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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on June 30, 2014 at 15:02

No lives were saved but if nothing else it is a little humorous: 

I recall way back in my college days when I was in ROTC (1976-1980) I was commanding the Cadet Recondo Company  and we were asked to pull Aggressor Duty against a Local Reservist Unit.   

Now before you laugh at the thought of ROTC cadets, let me digress.  Every year our RECONDO Company which consisted of 15-20 cadets selected four cadets to airborne school, two to Air Assault School and one to Ranger School during the time I was there, we had a 100% graduation rate from these Army Schools. One of our  former cadets was Vietnam vet and member of the Illinois National Guard SF unit.  He would arrange for us to do aggressor duty for them and some of their members would come out and do aggressor duty for us.  We also had other former Vietnam Vets with other local reserve units who would  help in our training. Two of our members finished their qualifying jumps for Jump School with the SF unit.  Each year we  held a minimum of  7 field exercises with 4 of them lasting 6 days.  Because of our connection with a Illinois SF unit several Reserve units would ask if we wanted to pull aggressor duty for them and when possible we did it. It allowed us to use their M16s and M60s instead of the M14s in our armory. Our first ROTC was awarded two silver stars One with the Green Berets and the second one when he crash landed hi helicopter on VC machine gun nest. Our next Advisor was with Rangers in Vietnam. (He had arranged for me to attend Arctic Warfare School but it fell through at the last minute!)

 

So now for the knife story. It was a dark and stormy night and the Reservist Captain who was controlling us has asked me if it would be possible for us to sneak through the camp’s perimeter and raid the TOC  (Tactical Operations Center).  He wanted us to actually get close enough to storm it and toss in a CS grenade.

 

The plan was really simple.  We would cut through the outer perimeter line and then cut the lines to the field telephones.   The weather couldn’t have been better.  It was extremely dark and with a misting rain.  The only light that you could see was the light provided by the generators lighting the TOC.  The reservists were wrapped up in ponchos or hiding in their tents and vehicles.  The outer perimeter was just a string of WD-1 telephone line with a couple C-rations cans. We could have easily craled under it but   we cut several gaps simply to tick off the reservists who would have to repair it later.   

Then I sent one of my men (a guy named Dreger) to cut the phone lines.   The reason I chose Dreger is because he also carried a Camillus Mk II Fighting knife.  Well Dreger sneaks off and then about two minutes later the entire encampment was plunged into darkness.  By now were right outside the main tent.  And the whole place is in turmoil.  Someone is yelling to put more gas in the Generator.  I couldn’t ask for a better cue so I flip open the tent flap and say Did someone ask for gas and tossed in the  CS grenade and emptied a magazine from the M16 into  the air.   Then we all fell back about 20 meters and waited for the coughing and gagging to begin as a bunch of officers including the Commanding to come rolling out of the tent.  And then we opened up on them again. Then we slipped back through the perimeter before anyone could re-act.

  

Turns out Dreger wasn’t precisely sure what the telephone wire looked like so he cut every wire he could find that led to the TOC including the one from the generator;  despite all the sparks and electrical shocks that he was getting.   I thought for sure we were toast after this episode but the Commanding officer sent a note back to the PMS (the real army officer in charge of out ROTC unit) praising us a job well done.  He was especially impressed with our raid and the way we took out their generator and the use of CS grenade.  And the thanks really goes to Dreger and his knife.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Howard P Reynolds on June 30, 2014 at 15:39

Great story, Tobias!

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on June 30, 2014 at 15:50

Wow, what a story. Thanks.

Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on June 30, 2014 at 16:10

Thats a great story Tobias and I can sure picture it in my mind. I have used knives in every outdoor trip I have taken but can't think of an actual "story".

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on June 30, 2014 at 16:17

Ken maybe a hunting story. I have a good one to tell, I just don't have the time right now, to do it justice.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on July 1, 2014 at 7:58

I'm glad people liked the story. I have another knife story but I'll wait to see a few from others before posting.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on July 1, 2014 at 9:58

  I will tell Ya'll the story a knife and a large Buck deer. A time when my knife really saved the day.

     When hunting I usually carry two knives a folder in my pocket and a fixed blade on my side. The fixed blade is usually held secure with my pants belt, on my right side. I can get to it fast if needed in this position. I get so use to wearing it that I forget it's there sometimes.

