Status: U Return-Path: Received: from mail.papermoneyworld.net ([207.3.91.49]) by pickering.mail.mindspring.net (Earthlink Mail Service) with SMTP id u1ac0v.6kb.37kbi14 for ; Mon, 10 Dec 2001 16:58:55 -0500 (EST) Subject: MPC GRAM Precedence: bulk Sender: mpcgram-owner@mail.papermoneyworld.net From: mpcgram-owner@mail.papermoneyworld.net (List Server) Date: Mon, 10 Dec 101 15:25:14 CDT Message-Id: <10112101525.AA6DEF9AF@mail.papermoneyworld.net> Reply-To: mpcgram@mail.papermoneyworld.net Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 10:03:25 -0800 (PST) From: MPCgram Subject: MPCGram 508 Reply-To: mpcgram@mail.papermoneyworld.net ============================================== MPC Gram ============================================== Covering the Entire World of Military Numismatics ---------------------------------------------- Series 003-Number 508 Monday, December 10, 2001 First Loss –an MPC War Story Found on the Internet and Submitted by Dave Klinger, author unknown In the Spring of '69 I was a newly assigned lieutenant to D company, 1/11 Armored Cavalry Regiment. D company found itself in the never-to-be-repeated situation of actually having five lieutenant's for the three tank platoons. As the junior and very supernumerary officer, I rode as the loader or as a rear deck rifleman on a tank with an experienced platoon leader. This gave me an excellent chance to learn my job in the field without the crushing weigh of being in charge. Unfortunately, I also drew all the assignments none else wanted in the company, like leading night dismounted ambushes, sitting night radio watch and ferrying repaired tanks up from Xuan Loc. One periodic job no one wanted was currency change officer, so one afternoon as we pulled into a night defensive position in the rubber, I got a radio call from the CO to catch the log bird on the backhaul to Blackhorse Base at Xuan Loc for a special assignment. Stepping off the Chinook I realized I was back in a different world when I got a reaming from a major on the hook pad about not saluting him smartly. Still there are advantages to a permanent camp like Blackhorse Base so I grabbed a shower and was able to sleep in a cot, both firsts for the month. The next morning I joined 14 other lieutenants and was issued a new gray samsonite briefcase and signed for $75,000 in new Military Payment Certificates. A Finance Corps major gave me a lecture about "Your job is to swap new MPC for old series MPC for US troops only. If you don't come back with $75k in new and old MPC the Army will garnishee your wages until the difference is made up. One exchange per soldier - no exceptions. No money can be exchanged after midnight for any reason. After 24:00 hours tonight it's sin loi." The rest of the LT's are sent back to their units. Maybe because I looked as much of a FNG as I was, or maybe to make sure I didn't abscond with the cash to Saigon, the LTC assigns a SP4 from his office to accompany me and the money back to the troop. Wally is nervous about going out to "the field." He asks me if he should bring his "sleeping stuff" or if I thought he'd be back in base camp that night. I suggest he grab a poncho liner, but he says clerks are not authorized weapons or field gear. We rushed out to the log pad, but ended up waiting all day to get a slick going out to D company. Turns out Wally's went to college in Virginia too and we chat about the good times we had on dates at the women's colleges in western Virginia. About making out in the "Pines Cottages" at Randolph Macon Women's College in Lynchburg after a mixer and helping our dates sneak in the dorms after curfew at Southern Seminary in Buena Vista . He tells me he joined the army to get the GI Bill benefits so he could finish college when he gets out and get his CPA. "A job with a big eight accounting firm. That's where the BIG money is." That evening I'm back with the troop in a new NDP and Wally and I set up our little money laundering shop in the CP tent extension off the CO's M577 track. Wally has all the 3-part forms in order and the troops line up outside the tent for the money swap. I'm counting in the old MPC and counting out the new, trying to keep the monopoly money in organized piles on the field desk. The CP radio on the command net is connected to a speaker in the track. Suddenly a calm voice on the radio says "Thunder 7 reports incoming." Then in seconds a more excited voice "Thunder 4 has incoming!" "Fire Base Andy has movement in the wire!" Then the voices overlap as too many people try to transmit at once. The CO is yelling "Stand To - Everybody UP! Incoming!" I grab my M16 and run for the perimeter. The line of troopers with old money in hand has melted away. Diesel engines are cranking up on the tanks to provide turret hydraulic power and I look back to see Wally in the light of our Coleman lantern in the tent stuffing the money back in the briefcase. The rest of the night lasts about a 100 years. 2-4 still has a .50 mounted on the cupola and I dig spare ammo out for it, but can't find an M79 for the parachute flare rounds in the bussel rack so I'll have no light unless someone else hangs it. Without the pack there is no power for the radios so I don't have any idea what is going on. Alone and with no power there is no turning the turret. Finally it is morning and we stand down. As I'm climbing off 2-4 I see the engine compartment is full of diesel fuel; it looks like an oily swimming pool. With all the hatches open both saddle tanks were ripped open by shrapnel. Motor Daddy will have a bigger job fixing the fuel leak than he planned. I walk over to 1-1 to talk to Dick, the LT I'm assigned to understudy. Dick says we didn't have anybody get wounded so there's no need for a medivac, but the log bird will be in later. We share a box of C's and I get ham and lima beans for breakfast. Oh well. I head up to the CP to find out what the boss wants to do about finishing the currency exchange. He wants to roll soon and has me go from track to track with my recovered samsonite in hand swapping money. Vietnamese are appearing outside the wire and yelling, waving old MPC. I ignore the snuffies bartering new MPC for old