Robert Omer Gagne

West Point, 1965

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Dave La Rochelle, MD on September 10, 2002:

BOB AND I WERE TEAMED UP IN THE RANGER CLASS # 4 SPECIALLY MADE FOR THE WEST POINT GRADS OF 1965. I DID NOT PICK OUT A CLASS MATE FOR A RANGER PARTNER, SINCE I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU DID NOT HAVE A CHOICE. ANYWAY, ONCE WE WERE PAIRED UP, AFTER JUMP SCHOOL, ON A HOT SEPTEMBER AFTERNOON, WE WERE BUDDIES. I WAS LEARY OF THE 26 MILE HIKE WHICH WOULD NOT END UNTIL BOTH BUDDIES CAME TO THE FINISH LINE, AND I WAS WORRIED ABOUT BOB BEING ABLE TO DO THE LONG WALK ON THE 2x12 BOARDS THREE STORIES ABOVE THE WATER, BUT HE DID. I ONLY HAD TO PUSH HIM THE LAST FIVE MILES OF THE 26 ON THE HIKE. I THINK HE WEIGHED ABOUT 220, AND I LOST ATLEAST 40 POUNDS IN RANGER SCHOOL (230 TO 185+). I WAS SORRY ABOUT OUR LITTLE PUNCH OUT SESSION ON A LONG PATROL. BUT HE WOKE UP LATER, AND APOLOGIZED, AND WE WERE FRIENDS AGAIN. THE WORLD WAS NOT A FRIEND TO BOB, IN COMBAT. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH HAPPIER IN THE QUARTERMASTER CORPS. I MISS HIM.

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