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I still have mine (somewhere). I remember once seeing one of the cars on the autobahn – the Soviets bought big, powerful American cars (the story was that they got them through Canada, but who knows), and there was no way that we could catch up with it (we were in a CUCV). There was a story (maybe apocryphal) going around (circa 1987-88) that a private and a sergeant were driving on a back road in a 5-ton, and were passed by a SMLM (smellem), so they tried to chase it, and ended up cornering the car in a dead-end. According to the story, the sergeant told the private to pin the car, and he drove up on the car’s hood. According to the story, the kid got a medal. Maybe not true, but we thought it was funny.
Thats how I knew them as, we chased a big flat dark green Opel Vector in our Scorpion CVR(T) an were gaining on him until he changed into fourth gear and accelerated away…
Summer of 1989 on the autobahn between Graf and Frankfurt, I noticed one driving in and out of our convoy…tried to pin him in, but he zipped off onto the parkplatz. My OIC gave me an extra day off for the heads-up attempt.
I remember calling in a SMLM report when one zipped through my convoy serial during one of the last REFORGERs (90?). Later I received a nice pre-printed “Thank you for yuor important SMLM report” postcard in the mail.
I still have mine (somewhere). I remember once seeing one of the cars on the autobahn – the Soviets bought big, powerful American cars (the story was that they got them through Canada, but who knows), and there was no way that we could catch up with it (we were in a CUCV). There was a story (maybe apocryphal) going around (circa 1987-88) that a private and a sergeant were driving on a back road in a 5-ton, and were passed by a SMLM (smellem), so they tried to chase it, and ended up cornering the car in a dead-end. According to the story, the sergeant told the private to pin the car, and he drove up on the car’s hood. According to the story, the kid got a medal. Maybe not true, but we thought it was funny.
Standard brief for all reforgers
SOXMIS!
Thats how I knew them as, we chased a big flat dark green Opel Vector in our Scorpion CVR(T) an were gaining on him until he changed into fourth gear and accelerated away…
Summer of 1989 on the autobahn between Graf and Frankfurt, I noticed one driving in and out of our convoy…tried to pin him in, but he zipped off onto the parkplatz. My OIC gave me an extra day off for the heads-up attempt.
You memorize embassy license plate sequencing wherever you work. I hope.
They were in the pocket daily from late ’83 well into ’86.
I remember my Aunt and Uncle doing this all the time near Fulda…it wasn’t easy to report in the pre-cell phone days.
I remember the debriefs after this caper:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pepup/2510751328
I sure do! 2/2 ACR 87-92
Very cool interview about what these guys did
http://spy-museum.s3.amazonaws.com/files/spycast/audio/2013_04_19_ennis_part1.mp3
Part of the standard briefing for all new troops being stationed in Germany during the early ’70s.
@ Jim as well, no chance in my 436……….
I remember calling in a SMLM report when one zipped through my convoy serial during one of the last REFORGERs (90?). Later I received a nice pre-printed “Thank you for yuor important SMLM report” postcard in the mail.
I remember that on Ex in Norway 88 or 89. When THEY were in Afghan.