# For our American Brothers...A topic that's a little on the lighter side



## Scoobie Newbie (10 Feb 2007)

What's the deal with shower curtains for doors on your bathroom stalls?  This isn't the first time I've seen this.  Anyway just wondering.


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## gaspasser (10 Feb 2007)

you worry about the wierdest things...


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## Scoobie Newbie (10 Feb 2007)

Dude after the places and conditions I've taken a dump I have no worries about a shower curtain.  Just curious is all.


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## tomahawk6 (10 Feb 2007)

Privacy. ;D


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## Bruce Monkhouse (10 Feb 2007)

Because they reverse the flow for a shower......


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## Scoobie Newbie (10 Feb 2007)

uck!


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## stukirkpatrick (10 Feb 2007)

They had those in our shacks in Camp Ripley - but I was under the impression that they were set up by our own advance party, given the makeshift materials utilized  :blotto:


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## Scoobie Newbie (10 Feb 2007)

I don't think so


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## Spanky (10 Feb 2007)

I've been to places in the States that did not even have stalls, just the open concept style.  Very airy and conducive to conversation.


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## tomahawk6 (10 Feb 2007)

Ya I remember that in the WW2  barracks at Basic and AIT.


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## Scoobie Newbie (10 Feb 2007)

T6 any idea why?


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## Cloud Cover (10 Feb 2007)

tomahawk6 said:
			
		

> Ya I remember that in the WW2  barracks at Basic and AIT.



You were in WW2?  ;D


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## medicineman (10 Feb 2007)

Spanky said:
			
		

> I've been to places in the States that did not even have stalls, just the open concept style.  Very airy and conducive to conversation.



I remember dealing with those in 29 Palms for a few weeks one spring - you could tell all the Canadians there because we all brought in newpapers and magazines to prevent flagrant violations of guy law and provide some makeshift privacy.

MM


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## tomahawk6 (11 Feb 2007)

whiskey601 said:
			
		

> You were in WW2?  ;D



Nope but when I went through basic/ait our training brigade used the WW2 barracks it was either that or tent I suppose. Those wooden barracks were cheap to build and had latrines upstairs and down. Zero privacy.Our DI had a room on the ground floor of our BCT barracks. In AIT they trusted us I suppose and the DI didnt keep a room in the barracks. They were open bays with wall lockers and bunks running the length of the barracks. Mo one walked down the middle of the floor and we only walked down the side along the wall.I remember at Ft Polk pulling guard duty over an area of empty wooden barracks that were unused. When I was at Ft Benning they still had wooden barracks as well for BAC, Ranger School,for the mothbolled basic training area . There were usually nice modern barracks for perm party. With the advent of the all volunteer force new barracks were built to replace the wooden ones.


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## Boxkicker (13 Feb 2007)

North Fort In FT Lewis Washington, no walls for the toilets. That was just so wrong, you could have a gang dump and hold hands for encouragement, if you wished. That was in the 90's.


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## Trip_Wire (13 Feb 2007)

I took Engineer basic training at North Fort Lewis in February 1947. The two story wooden barracks, had open bays with bunk beds on both sides of the aisles. Latrines were on the rear end of the bottom floor. Comodes were lined up and in the open side-by-side. The shower was one large room with many faucets/showerheads. No privacy at all.

We had the same type of barracks at Ft. Benning in Parachute school and Ranger training at Harmony Church area

There was also NCO/Cadre rooms at the end of the second floor and the front of the 1st floor.

At North Ft. Lewis, the barracks were heated by a coal furnace. 

We also had the WW II Type mess hall. (Wooden long one story building, kitchen and serving line in the front and entrance in the rear. They served family style, with large bowels of food brought to the long mess tables by the KPs serving as DROs.

Aww the good old days! (not!)

Although even these conditions were much better then below 0 degrees, wind and snow in Korea in a foxhole confronting a zillion chinese.


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## Boxkicker (13 Feb 2007)

Trip_Wire said:
			
		

> I took Engineer basic training at North Fort Lewis in February 1947. The two story wooden barracks, had open bays with bunk beds on both sides of the aisles. Latrines were on the rear end of the bottom floor. Comodes were lined up and in the open side-by-side. The shower was one large room with many faucets/showerheads. No privacy at all.
> 
> We had the same type of barracks at Ft. Benning in Parachute school and Ranger training at Harmony Church area
> 
> ...



