Many years ago, through contacts within the Fourth Armored Association, I had the personal honor and opportunity to be invited(by personal letter) by General Bruce C. Clarke(Clarke of St. Vith) to visit, and spend a few hours chatting at his residence in (As I recall) McLean, Va.
I went down with a friend and had a great chat with this most exceptional military personality. Patton had said about this man thad had he been commissioned in the combat arms(Cavalry, Infantry, Artillery), rather than as an Engineer, he would have been a general before tthe war. Clarke started in the NYARNG in 1917 as a Private, and retired many decades later as a 4 Star General, who had been a Combat Commander(Col.) with the 4th Armored, then with 7th Armored(B.Gen) at the defense of St. Vith, a battleground equally important as Bastogne during the Bulge, where he'd held for a week when they needed him to hold for two days. He'd been a commander of I corps in Korea, and was in charge of USAEUR during the "Checkpoint Charlie" incident in 1960... Quite a man- in his late 80s, he still stood well over 6' tall, with a voice which fairly boomed.(Once his wife passed away a few years later, he just went down hill & was gone within two years)
Anyway, I was young and stupid, and one question asked had my friend fairly laughing at me afterward... Here I am, talking with one of Patton's Very Best commanders, and I mention "CYA" and ask "You do know what CYA means, right, sir?" Whether or not he did, he very graciously responded "No- I am unfamiliar with the term. What does it mean?" And I got to explain. He gave a nicely phrased "Thank you" afterwards. Looking back, My friend WAS right to laugh at me- at least he waited till we left... lol.
Scott
_________________ 1942 Dodge WC-51 Weapons Carrier I am a reenactor, have been since the early 1980s, and I am an aviation enthusiast, PILOT, A&P mechanic, and military vehicle owner. I have restored cars, trucks, and antique radios. These are MY hobbies- What are YOURS?.
|