In 1968, Carl Fogelberg (Turtle Clan) found himself in the Army, stationed in Alaska as a firefighter. The trip proved to be ill-fated. Carl contracted encephalitis – an inflammation of the brain caused by mosquitoes – and was hospitalized for almost two months. When he recovered, he completed his tour of duty and was discharged.
Before his second tour of duty was complete, his second daughter, Kirsten, had been born in 1975. Now a career military man, Carl re-enlisted, but this time, chose a new specialty. He trained as a recovery Non-Commissioned Officer. He learned to drive a truck, operate a crane and a wrecker – a vehicle similar to a tow truck. After his training, he was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas where his son, Stephen, was born in 1977.
Wertheim, Germany was the next stop for Carl, serving there from 1979 to 1981. His job was reclassified and trained as a mechanic. From Germany he was stationed to Aberdeen, Maryland. With only five years left until he was eligible to retire, Carl spent four years in Stuttgart and the remaining year at Fort Drum in Watertown.
“I met my goals,” Carl said. “I wanted to retire as a sergeant first class, and I did.”
A version of this story first appeared in The Oneida, Volume 8, No. 9 in October 1997 and was edited for the web.
