Jack Remembers -- Sensible Gun Ownership

Every time I turn on the news I hear “gun control”. I decided to check my guns and asked my wife Laura what happened to my Bolt action .22 I bought when I was eleven years old for $12.00. She answered, “Your son John came and got it years ago to add to his gun collection.” I asked if my mom’s old single shot 410 shotgun with no shells was the only gun we owned, and she said, “Yes, and that’s the way I like it”.
When I went through advanced infantry training, we were required to shoot and be proficient with every light weapon the Army had, including mortars, carbines, anti-tank bazookas, pistols, and .30 and .60 caliber machine guns. One of my favorites was the not-so-accurate grease gun that could shoot 500 .45 caliber bullets a minute. After basic training we were then issued a .30 caliber M-1rifle we carried everywhere we went for the rest of our time in the service.
I suddenly realized I may not have shot a gun since I got out of the service 60 years ago. I decided to take a poll of my Army buddies to see if they owned guns. I called Bob Lundy in Burden, Kansas, who was our .60 caliber mortar man. He said he has never owned a gun since he got out of the Army. I called Dick Stephenson who used to run a tire shop and filling station in Albany, MO and reads my article in the Sheridan News. He said he did not own a gun now, but owned guns when he used to go duck hunting. He retired, had a sale, and sold them. My best friend Gary Reagin from Oak Grove who wound up in Houston, Texas, told me years ago he had never owned a gun. Ralph Chrisler, Gorham, Kansas, said he owned a single shot .22 rifle, a single shot .12 gauge shot gun, and when he was younger liked to squirrel hunt. He most recently bought and registered a .22 pistol for target shooting.
If President Obama wants sensible gun ownership, my suggestion is he should draft everyone when they turn 18 into the Infantry and make them carry a gun for two years.
Jack can be reached at PO Box 40, Oak Grove, MO 64075 or jackremembers@aol.com. Visit www.jackremembers.com