  You have got to be talking about just off the paradise enlisted mans club. Yes some 40 years later they were the same the last time I was there about 95, they put up walls between the toilets, still no doors.


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## geo (13 Feb 2007)

Remember starting my reserve training in 1970 in Farnham with outhouses that were eight holers.... no waiting.  Lovely things in winter - no insulation.. you'd stamp down the snow, force the door open,  get a good gulp of fresh air and dash in with your own personal roll of toilet paper in hand....... Effing wonderful memories (after 37 yrs)


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## Mortar guy (13 Feb 2007)

I'm in Camp Blanding, Florida right now experiencing the shower-curtain-for-stall-door experience right now. Our shacks are fairly comfortable but also extremely rudimentary. Still, they're cheap and are just right for what we're doing. 

Living in these shacks for any period of time would be a bit much though...

MG


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## Trooper Hale (14 Feb 2007)

Do you folks ever get portaloos out bush? I dont know if thats what you call them, but portable toilets? Nothing like using one of those suckers on a 40degree day! Step in, light a match and hope that you make it out without sweating out your body sweat.

There are shower curtains in the RCD's shacks, is it not a common Canadian thing?


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## Scoobie Newbie (14 Feb 2007)

Pretty bad when the Americans don't even know why that is.


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## geo (14 Feb 2007)

Hale said:
			
		

> Do you folks ever get portaloos out bush? I dont know if thats what you call them, but portable toilets? Nothing like using one of those suckers on a 40degree day! Step in, light a match and hope that you make it out without sweating out your body sweat.
> 
> There are shower curtains in the RCD's shacks, is it not a common Canadian thing?



Portaloos..... called many things but - usually known (around here) as "Blue Rockets".

WRT shower curtains in the RCD lines???... must be an armoured thing.
(So that's where they got the bolt on armour for the Leo1C2s (jk) )


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## George Wallace (14 Feb 2007)

Hale said:
			
		

> There are shower curtains in the RCD's shacks, is it not a common Canadian thing?



Hale

Those were in the showers.  The discussion is about the toilets.


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## BernDawg (14 Feb 2007)

Been to a few spots in the US with the open concept crappers.  The first time was at Yakima Firing Center (your knees would touch during a full house the morning after!) and we were told at the time that the US Army had rules banning "self abuse" and that's why they had no stalls or doors.  Now I don't know this for fact just some old crusty CSM passing on his wisdom but you never know.


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## Boxkicker (14 Feb 2007)

BernDawg said:
			
		

> Been to a few spots in the US with the open concept crappers.  The first time was at Yakima Firing Center (your knees would touch during a full house the morning after!) and we were told at the time that the US Army had rules banning "self abuse" and that's why they had no stalls or doors.  Now I don't know this for fact just some old crusty CSM passing on his wisdom but you never know.


 Bern the last time I was in YAK they had put up stalls and doors, but you could barely sit and close the door. But it was a step up. Boy did those cans get busy after a night at the DI drinking those 22oz drafts.


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## Boxkicker (14 Feb 2007)

Was anyone here in Yakima in 91 when the reserves caused all the problems that year. I think the last straw was when some individuals ran our flag up the main flagpole outside of the MP's and DI, at 2 AM and it was the base commander that noticed it in the morning. He just had no sense of humor about that sort of thing.


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## Danjanou (14 Feb 2007)

Trip_Wire said:
			
		

> I took Engineer basic training at North Fort Lewis in February 1947. The two story wooden barracks, had open bays with bunk beds on both sides of the aisles. Latrines were on the rear end of the bottom floor. Comodes were lined up and in the open side-by-side. The shower was one large room with many faucets/showerheads. No privacy at all.
> 
> We had the same type of barracks at Ft. Benning in Parachute school and Ranger training at Harmony Church area
> 
> ...



I remember those same ( or similar) barracks from assorted Milcons and gun camps 1977-1980,  complete with comunal showers and er other assorted plumbing :-[

Box nice to hear Canadian traditions at Yakima continue. Last visit there was the week prior to Mt St Helen's going up IIRC.


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## Boxkicker (14 Feb 2007)

Danjanou said:
			
		

> Box nice to hear Canadian traditions at Yakima continue. Last visit there was the week prior to Mt St Helen's going up IIRC.



