27 June 2024 Garand Picture of the Day

[Bob Seijas]

In Basic at Ft. Dix in 1960, we had a developmentally challenged guy who was almost spastic. He could not throw a rock across the street, so when we went to the grenade range, I approached the Sergeant running the training and told him that Gerstenberg could not throw a grenade, should be excused. He said, "Listen, Seejass, when he gets a live grenade, he'll throw it!" OK, I stepped back, thinking, "you can lead a horse to water..." The Sergeant at least cleared the range and took Gerstenberg himself in the grenade pit. Gerstenberg followed instructions all the way, reared back and threw with all his might... about two feet! It hit the railroad tie at the front of the pit and luckily bounced over and down the front. The Sergeant grabbed him and pulled him to the bottom of the pit as the grenade went off about three feet on the other side of the berm, KABOOM! When he got up, the Sergeant was trembling, I was smirking and walked away.