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Post by floydragsdale on Oct 4, 2014 20:01:59 GMT -5
1st squad to the rear march, 2nd squad to the rear march, 3rd squad to the rear march, 4th squad to the rear march - - - In cadence count. - - - - Company halt. - - - Right face - - - order arms; parade rest.
The above language is a small segment of what seasoned basic training recruits knew as close-order drill command language.
Moving a body of soldiers from here to there without close-order drill commands would be complete chaos for everyone. Involved.
Basic training in the Army was learning and doing things the military way. Learning and doing close-order drill was a top priority for all army recruits.
Thus, once a soldier had completed basic training, he was mentally and physically fit for duty at many Army Bases throughout the U.S.A.
Floyd
424th Regiment
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Post by connie on Oct 10, 2014 11:28:12 GMT -5
Floyd,
The nitty gritty of a soldier's life... To those who have served this may go without saying, but for the uninitiated like me this is interesting. This is some of the stuff you see in movies at training camps but it means more when it comes from someone who was there.
I wonder... in the midst of the Bulge was there ever occasion to impose the commands and movements of the close order drill?
Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Oct 10, 2014 19:10:51 GMT -5
Hi Connie:
The only time in the Bulge Campaign that any such commands were given was when we were forced to withdraw (retreat) and even then commands were informal. Example, "OK men let's move out in a column of twos, or single file." Or when it was time to rest a few minutes an officer would say OK men take ten" (ten minute break).
I recall a time when we walked through a minefield and word was whispered from man to man, "No talking, sneezing no sounds of any kind we are within fifty yards of the German lines." We were in a wooded area and it was a foggy misty day. The man in front of me almost set one mine off. Someone grabbed him and pulled him back just in time. Our entire outfit (Bn) got through that minefield without setting one mine off. Hand signals were used to to move through that area.
If I remember correctly, it took an entire morning to get out of that mess.
Floyd
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Post by connie on Oct 12, 2014 11:06:09 GMT -5
Floyd,
Interesting stuff... as usual.
The old location/ date question comes to mind again. Did that hike through a minefield with Germans all around you take place during the retreat from your initial Bulge position?
Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Oct 12, 2014 16:56:43 GMT -5
Good afternoon Connie:
Yes it did, Connie. My thinking is that it was probably ten days to two week after the Bulge Campaign began. We were hiking along a road and about to enter a wooded area when a hand signal halted the column. Word was passed (whispered) down to us what the situation was. Everyone was to keep absolute silence and that we would be walking through a minefield. I remember seeing an American Jeep that had run over a mine and was blown, and stuck half way up a pine tree. That made a person think abut how dangerous and powerful a mine could be.
Floyd
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Post by seaforth on Dec 5, 2014 16:54:53 GMT -5
Nice story for sure.
Could it be that because of the close order drilling the movement became so automatic that in combat it wasn't necessary to give loud orders and showing stripes because the man went on autopilot? Or was it viewed by you guys as garrison therapy and not necessary on the frontlines?
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