CENTRAL VIEW for Monday, June 3, 2024

The Bet and the "Needed Nine."

Day and night and in all weather, the helicopters of our Air Troop patrolled 239 miles of West Germany’s border with East Germany. Without perfectly maintained avionics for all-weather navigation, our pilots might stray across the border and be shot down.

Nine of our best enlisted avionics techs -- all young bachelors -- were about to rotate home. Calling them together, I said, "If you will volunteer to take a week of Official Leave, you will be flown to Peenemünde to take the ferry to Malmö, Sweden. Lt. Colonel Count John Hamilton will truck you up a major Swedish river so you can spend a week rubber rafting down to his castle for a weekend of parties with his soldiers. Downstream to the castle, you are to camp alongside the river or find other places to sleep. Be your clean-cut, clean-shaven selves and make America proud of you. Okay?"

All nine volunteered. A call to "cousin" John and "The Bet," was on.

Just over a week later, two of our choppers delivered a happy" Needed nine" to me in Fulda for debriefing. They said that every night, they had been taken in by Swedish farm families, fed, and given a place to sleep. Some of the farmers’ daughters provided more than a handshake.

A weekend party with Swedish soldiers from John’s armored cavalry squadron and sleeping in a real castle was the cream on top of the adventure of a lifetime. The smiled as I burned my CYA, their Official Leave Orders.

With John on the telephone, I asked, "What did you think of those nine American soldiers?" "All of them are very fine young men. They were nothing like the draft-dodgers who abused alcohol, drugs, and stole things," admitted John.

"That’s good to hear, John; however, I have some bad news for you. My troops say Swedish women are promiscuous. A handshake and sex are all the same."

"Okay," said John. "You win that one. But I have some bad news for you that means I win the bet."

"Come on, John, be a good loser. Young Americans are fine people and some of your women are a little loose."

"No, Bill. I win because in order to win you violated international relations. You overlooked the fact that our nations parted company over the Vietnam War in 1968. You recalled your ambassador. Relations and cooperation have been testy and suspended ever since. You sent U.S. troops in uniform into Sweden in violation of all the norms of civilized diplomatic behavior."

"John, that is why I put them on Official Leave. on vacation. But, I concede the bet. But only on a technicality."

So what happened with the "Needed Nine?" Every one of them reenlisted to stay with Air Troop for a two-year hitch. Before I administered the reenlistment oath, I asked them why they wanted to stay with Air Troop.

Without exception, they said two more years of experience with sophisticated avionics would prepare them for high-paying jobs in the aviation industry, Moreover, no other employer was likely to make them feel so needed and send them off on the adventure of a lifetime.

©2024. William Hamilton.

Dr. Hamilton can be contacted at:

Email: william@central-view.com