[TML] New Member & the Sylean Rangers

[Douglas Berry]

David Jaques-Watson wrote:
> Dear Folks -
> 
>> <http://www.warehouse23.com/img/full/SJG6614.jpg>
> 
> According to Jesse Degraff, one is cutting their way into the tank while the
> other is holding a satchel charge waiting to drop it in.
> 
> Typical bloody PC's.

Yah, and I pointed out that you normally do this on a tank that has been 
mobility killed.

>>> But hay IYTU if you want the Sylean Rangers to have a puce uniform (or
>>> any other colour for that matter), go for your life!!
>> Puce?!
> 
> Doesn't an old Trav artist (Donna Barr??) turn up at some parties in a pink
> full-dress German uniform? With matching Schubevagen (sp?)??

That had more to do with her wonderful and must be read by all of you 
comic book The Desert Peach (about the adventures of Erwin Rommel's, 
younger, taller, gayer brother in the Afrika Korps commanding the 469th 
Halftrack, Gravedigging and Support Unit.

>> Oh, Jesse put two in-jokes on that cover for me.
>>
>> Doug
> 
> Enough teasing, spill the beans. (Or in this case, the taro-root flavoured
> asian fruit jelly snacks).

You'll notice in the picture I'm ignoring those things.

Anyway, look at the front hull of the tank. See where it says 8/12-84? 
The second part is harder to see, but is clear on page 56. The shoulder 
armor of the battledress reads A-7-1.

Between late August and mid-December of 1984 I was undergoing Infantry 
OSUT in Alpha Company, 7th Battalion, 1st Infantry Training Brigade. 
A-7-1, Infantry, On The Road! RAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Let's see, aside from giving SEH's to several members of the TML, 
putting something that actually happened to me in the "So There I Was" 
sidebar, and generally having fun, I got in a few other ones.

The suits of battledress are named after my Drill Sergeants. The Rusto 
Engineering Sled and the Bergstrom Light Tank are nods to my brother 
Craig (Rusto is a sculpture at Harvey Mudd College, and Paul Bergstrom 
was one of his best gaming buddies growing up), the Terrapin sled was 
named because I'm a Deadhead. The intro in Chapter 8 stars my wife, 
under her maiden name, and 487 was her van number at SuperShuttle at the 
time. There are others, but most are really obscure.

Doug.