Chapter 11: Maureen

It was mid-December and 1st Lt Bob Lacy had mixed emotions about the past 11 months he had spent in Korea. Three more weeks and he would be on his way back to the States and then law school. Who knows what else the future would hold for him? He had experienced a number of different assignments while in Korea which enabled the one year to go by pretty fast.

The country of Korea itself was a mixed bag. The picturesque terraced rice patties at the bottom of the hills were the greenest green you would ever see. Offsetting this was the reason that the patties were so green and that was the human waste they used for fertilizer which cast a distinctive odor through out the countryside. The outhouses were the extent of the sanitation facilities that existed in the countryside and were harvested in the spring for the rice patties.

Bob was initially assigned to the 47th Armor Battalion, as the Battalion Motor officer. He never asked as to why he was given this assignment but he would try to do his best. The duties that this assignment entailed weren't difficult. His ability wasn't challenged by the minor paper work this job required. The Motor Sergeant and mechanics were good and kept the various mechanized vehicles and the 79 tanks, which comprised the heart of this Battalion in operating order. They actually administered the unit with Bob just exercising a little supervision.

While he was the Motor Officer, Bob kept himself in shape by playing on the Battalion basketball team. They had some good players and Bob became a shooting forward averaging some 25 points a game. He was not bashful nor was he a hog. His teammates gave him the ball because of his ability to score and they wanted to win. He owed this new found shooting ability to the contact lenses he was now wearing. Up until this time he always thought the rim was supposed to be a little fuzzy and was surprised how clear it looked with the contacts. If he had worn contacts in school he could only wonder what he would have done on the University's team.

Bob caught the attention of a Warrant Officer who was assigned to select the players for the Division Basketball Team. The Warrant Officer had a discussion with Bob about joining the team. Because of Bob's tenuous relationship with the Lieutenant Colonel that was his Battalion Commander he turned the offer down. He asked not to be selected for the Division Team but in spite of his request the orders came down from Division assigning Bob to the Division Basketball Team. The orders stated that this was one month of temporary duty as a member of the Division Basketball Team. That was all Bob did for a month, played basketball and he lived in Seoul.

The team rounded into shape and was very respectable. While they were good they met a better team and lost in double overtime in the Championship game of the Eight Army Tournament. Bob made the All-Tournament Team largely due to his 24 points a game scoring average.

On coming back to his Battalion he received his promotion to 1st Lt and resumed his duties. The duties that he had were easy but he wanted more of a challenge. He had become a friend of the Executive Officer of the Battalion, a Major Flemming and he discussed his concerns with the Major. When he was asked by the Major what he wanted, Bob said that he wanted to be a Tank Platoon Leader. The Major said he would see what he could do.

Next week, orders were cut assigning Bob to A Company as a Tank Platoon Leader. What was unique about this assignment was that A Company was attached to the 1st of the 7th Calvary, which was on the DMZ. This was a good duty assignment.

His tank's platoon's alert position was on a high hill that overlooked the valley that ran from North Korea into South Korea, the historic invasion route. He could see about three miles up the valley into North Korea when he was on his alert position. The M60 tank main gun was deadly with a first round hit at targets that where a mile or less away. Over that distance it took about two shots before the target was hit. Bob later found out from the Division's G3 that if war broke out, Bob's tank platoon had a life expectancy of about 15 seconds.

After two months Bob was comfortable as a platoon leader and satisfied by what he had accomplished. One day he was looking at the Division newsletter, and saw that there was a posting for a General's Aide position. He applied along with other Lieutenants for the position. Bob was interviewed by a Lieutenant Colonel and then the Commanding General, a two Star. Bob must have done well in the interview because he was selected to be the aide.

The Commanding General was authorized to have two aides. The aide position that was open and Bob applied for was what was called the social aide. Bob would manage the General's Officer Club for the three Generals and some sixteen Colonels who took their meals there along with the four aides. Organizing parties, planning the menu and booking entertainment were some of the required duties. The crew to assist Bob in operating this club consisted of an Army Mess Sergeant, three army cooks, two Korean cooks, a Korean baker and butcher, five Korean waiters, a Korean Bartender, an American driver and a Korean CPA who did the books. It was a big operation and Bob thought rank did have its privileges.

Organizing the parties was probably the most important one of Bob's various duties. Sending out the invitations, coordinating the MP's to escort the driving attendees, sedans at the helicopter pad to pick up those who flew in, menu planning, seating arrangements, having photos taken, booking the entertainment and getting Caucasian women to attend the parties were some of the items which needed to be handled. Securing Caucasian women to attend the party wasn't that difficult and it was necessary because no one would want to attend a party with just men. Women were needed but there were standing orders given by the Commanding General that Officers were not allowed to fraternize with the Korean women in the Division area.

To have American women attending the parties, Bob would call the Red Cross Unit assigned to the Division. The Red Cross Unit consisted mainly of college age American women. Bob would ask if six or seven of them would attend a party. Since this request was in a way coming from the Commanding General there were no refusals. Bob informed the ladies as to the specifics and told them what time he would send sedans to pick them up. Bob thought that these ladies when they attended the parties were very presentable after they shucked their unflattering uniforms and put on dresses as well as their make-up.

