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Book: The Chameleon Soldier: NOW AS AN ALIEN BLUE HE CANNOT DIE. by D.B. Silvis
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Authors: D.B. Silvis
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shouted one of the men.
“I don’t know. I was just passing by. Get some buckets of water we need to put it out,” Killian answered.
The men ran to get buckets of water.
The following morning, the fourth of May, 1942, Killian climbed into his Chevy pickup, and headed back to his ranch. At the same time twenty-nine Navajo recruits boarded a bus, at Fort Defiance, on their way to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California. It was there they would spend seven weeks for standard recruit training before transferring to Camp Elliot for eight weeks of basic communication training, and to develop a special code based on the Navajo language.
Throughout the war, the code talkers were commended for their skill, speed and accuracy. They proved to be invaluable to the military forces.
The United States government made a decision regarding the 1st Cavalry in February, 1943, when General McArthur ordered them dismounted. The unit was then equipped with hundreds of new armored vehicles, motorcycles, tanks and heavy weapons. To the dismay of most of the cavalrymen, the 1st Cavalry was now converted into a mechanized infantry unit. The proud cavalrymen did not want to trade in their horses, and saddles for vehicles. However, on February, 28, all the mounted regiments held a dismount ceremony, where the men turned in their horses, saddles and bridles. It was a sad day for the cavalry.
Some of the horses were sent to other forts, but most were auctioned off at bargain prices. Killian, along with Peter, Jacob and their sons, attended the Fort Bliss auction. They were buyers. Many of the cavalrymen, who knew Killian, and the men from the KF ranch, asked them to purchase their horse, promising to buy it back after the war. They obliged and bought every one of the horses they were asked to buy, plus many more fine mounts at giveaway prices. Altogether they bought over three hundred animals, along with many of the saddles and bridles. It took them days to move the horses, and equipment to the KF ranch.
CHAPTER 6
T he war raged on in Europe for much longer than most had envisioned. With the 1st Cavalry now dismounted, and Fort Bliss not purchasing horses, the market for the stock at the KF ranch was limited to individuals, who were buying horses for pleasure or to help work their farms. Killian and the Freeman family turned a large portion of the ranch into grazing land and began raising steers. Their longhorns were some of the finest in the region. Over the following months, Killian and the Freeman family were ever-present at the rodeos, and livestock shows that thrived at the El Paso Country Coliseum.
When the war ended in 1945, and for a few years afterward, some of the cavalrymen, who had survived the war, returned to El Paso. They came to the KF ranch looking for, and to purchase, their old mounts. When the men found their horse was still on the ranch, and in good health, they were overjoyed. When they asked what they owed for their horse, they were told they had already paid for it by their service to the country. Most of the time, the returning soldiers would stay for a few days, and reminisce with Killian. Some of them knew which of their comrades would not be returning for their mounts, as they were buried in one of the many gravesites in Europe. A few even stayed on to help with the work at the ranch.
One of them who stayed was Captain Kipling Smith. He had been wounded in the right leg and was still walking with a cane. Captain Smith was from a wealthy family in Virginia. They owned a large acreage of farm and ranch land along the east coast. His parents, Jesse and Arthur Smith, lived on a southern-style plantation farm. His grandfather, Zack, had a ranch next door to Kipling’s parents’ home. It was stocked with many fine horses. Zack Smith was well known, nationwide, for raising successful racing horses.
Over the next year and a half Kipling went back home to Virginia on two occasions, but after the war he
“I don’t know. I was just passing by. Get some buckets of water we need to put it out,” Killian answered.
The men ran to get buckets of water.
The following morning, the fourth of May, 1942, Killian climbed into his Chevy pickup, and headed back to his ranch. At the same time twenty-nine Navajo recruits boarded a bus, at Fort Defiance, on their way to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California. It was there they would spend seven weeks for standard recruit training before transferring to Camp Elliot for eight weeks of basic communication training, and to develop a special code based on the Navajo language.
Throughout the war, the code talkers were commended for their skill, speed and accuracy. They proved to be invaluable to the military forces.
The United States government made a decision regarding the 1st Cavalry in February, 1943, when General McArthur ordered them dismounted. The unit was then equipped with hundreds of new armored vehicles, motorcycles, tanks and heavy weapons. To the dismay of most of the cavalrymen, the 1st Cavalry was now converted into a mechanized infantry unit. The proud cavalrymen did not want to trade in their horses, and saddles for vehicles. However, on February, 28, all the mounted regiments held a dismount ceremony, where the men turned in their horses, saddles and bridles. It was a sad day for the cavalry.
Some of the horses were sent to other forts, but most were auctioned off at bargain prices. Killian, along with Peter, Jacob and their sons, attended the Fort Bliss auction. They were buyers. Many of the cavalrymen, who knew Killian, and the men from the KF ranch, asked them to purchase their horse, promising to buy it back after the war. They obliged and bought every one of the horses they were asked to buy, plus many more fine mounts at giveaway prices. Altogether they bought over three hundred animals, along with many of the saddles and bridles. It took them days to move the horses, and equipment to the KF ranch.
CHAPTER 6
T he war raged on in Europe for much longer than most had envisioned. With the 1st Cavalry now dismounted, and Fort Bliss not purchasing horses, the market for the stock at the KF ranch was limited to individuals, who were buying horses for pleasure or to help work their farms. Killian and the Freeman family turned a large portion of the ranch into grazing land and began raising steers. Their longhorns were some of the finest in the region. Over the following months, Killian and the Freeman family were ever-present at the rodeos, and livestock shows that thrived at the El Paso Country Coliseum.
When the war ended in 1945, and for a few years afterward, some of the cavalrymen, who had survived the war, returned to El Paso. They came to the KF ranch looking for, and to purchase, their old mounts. When the men found their horse was still on the ranch, and in good health, they were overjoyed. When they asked what they owed for their horse, they were told they had already paid for it by their service to the country. Most of the time, the returning soldiers would stay for a few days, and reminisce with Killian. Some of them knew which of their comrades would not be returning for their mounts, as they were buried in one of the many gravesites in Europe. A few even stayed on to help with the work at the ranch.
One of them who stayed was Captain Kipling Smith. He had been wounded in the right leg and was still walking with a cane. Captain Smith was from a wealthy family in Virginia. They owned a large acreage of farm and ranch land along the east coast. His parents, Jesse and Arthur Smith, lived on a southern-style plantation farm. His grandfather, Zack, had a ranch next door to Kipling’s parents’ home. It was stocked with many fine horses. Zack Smith was well known, nationwide, for raising successful racing horses.
Over the next year and a half Kipling went back home to Virginia on two occasions, but after the war he
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