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1SG Ray Hamilton was…well…”one of a kind”. Rude, crude, socially
unacceptable, there was not an ounce of couth in him. Well…perhaps a half
ounce…but only when absolutely necessary. He smoked like a fiend, could make
a drunken sailor blush, all while doing the work of ten men. You may not
have wanted him around polite society, but then those folks are rarely found
where he was needed most.
Then there was his infamous…barely operating…pickup, the back of which was
surely the breeding ground of new and gnarly, ever evolving, life forms. He
was never in any danger of a vehicle inspection at a gate or checkpoint, for
no guard would want the risk of turning his post into a HAZMAT site!
He suffered no fool gladly, And his voice, something akin to two gravel
piles in a wrestling match, could be gruff and curt to the point of
disrespect…and sometimes beyond it. But few cared more for their unit, or
had a bigger heart. And where that heart opened most was to “his” troops.
Born 04 FEB 1933, he had already served his country well, both in the Navy
(1952-1956) and the Army Guard (1976-1983) when fate chose to guide him our
way. He joined the SDF in 1998, and rose steadily to the rank of 1SG,
serving with 2BN before holding various posts at 1BDE HQ.
There were few missions that were without his presence…or his coffee,
donuts, and other assorted snacks, much of which was financed from his not
so ample pockets. Few soldiers could complain of hunger or thirst when he
was around.
The troops, especially the “young” ones (whatever their age) received his
attention in other ways. Uniforms, haircuts, salutes…all things pertaining
to soldiering…caught his eye. He was a walking encyclopedia of customs and
courtesies, and worked tirelessly to ensure that all soldiers “did it
right.” An “old school” NCO, his passion was to see that all of us, no
matter the rank, were at our best.
There is an overused and by now somewhat trite quote that has been applied
to many men, not all of them deserving of it. 1SG Hamilton however reflects
it to its fullest. “He was a man, take him for all in all. I shall not look
upon his like again.”
Soldier on, 1SGT Hamilton, you will be missed!
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