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David Shannon enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 5, 1957. He was assigned to Company “C”, 2nd Medium Tank Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 4th Armored Division. The 4th Armored had just been reactivated to replace the 2nd Armored Division in Germany. Eight months were spent at Fort Hood, Texas preparing the 14000 man mechanized Division to be fully combat ready and move to Germany. The 67th Armor was in the first sea shipment to Germany in “Operation Gyroscope”. After a nine-day trip across the Atlantic Ocean the Battalion moved into their new home at Montieth Barracks, Fuerth, Germany. Dave was assigned as the Gunner on the M48 Tank, C-32 “Cayuga”. After their arrival the troops were then told that they were to be a “Speed Bump” for the 7th Army to hold back the Russian and East German forces for a week to allow Air Force and Army reinforcements to arrive. The U.S. Army expected that the units would not survive the initial assault. The next two years in Germany were spent training and preparing to accomplish this mission. Weeks were spent in the field in all kinds of weather under simulated combat conditions with our NATO partners and culminated in a full NATO alert in July 1959 when ten full combat Divisions supported by the Air Forces of six nations deployed to defensive positions along the Czech border for three weeks with full a full combat load. While in the Army, Dave received training in Electronics and radio repair that was instrumental in his success in his later career in Computer Field Engineering with the Sperry Univac Corporation. Dave’s service in the 4th Armored division resulted in the best and most enduring friendships of his life that continue to this day. |
Iowa SAR 