I recall a long time ago when I was a young company commander...back when many Army company headquarters were located in a wooden building, at the end of a long row of similar looking structures, with a mess hall at the opposite end. Located in wooden buildings adjacent and parallel to the company to which I was assigned, were other companies...all comprising a battalion. But...Army buildings are not my subject here...trains are.
In my company headquarters where my small office was, we had the company First Sergeant, the company clerk, a supply room with supply sergeant, and one very nice soldier named Private North. Back then the Army had a military occupational specialty called, "Duty Soldier." These men performed a myriad of tasks...all simple, with minimal intelligence required. North was one of these soldiers and he was always in a good mood, and happily did whatever he was asked to do by the First Sergeant...tasks which did not require a lot of innovation.
One day I asked North how he liked the Army and he said it was great...it had given him a home, which he never had before. He was a high school drop out, and was not very smart, but he was motivated and like I said always in a good mood. When I asked what he usually did on weekends, he told me he liked to take a cab from the base to which we were assigned, and ride downtown to a bridge which trains passed under, and where he sat for hours, with a cold Coke in hand, watching massive engines and long lines of rail cars pass underneath. A simple activity, but to North it was a real joy.
To this day, whenever I see a train pass close by where I am standing, I think of Private North. If something like that made him happy, why not me...and that scene does make me happy...thanks to North. So, while he was just a plain, simple soldier, he left me something which I still carry "in my memory pocket", and for that I am grateful. Wherever you are North...thanks!