 I transfered REG Force in 98 but the last time we were HQ in YFC (91) there was a lot of mischief mostly from the DI, caused by the ARTY. but then a couple of people raised the Flag and saluted of course and then blamed the ARTY, of course I have NO idea who that was (HEHE what a hoot). After that we got banned from base except as a shower point and Laundry.


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## pablo (14 Feb 2007)

Stop your whining mortar dude!  At least you are warm in Florida.  Are you using mortars there or did the unit neglect to bring them?

Pablo "the mexican sensation"

PS  Will you be my valentine?


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## ex-Sup (14 Feb 2007)

Spanky said:
			
		

> I've been to places in the States that did not even have stalls, just the open concept style.  Very airy and conducive to conversation.


Ahhhh...memories of Ripley '91. Definitely an experience; makes you really appreciate a stall...even if it doesn't have a door.


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## BernDawg (15 Feb 2007)

Oh Ya! the 22 oz "super big gulp" draft.  Never have I seen such a projectile vomit producing product.  Prolly cause you had to drink 6 to catch a buzz.  They had the walls and doors the last time I was there too and yes it is a tight squeeze but, at least, your knees touch steel not your buddies!
 ;D


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## Colin Parkinson (15 Feb 2007)

Trip_Wire said:
			
		

> I took Engineer basic training at North Fort Lewis in February 1947. The two story wooden barracks, had open bays with bunk beds on both sides of the aisles. Latrines were on the rear end of the bottom floor. Comodes were lined up and in the open side-by-side. The shower was one large room with many faucets/showerheads. No privacy at all.
> 
> We had the same type of barracks at Ft. Benning in Parachute school and Ranger training at Harmony Church area
> 
> ...



They were pretty much the same in North Fort, Fort Lewis back in the 1980's


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## Boxkicker (15 Feb 2007)

BernDawg said:
			
		

> Oh Ya! the 22 oz "super big gulp" draft.  Never have I seen such a projectile vomit producing product.  Prolly cause you had to drink 6 to catch a buzz.



 I went through 22 of those one night with a ranger, I was puking for about 2 hrs after.  It was probably the cheapest draft ever made. I paid twice on that one being on range the next day was not pleasant at least I was not still gooned.
  I do have to say that it was a toss up of what went down easier those super big gulp drafts or the local girls, right in the DI that place was like being in the P**N movie set some nights.


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## time expired (16 Feb 2007)

All the Cold War Warriors will remember those wonderful heads in Grafenwöhr 6 seats separated by
a knee high brick wall with a galvanized trough with running water underneath the seats.It was great
sitting with all your friends,after breakfast passing the Overseas Weekly or the Stars & Strips back
and forth and discussing the up coming days activities.That is until some clown upstream of you
made a paper boat ,set fire to it and floated down the trough and set 5 people springing ,cursing
in the air in perfect sequence.There is one in every crowd. And while I am on the subject what
 about the beauties in Sennerlager,a 762 mm Honest John rocket wooden container with 6 holes
cut in it.You sat about 6 ft. in the air and were king of all you surveyed,not great if weather was
in anyway inclement or until some clown went about spreading the rumour that a guy over in the
Black Watch had got his b$%&lls bitten by a rat on just such contraption.Talk about pucker factor.
           Fond memories
                           Regards


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## Danjanou (16 Feb 2007)

time expired said:
			
		

> All the Cold War Warriors will remember those wonderful heads in Grafenwöhr 6 seats separated by
> a knee high brick wall with a galvanized trough with running water underneath the seats.It was great
> sitting with all your friends,after breakfast passing the Overseas Weekly or the Stars & Strips back
> and forth and discussing the up coming days activities.That is until some clown upstream of you
> ...



Thanks for bringing back yet more repressed (and for a good reason) memories there. Ft Lewis and Yakima were bad enough. I've visited and used roadside gas station rest rooms in the wilds of the Atlas Mountains of Morocco  that were better. 

What's next the glory that was Hoenfells (or however the damn place was spelled)? ;D


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## LineDoggie (17 Feb 2007)

The Latrine stall doors at NTC(Ft. Irwin, Ca. )  Cantonment area are still shower curtains, usually ending about  2 feet above the floor. Still beats the side of Route Irish in Baghdad at Night though.


