Warriors: 12th Infantry Regiment, H D Smith Barracks

Folks,

I'll go out on a limb here in search of some fellows whose names I can't remember. I will remember them if someone can remind me, but for the moment I'm stuck. From recollection all of these gentlemen were in the unit for the redesignation from 1/39 Inf (M) in 1989.

Roger the BICC

Roger worked in the S-2 team as the battlefield information control center officer or BICC. He was a smart, quiet guy who worked in the lock-up there in the Battalion Headquarters. I can't remember his last name to save me, but I recall his face as if I'd just left yesterday. His wife was with the engineer unit on the other side of happy valley.

The Injured LT

We were coming back from Hohenfels in, let's see, must've been the middle of 1988 or 1989. Summer weather. Got an emergency call over the radio that a TC had been injured out on the autobahn. Turns out that one of our LTs was riding up top of an M113 when the fastening mount for the hatch broke, and he got mousetrapped there in the cupola. The hatch slammed shut on his head and the only thing that saved him was the CVC helmet. He was badly hurt and, after a while, I think he was medically retired. Now, I just cannot remember his name, but I had many a pleasant chat with him and his wife, including right before I took my European out. They had met as students in Heidelberg where they'd spent a couple of years before he joined the Army, and he gave me the low-down on the town before I moved there permanently in late 1989. What was his name?

The CMSU Sig Tau

There was a fellow who turned up at the unit in, what was it, 1988? who came to the unit after going to school at Central Missouri State University. I'd been there myself and it turned out we knew some of the same people; in fact, he'd been in the Sig Tau fraternity and was close to a few guys I used to dorm with back in Warrensburg, Missouri. Anyway, he and I were shooting pool together the night I won the big Officers Wives Club raffle that they ran for the Baumholder Milcom. I took away something like seven thousand dollars by the time all the checks had come through . . . but that's another story. Now, someone out there must surely be able to remind me of this guy's name.

If any of these rings a bell, please email me and pass along the news.

Thanks!

4/12 INF (M), BAUMHOLDER FRG 1989

Here are some more fellows who were there for the redesignation from 1/39 Inf (M) back in 1989:

LT Harris Clarke – he came out with the COHORT unit from Colorado and went to Delta Company, where I believe he still assigned at the beginning of our 4/12 Inf (M) days. He left active duty in the early 1990s and is out in Washington state these days.

LT Jim Lee – If I'm not mistaken Jim had been in Korea before he arrived in Baumholder; he was already a 1LT when he arrived so he'd been around the Army a while. Last time I spoke to Jim he was at Fort Huachuca and on his way to an assignment in Hawaii. Pretty sure that he'd just been promoted to LTC at that point.

LT Mike Munoz – Mike had a line platoon (Delta Company?) and was an anti-armor platoon leader in Echo Company 1/39 Inf in mid-1989. He too left the Army in the early 1990s, got an MBA and has taken on a series of interesting business turnarounds in the US and Japan. Spent some time as a senior administration office (Assistant Deputy Secretary?) in the Department of Education in Washington. Last word I had, he was moving the family from Chicago to Missoula. I could probably reach Mike via Nate Smith in Denver.

LT Steve Winterfeld – Steve and his wife Jennifer stuck it out for 12 years on active duty but eventually went back to the private sector. I believe he's still in the Reserves and I know he was promoted to LTC a few years back. They're in Colorado these days and by all accounts are doing well. They were good folks, kept me out of trouble back in Baumholder, and we generally touch base once or twice a year these days.

By the way, you can add you name to the roster while you're here!