Colonel Kamp


by Lenard Blachly

Ashau Valley Summer '69 Spring '70


This is about a Col. Kamp that I met one day in the jungle out of Fire Base Bastogne, and the ongoing "Relationship" we had. We were about five days in on a "Search & Destroy" mission when we got a call saying we needed to find a spot for a Loch (LOH) to land to meet up with us. This wasn't all that unusual, for there were alot of times that choppers came out to the field. We gave the coordinates and the "Bird" landed, I was a little concerned that of course this gave away any surprise that we had, as to where we were to charlie. To my surprise a Full Bird Col. and his RTO man got off, just these two.

We were in a Plt. size, three squads. He proceeded to communicate with the Plt. leader, after a few minutes it was said that he wanted to take a squad and go out a few clicks. Said he wanted the best squad with the best point man. For whatever reasoning they came too, it was our squad that was picked to take him and his RTO. There was alot talk among the squad maybe this "Col." was a "little" crazy, ( We "the squad" had done "crazier" things in fire fights). What I thought was different is that he was just behind my slack man and me. He did not seem out of place there to me, others thought different. This was not forced upon us, all that went, were in agreement. There was, as I remember, me at point, Ward at slack, then the Col., his RTO, Sgt. Jordan, M-60 man Bro. Brown, Hefel with M79 and then Ward or Sully at the rear, this makes eight. We did go out two or three clicks, was a little hairy.

Whenever we stopped, Col. Kamp started to talk. We setup up of course with full awareness as to what we were doing, and where we were. This still was not too much out of the "norm" as we went out in 6-9 man "ambush" patrols all of the time. I think he really wanted to make contact with the enemy, I didn't. As we stopped, he talked we were becoming a little concerned, we were on alert, there was alot of contact in the fall of '69 out and around FSB Bastogne at that time. As the more he talked the more I wanted him to stop, wasn't loud, just didn't feel right. He eventually got the idea. As we went on I wasn't thinking of anything except for point. But when we stoped I couldn't help but think about him being a Full Bird Col. and what the hell were we doing.

We ended up hooking back up with the other two squads, calling back the chopper, and he left. We walked back to Bastogne a few days later, with no contact at all, actually surprised me. Later on he came out to Bastogne and looked up the squad that had taken him out. Came to our bunker and he told us the story of how he had jumped at Normandy, on June 6, 1944, at the age of 18. This "taking a squad out was a thing he felt he had to do, go out in the field and try to get back some of the "action" he had before. Could not become a General because he had not graduated from College. So every so often this Col. would come out to the field or a Fire Base and ask for our squad, and we would go out a "few clicks" never had contact while he was with us, (plenty without him) but I got the feeling this was enough for him. Sounds a little reckless for us to do though. I think he would have handled it OK. We had some long talks this Col. and me. He was responsible for getting me to "NCO School" at Camp Eagle or Evans, getting a chopper to take Brown and me to see the Bob Hope Show, came and got us right out of the "Boonies". A "repelling school" also was one of the things he did for me.

He also had me pulled out of the field to go in at Eagle for "Soldier of the Month in the 101st". This was a real eye opener, but I said what the hell. Not to my liking the starched fatigues and spit shined boots. If I had to do it over, I never would have done it. You standup in front of Generals and Cols., while they ask you some really inane questions. Basic questions like what you had in your training before you got to this place. There were a hand full of guys that were doing this. I really had nothing in common with any of them. They were all looking for an easy out, weren't we all, not like this though. Finished the thing (can't remember if I came in "First or Second"). Hit the "Plain of Jars" question though. Missed on some question like " what is the SOP for saluting in a war zone".

He wanted me to be his "lackey" and stay in the rear, he was just a little too strange. This was something that I just couldn't do. There were many times I wondered why he had picked me to do certain things. He was different then any officer I ever came in contact with. Never was I to have any thing close with an officer as high up, to what I had with this Col. The last time I saw him was in March '70 and he still wanted me to be his "lackey" said it was better than getting KIA in the field. Could not leave my squad though. He almost proved prophetic. I wonder what became of him, this strange Col.

End
Lenard Blachly
B/2/501

There is alot more to this story, but that would take forever.