Archie Brewer

After graduation I attended Del Mar. I would work some and go to school some. In late 1961 it became evident, as I was not carrying a full load, I was going to have to join the military or be drafted. In Nov 1961 I joined the Army Security Agency going through basic at Ft. Lenoard Wood, MO. Then MP school in Ft. Gordon, GA and on to Germany. I spent 30 months in northern Germany working at a little site on a high point near the East German border. Lived in a hotel (as we were out of the American sector) that had a band downstairs 6 nights a week until 4a.m. What else could an early 20 something need? It was really good duty and I saw most of Europe while there, something I would never have done if not for the Army. After returning home I went to work for a petroleum/chemical inspection company dealing with products being loaded in and out of the refineries onto ships, bardges, railcars, etc. Most of my time was spent in Texas City except on assignments around the country and out of the country. I transferred back to Corpus Christi in 1979. In 1980 I went to work for Quintana Petrochemical, which lasted until it shutdown in 1984. After going to St. Crouix and working for a while at Hess, I took about 8 months off backpacking and camping in Big Bend, Colorado, and Utah. At the start of 1986 I went to work for Coastal Refining and Marketing which had bought Quintana. I was there until I retired in 2001. Most of my life I spent my free time backpacking and camping in the Rocky Mountains or playing around in the back country of Colorado and Utah in my beat-up old Jeep. In 1985, I met a beautiful lady and we were married in 1988 (my first time at the age of 48) and have never been happier than I am right now. I have traveled in and out of the country a lot, have great life-long friends, beautiful wife, and good health. What more could an old man ask for? It's been a good ride.

FLAGSTORY

It was in the early morning hours of July 4, 1964, that a small group of soldiers internally fortified with a sufficient quantity of good brew (Stan Bauer, Archie Brewer, and a couple of other brave soldiers whose names have been lost in time or who don’t want to own up to what I think is one of the neatest things I have ever been involved in) laid siege to the British detachment at Helmstedt, West Germany. Not armed with musket or cannon but only with an American flag, a little can of grease, and a knife, we made our way into the British detachment. The British detachment or NAAFI (Navy, Army, Air Force, Institutes ) was situated along side the Autobahn just prior to entering East Germany on the way to Berlin. Among other duties the NAAFI supplied guards for the border checkpoint and had a great little club. We would go there from time to time, drink a few beers and socialize. We got to know some of their guys real well which made our encroachment all the more meaningful.
Before daylight on that fateful July 4th we made our way into the compound, through a few doorways and there it was, their Union Jack flying in all its splendor. Quickly, as daylight was approaching, we lowered the Union Jack and raised the Stars and Stripes. Stan shinnied up the flagpole, cut and then tied off the rope and greased the pole on the way down. We got out of there as fast as we could, only stopping long enough to catch our breath and laugh a little along the way.
We finally got up enough nerve to drive by the NAAFI about 10 that morning and sure enough, there it was, Old Glory flying at the British detachment for everyone, including all who were driving between Frankfurt and Berlin, to see.
Of all the good clean fun we had in Germany that has to be at the top of the list.
From a group of little stories I call Archie's Army. Archie Brewer