It was July 1961 and I had just returned from six months active duty... It was time to go to work. Where do I start? First, I went to North American to see about getting my old job back. My former position had been filled and I had the option of being placed in Classification or Underwriting. This was not appealing and I didn’t want to bump the person in my former position. I found a job at Hartford Insurance for $385 a month, a far cry from the $425 previously earned at North American... The job provided no challenge or opportunities and ended within six months. Next stop, ITT Kellogg on Pulaski near Chicago Avenue... It was in accounts payable and paid $425 a month. By 1962 the company was moving, and time to move. I went back to the Employment Agencies. and found Montgomery Ward Catalog at 618 Chicago Avenue. was searching for Merchandiser Trainees, Stock Floor Managers and Traffic Managers. There was a fee attached to the job. The company paid half and the client paid the other half of one month’s pay. I agreed and was hired as a Merchandise Trainee aka Control Buyer / Re-buyer. The $94 weekly salary was paid in cash. Within a year Wards switched to payroll checks and a comprehensive benefit program...
Wards would turn out to be the best hands-on experience I could ever receive. It was worth more than the $200 I paid for the job. I was oriented in all facets of mail order: credit, traffic, stock, buying, shipping receiving etc. After several weeks I was placed in Department 18, Towels and Linens. The former head of the Unit had transferred to the Buying Office and the assistant Richard Warren became manager. Rich was an excellent mentor and we made a good team. I quickly learned the art of forecasting and reordering merchandise. We were responsible for towels, linens, bedspreads, sheets, pillows. Our major suppliers were Cannon Mills, Scranton Linens and Fieldcrest. The January White Sale was our peak selling period. The trick was to order the right amount of merchandise based on catalog layouts and history. Each re-buyer was evaluated on out of stock merchandise called ship laters and/or omissions. At the end of each catalog: Winter, Spring, Fall, Mid Summer or other specials you were evaluated on accumulated overstock. This affected the markdowns or profit/loss you made for the company... The job was to get good turnover, get it in and get it out. I was now an entrepreneur managing a small business with inventories of over three million dollars. It was a fast moving operation where you not only ordered merchandise but managed the receipt of shipments. It was not unusual to run down to the dock, get a dollie and bring boxes up, to fill orders. On my finger I wore a small box cutter to open boxes... You moved and thought quickly... I worked closely with the people on the stock floor to keep on top of things... The ladies had names like: Johnny and Jimmy and were called Trouble Clerks. . They were important cogs in the operation. Everything ran well until Rich took a position in the Buying Office. I felt I had the skills to replace him, I feared his replacement would not have the skills or experience to produce good outcomes. I knew the replacement was no Richard Warren, and I would be dependent on his performance. I didn’t like the situation, so once again it was off to the employment agencies. With my new skills; I quickly found a re-buying position at McMaster Carr, a company that sold mechanical goods through a catalog. The interesting thing about this company was that they stocked little merchandise. The customer would first order than you would buy... The pay was good, including Saturday overtime. The problem arose when the manager stood over a worker’s shoulder to monitor the work or continually observe you from his desk. I felt the Gestapo was watching... Within a month I called my former Ward Unit Manager to see if I could come back... Without hesitation, he said yes.
When I came back, I was assigned to work for Ray in Children’s Wear. I wasn’t fond of
Ray, but we tolerated each other. In a short time I was promoted to manage my own section of Boy’s wear. Department 31.. This would be especially challenging since the seasons were short and volatile. I was responsible for shirts, underwear, boy’s suits, socks and accessories. Sometimes we used middlemen such as Handles man on Michigan Avenue to fill or cover out of stock needs. I can recall an incident when I needed a few white robes for Christmas. I ordered one dozen and the vendor shipped 12 dozen... The vendor wanted me to eat the mistake; there was no way you could sell 144 robes in 100 years. The job required firmness and quick reflexes. In time you learned to predict an accurate amount of merchandise. The trick was timing, to have the stock in and out quickly to produce a good turnover. It was demanding, but challenging. Where could you be responsible for so much and be paid so little? “Only in America.” In three years time, between 1962 and 1965, I was earning about $9000 a year. Then the inevitable happened. It was time to plan Back to School buys. The season was extremely short, two to three weeks... The normal procedure was to split two buys, 50/50. I recommended buying 80% to be delivered just before the season began. I could not picture 50% as sufficient for the first buy. My Unit Manager rejected my plan. So what happened the 50% was quickly exhausted with 50% still 5-10 days away. There was no way to buy or receive sufficient substitutes to meet the demand. I did my best to fill what I could, but the bins were exhausted. My Manager, a graduate of Tuley High School, caught me early one morning and accused me of not doing my job. He felt I had not stayed late to fill orders. I guess he didn’t realize there was no merchandise. This struck a chord and I told him to stick the job where the sun doesn’t shine. I walked out. When I got home I called our superior and told him what had happened and that I quit. In a few days the Budget Manager called me to interview for a position. As I arrived for the interview I discovered that the House Manager had been fired. This was not the time for an interview. The interview turned out to be a slap in the face. Before I left, I asked the Budget Manager why he called me, was it to belittle or discredit me? Was it to test my temper? I did my job, the unfortunate part was that management failed to recognize or understand the intricacies of making smart buys. Policy over-ruled the facts. Maybe the Managers and I learned a lesson on how to manage tempers and make better business decisions.
