Neither the bearer of this tale, nor the name of the subject, and not even the time frame will be revealed so as to preclude any possible embarrassment. We can still keep a secret.
“I recall first meeting him one evening as I was on CQ in the Ops building. He came in carrying in hand his 45 in the issued holster. He sat down at his desk and decided to remove the magazine from his weapon. He grabbed the butt end between his thumb and forefinger. Pulling with all his might, he could not remove it. He placed the clip end on the edge of his desk and pushed down. By now I am uncontrollably laughing internally at my leader. I said nothing – until – he grabbed the noncooperative weapon by the barrel and began beating the butt end on his desk. At this point, I intervened. ‘Sir, can I help? Just turn it around and press that little button on the side.’ The clip fell out. I took the contrary mechanism from him and jacked the last round out of the chamber.”
In July 1969 JP Morgan, a Signal Equipment Repairman, was visiting from Headquarters Platoon. He tells that the Snake Platoon’s Signal Equipment Repairman, Roland “Moose” Muse, had served with him before in the 4th platoon. Muse was on CQ one night while Morgan was visiting. He was sitting at a desk reading a magazine when he noticed something scurrying about. He got out his 45, chambered a round, and sat back to wait, with the 45 peaking over the top of his magazine. The rat showed itself again, and Muse fired, hitting the rat and blowing a leg off of the other desk. When the platoon members heard the shot fired in the orderly room, of course, they scrambled, not knowing if they were under attack or if someone had been killed. An old military maxim says that the best laid plans are only good until the first shot is fired.
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