Hellfire over Texas: Memories of A&M

[@LeeAdams-kj2tr]

In high school I got to run on the track inside the stadium at the College Station relays and then became a student and used to run on that track. I have the privilege to be there at the end of Ol’ Army (70’s). The place is not the same, so much so it is unrecognizable and it hurts to go back.

[@aiglon27]

Thanks for sharing your astute observations about then and now. But of course the great memories will always be there.

[@Oldag75]

I was in the Corps at that time, and it was great to see Yell Leaders Jake Betty and Hank Paine again. And Corps Commander Ron Krnavek '73 was there too. Note how two of the guys we saw having their 2LT bars put on, upon commissioning, had already graduated from Airborne School and Ranger School. Talk about getting the rough tough real stuff out of the way, before even starting in the Army! And the Bonfire at that time was a slanted cone formation. The later Bonfire that collapsed was "wedding cake," a nice looking but obviously dangerous/fatal configuration. We also saw a fish cadet whipping out -- introducing himself -- to an upperclassman. Numerous Ags have told me that they were extremely shy when they joined the Corps. The requirement for fish to introduce themselves to upperclassmen, those guys roundly reported, totally cured them of all shyness -- timidity about meeting others -- within about a week. They never again had any qualms about meeting/greeting new acquaintances.

[@aiglon27]

Good eye, Oldag75! Thank you for the memories and for sharing your own experience and astute observations from that era. By the way, that was Ken Walters '74 whipping out to Roger Graves '71, both in Seagram Seven.

[@Oldag75]

@@aiglon27 A-Battery here... the original Second Brigade outfit, A-2. The outfit got dissolved later, and the Band took over the old A-Battery title, with the outfit sign and everything else.

[@aiglon27]

@@Oldag75 Your memory bank doesn't fail you!

[@holmesgwin342]

I knew Major Betty when I was ar A&M 89-93. I remember he was a VERY OLD MAN....might have been 40! Didn't know he was a yell leader, but not at all surprised. He was very sharp but still made even a fish - all ears and elbows - feel at ease. I hope he's well.

[@guionhall7950]

We used to think the "Ol' Army" ended in 1963. Today, we see that era extended into the 70's. Texas A&M campus has lost much history since this film was made...never to be recovered.

[@aiglon27]

I'm just glad we could preserve some of it on film. Thanks for taking a look.

[@phmoffett]

@aiglon27 Outstanding documentary. Thank you.​

[@caddothegreat]

Seeing that drill team clip reminded me of when I was on a drill team

[@feldgrau9182]

This is really cool to me until I remember I'm a fish and we have to figure out how to live up to this. God help us. 😰

[@aiglon27]

All best wishes to you going forward! And thanks for taking this little trip back across time.

[@holmesgwin342]

You and your buddies will do fine. Ignore the idiots who tried to pretend old army was a thing. What you're going through is hard, it's just a different kind of hard. I know this because many of my buddies have children who have gone through also. If you meet the cadet who has the Scott Pool 93 Rudder scholarship, say hello for me. Scott was one of my buddies. Here.