Whatever the outcome, the experience was invaluable. I learned to work in a stress filled environment which offered tremendous responsibility. I learned to negotiate buys and shipments. I learned to promote overstock thru the Wards Catalog Outlets and became analytical in decision making. Wards offered me the opportunity to go to New York in 1962 or 63 for a buyers meeting... At that time I visited the New York World’s Fair I rode the crowded NY El and watched the hustle and bustle of New Yorkers on their way home. There were no regrets. Wards was my best and most rewarding job between 1960 and 1970...
Again it was time to dust myself off and get back on the roller coaster. Many former Ward employees had gone to Allied Radio which was located on Western Avenue and Washington. After a short break I applied and was hired as a relay re-buyer. The people I knew said they liked Allied and found it less stressful than Wards. The one thing they didn’t know or understand was Herman B. Herman was a nice person but he was a madman. He was to be my manager. As soon as he came to work he would swear and cuss at people. From day one I knew I couldn’t work under Herman’s conditions. The people I worked with were fine but Herman, no way. After a month or so Herman got into an accident and was off recuperating. The place was quite and enjoyable... By that time my decision was made and once again I was in search of a new position. The Agency I went to introduced me to John S , the owner of Landfield Printing. John had been a former print buyer for Brunswick Corp. Somewhere along the way he bought Landfield Printing which was located at 117 W. Harrison. He offered me the position as Assistant to the President. I was to be his right hand man. In fact I was to become his only man. It turned out that John had an office adjacent to Harrison Litho, a large printing company in the same building. John gave the impression that this was his operation. The position paid $600 a month, with the intent to take over the operation in several years. Well that was wishful thinking, because I became a secretary and bookkeeper. John knew I was an officer in the National Guard and felt I had the connections to get large printing contracts. No cigar. In reality John was a broker for printing. He would procure a job from US Gypsum or Brunswick and farm it out to Harrison or Burton Printing. He was a middleman. Within a year, I noticed a change in attitude, and I started a new job search. Before I landed a position John let me go. He said his son was coming to work for him after their Akron Dumont TV venture failed. John told me to write a check for the week and that I was to leave. I told him it would have been fair to give me notice to find a position, I eventually discovered that John was upset that I had taken off for National Guard Riot Duty. This was not hidden; when I applied it was clear about my position in the Guards...I guess if I brought in Guard contracts there would have been no complaints. In January 1967, while working for John, Chicago endured one of its largest snowfalls. It started snowing in the morning and by afternoon traffic had come to a standstill. I asked John if I could leave early, he reluctantly said yes. I was able to take the downtown subway to Chicago Avenue, but nothing was moving, I went back down and took the subway to Division and Milwaukee. I was living with my parents at 4334 W. Iowa Street which was between Augusta and Chicago not far from Division Street. When I got to Division, again nothing was moving. I decided to start walking. I tried calling home, but the phone lines were down or tied up... There was no transportation or communication. I walked to California and Division where I spotted a bus which took me to Division and Pulaski. I again started walking, the snow was knee deep, cars were stranded everywhere. I reached home at 8PM. My father was still not at home. He made it at about 4AM. The next morning I called John and told him I wouldn’t be able to make it because of the 23 inch snow storm. The City was shut down. John didn’t understand the City was closed. He thought I was cheating and should be at work That incident and his initial misinterpretation made it clear that I had made a big mistake.
