14th ACR LECLERC RIFLE TEAM

FULDA, GERMANY 1957-1960

The 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment had a very active rifle team that completed against the other rifle teams in the Seventh Army and Fifth Corps. Also they competed against the British and German Forces in Europe. I was proud to be apart of that LeClerc rifle team for two years. I meet young men like myself such as Stanley Stroud, and Darrel Rogstad. Rober and LeRoy Ruder. Our Officers were great leaders. The ones that I remember are Lt. James Pocock, Lt. James Bacon, and Lt Shick. All three of these officers were also officers in my company as the men on the rifle team were drawn from all of the units in the 14th ACR. One great regret that I have is that I did not take photographs of our teammates and officers. Thanks to some of the former members of the rifle team we are able to put up a few photos on this web site. If there are any former members to the rifle team that come across this web site please contact us.

This photo was sent to us by Darryl Rogstad who was a member of the 14th LeClerc Team

This photo was taken when the BAR Team won the 5th Corps Match

From Left to right

Far Left Lt. Shick.  1st row Pfc Yamat, Pfc. Reno, Pfc Mueller, Pvt Witt    2nd row (?), Argo, Plyler, Pfc Garner

third row, Spec 4 Chavez,  Parker,  Darryl Rogstad.

The men on the rifle team were a unique group of guys. We lived in the same barracks away from our companies, keep our own passes and were on an honor system to stay out of trouble. We had no bed check and did not fall out for reveille. Our sergeants and officers expected us to keep our noses clean and were not on our backs. We were a team one and all.

This photograph is of the 58th Engineers barracks. The second floor was occupied by the Leclerc Rifle Team. It was on the street that ran from the Main Gate to the the 14th ACR mess hall.

Above; Robert Ruder, Darryl Rogstad and LeRoy Ruder14th ACR Le Clerc Team   Darryl Rogstad 2-14th ACR Le Clerc Rifle Team

Above; 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment Le Clerc Rifle Team. On the far left in the front row 2nd person in could be Dragan Dujmovic.

Nov 2009 The following story is from Dragan Dujmovic who was on the Le Clerc Rifle Team and also was in charge of the Unit Police

Hi Jim,
Right after the NATO competition in Osnabrueck we had a competition between Fulda and Bad Hersfeld in Bad Hersfeld. We were to shoot in the standing position at a hundred yards. Beside me from the other team was a GI in a fancy padded competition jacket with patches etc. He had a couple of guys with a spotting scope fussing  over him. Because it was near lunch time I wanted to get it over with and just rushed through the shooting and left for chow. The commander along with 3 or 4 ranky officers found me in the chow line to congratulate me on my shooting.
After lunch we were to shoot at 400 yds. We fired two shots and the guy in the pit showed that I shot far left of the target. The platoon leader came over to see what happened and to let me know that he had expected better shooting from me. I told him that the the guys in the pit are from Hersfeld and are favoring their shooter and that I will fire one more shot and after he shows where I hit I will
shoot the marker out of his hand. That is exactly what I did. Realizing this won't be a fair competition I quit right then and there.
 

LeRoy Ruder being presented award for winner of  the V-Corps Le Clerc Rifle Team Competition. LeRoy had the Top Score with the M-1 Rifle.

This photo is from the V-Corp Championship in 1959(59) I remember it was a

Beautiful day and our team won some awards.

Above is Bruce Lantz after winning the a BAR Championship               Above is Bruce Lantz in front and his partner is thought to be Keally

Engineer's Barracks where the Le Clerc Rifle Team slept up stairs,

Photo was taken in 1989 30 years after the fact.