Saddam Hussein's palace in Tikrit

[Big Frank]

My friend Scott sent me an email almost 5 years ago with the first pic enclosed. The 2nd pic is one I found online. He called it Sodamn Insane's palace in Tikirt, Iraq, and said, "I watched the 101st and marines take this compound standing on top of an 931 tractor with night vision." The The M931 is the same thing as a M932 in the 3rd pic without a winch. He would have had a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic badge and Driver badge on his dress uniform, and a Wheeled Vehicle Driver badge for going a certain number of miles or months without an accident. We earned the driver badges in Germany. I don't know which tab would be above the other, but it would look something like the 4th pic. He bobtailed all the time, and if another truck broke down he could hook up to its trailer if need be. He told me how one time he was changing a tire on another truck, and everyone else in his convoy was returning fire at the people who were shooting at him. He was a wheeled vehicle mechanic in Iraq and Iran, but was a tank turret repairman when I knew him. He left the army, waited 6 months so he was no longer qualified at his old job, then re-enlisted. He didn't want to stay in and be stuck at Fort Irwin in Death Valley forever doing the old job, and found a way out of it. I guess he forgot the rule, NEVER make yourself indispensable. 101st is the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), known as Screaming Eagles. AKA Screaming Chickens, Puking Buzzards, or Choking Chickens.