OK, rack it up as another mistake and let’s get back on the roller coaster. By this time employment agencies had become a thing of the past and my resumes were going out. No one was responding. For awhile it looked hopeless. I had an interview with Reliance Trading Corp. on South Iron Street near Ashland Avenue. I thought the interview went well but never received a call. I called and was invited for a return interview... I talked to the VP, Terry Simmons and found that John S. had given me a bad reference because of my National Guard Duty and who knows what else. I explained to Terry what had happened and he hired me. Reliance Trading was owned by Maurice Goldblatt, one of the founders of Goldblatt. Department Stores. Reliance dealt in marketing artificial flowers, from Hong Kong, through a catalog. My title was Assistant to the VP. Because of my previous experience, at Montgomery Ward, I was able to create a manual inventory control system for the organization. I was paid the same $600 a month. During my 3 years at Reliance I got married and my perspective of work became more serious. The title of Assistant to the VP or President had no value; I needed a career with growth. The computer field was growing and offered new opportunities and the needed growth. At that time colleges were not into computer technology... Automation Institute a subsidiary of Control Data offered a program in RPG, COBOL, BAL, Unit Record and Data Analysis for $1800. I needed the background and experience to enter the field. The program gave me some knowledge, but failed to break any doors down. The school provided no help in job procurement. I found an ad in the Tribune for a Methods Analysts Trainee position at North American. So I left Reliance and returned to North American to begin a career in Data Processing.
It was now 1969 and things had changed at North America. It was owned by CIT, a large Financial Company. The old friends were gone. I was to work for Fred F. to write procedures. There was no formal training or approach to train or prepare for this position. My objective was one year in a DP related title and organization. The business environment did not look good. On top of that my independence and values collided with Fred and the lead programmer John M. John had worked for North American when they were still on unit record. During my employment I was still attending Automation Institute. The organization was very cliquish. You joined or became an outsider... Every morning the discussion centered on sports, you had to know every box score or activity to be a part. Once a month it was the men’s club. This did not appeal or interest me. I wanted to go home and do my own thing... That didn’t sit well. I wasn’t one of the boys. I had my family and school to occupy my time. In 1969 Georgie was born and too celebrate I brought some Whitey White Owl Cigars to hand out. I know they weren’t expensive Havana Cigars, but who would believe the gang wouldn’t take one. This was an insult to a happy occasion. This certainly wasn’t a match created in heaven. To make it worse, I went to a seminar, in a Western Suburb, and instead of returning to work, when it ended at 11, I went by my mother’s to do some work. George Tindall, the big manager, checked on the time and wasn’t happy. It was wrong and I took advantage of the situation. By the end of 1969 I was looking for a new position. I had finished my classes and had gained the needed Data Processing Experience. Fortunately for me I was ahead of the game. By 1970 I was told that I was being let go. Fred didn’t feel I was cut out to become an Analyst, I was suited for Accounting. I found an ad in the Trib for the City of Chicago; they were looking for a System Analysts. After some testing and interviews I was hired. It paid $10,800 with excellent benefits. I gave my notice. The boys didn’t believe it. On my last day with little to fill my time, Fred and John thought it would be appropriate for me to do some filing. They brought a couple of large trays of IBM cards for me to work on. I thought this was the lowest of the low. You thought the cigar incident was insulting. I went to Personnel and explained the situation and stated I was not to be humiliated and wanted to leave. I left North American forever.
From 1960 to 1970 I learned many lessons. I was introduced to the real world. I met many nice people and some not so nice... I learned that things change quickly and contingency plans need to be part of your life. .. A job was a job, not the end to satisfaction or happiness. John S with his self righteous attitude was the biggest disappointment. To bad mouth and hinder someone’s future because they served their country was uncalled for. . John S. and Fred F. must have been very unhappy people if they would intentionally humiliate or belittle someone. On the other hand there were good people like Terry Simmons who offered me money from his pocket, or Richard Warren who shared his knowledge and skills to help me advance. They accepted me for who I was, not who they were or who they thought I should be. .The lessons of those 10 years would shape my behavior and future actions I learned that you didn’t have to sacrifice your values or principles to be a success... I retained my character, dignity and integrity. Money or position was not the ultimate goal in life. I show no malice to anyone, you accept it as part of life, a part of the game. You move on and continue to play, you never give up. My approaches differed from what others desired, but that was me and how I worked or got things done... It was now time to get off the roller coaster and turn the page for new and successful adventures...
Monday, June 28, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
LESSONS LEARNED
After graduation I continued working at North American Insurance, 209 S. LaSalle, in the Rookery Building. I still had six months before active duty and the timing was good because several of the ladies in the Limited Accounting Department retired. I was offered the opportunity to manage the section of 8 women. The salary was $425 a month. It was a unique experience to take over an organization that had just lost employees with over 130 years of experience. The position offered an excellent opportunity to supervise and gain managerial experience.
