Stolen trucks

I had been to Battalion HQ building at Camp Maxey (called there for a training reason) and when returning to the Company assembly area in the woods saw two M35A2 trucks parked just inside the perimeter. I saw, too, bumper numbers on the trucks, both numbers preceded with an “A.” My Company was “B.”

I thought: “Oh, lordy, my guys have stolen some A Company trucks.”

The Company had four platoons – 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Weapons – but I knew nobody in 1st, 2nd or Weapons had the … tacos to enter another Company’s assembly area and drive away with somebody else’s trucks. Only my boys would do something like that.

When walking to 3rd Platoon’s perimeter area, I saw my assistant platoon sergeant – SSG Hipp – and two senior squad leaders – SSG Rogers and SSG Porter – all grinning like possums. Guilty, guilty and guilty.

I said, “Where did the A Company trucks come from?”

“We stole ‘em,” Hipp said.

“You’ll have to take them back.”

“Yeah,” Rogers said. “That’s what the CO said.”

It was expected, so I said, “How’d you do it?”

Well, the three explained, each taking a part … We took one of our trucks close to their assembly area and walked in. A Company security sucks. They had their trucks parked there. Hipp got in one, Porter got in another and started up and drove away.

I said, “Nobody tried to stop you?”

Porter said, “Somebody yelled ‘Hey!’ but we didn’t pay any attention.”

“You’ll have to take them back,” I again said. “And we’ll need to increase our security.”

Hipp said, “They ain’t gonna do nothing.”

“How do you figure?” I said.

Hipp shrugged. “They’re A Company.”

As it turned out, my guys did not have to take the trucks back. Company A brought over two drivers to drive the trucks to their proper assembly area. Somebody in charge decided the thieves should not do nose rubbing at the scene of their crime.

The CO of Company A grumbled and rumbled about court martial for stealing government property, but he settled down. Or, somebody settled him down.

Hipp was right, too. We increased security, but nothing happened.