Sgt Jim "Tex" Shelton
RABIES SHOTS AND "OTHER SHOTS" AT CAMP ENARI
I never got to spend too much time at Enari, but one time I had to come in and take rabies shots...14 around the navel to be exact. I would go get my shot first thing every morning, leaving me free for the rest of the day. Of course in the military there is no such thing as "nothing to do". Since I was a NCO, they couldn't put my on some crap detail. I ended up helping this SSG every day, we would go around to all the unit service clubs, EM, NCO, and Officers and do a booze liquor count. Well, by lunchtime every day, we were 3 sheets to the wind. By 1500 hrs, we were pretty much just drunk, out driving the jeep. We would always make it back for formation and chow, but don't ask me how. Of course that ship had to dock some time, and back to the field I went.
ARMY COMMENDATION AWARD
TRAVELS WITH MG PEPKE
4th Division Commanding General MG Donn R. Pepke, presenting me with the ACM.
I was in "A" Battery from Jan 69 thru Dec 69. I won 2/9th FA Bn Soldier of the month, which qualified me to go on to compete in 4th Div Soldier of the Month. I didn't win but I placed in the top 4 out of the 4th Div which was 'Soldier of the Week'. The photo is Maj Gen Pepke awarding me the Army Commendation Medal for finishing in the top 4.
The general and I would go visit firebases twice a day out in the 4th Div Area of Operations (AO). It was a cool job, they issued me a .45 cal and a Carbine-15. When the chopper landed, I was first off the bird and walked in front to the Gen with the carbine at port arms, sort of like a body guard. Standing orders were if anyone tries to get to the Gen, shoot.
At the end of my week with the General, I was offered a position to stay on as driver/utility personnel. I passed and went back to A btry. I was Section Chief and needed to get back to my gun and men. This all happened Sep / Oct 1969 time frame.
Sgt
Jim 'Tex' Shelton