January came and it was time to leave for Fort Benning, Georgia. This time I took a train with a compartment. I wasn’t going to repeat the traveling experience of going by train to Fort Riley. I still hadn’t discovered air travel. Fort Benning was the Home Of The Infantry. Its motto is “Follow Me”. For the next two months I would be attending the Infantry School. I was to be instructed in the skills of becoming a United States Army Infantry Officer. The new officers were housed in dormitories, no more barracks. We had maid service and no GI Parties. We were transported by bus or truck. As an officer you were required to pay for meals, except those in the field. We were paid $425 a month. For breakfast you would go to one of the Officer Mess Halls and off hour meals were served in the Officers Club. The mess halls were named after World War II Battles, Normandy, Salerno etc. I was now an officer and was treated as an officer and gentleman.
The training was excellent. The Training Officers were skilled and energetic. We fired all types of weapons, endured a variety of combat exercises and night maneuvers. Most exercises took us through the briar patches and red clay of Fort Benning. One night we came upon an unexpected fire. The fire was quickly put out preventing a forest fire. One of the most realistic exercises was Escape and Evasion. The objective was to escape from behind enemy lines and return to your unit. We were organized into teams of 4 or 5 men. The exercise required good map reading skills to navigate thru the terrain back home. One member of the team had excellent skills and was our team leader. We made our way through enemy territory that was patrolled by guard dogs, enemy fire and the dense forest at night. Some teams were captured and returned to enemy control. We made our way safely back to friendly territory. It was realistic and exciting.
My most embarrassing moment came when I was to position a jeep mounted 105 recoilless rifle on a hill to support a hypothetical attack problem. It was an exercise which used a helicopter to land the vehicle. I was accompanied by a driver and a Major that observed and graded my actions. I acted stupidly; I relied on what I thought was the drivers past exercise experience instead of my own training to position the weapon. The vehicle got stuck in the mud and had to be towed. The Major’s comment was. “This won’t be your first or last mistake, Lt.” He was right.
My training at Fort Benning ended with the extravaganza at Boom Hill. It was a demonstration of military power that cumulated our training with a big bang. The exercise was viewed by all of the graduating students to end the training program. . This concluded 2 months of training. My next assignment was to report to Fort Leonard Wood as a Training Officer. After a two week furlough I reported to C Company 5th Battalion 3rd Brigade. It was March and cold. Georgia had been warm and comfortable; I even came home with a sun tan. In Missouri we needed Pile Caps, Winter Boots and Warm Lined Jackets. I arrived with three weeks remaining in the training cycle. This meant the troops had already gone through 6 or 7 weeks of training. The Company Commander was Art Wichman and the Executive Officer Lt. Cocoran. Before the end of the cycle Lt. Cocoran was transferred and I became Executive Officer. The major effort was to maintain discipline, train and get the troops to various training sites. My responsibility was to teach drill, PT and Bayonet Training. I especially enjoyed PT and Bayonet Training. It was conducted in a large field from a large stage with a PA system. The sound was awesome. It was like music as you created a rhythm and cadence to the commands. On occasion someone would stop to compliment the spirit of our training. What’s the spirit of the bayonet, “KILL”?
While at Fort Leonard Wood, I encountered a few unforgettable experiences. The first was when the first cycle ended and the troops had left, we failed rifle inspection. The final rifle inspection was a disaster. Along with the Non Commissioned Cadre we had to clean 200 rifles. Lesson learned, every rifle must always be ready for inspection.
The end of every month was payday. As Executive Officer it was my duty to secure the payroll. I was responsible for every penny. We paid cash. Any shortages would come out of my pocket. The procedure was to go to the comptroller’s office and count out and sign for the company’s payroll. Upon return and after breaking down the pay, each member of the company would report, to the Executive Officers Office, to receive pay. The procedure was to enter the room, salute, state your name: “Sir, Lt. Tarasuk, reporting for pay.” Everyone followed the procedure except Mess Sgt, Besseck. Sgt Besseck was a 20 year veteran and came in lazily, with a sloppy salute. I kicked Sgt Bessick out of the office and told him to come back when he was ready to report properly. Sgt. Bessick came back, reported properly, and was paid. He was testing me. Sgt. Bessick became a good friend: from then on I was extremely well fed.
