M A VETERAN FROM THE 523rd MILITARY
POLICE STATIONED OUT OF ABERDEEN, MARYLAND BACK IN 1962-1964. I WAS
DRAFTED AND WENT THROUGH FORT DIX AND FORT GORDON FOR ADVANCED MP
TRAINING, RECEIVED “SOLDIER OF THE CYCLE” ACCOLADES (AND STOOD ALONG
SIDE THE GENERAL AS ENTIRE BASE (4000) MARCHED IN REVIEW FOR ME. IM
STILL IN AWE HOW GREAT SHAPE I WAS IN TO ACHIEVE THIS HONOR). WHAT
AN EXCITING, MEMORABLE DAY, THAN, LATER, WHOLE BASE FELL OUT WITH FULL
COMBAT GEAR (OVER 100,000) DURING THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS. (WE WOULD
HAVE BEEN THE FIRST CONTINGENT INTO CUBA IF “IT” HAPPENED .I LATER
TRAVELLED WITH MY BUDDY, DENNIS YOUNG, ALL OVER EUROPE IN A C-130
PLANE. WE SAW BERLIN, AMSTERDAM, EVEN THE PARTHENON….ALL ON $150.00
BETWEEN US (SLEPT IN LOCAL MP BARRACKS WHEREVER WE WENT)…….TODAY I’M IN
STILL TOUCH WITH MY MP BUDDIES FROM BACK THEN…..INCLUDING A WELL KNOWN
TV ACTOR WHO WAS MY PATROL PARTNER FOR THOSE YEARS……AND WE’VE GOLFED
TOGETHER IN LOS ANGELES A FEW TIMES……..I NOW LIVE ON LONG ISLAND AND AM
HAPPY TO WORK ALONG SIDE FELLOW VETS AT THE NORTHPORT VETERANS
ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL……..I JUST LEFT THERE YESTERDAY, WHERE ONE OF THE
WORKERS FILLED OUT MY INFO ONTO HIS ‘PUTER KEYBOARD…..AND HE TYPED WITH
BOTH HANDS REPLACED WITH TWO PROSTHESIS……he’s 6’ 5 and 300 lbs…..a true
GIANT of a man.……WHAT A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE IT IS TO BE ENGAGED WITH
THESE VETERANS TODAY.