Reflections from Baghdad
Reflections from Baghdad of growing up in the limestone capital of the world
COL Mark E. McKnight
BNL class of 1979
It’s twenty hundred hours in the evening. That’s 8 p.m. to most people and the temperature is easily over 95 degrees. The day has not been particularly good or bad. Such is the day-to-day nature of combat. I have recently begun to journal my thoughts and memories as a means of escaping for a few minutes from the stress and worry of soldiering. Soldiering is, at my stage of an officer’s career, more mental than physical, but it is soldiering away from home, family and friends never-the-less.
In this environment, memories which have eluded my recall for years sometimes return in crystal clear images, sounds, smells and textures. My memories of growing up in Bedford are neither glamorous nor extremely adventurous; in fact, they are probably rather routine to the casual observer. They are, however, the memories I have carried with me to many parts of this world and they are the experiences which shaped me as a young boy.
The normalcy of day-to-day life doesn’t always allow much reflection on your past, but serving in an environment like Iraq does often provide the motivation to remember and cherish the little things in your life, much as did I assume it did in Vietnam, Korea, World War II or any conflict.
Before now I had not thought much about my growing up in a small southern Indiana town, but recently I have. Maybe it’s middle age or maybe it’s Iraq. It’s probably a little bit of both. I thought by sharing some of my reflections, not of my current home along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, but of my life along the banks of the White River in southern Indiana, maybe they will for a short time take you out of the normalcy of your day.
I apologize upfront for the haphazard flow of these thoughts, but like many things in combat, actions often occur randomly and the memories I have captured for this article came in no particular sequence. Some are just a single word, others I could write whole paragraphs about. Some come with opinions or titles such as “The best cheeseburger in the world.” I mean no harm and in no way intend to hurt anyone’s feelings, but for me some titles will never be debatable, although the cheeseburger title could have had several different categories. Anyway, having made a feeble attempt at a disclaimer, here we go. I hope they spark some memories of your own:
The grade school basketball tournament between: Parkview, Lincoln, Madden, Englewood and Stalker. There was always the build-up pep rally, the opportunity to go down to the office and buy your shaker or beanie. The pre-game meal at Jerry’s. The walk from Parkview to the high school gym for the day long tournament with an evening championship.
Leather Converse all-stars, the first time they came out.
The smell and the shine of the wood floor of the old high school gym. The draftiness of the locker rooms under the bleachers. The up-close and packed-in feeling of the Friday night basketball games.
The momentous passage from the small basketball goals and the ceramic floor, to the regulation 10-foot goals and the wooden floor at the boy’s club.
Wading for golf balls in the creek at Otis Park, big bend and sledding off the big hill.
Traveling to Indianapolis at Christmas to gaze at the store windows on the circle.
The “Santa” show on channel 4, The “Popeye and Janie” show, “Cowboy Bob and the Chuckwagon Theater” featuring “Sourdough, the Singing Biscuit”
Friday night scary movies with Sammy Terry.
The pancake festival on the square and the aroma of fresh pancakes and tent canvas mingled together.
The J.C. Penny store on the corner with the big picture of Mr. Penny over the front door.
The first Hoover’s candy store, the small one in Englewood. The smell of caramel, the rotating assorted nuts display and the huge selection of candy. The best caramel apples in the world.
The Bedford drive-in and the miniature train with the tunnel.
The East 50 drive-in, its Ferris wheel and the best foil wrapped hot dogs I have ever had.
Wards barbershop and their great assortment of pocket combs for sale.
Witnessing “Dick the Bruiser” arrive just before his wrestling match at the National Guard armory. He stepped out of a Cadillac El Dorado wearing his wrestling outfit and cowboy boots.
The mouthwatering smell driving by the Bedford bakery when they were baking bread.
Summer nights listening to the Cincinnati Reds on the staticky AM radio.
The round swimming pool at Thornton Park and the infamous swim test administered by the life guards before you could cross over the rope into the deep end and jump off the diving boards.
A great Saturday: a Long John pastry from Pfeffer’s bakery for breakfast, Johnny Quest on the TV, lunch at Burger Chef, a matinee at the Indiana Theatre and an ice cream sundae from the Woolworth’s restaurant counter.
Hiking back to Stack Rock from Wilson Park.
Snow’s drive in, the best cheeseburger in the world, sorry Red Barrel, Satellite, Jerry’s, Hub and Beetle Burger fans. The food stands at the 4-H Fair also provided stiff competition.
Returning pop bottles, mowing yards and de-tasseling corn for summer money.
The dressed fleas at the Lawrence County Museum.
The smell of the walk in freezer at the Bedford dairy and the complimentary cups of ice cream with the wooden spoons.
The bug truck spraying in the summer.
Astronaut glasses with a fill up from the Marathon station.
