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Upstarts
The new battery commander saw that something had to be done, and he did it.
The Staff Sergeant who was Chief of Detail left to go to Officer Candidate School (OCS),
and there was a vacancy. Sgt Rogers was made Chief of Detail and promoted. From then
on, he and Peterson were friends - and equals - again.
Rogers had no particular qualifications for his new job, which was generally
considered more intellectual than his old one. He was in charge of communications,
telephone and radio, and of the instrument section which handled optical and surveying
type equipment. But he took hold with his usual vigor and kept his men up to high
standards even if he did not always understand what they were supposed to be doing.
And he did learn. On field exercises, his battery always was the first to get its wire
laid, and although he laid it tight and neck high, it always seemed to work.
Time went on. Major Munson changed jobs again, this time to become
Commanding Officer (CO) of the 344th, our next door FA Bn, which he commanded
with distinction until wounded in combat in the Gravelotte area.
One day he was a guest in our battalion officers' mess when he overheard the then
CO of our C Battery say, "I don't know what to do with the man. I hate to bust him, but
he's always in some kind of a scrape, and he makes trouble with the other NCOs." (non-
commissioned officers-corporals and all kinds of sergeants)
"Who's that?" asked Munson.
"Sergeant Rogers, sir."
"Transfer him to my battalion. I have a spot for him."
I was curious. "What kind of spot, sir?"
"One of my batteries needs a good strong mess sergeant to straighten out the
prima donnas in the kitchen."
"Good God!" I said. "Does Rogers know anything about cooking?"
"I doubt if he could boil water without scorching it. But I'll bet he can make the
cooks do it!"
And, I understand, he did.
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