Deployed from West Germany, the 9th Engineers were split up amongst the 1st Infantry division. My company – Delta Co. – was assigned to the Task Force 1-41 where we trained for weeks on minefield clearing and breaching berms. On the morning of the ground offensive, my platoon was one of the first track vehicles clearing lanes through the mine fields so that the 1st Infantry Division could do their job. We continued on and participated in the Battle of 73 Easting and the Battle of Norfolk.
I brought my grandfather’s Nikon and six rolls of film. I have only but now uploaded these for your perusal – the majority never being shared before.
No I didn’t take pictures of the bodies on the highway of death – but only of the view. Some things you don’t need reminders of – and some things are just something you don’t do.
From September 1981 to January 1989, I was in the same line dog platoon in B Co. 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne). It took nearly eight years, but I worked my way up from M60 machine gunner to Squad Leader in the same platoon. This was the same platoon that was the proto-type for “Rough Terrain” jumpers which is unique in the US Army “Rapid Deployment Force“. Jumping out of aeroplanes (or choppers) – into the jungles, and blowing up things.
Reagan era Cold War shenanigans can be found here. (soon to be uploaded)