at ridiculous exchange rates. It seems to take hours to swap all the money. I wonder where Wally has slipped off to and why he isn't helping with this endless paperwork . I'll ream him good when I catch him. Finally I'm done, with every name checked off and a signed exchange form from everyone on the list. I head back to the 577 for coffee and to see about catching a lift back to Xuan Loc. Two platoons crank up and leave on the morning road sweep. In the TOC someone asks me "what was that guy's name who was with you? I need it for the morning report." Who are you talking about? "That REMF clerk that came out with you. He got killed last night and had no dog tags.." I don't know Wally's last name. But I still think about him. ============================================== Editorial ---------------------------------------------- We received quite a bit of mail about ebay not liking the Gram. Most of it was quite critical of ebay. One was an offer to purchase one of the items that was “killed” by ebay! Now that really gets around their fees! Brad Peacock pointed out that he has been promoting the Gram on ebay for a long time without problem. I will probably try again, but with a more subtle approach. ============================================== Mail Call ---------------------------------------------- Dear Gram, The last two weeks of the MPC Gram I have been receiving only the address part of the Gram. There is no body message or story in the Gram. What's up??? Is the computer sending out the Gram even if there had been no update for the day? Richard A. Ziegler, CMsgt USAF Retired, owner of a complete MPC with the unissued series. Dear Richard, Hm, well this is the first time that we have received this complaint. As usual, this seems to be over my head, but I do know one workaround to use until the web master can come up with a real solution. You should start receiving the Gram again starting with this one. If you do not receive this one, be sure to inform us (grin). Editor ================================================ Departments ------------------------------------------------- Calendar of events for Gramsters maintained by Howard Daniel, Nancy and John Wilson and Gram staff, last updated September 7, 2001 show reports are requested on all events. Even if it was not a great show, there must be something to report. What and whom did you see? Market activity? Share your observations and thoughts with Gramsters everywhere. ---------------------------------------------------- Special "MPC" events March 2002 8-10 - MPCFest III - reservations in order received: Guido Crapanzano, Harold Kroll, Larry Smulczenski, Gary "Got any fours" Hicks, Tom Warburton, David Seelye, Jack Lippincot, Phil Goldstein, Warner Talso, Nick Schrier, Richard Freyser, Tom Koch, Mark Watson, Bill Yanchick, Doug Bell, Sam Feeback, Bruce Potter, Elmer Smith, Marv Mericle, Wes and Rod Hardy, Marcus Turner, Fred Schwan {running total 23}] Three airports are reasonably available for the Fest. In order of proximity they are: Toledo Cleveland Detroit (Metro) All three are reasonable. If you can arrive early enough AND coordinate it well ahead, every attempt will be made to pick you up at the airport to save on rental cars. Festers are encouraged to corridnate among themselves for rides. We will also run notices in the Gram and, finally, we will try to coordinate for Festers to run pickups from Fest central. W.W.II numismatics seminar at ANA Summer Seminar, July 2002 Session I (Sunday, June 30 through Thursday, July 4, 2002) Session II (Sunday, July 7 through Thursday, July 11, 2002) general events will return soon --------------------------------------------------- Donations are now being accepted for scholarships to the 2002 "Military Money" course at the 2002 ANA Summer Seminar. Inquiries and donations should be sent to: Military Numismatists c/o Marcus Turner 8103 East US Highway 36 Suite 163 Avon, IN 46123 Donors to 2002 Scholarship Fund Steve Feller Harold Kroll R. A. Medina Guido Crapanzano David Seelye Leo May Warner Talso Marv Mericle Mark Watson Gail Baker ==================================================== Post/Base Exchange (PX/BX/NEX) Dump your dupes! Your classified advertisement for items for sale will be run here for free. Send your ads to the gram. This service is for everyone, most humble dealer or most advanced collector. The point is to make the gram more interesting. Send in a list of items for sale and we will list them here in the gram. In all cases confirm your order via email first. FOR SALE Ireland Currach 1 pence, 6 pence, 1 shilling, 2 shilling Campbell 5550-5553 EF set of 4 $300.00 postpaid insured for domestic delivery. Austria IRO 1 Unit Campbell 7360 VF $250.00 postpaid insured for domestic delivery. coinman@rochester.rr.com WANTED Collectors may submit lists of items wanted for their collections for listing here. Dealers and collectors who have these items are then encouraged to list them or sale in the above section. This is a trial, if you like it, send your list. =================================================== Staff: publisher and editor: Fred Schwan - MPCGram@Yahoo.com; assistant editor - Phil Goldstein IWANTMYMPC@aol.com distribution manager - Brad Peacock bp22@swbell.net Tuesday columnist Joe Boling – JoeBoling@aol.com Thurski columnist Larry “Ski” Smulczenski –skifla@prodigy.net critic: Harold Kroll - MPCKid@papermoneyworld.net; index manager: Ed Beaman webmaster & technical advisor: Doug Bell - (Wiz): doug@papermoneyworld.net; The Boss: Judy Schwan ===== MPC Gram is published by BNR Press and papermoneyworld.com as a free service to the community of military money collectors. Your suggestions, criticisms, complaints, editorial contributions, letters, and even praise are very welcome. The entire contents including linked illustrations are copyright protected by the publishers. In the case of contributors, the copyright is protected on behalf of the creators. Please send all correspondence regarding the gram to MPCgram@yahoo.com. Thank you very much for your participation. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send your FREE holiday greetings online! http://greetings.yahoo.com