June 2014 Oklahoma D-Day Newspaper Jun. 2014 | Page 23

Role of an Anti-tank Gunner
Alone, next to the road, I lay waiting among the tall grass and weeds. I hear the rumbling of a tank on the road advancing towards me. A slow, quick
peak over the log providing me cover, confirms it is the enemy. My heart rate quickens as the sound of the tanks engine gets louder. In my mind I rehearse my next few movements. The enemy is almost upon me as I roll up onto my elbows and lift the bazooka to my shoulder. Taking quick, careful
aim I send one round onto the tanks small side kill-plate rendering it dead. With the adrenaline still rushing in my system I radio the all clear to my platoon. They advance out of the woods and we make our way to the next objective. That was my first kill with my new anti-tank weapon. I was hooked!
I guess the big question is why do we come back year after year? Well the answer would be, because we really enjoy it. I have spent my vacation at
Oklahoma D-Day every June since 1999. This year will be my 15th year. When I tell my friends and coworkers what I do on my vacation they look at
me with a raised eyebrow and say, “You run around the woods for a week shooting paint at people?” I have to
explain to them that it is much more than that. It is an event where you come back to see all your friends that
you’ve worked with as a team in the previous years. You also meet new people that have never been here before. I think what makes Oklahoma D-Day unique is the way veterans of the event e