Remember when I was at Benning and the Major said I would make more mistakes. Well, he was right. It was not long after coming to Leonard Wood that one of my assignments was to move the Company from the bivouac area to the Grenade Range. The Company Commander told me the route was the same as going home. Well, I had never gone home and believed that the Sgts knew the way. Wrong again, it was my responsibility to know the route. Just like the placement of the recoilless rifle I was depending on others for actions that where my responsibility. On the way out of camp we turned left instead of right. We left at 7:30 and were to arrive at 8 AM for the scheduled class at 8:30. By 8 I knew we were heading in the wrong direction. The troops were wearing snow boots and loaded down with equipment. By 8:30 we had turned around, too late for training. By this time the command was frantically searching for us. The assumption was that we were in a weapons impact area. A jeep hastily drove up with a Captain asking if I was ever shown a map directing me to the training site. The answer was no. We were in trouble! When we returned to the Company Area the Captain was upset. I along with my Sergeants were debriefed. This incident led to the closing of many ranges and the loss of training time. This was a serious mistake. As Officer In Charge I took full responsibility. We quickly became known as “The Lost Charlie Company”. The seriousness of the incident could have had dire consequences on my career. Fortunately the command was reasonable and forgave my actions. The Major’s prediction had come true and my second lesson was learned. This type of mistake could be made during training but could have had detrimental consequences in combat. In the future I never traveled to a training site unless it was reconnoitered or visited... The troops looked upon that incident as the most exciting moment during their basic training.
After a tough start everything settled down and with a new group of recruits my performance began to change. The mistakes had been made; I now became confident of the environment and knowledgeable of my surroundings. It was time to build a company of combat ready soldiers. I needed to redeem myself. That we did, C5/3 was rated the number one company in the battalion. We were tops in barrack inspections and drill competition. I worked hard and rescued my reputation and confidence. I learned from my mistakes and vowed not to repeat them again. Don’t look back, go forward.
When July rolled around it was time to go home. It was time to begin a new military experience with the Illinois National Guard. Prior to going on active duty I signed with the 1st Battalion 131st Infantry. Its headquarters were located in the armory at Rockwell and Madison Streets. My first assignment was as Weapons Platoon Leader of Company A. Coming out of the Infantry School was like coming out of West Point. Most NG officers received their traing and commissions from the Illinois National Guard’s Officer Candidate School. There was a big difference in training and preparation to serve as a 2nd Lieutenant. This became evident in my relationship with my Company Commander. After a year I was transferred to Captain John Drover’s Company. Drover was organized and a good leader. John was an overall good guy and a pleasure to serve under. John also served as Postmaster for LaGrange Park. In time Ralph Gauer joined the unit and we developed a professional infantry company. Gauer was a graduate of Loyola’s ROTC Program and a Green Beret/Ranger. Ralph had had previous active duty time as an Infantry Officer. After a short time Ralph returned to active duty as a career Intelligence Officer. Ralph became a career officer with expertise in Russian Intelligence and rose to the rank of Colonel. Sgt. Johnny Hon, another member of our unit, also returned to active duty. Sgt. Hon served in Viet Nam and was killed in action.
The 1960’s were plagued by riots. The first riot occurred near a firehouse on Pulaski Road. Someone had been killed by a fire truck which created conditions to set off the riot. The 131st Infantry was called out. We were on duty for 10 days. Nothing happened and we were released. I remember the unit being activated for a march in Cicero. The march was led by Robert Lucas; Mr. Lucas had a permit to march down 22nd street. Because of the racial history of Cicero the authorities feared the worse. We had air support, tanks, snipers on roofs and 2 battalions ready to go. Lucas came with less than 30 marchers. After spending several million dollars and several hours on duty nothing happened and we were released. During the 60’s we had several more Riots and again the 131st Infantry was called too duty. The most memorable was when we were patrolling West Side Alleys and on one occasion we came upon General Kane, the Commander of the Illinois National Guard, and Sun Times Columnist Irv Kupicient. We reported that everything was normal and there were no problems. In 1967 we were called to duty for the Oak Lawn Tornado. This was a compelling story as we patrolled the streets of Oak Lawn to prevent looting. Trucks and buses were turned upside down like toys. The Community High School was ripped in half. It was one of the worse disasters to hit the Chicago area.
In 1966 I was promoted to Captain and became Company Commander and Commandant of Headquarters/ Headquarters Company of the 1st Bn. 131st Infantry. I was fortunate to have an excellent staff of Officers and Non Commissioned Officers to assist me. I was responsible for several million dollars of equipment and property. I oversaw the Motor Pool, Administration, Heavy Weapons Platoon, Food, and Medical. We developed an outstanding company of which we were proud of its accomplishments and men.
