Quote:
Originally Posted by servicepub (RIP)
However, in the days of our fathers, any member of the battalion who fought at Kapyong could wear the citation for the remainder of his career, regardless of uniit.
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When I was a young militiaman, we had an old sigs Sgt who wore the swimming pools on his uniform, even though he was now militia in an armoured unit (FGH). Ed still carried shrapnel in him which would set off the detectors at the airport. He told the story that it was a field telephone that he had slung that caught the shrapnel and saved his family jewels.
Eventually Ed was released for being too old. Turns out he had lied about his age to go to Korea, and eventually lied about his age the other way in order to stay in the militia.
When I was posted to 2PPCLI in the late 80s/early 90s, the battalion had set up a large diorama of the hill, and gave a presentation of the battle to each company. When we were getting our presentation, they told the story of having had the Vickers gun overrun, and that on a $5 bet, "tiny" (I think that was his nickname, but it was a lot of years ago) ran up to retrieve the Vickers. He made it, and came running back with the Vickers, the tripod, and the water can dragging from the hose. As it turned out, "Tiny" was sitting in the bleachers with us on our presentation as one of the visiting veterans that day. He was, even at that age, a large and impressive man.
I was cleaning out the furnace-room yesterday, and there, hanging on their hangers, were my sand colored Cypress shirts with the swimming pools on the sleeve.