Talk:Garrison B. Coverdale

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After being drafted into the army and completing basic training at Fort Dix, NJ, in 1960, I was chosen to be trained for Army Inteligence work at Fort Holibird, Baltimore, MD. After completing my training as an Army Intelligence Coordinator, I was assigned to the adjudication department in the G-2 section at Fort Holibird. (The name change from Army Counter-Intelligence Corps to Army Intelligence was taking place around the same time.) I remember when we were informed that a new commanding officer was to be assigned to Fort Holibird and that he was to personally meet everyone on the post. We were all rehearsed on what to reply when General Coverdale stood in front of us and ask what our job function was. After telling him the required information, his reply was "You need a haircut, soldier". I was never one to get short haircuts, but his reply did startle me. Afterwards, the major in charge of our section told me that those crew cut haircuts are nice, but did not insist on my having one - I did just get a regular cut after his admonition. Another soldier in our department was immediately removed from G-2 and reassigned to the laundry room for answering the general with a flippant remark trying to be funny. The tall, rough-spoken general was a serious minded person who did not tolerate humor in a serious setting. I believe his personal contact with each soldier assigned to Fort Holibird went a long way in establishing his leadership personality of the Army Intelligence Corps.

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I was stationed at Fort Holabird in 1963. There was a story circulating that the general had been captured by the Japanese in the Philippine Islands. During the Bataan Death March he was supposedly butt-stoked in the throat which accounted for his hoarse sounding voice. Only recently did I discover through the internet that the general did not serve in the Pacific. The truth about his raspy voice is far less dramatic. He was kicked in the throat by a horse or mule while serving as a young artillery officer at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.

While awaiting my course to begin at Fort Holabird, I was assigned as a "tester" for the annual physical examination of officers. Officers had the option of either running around the track for a distance of one mile or running in place for a set time period. Most chose to run in place.

During one afternoon it was reported that General Coverdale would be arriving for the test. Everyone suddenly disappeared behind the nearest tree or building. A staff car arrived and the general stepped out - wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt and khaki pants. After telling him his options, the general huffed and began his run around the track. Needless to say, he passed that part of the test and I dutifully signed his form.