I served the 131st until 1968 when I resigned. I made the decision because of the conflict between employment, family life and Guard time. I was getting married in June and felt it was not in the best interest of my family to stay in the military. After resigning from the Guards I still had 6 months to serve and was assigned to a Reserve Unit on 22nd Street. During my time with the Guards I met many interesting and competent people. The most memorable was Vincent Kriemeir. The first time I met Major Kriemeir was after a Monday night drill. I was tending bar and Major Kreimeir wanted to discuss a problem. The Major was looking to buy a steel mill and wanted to talk with someone about his dilemma. At first I didn’t believe it. The next drill I asked Lt. Ed Fleming about the Major. He told me he was real. Major Kreimeir was President of Leakfinder, a company guaranteed to find leaks any where in the world. Lt. Fleming referred me to an article, published in Time Magazine, describing the Major’s invention of Ballite, a material that was stronger than steel. The article described a building, made of Ballite, on the Hawaiian Islands that withstood a hurricane. This material was so good that bullets supposedly bounced off of tanks. Major Kreimeir lived in Ginger Creek in Oak Brook and also asked about buying a jet plane. During a Summer Camp, at Camp McCoy, I spent a lot of time with the Major. I learned that his family were early settlers in Illinois and helped to found many Evangical Organizations. Major Kreimeir was an amazing man. I had hoped that he would be Battalion Commander, but that never happened. During that Summer Camp we ran the Live Fire Exercise, along with Captain Lopez, and received many compliments and commendations for our performance.
There were other people that stick out in my mind: Ed Fleming who became my lawyer and friend. Two former Tuleyites served in the 131st,, Bob Wasilowski and Don Ahrnstrom. As Company Commander I trusted and relied on my First Sgt., Al Malchiodie and Warrant Officer Ed Goniakowski. The Motor Pool was in the good hands of Jim Fucillo. A reliable friend was John Czarnik who tried to talk me out of resigning. I was sort of a mentor to John. John helped me film the story of summer camp 1964. That film and soundtrack was given to the Illinois National Guard Museum in Springfield. John Czarnik was dedicated and enjoyed serving his country; he continued his military education and rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel. A tradition of the 131st was the drinking of gin and bitters to mark the beginning of the day or special occasions. It was a tradition handed down from the English in World War I. After downing a shot of the gin and bitters we would shout “Fire In The Hole.”
After 4 years of High School ROTC, 4 years of College ROTC and 8 years of Reserve and Guard Duty it was time to move on to other challenges and ventures. Thus ended my military career.
January came and it was time to leave for Fort Benning, Georgia. This time I took a train with a compartment. I wasn’t going to repeat the traveling experience of going by train to Fort Riley. I still hadn’t discovered air travel. Fort Benning was the Home Of The Infantry. Its motto is “Follow Me”. For the next two months I would be attending the Infantry School. I was to be instructed in the skills of becoming a United States Army Infantry Officer. The new officers were housed in dormitories, no more barracks. We had maid service and no GI Parties. We were transported by bus or truck. As an officer you were required to pay for meals, except those in the field. We were paid $425 a month. For breakfast you would go to one of the Officer Mess Halls and off hour meals were served in the Officers Club. The mess halls were named after World War II Battles, Normandy, Salerno etc. I was now an officer and was treated as an officer and gentleman.
The training was excellent. The Training Officers were skilled and energetic. We fired all types of weapons, endured a variety of combat exercises and night maneuvers. Most exercises took us through the briar patches and red clay of Fort Benning. One night we came upon an unexpected fire. The fire was quickly put out preventing a forest fire. One of the most realistic exercises was Escape and Evasion. The objective was to escape from behind enemy lines and return to your unit. We were organized into teams of 4 or 5 men. The exercise required good map reading skills to navigate thru the terrain back home. One member of the team had excellent skills and was our team leader. We made our way through enemy territory that was patrolled by guard dogs, enemy fire and the dense forest at night. Some teams were captured and returned to enemy control. We made our way safely back to friendly territory. It was realistic and exciting.
My most embarrassing moment came when I was to position a jeep mounted 105 recoilless rifle on a hill to support a hypothetical attack problem. It was an exercise which used a helicopter to land the vehicle. I was accompanied by a driver and a Major that observed and graded my actions. I acted stupidly; I relied on what I thought was the drivers past exercise experience instead of my own training to position the weapon. The vehicle got stuck in the mud and had to be towed. The Major’s comment was. “This won’t be your first or last mistake, Lt.” He was right.
