European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 23, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                 Story and photos by Tony Nauroth Starr writer spec. 4 Tim Hamilton stands in the in Highl Tinbergen. Gorman helping his m-16riflew"slhanm 203 grenade launcher piggybacked on to Slung Over his Back is a 45-Pound radio mis Kevlar helmet hides i Ghl Brown curls pasted a his head with old Sivea. His Pale eyes seem like beacons in he night he s been living in a heavy chemical protective suit teeming will unpleasant microscopic life Lorms. He stinks a bit. Hamilton is the Man who has always been the Backbone of the . Army infantryman "11-b." 11 Bush even the silly "11-bang-bang " they All say Grunt. This 19-year-old Soldier from Buffalo n.v., slagged nine hours through he strength sapping mud of Northern Germany on a Ninfi reconnaissance patrol. He moved Oul Vilh 20 other infantrymen from cob 4th in 41 is inf 2nd army div looking for 1he enemy in exercise certain strike. The radio hanging from Hamilton s shoulders might As Well have been a target on his Back. The first ones the enemy will snoot Are  Mart in front and he Man behind the radio Man a said. One of them is usually the patrol Leader. The next Guy to go is  Hamilton never complained even when the patrol Leader got them lost or at least temporarily bewildered in a world that comes Only in shades of Black bewilderment in t hard to understand the problem is that Young troops can be unforgiving when saddled with wha tile think in Uncertain leadership. This Baliol was put logo her lion three separate platoons with men who rarely work As one unit. It was a Large patrol. Most have nine men it also had a number of Green troops not like Hamilton who held the Center of he line Wilh in other experienced men spec. 4 Sloven Van pal Ion and spec 4 Bill slovene hunkered Down in a Tine of Trees somewhere in the certain strike Man Euver area. Hamilton talked Grunt talk. He also talked sense. A Grunt in a Grunt because no matter How much you put on him he keeps on Ruckin Hamilton is a dependable truck. With More than go pounds of combat cargo on his Back he clumped along behind his Leader Faith Lut till the Mission s end. Hamilton has been with this same unit for two years and is considered a prime Cut this was his 20th night patrol. The unit is built around the Bradley fight ring vehicle. That bothers Hamilton for it seems to him thai the horse is Geising More attention than the riders. All the talk in Congress and the press about the vulnerability of the Bradley ignores ils Basic Mission of Geising the troops from Point a to Point b quickly where they leave the protective Hull the Way a Snail leaves its Shell. The Bradley is Good and  Hamill on said but As Long As the Soldier gels Oul and goes on foot he needs dismount training. We Don t get enough of it and i think maybe it s because we depend Loo much on the  it s the kind of training 1hal requires skills honed by detailed observations so men like Hamilton can observe the finest detail. The Lack of attention to detail Kiefs the Grunt he said. Spec. 4 Tim Hamilton foreground in top photo Calls Lor the Bradley while another patrol member ats off the smoke grenade. As the lint fighting vehicle arrives above tile men rite from behind a amt Alltia. At tar left Hamilton takes tha Center seat in the Back Etta Brathy. Left sold Lert wind up the night Maalon. When i patrol Al night i never really see a life i m going what i  he said in a hoarse whisper is step in the lighter areas of he ground. It s usually o Yor Man the dark spots you put your toe out Lisl then snarl pulling some weight on it. M s kind of like an ant using ils Celers to find its Way " the essence of Hamilton s Job lies in Iho Simp Ioly o t Fly comparison the skills houses Are nurtured n such detail. For example when the patrol heard the clanking of a tracked vehicle in Iho distance Hamilton called in to higher Headquarters. Green dismount to Green Leader i have a Victor unidentified vehicle Al 160 degrees it s a British tank Over the radio hissed Lor a few moments before a voice asked How do you know it s a British tank " Hamilton replied with Calm Confidence. It s a British Lank.  another moment posses. Green Leader to Green dismount. Roger out everything Oul Here in the Field has its own Dis Mcl  Hamilton explained. If i hear a piece of somebody s equipment making note t can Ell exactly whal is making thai noise. If it makes of much noise. I la try of fix  the men practice whal the army Calls noise and Light discipline la s difficult to do 100 percent of the time for example once you take your first few gulps o water irom your canteen How do you keep what s Ted from slashing around and making noise. And How Many troops fight up a cigarette while on patrol although it s Only a Small glow an enemy using special night vision devices see it As an exploding Supernova. Ii is the missed detail thai kills the Grunt into the fourth hour of the patrol lha line of men ducked Down almost folding their forms Inlo the ground human Clay mailing into the Earth. With a Starlight scope on his Rifle Stevens stood sweeping 360 degrees around him looking for the enemy fool with the cigarette. Van Pallon did the same Wilh the lives nickname Lor night vision binoculars. In a barely audible Hiss each Man coun cd Oil from the front to Back Ihen Back so front it Els the loader know if he Sliff has All his men we re slopping Loo much Van a i Ion growled and look a Hal Light up Iacre what s to doing  Stevens leaned Bach toward Hamilton. Look Al second and third platoons they look like a football huddle. We be got the Only line " but Tirol platoon was talking except for Light lipped Hamill on. The discipline was beginning to fall prey to fatigue and a sense Hal Uncertain leadership would put the troops in danger a this were real Tho patrol was ailing apart. Hamilton however was a Rock As Early Dawn came irom the East wrapped in Gray Mist the patrol reached whal seemed to be their objective a triangular Swatch of Brush where two roads converge. In the distance hey could hear he Brad yes stirring from their sleep their characteristic whine screaming through the Mist. The men had to ignite a smoke grenade to Mark their position. The Bradley arrived the men mounted up and moved on to do Battle later that morning against the germans and belgians t was a Battle that co b won despite the missed cues and bewilderment in the Forest Iho Valroi managed to do its Job. Despite the unusual mix of the patrol and the greenness of some Al us members it did gel from paint a through Points b a and d to link Back up with the Bradley Al Point t still the troops did make hems Etves vulnerable in the process and arrived tale. Sure the patrol was not As Succes Stu As it should have been but that s whal training is All about working out the bugs and building a solid foundation cob 4th in 41st int. Has a solid Rock to build on Hamill on. September 23.19b7 the stars and stripes Page 15