We had a one-eyed tank gunner supporting our unit. She lost an eye at Tikrit, Iraq skirmishing there with the Mujahidin. She was on the battlefield and went home every night to tuck in the perimeter truck fort. She was a battlefield loss—an injured soldier who’s sent back home to convalesce—who chose to stay with her people and unit instead.
She could be seen leaning against her tank smoking a cig and sipping a TAB soft drink in the evenings—who can still find TAB and why would anyone want to drink it?!
“Black market,” she would say with a wink. No, thanks; nobody could stomach them.
A tanker is all she ever wanted to be and she was awfully proud of the fact that her dad was a tanker in Vietnam (M60A) for a decade. I bet pop is as proud as she is and as proud as one can be. The M60 battle tank is the Hughes power that runs with the infantry. She felt like a king (queen) up in the turret watching soldiers scurry away from the 60-ton beast — it was just too hard not to.
Sadly, her husband was killed in Tikrit. They offered to transfer her. “No,” she declared. She wanted to stay with the other lover in her life — her beastly tank. She stood in the evenings sipping, puffing, and scanning half the sky with her one good eye.
Her tank was supporting an infantry company. It was hit by an anti-tank rocket much to all’s chagrin. Her own tank got hit and destroyed over a year later, also there in Tikrit. She wanted to be with the last thing she loved there in the city. There was a request to leave her tank engine’s hull there, marking the center of the town. America; Feel the dedication; feel the love.
With her good eye, Claire, puffing her cigarette and sipping her TAB, batted one huge, sincere eye and from the north winked Sirius, the dog star.
Oh how this makes my heart sing. I’m so happy to see this. Your writing is a balm to my soul. Thank you for sharing your stories and for ensuring that these folks live on. Folks we wouldn’t have heard about, and we will now carry on our hearts as well.
I pray you are able to write as much as you wish and that makes your soul sing.
Mander
Geo, so thrilled to read another one of your stories! Always love your observations and anecdotes. I am hoping madly for more stories from you soon. God bless, buddy.
Ah Geo-
Miss you SO MUCH!!!!
Blessings, and more Blessings!!
Daniel G.
I’m so happy I checked in today, just so I could hear another tale from Geo the Legion.
A little over 30 yrs ago comes to mind when I first laid eyes on you rucksack and all Heat & Humidity both 90+ with your eyes and boots heading due North on US 1 in Key West. And you didn’t stop until you passed Delta Selection and on the first try.
Much Respect Geo, I miss you Mucho ✌🏻
Thanks for sharing, Geo. I feel like I could read this story for hours, and, if possible, would encourage more of this one. True storytellers are few, it’s always a privilege to read another from a kindred spirit. Hope you are well…God love you and keep you.
But I bet that nobody still wanted to mess with than one-eyed tanker. Miss you so much Geo.
Another good story. I’d like to have seen her relaxing against her tank and in her element. Thanks, Geo. You know I want more.
Love it, geo You have a way of painting pictures in my mind. And, back in the first days of Tab, I liked it😂. Must have been dem cyclamates and saccharin. 😉
Yup, I would remember you Ladies would gladly guzzle a bottle of carcinogens just to save a calorie. It was the Hip thing to do.
Great stuff Geo! So good to hear from you again.
When we hear from George, we know that the stars are still in their course…
Yep, geo will get the universe on course!
Geo, what a great story. Missed you so! Sad, wistful, and heartwarming . . . despite the loss and heartbreak of war surrounding her tale.
Geo, simple and with heart. I agree, Tab is just disgusting. Joy
Yea, but you weren’t around in the 60’s when it had the good stuff in it. 😂