The Scott Paper Company Connection:
In April 1962 at the wedding of her brother, Albert Strain, Marian Strain met William John Yarnall. Both men worked together at Scott Paper Company, Chester, Pennsylvania in the research and development department. Al did not think much of Bill and told him that Marian was married. Bill came to the wedding to meet Marian. Years later, Marian found out that Bill actually missed the church wedding since he was playing golf, but he got to the reception.
Marriage:
On April 2, 1966, William John YARNALL married Marian Ann Strain. They moved to a small one bedroom apartment in Secane, Pennsylvania. Bill started work at Scott Paper Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as a salesman the day after he graduated from college, June 6, 1966.
The Draft:
Bill was drafted into the Army the same day he started his new sales job at Scott Paper Company. He joined the Pennsylvania National Guard Unit (555 Petrol Depot) in Chester, PA on June 7, 1966, the day after his College graduation. The Guard Unit discharged Bill, noting the U. S Army had priority. He headed to Ft. Gordon, GA on July 28, 1966 for Basic Training.
| Basic Training: |
Bill's Comments |
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I spent “Boot” Camp at Fort Gordon, Augusta, GA. and I never got to see Augusta National; they would not allow me on the grounds. I became the Platoon Guide (trainee Sgt.) and was with 12 other classmates from Pennsylvania Military College. The Army asked me to attend Officer’s Candidate School for the Infantry; I would be sent to Viet Nam on completion. I declined.
Training was rigorous and challenging, I was expected to help everyone in the platoon pass their physical, combat and written tests. Most men in the platoon were RA (Regular Army) kids and homesick. The difficult physical and physiological training wasn’t what they expected.
I was ranked the # 2 trainee in the Company in Basic. Here we have a former QB who lost the top honor because of a poor performance throwing the “hand grenade” in the “PT” test. My former classmates had a lot of fun kidding me and why we were 2 and 7 my senior year.
During “Basic”, the Company Commander, a Captain, issued a challenge to a mile race to everyone. If anyone beat him, the Company would get a two-day pass. He was small man but a long distance runner. There were some that took the “bait” and the race was on. I ran right behind him for 3 and ¾ laps, when we hit the last turn; I passed him and won by about 5 yards.
The Captain didn’t know it but I had booked a room for (Marian) to visit that weekend. When Marian checked into the hotel they asked her for her marriage certificate (it was a different world back in 1966), she brought it with her. It was a great weekend.
I wasn’t that great with the rifle either, the best I could do was “marksman”. Mom Yarnall came to my graduation from “Basic” and we drove back to Pennsylvania for a week’s rest with Marian before I was off to Fort Bragg, NC for Advanced Training in Personnel Administration.
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MOS Training:
The 1st Time-The first day back at Ft. Bragg, I had a problem. A fellow soldier and I bought our new ‘Foot Locker’ display items from the PX. On the way back, we stopped at NCOOM/EM Club (Non-Commissioned Officers Open Mess and Enlisted Men’s) for a beer. We decided to challenge a game of pool at one of the pool tables with a quarter. Everyone in the “pool room” was Hispanic (Puerto Rican), after I won the challenge, we played a game. As we headed back to the barracks in the dark with our bags in hand, a group of the men came out the back door. They told my friend to keep walking and circled me with “switch blades”. The biggest guy, a SPEC 4, knocked the bags from my hands, the foot locker items scattered everywhere.
Just then a car came from behind; the men took off and ran into the Club. A Sergeant stopped the car, got out, and asked if everything was OK. I told him what happened and we went back into the Club and called the MP’s. When they arrived, they asked me and my friend what happened and to identify the men. They searched them, took their knives, arrested them, and took them to the “brig” (jail). The big guy had just been let of jail that day for a similar offense.
With the help of my trainer at work, we got the names of each of the men and put them on Orders for Viet Nam over the next 3 months. I was trained on MOS’s (Military Occupational Specialties), personnel forms, and assigning people to their next duty. The best part was bringing them in for a face-to-face discussion and letting them know that I had assigned them to go to Viet Nam, including the Ring Leader. “Justice for All”!!! I assigned myself to South Korea before the Army could send me to VN.
| Camp Casey, 7th Infantry Division, Tong DuChong, South Korea: |
Bill's Comments |
Bill is in the middle.
Apparently the NCOOM wanted people to be a courier which meant you picked-up and counted daily receipts. I was hired. The Sergeant E-7, Jerry Custer Secretary/Custodian picked up the phone and called the General’s office. He wanted me and changed the Order’s.
I handled 15 NCO/EM clubs, had a Korean driver, and a .45 handgun to fend off any robbers. I rised through the ranks quickly, Private 1st Class in two months, Corporal in 4 months, SPEC 4 in 6 months and Sergeant E-5 in 9 months.
I had a variety of jobs at NCOOM -- from courier to slot machine warehouse supervisor. As entertainment specialist I hired and scheduled all entertainment groups for all 31 clubs for Friday, Saturday, and Sundays. As Director of Purchasing I bought all the food and beverages. Then I became the Director for all Purchases in the system. During this time, I also headed a task force to audit the Clubs for theft, and was in charge of procuring local women to visit clubs to cheer-up our men and to have the men spend money buying the ladies drinks and food.
In 9 months, I became the Assistant Secretary/Custodian (# 2 man for over 450 people). During the last 2 months, I was responsible for the entire system when Jerry Custer was hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer. I reported directly to the Commanding General. |
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I arrived in Seoul in January 1967, it was cold. The Country was depressing. Poverty was rampant. From the 8th Army HQ’s I was stationed north 30 miles at Camp Casey.
Since there was no specific job assignment, I volunteered for several interviews. The best, first choice, was a writer for the Commanding General; I took a writing test with others and was selected by the General’s Aid. I was packing to leave for the new assignment, when a friend, Richard Di Noyia, told me that he was hired work at the Officer’s Open Mess. SEE COMMENTS AND PICTURE ON THE LEFT.
Bill met Colonel Hoslten in a game of golf. None of the enlisted men could get a tee-time because the Colonel had them all booked. By the ninth hole, the Colonel was down by 9. As he hooked his arm around Bill, the Colonel said that Bill could play all the golf he wanted as his partner because there were “a lot of pigeons to be plucked”.
This was really a crazy time in U. S. Military history, the US was at war with Viet Nam on January 21, 1968. Thirty North Koreans crossed the DMZ in South Korean uniforms intent on killing President Park; they were caught 200 yards from the Palace and shot.
Two days later the North Koreans captured our ship the USS Pueblo 15 miles off NK shores and imprisoned 82 members of the crew. We were going to war; the 7th Infantry Division was on full alert, including rifles, ammo and full gear. I was preparing to disperse all the food to the mess units, all liquor to the medical units and dispose or destroy everything else in the warehouses and the clubs.
I spent a number of sleepless nights reading the Army regulations on what to do and made lists the next day for Army employees. No civilians were allowed on the compound. When I completed this, I was to travel to Pusan, the southern tip of Korea, as a radio specialist. I didn’t even know how to turn on a radio. I was scheduled to return home on February 11th, but all orders were cancelled.
The crisis ended in about 5 days, although we were still on full alert. The plan to distribute and destroy was put on hold until further notice. I reopened the clubs with Army personnel and the “Army Mafia” was back in business.
Returning stateside, Bill became Assistant Pro at Stryker Golf Course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina until he was honorably discharged in July 1968.
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