Page 87 - The History of Veterans at Highland Springs

BILL R. PRINCE
HIGHLAND SPRINGS RESIDENT, NATIONAL GUARD
I joined the Texas National Guard in May 1960, 49th Armored Division. July 31, 1960, I started basic training at Fort Ord in California. After basic training, I was assigned to the Headquarters Company USATC at Fort Ord and worked in a three- person office that checked new arrivals into the company. Had the pleasure of checking Sandy Koufax, Dodger’s left-handed pitcher, into the into the company for 2 weeks summer training. I was a long time Dodger fan and enjoyed visiting with him for a few minutes.
One day I was given a baton or billy club and told to go the stockade and bring an individual to the company area. The trooper was in the stockade for having gone AWOL and was a large muscular Green Beret. I took him to the second floor of his barracks to get his personal belongings, and he started talking about what he was planning to do to me and that he planned go AWOL again. I was trying to talk him out of it when loud footsteps were heard coming up the stairs. In walked a First Lieutenant with a 45 on his hip and said, “Private Prince I will take it from here.” I was very relieved since we had been told that if a prisoner escaped from us, we would have to serve out their sentence.
The six months training was completed on January 31, 1961 and I was returned to the Texas National Guard. I started to work as an Assistant National Bank Examiner. In October 1961, the 49th Armored Division was activated during the Berlin Crisis. We were assigned to Fort Pork Louisiana. I was assistant mail clerk and jeep driver for the first sergeant and very handy when someone did not show up for KP. After a few weeks, I transferred to the finance section of the 549th Administration Company. I was specialist 4th class when discharged. I reassumed my position as a bank examiner and was Honorably Discharged on August 9, 1962. As a bank examiner, I had to travel Texas and parts of two other states and was unable to attend guard meetings.
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