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## Trip_Wire (17 Feb 2007)

As long as we're talking about such things.:

When I first got to Korea (10/51) I soon came down with diarrhea. We were using a slit trench at the time. I spent so much time with bended knees straddling the trench, that my knees gave out and I fell into the trench. I think that the diarrhea was caused by the  WW II type mess kit I was using to eat hot chow with.

I will always remember, the extreme cold in Korea, during the winter months in using the various types of latrines from 'cat holes' to the multi-seat outhouse types. (Usually with large rats, in the hole.) Talk about bravery, it took a lot of courage to bear ones arse to the cold and do your thing and even more to take the occasional field shower.   

I always also remember a cartoon in the Stars & Stripes of that era, of a GI sitting on the 'throne,' in the cold, shivering, etc. with a cartoon 'dream blob' over his head dreaming about a nice civilian type flush toilet in a warm normal 'bathroom.'

As a matter of fact, one of the most enjoyable things on my return to the USA, was doing just that! Taking a nice warm and comfortable crap on a flush toilet and reading the morning paper.  ;D

Aww! The simple pleasures!


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## glock17 (20 Feb 2007)

How can we possibly top that?  You deserve every simple pleasure that life can afford you, well done!


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## Red 6 (20 Feb 2007)

Okay guys & gals. Unless you've had to do have a poopy like this, no more complaining about shower curtains open latrines!  : This is me  in Desert Shield. It didn't get any more fun than this in my 22 years of service. (In case you're wondering, that's the Stars and Stripes that I'm holding.)


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## Colin Parkinson (20 Feb 2007)

I used to do mining exploration in Northern Manitoba in the winter, taking a poop or a piss in –50 away from the camp was an adventure. Thank god for Styrofoam, it makes a great toilet seat, at least you were able to dig into a snow drift, so you were out of the wind!

The tent camp had propane burner toilets, the great thing was that the pilot light ran 24hrs a day and warmed up the whole toilet including the seat! Pure bliss to plunk your bum down on a warm toilet seat. When the cook flashed up the toilets everyday, you quickly knew if you were downwind of the camp!


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## Globesmasher (23 Feb 2007)

Red 6 - that is an outstanding photograph.

I shall stop complaining immediately.

I remember being in the shacks at Fort Bragg back in '84 or thereabouts.  I recall 6 bright, shiny porcelain toilets lined up in a neat row with no doors, stalls, walls ... nothing ... and being absolutely mortified. I was onyl 20 at the time thinking "How am I going to take a dump on that??"

Then, living in Doha and Al Udeid with the USAF from 2001-2004 ... having to walk 1/2 mile from my tent to the ATCO trailer to go take a dump in a stall that was just used by 500 of my closest freinds on an American "chow tent" diet.

But nothing compares to your picture!!!
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Outstanding ....  you win!!  ... I'll stop whining now. ....  ;D


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## BernDawg (24 Feb 2007)

Red 6 that's awesome.  I'd have never thought of sandbags.  On ex in Suffield once  :warstory: we took a milk crate and made an appropriate shaped cut out in it and padded the edges with rags and gun tape.  Easy to use and keep clean just place it over the hole in the ground and carry-on.  Unfortunately I didn't take any pics but the terrain is still quite treeless. 
The amount of technical information exchanged on the site never ceases to amaze me!


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## Red 6 (24 Feb 2007)

Hey fellas: Yeah, the sand bags worked pretty well. We called them "ass bags" and emptied them out when we were getting ready to move. Then we'd refill them when we got wherever we were going to. A picture really is worth a thousand words! If you tried to explain to someone that you made a shitter out of sand bags, their reply would be, "You made a _what _ outta _what_?"


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## geo (24 Feb 2007)

heh.... welcome to the brotherhood.... sisters welcome?


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## Red 6 (25 Feb 2007)

My bust... I should have written, "guys & gals." I forget sometimes that in the Canadian Army, women serve in combat arms.  :warstory:


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## geo (25 Feb 2007)

Red... these days of 3 block war & all that bunk, front and REMF troops are pert much grouped together and Log wogs are side by side at the pointy end of the stick... so US male troops are feeling the same pain as the Female troops.


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## Trip_Wire (27 Feb 2007)

As a side note:

Rats!

They were a real problem in Korea! They were everywhere! Rat bites of soldiers, was a common occurance. They of course spread many diseases, one of which was hemorrhagic fever! A usual fatal disease that many troops died from.

