"When I First Met Arlie Jan 7, 1967"

  "When I First Met Arlie Jan 7, 1967"
Submitted by - SGT Don Jordan, 219th Co Clerk, Pleiku

         I met Arlie Deaton for the first time in a bunker at 01:30 hrs on January 7, 1967.  We were rudely awakened that night to the sound of explosions at various locations in our compound at Pleiku, South Vietnam.  “Charlie” had decided that we had had enough sleep for one night and decided to stir up a little trouble for us.  I knew him then as Captain Deaton.  After all of these years, my memories of that night are a little hazy. So I had best just quote from my own personal memoirs of that first encounter with Capt Deaton.

         “…During a let-up in the deafening explosions I decided to make a run for the Command Bunker (CB) located about a hundred yards away just outside of our Orderly room.  The CB was where all of the company officers and administrative personnel went when under attack.  Well since I was the Company Clerk, I figured I was administrative personnel too.  And since there were mortar rounds exploding all around us, I was pretty damn well sure we were under attack!  It didn’t take three months of basic training to figure that one out.

         So with the equipment and clothes that I had hastily gathered up in the dark, I darted out of the door and started running for the Command Bunker.   I figured that it would take too long to lace up my boots, so I just carried them along with me.  I arrived within a minute or so and found that some of the company officers and a few enlisted men were already in there.  It was a comical scene at best with five or six Lieutenant grade officers all standing around half dressed trying to figure out who out-ranked whom.  The highest-ranking officer in the bunker had to assume command until our Field Grade Company Commander arrived.  And nobody wanted to admit that he out-ranks anybody else.  It was proper Army protocol, but comical nonetheless.

          I was just standing there wide-eyed and scared to death watching these proceedings when in ran an out-of-breath Captain Deaton from our company.  When he arrived the other young officers seemed instinctively to know that Deaton was the highest-ranking officer.  A Captain out-ranks a Lieutenant!  It appeared from the looks on their faces that a great weight had been removed from their shoulders.

          Fortunately Capt. Deaton had a good since of humor.  He could sense the fear and apprehension in the room, and could tell from the looks on our faces that we were waiting for someone to do something.  We were all just staring at the door as if waiting for “Charlie” to come busting through any second.  So Capt. Deaton took a deep breath, stood up straight, and said in his best Captain’s voice:

            “Well I guess you’re all wondering why I called this meeting?”

              Laughter broke out, and everyone knew who was in command!

          Since no mortar rounds had fallen in the last few minutes we had a chance to assess our situation.  I was standing there half dressed with my shirttail hanging out, my fly open, my helmet on with no helmet liner, my weapon in one hand and my boots in the other.  After Capt. Deaton scanned the room for a moment or two his eyes stopped on me. 

             “Put your boots on soldier, and do you have any ammunition for that weapon?” He asked. 

             “Yes sir!” I said sheepishly.  “One clip!”

             “Then load it!” he said in a calm but firm voice.  We’re in a war here you know!”

            “Yes sir.” I replied, and began fumbling in my pockets for my one and only clip of ammunition.  It never occurred to me to load the damn thing! After a few seconds I found it, inserted it into my rifle, chambered a round, and then made sure that the safety was in the “On” position.

               Now that I was ready to defend our county with my 5 bullets, I figured it was time to get properly dressed.  After all if I were attacked I wouldn’t want to be caught with my fly open.  Why I didn’t put my boots on first I’ll never know.  But I didn’t!  I went about sticking in my shirttail, buttoning up my fly and tightening my belt.

               About that time Capt. Deaton looked at me again and said:

            “Jordan . . .you’re the new Crew Chief aren’t you?

            “Yes sir” I answered.  I didn’t think to tell him that I was recently promoted to Company Clerk!

          “Then you don’t belong in the Command Bunker!  You belong down on the line guarding the airplanes with the other maintenance personnel.  Get down there!”

            “Yes sir.” I replied, and out the door I went!”
 
             Those are my memories of Arlie Deaton.  I flew many hours in the backseat of Capt. Deaton’s O-1D Birddog.  He was a fine man and a superb Army officer quick to do his duty when the need arose.  We, in that bunker, needed Arlie Deaton that night.  We needed someone to  lead us, and Arlie Deaton was that man.  Rest in peace Sir…