The Almost Great Escape

The Almost Great Escape

 

This is a true story.

It was the summer of 1990. Two soldiers (Ron and Paul) had first met the year prior while stationed in Germany. They were in the same platoon while on Army Active duty and became close friends.

They were on a field training exercise. Part of the exercise involved actions to take if captured by an enemy unit, and processing Enemy Prisoners of War (EPW’s).

Side note; A safe pocket is a pocket were soldiers could put their money, I.D. or other personnel items in and will not be gone through if searched during a training exercise. The safe pocket is normally the right pants cargo pocket.

The story starts with Ron being captured and taken to a holding area for EPW processing. Ron was ordered to sit on the ground with a pretend blind fold on, and his hands were pretend tied with pretend ropes (No actual ropes or blindfold was used for the safety of the soldiers. It was training and no one wanted the soldiers to be hurt by walking in to a tree or stumbling over something and falling down.)

Another soldier (Paul) had been captured a little while earlier and also had a pretend blindfold on and his hands pretend tied behind his back. One soldier was to guard Ron and Paul. Ron sat next to Paul and waited to be processed as an EPW.

Paul: Who’s there?

Ron: It’s Ron, who’s that?

Paul: It’s Paul.

(A few moments of silence after being told to be quite by the guard.)

Ron: How did you get caught?

Paul: I was reloading after separated from the platoon, and the enemy surrounded me. How did you get caught?

Guard: I told you two to “shut the f*ck up.”

Ron: I was looking at a naked picture of our guard’s girlfriend and was distracted.

Paul: Did she look good?

Guard: Kicked Ron in the ankle.

Ron: Hell ya she was, why do you think I was distracted.

Paul: Do you still have the picture?

Ron: No, they took it from me when they searched me.

Paul: You know they should have tied us for real. It feels silly pretending to be tied- up and blindfolded.

Ron: I know, that’s why I have a pretend knife in my safe pocket. We could use it to pretend cut the ropes.

Guard: I said no talking damit. (Side note: The guard is pi*sed about Ron’s comment about the picture of his girl friend.)

Ron: Pulls out the pretend knife, cuts the pretend ropes, and takes off the pretend blindfold. He tackles the guard while Paul cuts his pretend ropes and removes the pretend blindfold.

Ron/Paul: Ties the guard up with pretend ropes, pretend blindfolds him, and uses pretend hundred mile an hour tape around his mouth, (Hundred mile an hour tape is military duct tape.)

Ron/Paul: They get about 150 meters away before being re-captured.

Ron/Paul: They are tied-up with real rope this time.

Guard: Wants to beat the cr*p out of Ron and Paul.

Paul: Whispers to Ron...You know I think I could get my hands free.

Ron: Whisper backs…Me too.  

Ron/Paul: Gets free and tackles the guard to the ground. They tie, blindfold, and tape the guards mouth shut for real.

Ron/Paul: They get about 50 meters away before being captured yet again.

Once again, they are bound and blindfolded, only tighter this time.

Ron: Well this doesn’t seem to be getting us anywhere.

Paul: Maybe we should capture their CO, (Commanding Officer) next time.

Ron: I bet we could.

Suddenly the all clear for the exercise was given. The guard had to untie Ron and Paul and let them go. After Ron and Paul were re-turned to their unit, Ron pulled Paul aside.

Ron: Guess who’s picture I stole from the guard last time we tried to escaped?

Paul: (Smiling) You mean he does have a naked picture of his girlfriend for real?

Ron: (Smiles) No I was just kidding. (Ron slipped his hand in his pocket and smiles.)

P.S. No I did not take the picture from the guard.

 

By: Ronald Pope

Reviews

[passionberry]

Aww! I really like that its not only real but real action I felt as if I was right there lol.. I'm new on here and I would gladly appreciate if u could review my poem in working on publishing my first poetry book thank you. And I just want to say Thank you for serving Thank you!😊

[ron]

Thank you. I will try to review as much as I can.

[Lydia Shutter]

The esprit de corps between two soldiers on the same battlefield is honest and warm in this. I liked "listening" to the dialog in this. Very well written with a dreamy carefree tone not often found in soldier stories. Lydi**

[ron]

Thank you Lydi. Paul and I were two peas in a pod so to speak. We really did have more fun then we should have at the poor guards expense, but what else could we do...Paul and I were bored lol.

[Robbie~xoxo~]

This is a light hearted story...I liked the scripted format, as well as the male banter between soldiers... there's an unbreakable camaraderie felt in this piece. An enjoyable read, Ron..
Nicely penned!~xoxo~:)

[ron]

Thank you Robbie. I did feel bad about the poor guard, I'm sure he got in a lot of trouble for letting Paul and I escape not once but twice. I wonder how much trouble the guard would have gotten in if we did capture his CO. I know between Paul and I we would have.

[Robbie~xoxo~]

Such trouble makers! lol

[ron]

Oh you don't know the half of it Robbie. We helped more than a few back to the barracks. Of course that was none of our doing...lol

[Robbie~xoxo~]

Well you'll have to write more about that. ;)

[ron]

Hmm...that sounds like a challenge. Lol

[Robbie~xoxo~]

Yep... good luck with that! lol ;D

[ron]

:D I will see what I can come up with lol.

[Robbie~xoxo~]

oky doky! ;P