False Alarm

 'Gas! Gas! We've been hit! Mask, everybody!'

Contributed by Patricia Weaver, SFC, US Army (Ret)

Our unit was an air traffic control platoon with the Army. We were running the airfield at Log Base Alpha. The first night of the war, we were awakened at 0230 to get into the bunker. Everybody was on edge. Well, three of the females in the bunker had to go to the bathroom. The Plt Sgt told them to go, but to get right back. As you know, we had 4-seater outhouses. Instead of all three going at the same time, they took turns. The air raid siren sounded while the last one was on the toilet, signifying a possible scud attack. Then all three came flying back into the bunker, the last one with pants down around her ankles and protective mask on! Another incident was with our PLL clerk. He thought we were being attacked every time he heard a sonic boom. One afternoon, Hawthorne came running out of the tent, mask on, yelling "Gas! Gas! We've been hit! Mask, everybody!" I said, "Hawthorne, it was just another sonic boom." He said, "No, my eyes are burning -- We've been hit!" I told him to look around and see that everybody was fine. He finally unmasked. Come to find out, he had been gargling with Listerine and hadn't spit it out before he masked and it got in his eyes!