European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 10, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Page 9 hopi Engels West it Many spec. Charles Travis snuffed but his last Cru Ittak and climbed up to ride Shotgun in the cab of a 5, hip Gallo i fuel Tanker. These Are the grinding 5-Loittrucks thai bottleneck raffle on autobahn 3 by Twett Nurnberg Ana the panic re exit where military vehicles turn off for the combat Man Euver training Center. And if lighting Ever starts these arc the soldiers who  gasoline into  the sound of the Road Travis explained that he d spent nine years As an infantryman. Including a Vietnam tour in 1% and stints Ai fort Lewis. Wash. Fort Polk la., and fort . In the mid-1970s, he got out and got. A so ice. Station in i Lou slim tuck during the Oil Boom business never wus any Good in Houston. Trams said nol  so he joined up again about a year ago and found himself hauling to for Ansbach s 1st army div. One world War 11 Burrvs ponders called the inv an epic fraternity the men who drove gasoline from Lac beachhead to the front lines Ever file Thor away. Al Crich Brcak Oul from Normandy the tanks from the 3rd army advanced so far so fast thai the Supply convoys is bullets Beans and Gas could t keep up. So it.  George s. Fatten it. Bunched the ked Ball express a Fleet of  drove around the clock to deliver fuel to the advancing tank columns. Ai us height in Early september i "44, the express Monopoluctt-75 percent of the non combat Allied ". If you give a Soldier in combat the Choice Between food and fuel hell take the  Samuel Meek trucks in Europe cation insisted that he could have finished the War months earlier saving thousands of american and German lives if his gasoline had t been diverted to he quixotic and disastrous  Sion of the Netherlands that went Down in history As a Bridge too  the end of the War. Armoured advances into the it an of Gentian were More Oflyn Hail by dry fuel tanks than hea1. Resistance an Olsker irom hit 2nd army div i we. Based in Northern West Ger Many air. Frankly if you wanted to Stop .1 Tactual unit probably the Best Way 10 do  is to Cut his umbilical Cord. And that s How we plan to handle inc russians strike deep culling their Supply lines Cut the russian Soldier s Supply and hell he like the germans at the end of world War a hell have to be Olf his tank and walk Home a 1st annd Jim fuel sergeant said the russians As Well As the americans Are set up to go into Battle us a Light combat  meaning both sides a ant to travel last and Hughl hoping to steal the Oiher Guy s food and fuel rather than Tarry their own. Future Battles utly would be fast and furious with Little Chance of a red Ball is press keeping up the Battles a the army s combat Man Euver 1 raining Center Aren t real but the gasoline is. And a modern tank  Burn s Gallons for Mary mile of hard driving. First army div logisticians said their Chicles use about  Gallons of Pulme Dunn a monthlong deployment. Thai s nearly is million in Post is change pump prices Althou Gli the army presumably does t pay  50-member fuel platoon is assigned 10 a co 123rd Suppon in and solid was like tra 14 try Long hours to keep the tanks rolling. The 39-year-old for Mer infantryman said he in t sure hell stay in this Limi,1. He just wanted to see some More army a clan before he grew Loo  i do decide to set Baik out Jii set a service station and a truck of my own. 1 Knovs a it to Bil More about the business no spec. Charles Tradii  full hint As lie i Iii gasoline rum lint Tunker la Anu Iliff in Nhen fils a to of that army dus pm l handlers take the gasoline business a piously s Napoleon said m pm or Nelso its stomach but if you Gic j Solt lil r in Lom Hitt to choir he twi in food and fuel master sol. So Mai 4 Meek soul hell take the fuel after an  tour of Vietnam nii%7 and fort i Elk in 6s, Meek decided he  m 1 1 lie of work. He started pumping Riny but in 1969 he As Back in Vietnam. There was one ump of i re gelatine sorely bad he recalled. They  Mede a ii the wounded out and be were re Fueng the Hulic Juers so Ihen could go out Jam 1 had j Hose bust on fee. So just stood up to my ankle in Jim aviation Gat to keep that fuel coming because 1 knew it was Lor inc kids getting m. 37th army regl the unit thai aurally owns the tanks Sanders pumped Jet fuel on aircraft carriers for Sis years Ilien decided Nasy lifi1 kept him too far from Hii family. So no his Job is to Tyrne Tuel to the mks an my ahratn1 can hold about 500 Gallons and hustling Ianc Lert can fill one up in five min  we get time we d try to get a Little bit my the Heater tanks so the Crew can stay warm he said. Ii s a scary Job he said thinking about the War time Mission Willi bullets flying around All that fuel,1 hut then he s to to stay pretty cautious in a cat Lime Loo tanks gel to shoot Blanks he said Rcv got 10 pump real