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22. My Week in a MASH Unit -- 1951 - Page 3
I Join the Infantry?
I finally figured I would have to make some decisions or I was going to stay
there for a long time. Because I knew we were operating our relay site for the
5th Cav Regiment I decided to catch a ride with the next 5th Cav truck. A day
or so later one came and I got on it for the ride. After a while we arrived at
the 5th Cav headquarters. I tried to explain that I was with a Signal Corps
Unit but they told me I was in the Infantry now. That afternoon a couple of
trucks came in full of dead frozen bodies and that scared me. I was assigned to
go to the front the next day. I had to escape this madness. They had issued me
a M1 Rifle, mittens with a trigger finger and they were serious about my being
an Infantryman. Don't get me wrong, I have the utmost admiration for the
Infantry, I just didn't want to be one. I had to do something and quick.
I Escape That night I was assigned a 16 by 32 foot squad tent to sleep in. It was bare except for a foot of straw on the floor. There were perhaps 6 men in the tent. I waited until dark and burrowed out the back of the tent and escaped. I crawled on my stomach for about a half-mile scared to death what would happen if I were discovered. After that I got up and ran. By daybreak I got to a road and hitched a ride with a truck to their unit. I called on the phone and signaled my relay site where I was and someone came to get me. I was so relieved to get back. I never told my story to anyone. |