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Army Full time and part career
September 1, 2011
As a volunteer I entered the Army in Minneapolis (Home town Willow River MN) in Jan of 57' , went to Ft. Leonard Wood MO for induction and outfitting. Then is was by bus to Ft. Bliss,TX for 10 1/2 weeks of basic ( waited for training command to fill--KP 8 times !!). Assigned to Ft. Chaffee Wheel Mechanics school for "2nd" 8 weeks. After graduating it was another bus trip to Ft. Sill and the 597th AFA and additional training as a track mechanic. About the 1st of June we boarded a train and headed for NY and Brememhaven,Germany via the USS Buckner troop ship. The 7 day voyage in a troop ship with 20-25 guys in a small room stacked 5 high, 4 decks down was another experience of life for a north woods guy !!
Arrived in Bremerhaven and "herded" on trains with our gear for a 24 hour ride to Babenhausen Germany where I was reassigned to HQ Btry track/wheel maintence. I should note here that we left Ft.Sill as the 597th AFA as part of the Operation Gyroscope program and as a battalion when we were changed to the 267th AFA ( 155mm M-44 open top tracked guns). We spent about 2 weeks in Babenhausen then it was convoy time (with guns) to Graphenwhor training area in eastern Germany. We spent about 2 months in Graf in the field before returning and refitting for 2 weeks then back to Graf until Nov., at which time the 267th was reflagged and I was sent to Aschaffenburg to the V Corps,26FA 1st Observation BN and trained as an FO and Sr.sound draftsman.
Returned home on Christmas Eve of 58' and was assigned to the 383rd FA, 103 Div (USAR) which was reflagged the 4How-31st Arty (155 towed) (USAR) as the BN Motor Sgt. Mustered out of the USAR in 64' and joined the 47 Inf.Div, 1-151st FA ( 105 Towed) in Minneapolis. Started off as Gun Chief ( retrained), then Chief of firing Battery and finally 1st Sgt..Transferred to DISCOM as the Intell Sr. NCO and DISCOM CSM. Transfered to Hq, 47th Division as the Command Sergeant Major for 5 years. Retired from the Guard then stayed with the USAR until 91' as the Senior Retention NCO for MN,IA,WI,ND & UP MI.
submitted by Command Sergeant Major Richard P. Cich on Sep 1 2011
Comments
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Forgot to add the following to my original post: When returning from Germany it was on the USS Butner, a sister ship of the Buckner only it was an 10 plus day trip across the north Atlantic in winter storms. Did not get sick until some guy threw up in my mess tray...Secondly: my time with the ARNG C battery, 1-151st Artillery was during the VietNam build up and we went into the Selected Reserve Force (SRF) program where two "summer camps" a year plus 120 drills per year ( NCO's & some Officers) was the norm. Made for a tough time with the family and the job during 66-70'.
Reply
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Keith Flakne
Jan 23, 2012 4:45 PMCSM Cich:
Did you have a relative serve as the motor sgt. for C-1/151 in the 80s? I was a gun bunny from '80-'86 w/ Charlie.
Keith Flakne
CPT (ret)
1 ea
Reply
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Richard P.Cich
Sep 2, 2011 6:16 PM