I was stationed at Ft. Bragg N.C. in 1969. I had 5 or 6 running buddies down there. One of them was a short, black guy from Harlem. He had a strange sense of humor that I just loved. We were in Fayetteville one time (A place that still had an old slave auction like it was a monument, or something) Anyway, I said. hey man! where do the black guys hang out around here. He said. Do you see that oak tree over there?
Back to my point. He once got busted down to buck sergeant for something he richly deserved
. It pissed him off so he told me he was going to get everybodys weekend pass pulled. I ask how he could do that without getting his own pulled. He just smiled, and wouldn't say.
That Friday all hell broke loose. They had us standing in formation dam near all day. It seems that someone had burned a cross on the lawn in front of the barracks. And they were going to keep us there until someone fessed up. We were all white soldiers needless to say.
My pal made a point of walking passed the formation on his way to the parking lot (heading for N.Y. for the weekend). The little bastard even smiled and waved at me.
He was my friend, so of course I couldn't say anything. But when he got back, there was a suprise waiting for him in his bunk. He was deathly afraid of snakes
.
To answer your question H B. I would say question them both