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-19782195.html

One of my re-accuring nightmares, is the sound of rats munching on the Chinese/North Korean dead in our wire. Especially in the winter, with snow on the ground. These slithering large well fed rats, sounded like a squad of 'chinks' moving around your position. They became used to eating humans too.


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## geo (27 Feb 2007)

Rats?
Bit of a heavy subject isn't it Tripwire?


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## Trip_Wire (27 Feb 2007)

geo said:
			
		

> Rats?
> Bit of a heavy subject isn't it Tripwire?



Perhaps, as I said, it was and is for me even 'till this day!  

I'm missing what your point was? Could you explain what you were trying to tell me? "heavy subject," I don't really understand your point here or is there one?


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## geo (27 Feb 2007)

heh... topic of the thread was "the lighter side" of life - and about 50% of the thread covers (or deosn't) the use of shower curtains in the various outhouses we have visited..... 

Figured that a discussion on maneating rats is like a 180 degree turnaround....

But, hey, don't let me stop ya from talking about what's on your mind....


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## BernDawg (27 Feb 2007)

Hey the way I see it is that rats are a logical progression from crappers and such. Preach on brother.


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## Red 6 (28 Feb 2007)

Did any of ya'll ever see that Willie & Joe cartoon from WW2 with the rat in it? Willie and Joe were sacked out in a barn or something and this big rat was sitting on their blanket. One of them was shining a flashlight on the rat and the other had his .45 pointing at it. Willie was saying something like, "Make sure you aim for the eyes. If you wound him, he's liable to charge." It was pretty funny.


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## geo (28 Feb 2007)

Matter of fact.... I DO remember those
My dad had a book of all the Willie & Joe sketches by Bill Mauldin... 
classics in any war


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## Danjanou (28 Feb 2007)

Trip_Wire said:
			
		

> Perhaps, as I said, it was and is for me even 'till this day!
> 
> I'm missing what your point was? Could you explain what you were trying to tell me? "heavy subject," I don't really understand your point here or is there one?



Hey wouldn't be the first thread on this site that has gone waay off tangent.

Tripwire this is a place to vent, among other things like remembering the good and bad. Feel free to do so, you've earned that right as far as I'm concerned and I'm sure others would agree.


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## Trip_Wire (28 Feb 2007)

geo said:
			
		

> heh... topic of the thread was "the lighter side" of life - and about 50% of the thread covers (or deosn't) the use of shower curtains in the various outhouses we have visited.....
> 
> Figured that a discussion on maneating rats is like a 180 degree turnaround....
> 
> But, hey, don't let me stop ya from talking about what's on your mind....



I think I brought up the rats, being in most of the 'outhouse' type latrines in Korea. When I though of that, it brought back other memories of the rats in Korea, during the war. Yes, they ate the dead; however, many live soldiers were nipped by them as well. The fever I mentioned killed many UN Troops, one a friend of mine. Quite often rat bites, were on the nose or face, since that was the only body parts exposed sleeping in the issue mountain sleeping bag.

I kept most of the issue candy bars (They issued six bars a week.) in my WW !! cargo pack (Canvas with rubberized interior, designed to be attached to the bottom of the regular back back.) One day, I noticed a hole in one corner. The rat or rats had chewed through the material. On checking the contents 30 or 40 chocolate bars all with one bite out of each bar. No, big loss, as they were so old they had turned white when issued. In the rear areas, we used them to give the Koreans for laundry, (Washed in the 'rice paddies, using rocks.)  tent houseboys, shoe shines, etc.

Talking about the Willie & Joe WW II rat cartoon, yes I saw it as well. Many time during the night, I felt the rats jumping on or running across my sleeping bag. Generally, I slept with my .45 Cocked and Locked (Not because of the rats.) in my hand during the night on the line; however, wouldn't risk shooting myself in the foot or starting a fire fight by shooting a rat.

I post a lot over on the ARRSE board and take a lot of heat from a few American hating Brits over there, so I might be just a little 'gunshy' from that experience.


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## Trip_Wire (28 Feb 2007)

geo said:
			
		

> Matter of fact.... I DO remember those
> My dad had a book of all the Willie & Joe sketches by Bill Mauldin...
> classics in any war



Yes, I agree 100%! I too have that book of cartoons!   ;D


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