My training at Fort Benning ended with the extravaganza at Boom Hill. It was a demonstration of military power that cumulated our training with a big bang. The exercise was viewed by all of the graduating students to end the training program. . This concluded 2 months of training. My next assignment was to report to Fort Leonard Wood as a Training Officer. After a two week furlough I reported to C Company 5th Battalion 3rd Brigade. It was March and cold. Georgia had been warm and comfortable; I even came home with a sun tan. In Missouri we needed Pile Caps, Winter Boots and Warm Lined Jackets. I arrived with three weeks remaining in the training cycle. This meant the troops had already gone through 6 or 7 weeks of training. The Company Commander was Art Wichman and the Executive Officer Lt. Cocoran. Before the end of the cycle Lt. Cocoran was transferred and I became Executive Officer. The major effort was to maintain discipline, train and get the troops to various training sites. My responsibility was to teach drill, PT and Bayonet Training. I especially enjoyed PT and Bayonet Training. It was conducted in a large field from a large stage with a PA system. The sound was awesome. It was like music as you created a rhythm and cadence to the commands. On occasion someone would stop to compliment the spirit of our training. What’s the spirit of the bayonet, “KILL”?
While at Fort Leonard Wood, I encountered a few unforgettable experiences. The first was when the first cycle ended and the troops had left, we failed rifle inspection. The final rifle inspection was a disaster. Along with the Non Commissioned Cadre we had to clean 200 rifles. Lesson learned, every rifle must always be ready for inspection.
The end of every month was payday. As Executive Officer it was my duty to secure the payroll. I was responsible for every penny. We paid cash. Any shortages would come out of my pocket. The procedure was to go to the comptroller’s office and count out and sign for the company’s payroll. Upon return and after breaking down the pay, each member of the company would report, to the Executive Officers Office, to receive pay. The procedure was to enter the room, salute, state your name: “Sir, Lt. Tarasuk, reporting for pay.” Everyone followed the procedure except Mess Sgt, Besseck. Sgt Besseck was a 20 year veteran and came in lazily, with a sloppy salute. I kicked Sgt Bessick out of the office and told him to come back when he was ready to report properly. Sgt. Bessick came back, reported properly, and was paid. He was testing me. Sgt. Bessick became a good friend: from then on I was extremely well fed.
Remember when I was at Benning and the Major said I would make more mistakes. Well, he was right. It was not long after coming to Leonard Wood that one of my assignments was to move the Company from the bivouac area to the Grenade Range. The Company Commander told me the route was the same as going home. Well, I had never gone home and believed that the Sgts knew the way. Wrong again, it was my responsibility to know the route. Just like the placement of the recoilless rifle I was depending on others for actions that where my responsibility. On the way out of camp we turned left instead of right. We left at 7:30 and were to arrive at 8 AM for the scheduled class at 8:30. By 8 I knew we were heading in the wrong direction. The troops were wearing snow boots and loaded down with equipment. By 8:30 we had turned around, too late for training. By this time the command was frantically searching for us. The assumption was that we were in a weapons impact area. A jeep hastily drove up with a Captain asking if I was ever shown a map directing me to the training site. The answer was no. We were in trouble! When we returned to the Company Area the Captain was upset. I along with my Sergeants were debriefed. This incident led to the closing of many ranges and the loss of training time. This was a serious mistake. As Officer In Charge I took full responsibility. We quickly became known as “The Lost Charlie Company”. The seriousness of the incident could have had dire consequences on my career. Fortunately the command was reasonable and forgave my actions. The Major’s prediction had come true and my second lesson was learned. This type of mistake could be made during training but could have had detrimental consequences in combat. In the future I never traveled to a training site unless it was reconnoitered or visited... The troops looked upon that incident as the most exciting moment during their basic training.
After a tough start everything settled down and with a new group of recruits my performance began to change. The mistakes had been made; I now became confident of the environment and knowledgeable of my surroundings. It was time to build a company of combat ready soldiers. I needed to redeem myself. That we did, C5/3 was rated the number one company in the battalion. We were tops in barrack inspections and drill competition. I worked hard and rescued my reputation and confidence. I learned from my mistakes and vowed not to repeat them again. Don’t look back, go forward.
When July rolled around it was time to go home. It was time to begin a new military experience with the Illinois National Guard. Prior to going on active duty I signed with the 1st Battalion 131st Infantry. Its headquarters were located in the armory at Rockwell and Madison Streets. My first assignment was as Weapons Platoon Leader of Company A. Coming out of the Infantry School was like coming out of West Point. Most NG officers received their traing and commissions from the Illinois National Guard’s Officer Candidate School. There was a big difference in training and preparation to serve as a 2nd Lieutenant. This became evident in my relationship with my Company Commander. After a year I was transferred to Captain John Drover’s Company. Drover was organized and a good leader. John was an overall good guy and a pleasure to serve under. John also served as Postmaster for LaGrange Park. In time Ralph Gauer joined the unit and we developed a professional infantry company. Gauer was a graduate of Loyola’s ROTC Program and a Green Beret/Ranger. Ralph had had previous active duty time as an Infantry Officer. After a short time Ralph returned to active duty as a career Intelligence Officer. Ralph became a career officer with expertise in Russian Intelligence and rose to the rank of Colonel. Sgt. Johnny Hon, another member of our unit, also returned to active duty. Sgt. Hon served in Viet Nam and was killed in action.
