johntheplinker
Master
Stationed in Bad Hersfeld in the early 80s and had a similar experience. A Captain of dubious quality had us on the wrong side of those blue and white posts too. Little touchy for a while, considering it was just shortly after an East German heli crash.
We may have been in Germany at the same time. My first time was Apr 82 to Nov 84. Should have just been 2 years but I extended to do M1 transition. 3rd Plt, G Trp 2/2 ACR
Another one that is funny but gross.
When we were on FTX on the countryside we were required to stop maneuvers at a certain time for the safety of the locals. We'd lager up, refuel, get some chow and pull maint on the tracks. If you had a good Plt Ldr he'd find a town to do this at, we'd visit the local gasthaus, have a beer or 2 and chip in for a room so we'd could get a shower. If your Plt Ldr was a dick they'd stop you where ever and have to rough it.
Any way, the Plt Ldr for 1st Plt was a hard charger and would go out of his way to make things rougher than they needed to be on his troops. One evening they set up near a farm, had the tank section right in the farm buildings in a defensive position. One of the tanks was sitting on this nice concrete pad next to the barn. They were getting chow when there was a loud crack and all of a sudden this tank was in a hull defilade position. Of course everybody went to see what happened. The tank was sitting track deep in manure. The concrete pad was the cover for the farmer's manure containment system!
Took 2 M88s and better part of the day to get it out. The engine compartment was full, the interior was full, one hell of a mess. The crew spent days scrubbing it out with about every cleaning product known to man but never could completely get rid of the smell. Even months later when the weather was damp you could smell the fertilizer just walking by it.
Same Lt had staff duty one night and decided to inspect the guards at the ammo dump. Instead of just driving up to the gate he thought he'd be sneaky and go through the woods and climb the fence. He got tangled in the concertina on top of the fence, guards saw him and knowing his reputation they left him there for a couple of hours. Finally got him out all cut up and suffering from hypothermia. He didn't come back after he was released for Nuremberg hospital.