternoon and took me back to Sally. Since I had already had my first R & R this was an exception that fell into my lap. Since very few guys were picking Kuala Lumpur as an R & R destination they had available seats left on the plane to give away. I went on my 7 day R & R and had an awesome time.

In Malaysia, there were some Ambassadors from different countries who would invite a G.I. to their home for dinner. A lot of the guys didn't want to be bothered and just wanted to drink and bang the girls. I figured that since I was there a week and had few funds that this would be a great opportunity to have a good meal and see what an Ambassadors house looked like. My name was given to the Dutch Ambassador from Holland. I took a Taxi from the hotel to the address provided to me. When I arrived at the house, there were security guards in the front who looked at my invitation and led me into the house. Inside, the Ambassador and his wife greeted me and immediately had the butler fix me a drink. We sat around for about an hour drinking and talking. He asked me how the war was going and how were my fellow soldiers doing. Soon we were called to the dinner table where there were two maids who served the dinner. They had several different courses and when you were through, the servant would take up your silverware and dishes and bring you fresh silverware and new plates of food. You would never use the same silverware for the whole meal. After dinner we retired to the living room for more drinks and conversation. As the night wore on, I asked if they would call me a cab to take me back to the Hotel. They said their butler would drive me there.

So, with that I went back to the Hotel and reflected on how awesome it was for a grunt to have dinner with an Ambassador. Very wonderful and kind people to open their home up to a line doggie and show me the honor of being their guest. I was in La La land and went back to the NAM with a new attitude of seeing a different place in the world and I was no longer a no name expendable grunt. I now had a value and experience most people will never experience in a lifetime. I could not believe the other guys on the plane did not take up the Ambassadors of other countries on their offers of hospitality.

When I got back to Sally, I went off looking for my Lieutenant to share my story. With deep sorrow, I found out that while I was gone the Lieutenant and the guy who took my place as R.T.O. had been killed by a booby trap. I said a prayer that night asking god to take care of the Lieutenant and R.T.O. and apologizing to them that I wasn't there, and thanking them for giving me the second R & R. Was I delivered by the hand of God or just lucky? Given the odds of getting a second R & R out of the clear blue sky made me think God had other plans for me. I escaped death a third time. Two other times while in A/1/501, I should have taken the round or booby trap, but escaped death.

End

John Kampschroeder
Copyright © 2002