My Job

I am reading World War II oral histories from the Eisenhower Center (the stuff for Stephen Ambrose's books), and I just came across this little story from a guy describing the hours leading up to D-Day:

We were dressed in O.D.s, assault jackets, and the O.D.s were impregnated with this gas proof grease that was most repugnant and uncomfortable. These assault jackets were full of pockets, and you could put more stuff in them than you could carry. As a consequence, everybody was greatly overloaded. Here is a little anecdote that may or may not be appropriate for a family program like this, but:

When we were first issued these assault jackets and were trying them out, one young soldier I overheard say, "I'll be so loaded down with junk with this assault jacket that when I come ashore, if I let my pecker hang out, them Germans will think I'm a jackass and throw a Halter on me." Now, maybe that won't wash for your nice program, but that is something that has stuck with me for some time.

I love my job.