   Now to get to the big Buck. I had been hunting a large Buck along Bayou Jack and had seen him a few times but he always seemed to melt away in the thick brush that lined part of the Bayou bank. The season was waning and still I couldn't get the big boy in my rifle sights. I stayed up late one night, after everyone had gone to bed, and planned of a new strategy.  

   I figured, I would bail off into the thicket along the Bayou, with my Shotgun and a small folding chair. I would head out early in the morning to get set up before the big Buck made his rounds. I hid my chair behind a large Tupela Gum Tree and cut a few Palmettos to place in front of me. All was set, all I had to do is wait and hope he'd show up on this morning. I must mention I chose my Shot gun because if I saw the buck in this thicket, he would be close and apt to spook fast, and the thick brush could deflect one little rifle bullet.

  I was up early and dressing in my normal hunting clothes. My fixed blade on my belt as usual. I went out the door to prep my ATV for the trip into the swamp, when I realized the temperature had falling into the low 20's. I was dressed warm but I thought, sitting still on the ground, I better be comfortable. So I went in and pull on my insulator suit over all the rest of my hunting clothes. Covering my fixed under it.

  I made it to the Bayou bank just fine and had set up my little chair and cover. As the dawn broke the sun shown bright and there was not a cloud in the sky. I thought what a beautiful day to be in the forest. Some Wood Ducks came swimming by and I watched as they fed on acorns. When suddenly a snap of a twig brought me racing back to what I was doing there. I looked ahead and I saw nothing, minutes pasted and I thought, it must have been nothing. Then all at once a huge buck stepped out of a little space in the brush only to disappear again. I grabbed my Shot gun and pointed in that direction. Then another little noise and another little glimpse......then there he was just 30 yards away. I froze for a second, then raised my Shot gun, at the same time he knew I was there and jumped quickly to his left. I aim and fired so quickly, I barley new I had shot. But I had, I hit him hard in his chest and with another wheel, the monster turn  and began coming right at me. I could not believe he had taken my best shot and just shook it off. The big buck was only 15 steps when my ole Shot gun answered again. This time the big boy went down. I was shaking and excited. I new I had hit him very good with my ole double barrel Shot gun.

  The big buck was laying there in the morning sun and I knew, he and I had both gave our best. After taking two loads of double  ought buckshot a point blank range, I figured he was done. So, I reached down and grabbed his horns to admire them. But as I picked them up, they seem to float and come up on their own. In the blink of an eye, I was standing on this bayou bank with a very large buck, with my hands on his horns. He stood up and began pushing me toward the icy water of Bayou Jack. I thought quickly, my knife..my knife, but it was inside my insulator suit. I stuggled to get it out, using one hand on the buck and the other fighting for my knife. The big buck was weak but was still stronger than me and was slowly moving me closer to the bayou. I finally, retrieved my knife and made a desperate stab for the bucks neck and then a slashing cut. The buck stopped pushing and after a minute fell to the ground. So did I. I was shaken but not hurt. I was so shook up my friends had to drive my ATV back to camp.

  I hope by telling Ya''ll this story, I have done the Big Buck, justice. He weighed #278. 

Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 1, 2014 at 11:42

Great story Robert, and a huge Buck. thanks for sharing.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on July 1, 2014 at 11:50

WOW!  Great story, Robert.  Note to self:  Always keep the fixed blade on the outside.  Second Note to self.  If you're tangling with a beast that is bigger than you, carry a sidearm as back-up!  You'd think two loads of buck shot would do the trick!

Permalink Reply by Howard P Reynolds on July 1, 2014 at 17:07

Marvelous story, Robert.  Yours and Tobias' stories would make good campfire tales.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on July 2, 2014 at 8:15

Thanks.

  Tobias, I forgot to mention my second shot hit the deer in the neck and head. When I looked at the buck on the ground, his eye was out from one of the buck shots. I may have realized he was still alive if I could have seen his eye. I do carry my knife on the out side now, no matter my clothing. Could of, would of, should have...lol

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on July 3, 2014 at 13:19

  I also would like to mention that they tried to age the buck and decided he was old as a buck White Tail can get. He had worn out all of his teeth. His rack was not real high or wide but very heavy. They said he was on his way down, he was probably bigger and had a larger rack earlier in his life. I have hunted White Tails all my life and have harvested quite a few but I have never gotten one so large, in body weight. In south Louisiana this is a big deer.  Oh, he was a heavy rack 10 point.

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