The 1960’s were plagued by riots. The first riot occurred near a firehouse on Pulaski Road. Someone had been killed by a fire truck which created conditions to set off the riot. The 131st Infantry was called out. We were on duty for 10 days. Nothing happened and we were released. I remember the unit being activated for a march in Cicero. The march was led by Robert Lucas; Mr. Lucas had a permit to march down 22nd street. Because of the racial history of Cicero the authorities feared the worse. We had air support, tanks, snipers on roofs and 2 battalions ready to go. Lucas came with less than 30 marchers. After spending several million dollars and several hours on duty nothing happened and we were released. During the 60’s we had several more Riots and again the 131st Infantry was called too duty. The most memorable was when we were patrolling West Side Alleys and on one occasion we came upon General Kane, the Commander of the Illinois National Guard, and Sun Times Columnist Irv Kupicient. We reported that everything was normal and there were no problems. In 1967 we were called to duty for the Oak Lawn Tornado. This was a compelling story as we patrolled the streets of Oak Lawn to prevent looting. Trucks and buses were turned upside down like toys. The Community High School was ripped in half. It was one of the worse disasters to hit the Chicago area.
In 1966 I was promoted to Captain and became Company Commander and Commandant of Headquarters/ Headquarters Company of the 1st Bn. 131st Infantry. I was fortunate to have an excellent staff of Officers and Non Commissioned Officers to assist me. I was responsible for several million dollars of equipment and property. I oversaw the Motor Pool, Administration, Heavy Weapons Platoon, Food, and Medical. We developed an outstanding company of which we were proud of its accomplishments and men.
I served the 131st until 1968 when I resigned. I made the decision because of the conflict between employment, family life and Guard time. I was getting married in June and felt it was not in the best interest of my family to stay in the military. After resigning from the Guards I still had 6 months to serve and was assigned to a Reserve Unit on 22nd Street. During my time with the Guards I met many interesting and competent people. The most memorable was Vincent Kriemeir. The first time I met Major Kriemeir was after a Monday night drill. I was tending bar and Major Kreimeir wanted to discuss a problem. The Major was looking to buy a steel mill and wanted to talk with someone about his dilemma. At first I didn’t believe it. The next drill I asked Lt. Ed Fleming about the Major. He told me he was real. Major Kreimeir was President of Leakfinder, a company guaranteed to find leaks any where in the world. Lt. Fleming referred me to an article, published in Time Magazine, describing the Major’s invention of Ballite, a material that was stronger than steel. The article described a building, made of Ballite, on the Hawaiian Islands that withstood a hurricane. This material was so good that bullets supposedly bounced off of tanks. Major Kreimeir lived in Ginger Creek in Oak Brook and also asked about buying a jet plane. During a Summer Camp, at Camp McCoy, I spent a lot of time with the Major. I learned that his family were early settlers in Illinois and helped to found many Evangical Organizations. Major Kreimeir was an amazing man. I had hoped that he would be Battalion Commander, but that never happened. During that Summer Camp we ran the Live Fire Exercise, along with Captain Lopez, and received many compliments and commendations for our performance.
There were other people that stick out in my mind: Ed Fleming who became my lawyer and friend. Two former Tuleyites served in the 131st,, Bob Wasilowski and Don Ahrnstrom. As Company Commander I trusted and relied on my First Sgt., Al Malchiodie and Warrant Officer Ed Goniakowski. The Motor Pool was in the good hands of Jim Fucillo. A reliable friend was John Czarnik who tried to talk me out of resigning. I was sort of a mentor to John. John helped me film the story of summer camp 1964. That film and soundtrack was given to the Illinois National Guard Museum in Springfield. John Czarnik was dedicated and enjoyed serving his country; he continued his military education and rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel. A tradition of the 131st was the drinking of gin and bitters to mark the beginning of the day or special occasions. It was a tradition handed down from the English in World War I. After downing a shot of the gin and bitters we would shout “Fire In The Hole.”
After 4 years of High School ROTC, 4 years of College ROTC and 8 years of Reserve and Guard Duty it was time to move on to other challenges and ventures. Thus ended my military career.
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