Posted by Gary Silverman on April 7, 2011:

I met LTG Mackmull in 1981 at Fort Campbell when he was Commander, 101st Airborne Division; I was a platoon leader in a mechanized infantry company (4/54 IN) deployed from Fort Knox to be aggressors against the 101st; After 2 weeks in the field we finished the exercise, LTG Mackmull was pleased, and he visited my platoon in the morning of the last day; I mentioned to him that my company commander was having a hard time getting transportation to redeploy our troops back to Fort Knox after loading our M113s on trucks, because it was Friday and we didn't want to stay the weeknend just waiting for a bus on Monday; I also mentioned that I finished Air Assault School at Fort Campbell recently and it would be great if he could spare a few Chinooks to fly us back to Fort Knox; LTG Mackmull promptly ordered up an aviation company which flew all of our troops on Blackhawks back to Fort Knox that same day; My commander wondered how we got all those helicopters that he didn't even ask for; I think LTG Mackmull considered it a reward for a job well done for visiting soldiers; Most of our troops had never been on a helicopter before and they sure enjoyed the ride home. I will always remember LTG Mackmull because of this. Rest in peace, sir, and my condolences to the Mackmull family.

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