There had been a party the previous night and it was a success. Bob had been training another Lieutenant to replace him as Bob was due shortly to rotate back to the States. His replacement had been taking notes and asking Bob a lot of questions. Bob had introduced him to the important contacts and had given him as much training as he could. How his replacement handled the duties would reflect on Bob.

Bob was walking with Captain Mark Anderson the Commanding General's regular aide. They talked about last night's party and Bob was remarking that he thought one of the Red Cross girls, Maureen, was quite cute. Bob had been in the car that had driven the girls back to their unit after the party and he had received a kiss from her on the way back to her camp.

Mark told Bob that if he felt that way he should ask her out. Mark suggested that he consider meeting her down in Seoul this weekend. Bob asked Mark to clarify what he was saying.

Mark said, "Maureen is cute but she knows her way around in this world. Give her a call and ask her if she wants to go to Seoul this weekend. If she says yes, tell her you will meet her at the Chosen Hotel were you will book a room. She will get there on her own. If you do go, bring some civilian clothes with you but stay in the hotel. You don't want to be in uniform which will identify you to anyone who is interested. The hotel has a nice restaurant that has a good live show and is located on the top floor of the hotel. When you book your room, be sure to make a reservation at the restaurant. You can't go wrong."

Bob thanked Mark for his advice and thought about what he said. If he just wanted to get laid he could go to Seoul and get a room and partake of one of the numerous prostitutes that were available. He had done this two times before and didn't care for the experience. The lack of feelings and the clinical approach to love making was a turn off. He thought he had gotten some good vibes from Maureen and maybe she had some feelings for him.

"Oh hell," he thought, "What do I have to lose? She can only say no. While I would be disappointed, I could live with it."

Later that evening he phoned Maureen and was able to get through to her. This alone was amazing as the phone system had a lot of down time.

She sounded like she was happy to hear from Bob.

He said, "I wanted to thank you for coming to the party last night, you looked beautiful. I also enjoyed taking you back to your compound after the party. I would have sent you flowers but your local village doesn't have a florist."

Maureen laughed at this remark because they were both aware these local villages didn't have any of the stores that were like those in the States. Seeing dogs and cats carcasses hanging un-refrigerated in front of the open air stores was the usual highlight of a drive thru a village.

She said, "I did enjoy the party and also the ride back after the party."

Bob thought there was some potential here. He then asked her about the other girl's reaction to last night party and they talked for a while. Maureen was easy to talk to.

He thought well here goes nothing and said, "I was wondering that if you didn't have any plans for this weekend, that maybe we could meet in Seoul and go to dinner. Of course it would be late and with the nationwide curfew we wouldn't get back to our camps in time, so we probably would need to stay overnight."

He waited for her response.

There was a pause and then Maureen said, "Bob, you know it would be nice to get out of the Quonset huts we live in and get back to civilization. It isn't often that a girl is asked to do so by a tall and handsome General's Aide. I can say that I wouldn't like to meet you in Seoul... , I would love to meet you in Seoul this weekend. Tell me when and were."

Bob did and was ecstatic. He wished there was a florist in her village. He would have sent her flowers.

Saturday afternoon came and Bob was on an Army bus with a little suitcase heading to Seoul. Being dropped off at Eight Army Headquarters, he caught a cab to the hotel were he registered, unpacked and ordered some ice. He had brought along an adult beverage. He made sure that the room had two double beds. He didn't want Maureen think he was presumptuous.

Bob answered a knock on the door that was from a bellboy who was carrying a small suitcase. Right behind the bellboy was Maureen. She was in her Red Cross uniform. Maureen was about five foot five inches tall with long curly red hair, a great smile and a figure that was just right. She was attractive and because of her first name, freckles and red hair, Bob thought she had some Irish in her. Her breasts were maybe a fraction large for her size and her hips were a little small. The freckles on her face were cute. Bob wonder if she had freckles all over.

Bob tipped the bellboy and told Maureen to have a seat and he would mix her a drink. She thanked him and told him she had been looking forward to a cool drink and this evening. They talked some more and had another cocktail. Time was flying by and Bob told her that the reservation was for eight this evening. They needed to get ready so he would take a shower first while she unpacked and then she could have the facilities. She said that sounded great.

He took a shower and shaved, put on some pants and walked out and announced that the facility was available. She smiled as she looked at his uncovered torso. Taking her case, she entered and closed the door.

Bob finished dressing and poured another drink for them. He looked around the room, which was good size and adjusted the shades. If things went as he hoped, he wanted there to be some moonlight coming into the room.

Maureen came out in about one half hour and looked great. She had on a tight dark gray dress, which was made out of some kind of shinny material that had a v cut neckline that was down to the sides of her breasts. The dress was tight under her ass which showed there was a nice curve to it. It was apparent that she had taken advantage of the Hong Kong tailors that were located in the PX's.

Bob thought as he looked at her cleavage, "She does have freckles all over."