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