James S. Hume

West Point, 1965

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Mike Teeters on July 18, 2015:

During Ranger school, most of us would consume our meager food rations as soon as we got them. Not Jim. He would always save some for a rainy day. The day instead turned out to be a rainy night, late in the mountain phase. We had spread out in a linear ambush about five meters up a wooded hill overlooking a dirt road at about 0200 hrs. Hard rain. Soon the instructor disappeared, probably down the road to dry off in a cadre hideaway. After about an hour, Jim decided it was feast time. Up went his poncho, spread over low hanging branches. Out came multiple Sterno cans for flame. No cold rations for Jim. He was going to have a HOT meal. Soon, the turkey loaf, beans and franks, and ham and limas were sizzling, with pound cake and mixed fruit for dessert. Just then, we sprang the ambush! Up we rose as one, ranger growls pealing as we charged down the hill. Except for Jim. As we milled about on the road, now joined by the instructor, we could see a soft light, either the Dalai Lama praying, or a Sterno flame. There sat Jim, fork and can in hand. The instructor, at first dumbstruck, then raced toward the light, yelling "What the #$!!** are you doing, Ranger?" Jim just as vigorously replied, "I'm eating my **&## chow!" Some things you don't forget. Some men you don't forget.

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