Cold War Conversations - "vivid & compelling" The NY Times

With the US 1st Armored Division in Cold War West Germany

·1 hr 17 min·5 clips

A drill sergeant declares that the fear of physical pain is the greatest motivator known to man.

Host Ian Sanders interviews Doug Baxson and Mike Hachette, who served in the U.S. 1st Armored Division during the Cold War. Both joined the Army in the mid-1970s, with Doug seeking adventure and Mike needing a job. They underwent One Station Unit Training (OSUT) at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where drill sergeants like C.W. Wesley Sisko emphasized fear as a motivator. Mike trained as a cavalry scout, lured by promises of motorcycles that never materialized. Doug faced intense summer training, losing significant weight. They were stationed in West Germany, with Doug in the north and Mike in the south. They operated M113 armored personnel carriers, noting their reliability and comfort, and trained on the M551 Sheridan light tank, firing its 152mm gun and Shillelagh missiles. The episode covers the cyclical nature of military life, including field exercises, tank gunnery, and border duty along the Czech-West German border. Doug and Mike discuss the post-Vietnam Army's morale issues, such as drug use and racial tensions, but praise their unit, 137 Armor, for its professionalism. They share anecdotes like Mike stripping naked to remove explosives from a bridge and pranking opposing forces with CS powder and spray paint. Both used Army education centers to earn college credits through CLEP tests. The conversation touches on interactions with locals, including former Wehrmacht soldiers, and encounters with Soviet liaison missions. Doug and Mike continued their careers in the Army Reserve, with Doug participating in Operation Desert Storm and Mike deploying to Iraq. They reflect on how their Cold War service provided a foundation for later civilian and military roles.

As heard by us

West Germany comes through as lived experience, with rank, tension, and the quiet cost of keeping order.

Doug and Mike offer a grounded look at service in the U.S. 1st Armored Division in West Germany, tracing the move from basic training and Army discipline into the strain of an overseas posting.

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Why you'd press play

You want West Germany, Army life, and the people holding it together.

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