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years and counting for a construction company in Fairfield . He worked for a few months , but the company was moving , which did not interest him . He heard of a job opening at Corsicana Auto Parts and decided to apply . The owner , Ross Maxfield , did not know anything about Pillans , and had recently let an employee go for stealing from him . He told Pillans he would hire him if he could pass
8 Explore Corsicana | Fall 2022 a lie detector test . Pillans said he was surprised by this request but needed a job , so he found a place in Dallas to take the test . He passed and went to work for Maxfield in the fall of 1963 . At the time , there were only six employees at the store . Pillans worked for the auto parts store until he drafted in 1969 . He was divorced and had a new daughter . He sold everything but his car and was bused to California to begin basic training . The Army told Pillans that since he had experience in the parts business , he would serve the supply division . However , to his surprise , he was sent into infantry .
“ I thought two years , that ’ s a snap , but boy did I have something to learn ,” he joked .
He made sergeant quickly and was sent to Cambodia . Three