SFC Donovan, S-3 Shop 4/12 Inf (M) 1989

During 1989 my travels briefly overlapped with those of SFC Donovan, who also served in the Operations Shop there in Baumholder. When he arrived the S-3 was still Major Rodolfo R. Diaz-Pons [links aren't working but here's the URL -- http://1-39inf.blogspot.com/2006/02/s-3-shop-paddys-gang-1988-1989.html]

One busy morning when we were all scrambling around and distracted and not necessarily thinking too clearly, with lots of "do this" and "don't do that" and "get me" whizzing around the TOC, SFC Donovan announced to the world in general (and the S-3 in particular) that he was "not a &^%$#@ coffee boy!" And that was the truth.

In FM 22-100 that sort of frankness is characterized as "moral courage". It doesn't sound like a big deal but it was a lesson just the same.

Some further news, courtesy of SFC Ito:

After [SFC Donovan] left the S3 he came down to C Co and took a platoon. He was my PSG before he left for Ft Drum . . . we also served in the same company at Ft Drum.

Warriors!

Lieutenant Dan Hill, 4/12 Inf (M), Baumholder FRG 1989

Folks,

A month or so ago I posted a request for a memory-jogger to help me recall some gentlemen whose names had temporarily slipped away from me, including fellows who served both with 4/12 Inf (M) and 1/39 Inf (M) in Baumholder.

SFC Richard Ito very graciously sent me some thoughts on that, and we concluded that the fellow who was injured by the broken track hatch was LT Dan Hill.

I would certainly appreciate it if anyone with more info (including contact details) would get in touch with me at matthewginn-at-gmail.com -- I owe LT Hill a big thank-you for some advice he and his wife gave me back in 1989.

Warriors!

p.s. add your name to the roster now!

Warriors: SFC Richard Ito, US Army (Retired)

I've had a very interesting set of emails from SFC Richard Ito, who was with 4/12 Inf (M) in Baumholder during and after my days there, including the redesignation from 1/39 Inf (M).

In the original spirit of this web beacon, which is to post names in the hope that people will be able to find themselves and former colleagues online, here are many former members of Charlie Company 4/12 Inf (M). Several of these men who would also have been with 1/39 Inf (M).

1SG Joe ‘Smoking Joe’ McBride (who came to C Co from A Co)

LT Albert

LT Reyes (XO B Co)

LT Boice

SFC Kann

SFC Johnson

SFC Donovan

SSG Colvin

SSG Foster

SGT Chong

SPC Rosario

SPC Madarish

SPC Walema

SPC Chalepah

SPC Louis

Thanks, Richard for looking into your memory and sharing this!

Other visitors -- please add your name to the roster while you're here!