Mike, the path that led me to "Bullets and Bureaucrats" is long & convoluted. I have been reading about the Benet-Mercie and "B&B" came up as a secondary reference. I found a like-new copy via ABE. It was $25 or $30, money well spent. At the same time, I purchased an original copy, 2nd ed., of "Machine Guns" by J. Hatcher et al and one of those print-on-demand copies of Ordnance Department Manual No. 1926, the Manual for the Benet-Mercie.
In 1963, I had advanced to the illustrious rank of MN3 and was at the US Naval Magazine in Guam. One of the guys in my unit was a local and said "you must meet my grandfather". Grandfather was one of those Spanish regulars, probably a lowly private in the rear ranks. He told me he figured that he would enjoy the rest of his life in Guam, with fresh fish & fruit, a friendly woman, lots of rain, home-made beer and maybe children & grandchildren a lot more than anything the Spanish Army had in mind. When it was time to board the ship for Spain, he walked into the woods. He did the same thing when the Japs showed up in 1942. I enjoyed the few evenings I spent with the old man.
Last edited by waterman; 11/22/11 11:47 AM.
