A Short Story About Sergeant Hack

By Nita McKinney


Sergeant Hack was raised in a rural town in Kentucky and later moved in another town called Louisville. He joined the US Coast Guard in the year 1957 at an early age of seventeen and served for at least four years. In the year 1964, he enrolled in the Army and volunteered for Ranger Training. He prepared through different recruiters until he reached the Ranger Department at Fort Benning, GA. In the year 1965, he was placed on track for Ranger School Training. He was then assigned to serve as a Harbor Craft Boatswain at the Eglin Air Force Base, FL.

In two years, for about 21 long days and one month, he supported around twenty preparation cycles for Ranger School. Though, he was still praying that he might start his own training as well. But because of the essential needs of the Army, his dream ended second place. He stayed in the Army and served loyally and began preparing the young soldiers to be deployed in Vietnam for battle.

In his 24 months designation as the support for Ranger preparation, he was not able to finish it and never wore his coveted Ranger Tab. He became disappointed because he was not able to get his desired schedule for his class. Also, he was not given the chance to have a Tab. Though, he was able to realize the value of his responsibilities in training and became proud to be part of the brigade in two years.

He was assigned as the sergeant of Big Red One when he entered the First Infantry Division in Lai Khe, Vietnam. He also received an award called Purple Heart due to the combat wounds he obtained in 1968 that finally ended his journey in the military. He obtained a lot of injuries for two different events.

He spent an entire year in a US Army hospital and was placed on medical hold for three more years. When he recovered, he was assigned as a recruiter in a town in Akron, Cuyahoga Falls and in Tallmadge, Ohio. He gained a nationwide recognition as a top recruiter.

His typical recruiting tools would include a custom jeep, a special painted Corvette and a certain shirt. He used this to become the top one recruiter for the years 1969 up to 1973. The custom jeep is currently displayed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky museum.

After many years that followed his retirement, he served in Hudson Township Police Department. He was also assigned in the Summit County Sheriff Department. He ended his police career as a Chief of Police in Sebring, Ohio.

He then founded US Wings during 1985 with his wife. It is situated in Boston Heights and is operated by his family as well. They were supplying Bomber jackets and different gears for aviation to some parts of the armed forces.

He was given various awards and recognition later on. Sergeant Hack was awarded as a Veteran of the Foreign Wars in the US, the First Infantry Division, Ohio Association of Chief of Police and a Lifetime Beneficiary of the 101st Division. He was also given the the Vietnam Service Award, Purple Heart and the Army Recruiter Emblem. Congressman Steven La Tourette also held a ceremony for him in Ohio where he received honors.




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