Ranger Intro Class 10-68

[al_2ndWolfhounds]

Hello all,

I am very glad to have found this forum at the USARA web site.

My military time:
Enlisted US Army Jan 67 with Armor AIT contract.

In my first day in Basic Training at FT Leonard Wood my Drill Sgt asked if any one had any problems. I then told him that I needed to go to the Post Office to register. His response was I did not need to register for the draft since I was already in the Army. My response was I needed to process my alien registration. His response was "What planet are you from?" my response was that I was born in Canada; his response back was that if I was that mixed up that I came south while so many were going north there might not be much he could do for me. I was Honor Grad in Basic in spite of being so mixed up.

Took Armor AIT at Ft Knox determined that armor only had two seasons each year muddy or dusty. When it came time to go to OCS I had the option to attend any I wanted, I chose Infantry. Graduated 1 February 1968 at the age of 19 years 2 months and 14 days and really wet behind the ears. Assigned right out of OCS to attend Ranger Training class 10-68.

I have many memories of Ranger Training but the one I would like to share with everyone is about a Chaplain that was in our class. He came to Ranger Training because he was told that as one of only two Jewish Chaplains in Vietnam he would be spending most of his time traveling around and would not be assigned down to a Battalion like most Chaplains. He had a great deal of concern as to how he would be able to relate to combat soldiers if he never got the chance to know them or what they were experiencing. He was told that he could attend Jungle School in Panama to get a feel for what it would be like in Vietnam. He then found out about Ranger School put a request through the Military Ordinariate respectfully demanding to get the best training for him to better serve the men he was expected to help in Vietnam. Physically he was small of stature and of normal build but a Ranger at heart. From the beginning he knew he could not get the Tab...he couldn't swim. But he tried, he did everything we did throughout the training. He had many problems keeping up but he never quit. The best example I can relate is the running of the obstacle course, first time thru he tried to jump the pit with the concertina wire in it and landed short, yes ouch! Second time thru he tried again and landed right in the middle. Third time thru he got to the obstacle lowered himself in worked his way thru and climbed out the other side. As all know the obstacle course was a timed exercise and one fail all fail and run it again. The fourth time we got smart the two biggest and strongest in the class paced with him to the obstacle and picked him up and threw him to the other side for others waiting to catch him. In true Ranger fashion we successfully completed the course on time. He had many more problems that we helped him with including to make sure he didn't end up with any of the pork C-rats that we go during training. It truly was pathetic seeing him get to the carton last and having to choose between Ham and Beans or Eggs and Bacon and then trying to trade for any thing else. He gutted out everything in the training, did not do well in the leadership evals but he did his best. I wish I could give you his name but I do not remember and as he did not graduate with Tab he does not appear on my orders but graduate he did. If any by chance know of him I would be grateful for a heads up.

My other significant memory of Ranger Training was my Ranger Buddy, Thomas Albert Fritzer, Jr. Talk about two kids having fun. We went through OCS and Ranger School together. As I said I was only a couple of months over 19 then and he was two weeks younger than I was. He was my secret grocery store throughout the 8 weeks. Put him in the wild and let him shop. It was because of him I lost any possible enjoyment of eating snake or using Tabasco sauce. I don't remember how many snakes we boiled with greens in his canteen cup and flavored with the Tabasco. Boiled snake is rubbery and Tabasco was hot but I know we didn't lose as much weight as we could have. Scott if you are out there let me know.

After Ranger Training I spent 8 months as a XO/Training Officer for an NCOS company. We did our best trying to produce non-coms in half the time they allotted for training officers in OCS. Met a few in Vietnam and the thing we tried to make sure they remember seemed to have stuck, just because you outrank someone doesn't mean you know more than they do.

In Vietnam I learned to really appreciate what Ranger Training ingrained in all of us. I think it made a real difference in my capabilities as an infantry platoon leader. I served for 12 months with the 2nd Bn 27th Infantry Wolfhounds 25th Infantry Division.

After Vietnam I served an additional 4 years on active duty, 2 years active reserve with an additional 2 years inactive before my third and final Honorable Discharge.

Al Pare
Proud Grandfather of Four
Current Member USARA Ranger Class 10-68
Life Member DAV
Life Member DFW
Life Member NRA
Major Regret-never having served with a Ranger Unit.

[Caruthers]

Hell with regrets.............welcome Ranger.

[McD]

Welcome!

[Slowpoke]

Welcome youngster.

[MichRanger]

Welcome Ranger!

[Ranger Bill]

Welcome. I'm also in Michigan and your story has many similarities to mine. Hopefully you can join the rest of the Michigan boys here for a link up in December.

[Jim]

Nothing to regret. Welcome...

[rgrwest]

welcome sir, thanks for your service.

[garyedolan]

WELCOME HOME, Brother!

[Ranger Ron]

Welcome to ArmyRanger.com, Sir! I was a Shake and Bake, summer of '69.

[Steadfast]

Welcome Ranger.

PM inbound.