The snow cone (white paper cones) and the Tastee freeze trucks (the first mobile soft served ice cream)
I hope everyone back in “The Limestone Capital of the World” my hometown Bedford is alright…COL Mark McKnight, BNL class of 1979
Col. Mark McKnight, Chief of Staff
3rd Infantry Division, Task Force Marne
Camp Victory, Iraq
6 April 2008
COL Mark E. McKnight
BNL class of 1979
It’s twenty hundred hours in the evening. That’s 8 p.m. to most people and the temperature is easily over 95 degrees. The day has not been particularly good or bad. Such is the day-to-day nature of combat. I have recently begun to journal my thoughts and memories as a means of escaping for a few minutes from the stress and worry of soldiering. Soldiering is, at my stage of an officer’s career, more mental than physical, but it is soldiering away from home, family and friends never-the-less.
In this environment, memories which have eluded my recall for years sometimes return in crystal clear images, sounds, smells and textures. My memories of growing up in Bedford are neither glamorous nor extremely adventurous; in fact, they are probably rather routine to the casual observer. They are, however, the memories I have carried with me to many parts of this world and they are the experiences which shaped me as a young boy.
The normalcy of day-to-day life doesn’t always allow much reflection on your past, but serving in an environment like Iraq does often provide the motivation to remember and cherish the little things in your life, much as did I assume it did in Vietnam, Korea, World War II or any conflict.
Before now I had not thought much about my growing up in a small southern Indiana town, but recently I have. Maybe it’s middle age or maybe it’s Iraq. It’s probably a little bit of both. I thought by sharing some of my reflections, not of my current home along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, but of my life along the banks of the White River in southern Indiana, maybe they will for a short time take you out of the normalcy of your day.
I apologize upfront for the haphazard flow of these thoughts, but like many things in combat, actions often occur randomly and the memories I have captured for this article came in no particular sequence. Some are just a single word, others I could write whole paragraphs about. Some come with opinions or titles such as “The best cheeseburger in the world.” I mean no harm and in no way intend to hurt anyone’s feelings, but for me some titles will never be debatable, although the cheeseburger title could have had several different categories. Anyway, having made a feeble attempt at a disclaimer, here we go. I hope they spark some memories of your own:
The grade school basketball tournament between: Parkview, Lincoln, Madden, Englewood and Stalker. There was always the build-up pep rally, the opportunity to go down to the office and buy your shaker or beanie. The pre-game meal at Jerry’s. The walk from Parkview to the high school gym for the day long tournament with an evening championship.
Leather Converse all-stars, the first time they came out.
The smell and the shine of the wood floor of the old high school gym. The draftiness of the locker rooms under the bleachers. The up-close and packed-in feeling of the Friday night basketball games.
The momentous passage from the small basketball goals and the ceramic floor, to the regulation 10-foot goals and the wooden floor at the boy’s club.
Wading for golf balls in the creek at Otis Park, big bend and sledding off the big hill.
Traveling to Indianapolis at Christmas to gaze at the store windows on the circle.
The “Santa” show on channel 4, The “Popeye and Janie” show, “Cowboy Bob and the Chuckwagon Theater” featuring “Sourdough, the Singing Biscuit”
Friday night scary movies with Sammy Terry.
The pancake festival on the square and the aroma of fresh pancakes and tent canvas mingled together.
The J.C. Penny store on the corner with the big picture of Mr. Penny over the front door.
The first Hoover’s candy store, the small one in Englewood. The smell of caramel, the rotating assorted nuts display and the huge selection of candy. The best caramel apples in the world.
The Bedford drive-in and the miniature train with the tunnel.
The East 50 drive-in, its Ferris wheel and the best foil wrapped hot dogs I have ever had.
Wards barbershop and their great assortment of pocket combs for sale.
Witnessing “Dick the Bruiser” arrive just before his wrestling match at the National Guard armory. He stepped out of a Cadillac El Dorado wearing his wrestling outfit and cowboy boots.
The mouthwatering smell driving by the Bedford bakery when they were baking bread.
Summer nights listening to the Cincinnati Reds on the staticky AM radio.
The round swimming pool at Thornton Park and the infamous swim test administered by the life guards before you could cross over the rope into the deep end and jump off the diving boards.
A great Saturday: a Long John pastry from Pfeffer’s bakery for breakfast, Johnny Quest on the TV, lunch at Burger Chef, a matinee at the Indiana Theatre and an ice cream sundae from the Woolworth’s restaurant counter.
Hiking back to Stack Rock from Wilson Park.
Snow’s drive in, the best cheeseburger in the world, sorry Red Barrel, Satellite, Jerry’s, Hub and Beetle Burger fans. The food stands at the 4-H Fair also provided stiff competition.
Returning pop bottles, mowing yards and de-tasseling corn for summer money.
The dressed fleas at the Lawrence County Museum.
The smell of the walk in freezer at the Bedford dairy and the complimentary cups of ice cream with the wooden spoons.
The bug truck spraying in the summer.
Astronaut glasses with a fill up from the Marathon station.
The snow cone (white paper cones) and the Tastee freeze trucks (the first mobile soft served ice cream)
I hope everyone back in “The Limestone Capital of the World” my hometown Bedford is alright…COL Mark McKnight, BNL class of 1979
Col. Mark McKnight, Chief of Staff
3rd Infantry Division, Task Force Marne
Camp Victory, Iraq
6 April 2008
Labels: Stories
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