“It’s as easy as graduating high school, you did that didn’t you?” Private First Class James Capello asked me. “No, I have not finished yet.” “What are you doing here then?” We had been having a discussion about what tank school was like, I had been to basic training, but I still had to go to Fort Knox as soon as I graduated high school. Jimmy, or Crackers as he was called, was assigned to me my first drill. Someone has to show the new guy around. Jimmy’s brother had been in the Regular Army got out and got a job at Raytheon and joined the Guard. John, his brother came in with his high school buddy Arthur, who had been in the Marine Corps and was one of the reasons that I would switch over later. They all had come from the same little city, Waltham. They were not quite sure why some high school kid from Sherborn was there, but if he wants to tank then so be it. Years later I would briefly go back to the 110th after I left the Marine Corps and train with them again. In 2001 a bartender I knew in Holliston had gone to School with all three of them in Waltham said to me the last thing I expected to hear. “Chris, do you remember John Capello?” “What do you mean remember?” I said. “He passed away the other day from a heart infection.” “What, John is barely 40 if that.” “The wake is tomorrow, do you want to go?” “Yes.” I got into a suit and met Bruce at the bar. We go into his car and stopped at a friend of his in Waltham, and talked for a bit. Then it was of to the parlor. There was a line around the block. There were people I had not seen in years. “Swifty, how are you? Haven’t seen you in awhile.” came out of the line. Some were in uniform, some were not. Many had there 110th Armor or 110th Cavalry or even their 172nd Armor crests on their lapels. I got in line and as I knelt at his coffin I noticed that the men had been taking their regimental crests and laying them in his casket. I got up made my way to the line and there was Crackers. “I’m sorry” is all I could say. I am glad that most of the old Cav showed up, I got to find out who else was gone from the conversations afterwards. Sgt Cellona, my first gunner on an actual gunnery was there. “Where is Taylor?” our tank commander that year. “He is gone too, a few years back.” Then Paul Dunbury in dress greens came up to me with Major Jong. I had remembered him as a 2nd Lt back in the day. He was an instructor at Norwich now. “Hey, there is rumor they are going to bring back the 110th.” Paul said with a smile. |
John Capello's Wake
| 110th Armor |