THE FIRE-EATER
"PIT-TOOEY!!
What the hell was in my cant......OH!"
From the Diary of Lt Gary Dean Springer
As
a newly assigned FO attached to B/2/35,
I had a huge learning experience on my first day out on a patrol with the
company. We were to make a long sweep along the Cambodian border east of
Pleiku searching for PAVN units. We didn’t
find anything. Just a couple of
signs. We walked about 10-12
clicks. I about died I was so
tired.
I had no idea this
would be so grueling.
I
took two canteens with me full of water and as it turned out it was not near
enough. Normally we would have
crossed at least one or two streams and a chance to refill the canteens but as
it turned out on this trek we crossed no running streams.
It was up and down one hill after another at a fairly rapid pace.
I, of course, was not about to hold anyone up but it was clear to me
about mid-way way through this patrol that I was not in anywhere near as good of
shape as these vets. By the time we
had gone about 8 or 9 clicks (kilometers) I had gone through both of my
canteens. I kept up of course, but
was really worried that if we were attacked at any point that I would be so
disoriented that I would be of little help.
I tried my hardest to keep track of where we were on the topo map (FO's
map) but had
reached a point of near exhaustion so bad that all I could concentrate on was
keeping up and not falling down. I
cannot describe the relief when we broke through into the clearing where our
company base was located. This
actually wound up being a rather good laugh for the CO, one of the platoon
leaders and my crew.
I had snuck out
a canteen of whisky (a no-no in the field) and had left it lying next to our
hootch made of poncho liners. Given
the exhausted and throat-parched state I was in, I had forgot about it already.
All I saw when I walked up was this canteen lying there.
Next to the hootch Sgt. Swift (my RTO) had a small fire going in order to
heat up
C-rations. I grabbed the canteen,
twisted off the cap and started to chug a huge gulp of water.
Needless to say the whisky was not "thirst quenching" under
these conditions and I felt like I had a flamethrower shoved down my throat at
the moment. At that point, I did my
version of a circus fire eater. I
blew the whisky back out of my mouth in a strong, misty spray right into the
small cooking fire. I learned for
the first time in my life that whisky (and other hard liquor) is quite
flammable, especially if it is propelled in a fine mist.
When I blurted out this exhaled, volatile mist and it hit the fire, there
was a loud “whoosh” and a huge fireball.
All I can remember now is Swift’s eyes bugging out in shock and then
almost falling down laughing as he realized what I had done! The Infantry
CO just shook his head, making some comment about what I should NOT
bring to the field anymore as he walked off chuckling.
I can honestly say that is the last time I ever took any hard liquor to
the field. After that I stuck with
the beer rations which we were allowed. Beer
will not ignite when propelled in a mist, by the way.
I never tried to find out anyhow.
Lt Gary Dean Springer