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Old 12-04-2014, 08:00   #1
JJ_BPK
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The Real Forrest Gump
The guys at Together We Served post on FB daily. They select some real hero's and also people that you may not think served, including celebrities.

This AM they posted Winston Francis Broom, Jr, the author of Forest Gump.

He had an interesting stint in the Army. Check out his "memoirs". You'll be able to understand how Forest was created.

Did anyone serve with him? He displays a JFK SSI. I presume that was the psy-ops class he attended.

http://army.togetherweserved.com/arm...rson&ID=350259
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Old 12-04-2014, 10:44   #2
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Were INF Officers 11Bs back then?

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Last edited by PSM; 12-04-2014 at 11:02. Reason: typo repair
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Old 12-04-2014, 11:00   #3
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No, I suspect that 11B used, was "picked" when he set up his profile. Broom's Primary MOS was 9305-Psychological Operations Officer, his assignment in the 4ID was 11B.

The Infantry MOS used at the time:
1542 Infantry Unit Commander
1543 Infantry Heavy Mortar Unit Commander
1560 Infantry Unit Commander (Mechanized)

Suffix Description
3 Special Forces
4 Army Recruiter
5 Nuclear Weapons Employment Specialist
7 Parachutist, anyone awarded jump wings upon completion of Airborne School
8 Ranger

http://www.ichiban1.org/html/history_mos.htm

SO, A qualified SF officer was a 31542, or could have it show as a Duty Assignment, even if you were not qualified.

Forgot to add. In Vietnam, Special Forces Officers and NCO slots were filled by non-school qualified. There were inf, arty, eng schooled troops in the SF slots. Sometime in the 70t's the reg was changed so that they could be paper qualified as SF, if they met the criteria.
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Last edited by JJ_BPK; 12-04-2014 at 11:16.
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Old 12-04-2014, 11:24   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brush Okie View Post
I know CA used to be a line designator until they became their own branch in the late 80's early 90's or so. Wasn't psy ops and SF the same?
No, see above, I fixed my note..

Here is a picture of Cpt Vernon Gillespie from the Jan 1965 National Geographic article. He has an Arty missile defense collar tab.
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File Type: jpg CptGillesple.jpg (74.4 KB, 50 views)
File Type: jpg PIN1904.jpg (16.9 KB, 18 views)
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Old 12-04-2014, 11:42   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JJ_BPK View Post
No, see above, I fixed my note..

Here is a picture of Cpt Vernon Gillespie from the Jan 1965 National Geographic article. He has an Arty missile defense collar tab.
Air Defense Artillery.

TR
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