DOUG EIER INTERVIEW - AN ENCOUNTER WITH A BLACK BEAR

We had a garbage pit and the KP boys would take the garbage out to the garbage pit. And one night they went out there and there were three bears out there and the boys came running back to camp screaming "Bears!" Well, one of the boys, he was a supply sergeant, and he had an old German Luger pistol. So he goes out there. One of the black bears had climbed a tree. The other two, they’d scared them off. But here he is, shooting at that bear in the tree. Well, they killed the bear and they skinned the bear. And the kids were out there with hammers and chisels trying to get a bear tooth as a souvenir. But then everybody had to have their picture taken with that bear skin. You know, send it home. About six weeks to a month and a half later, in the mess hall, the Captain usually gets up and tells us about what happened today, what’s going to happen next day. So, and then he said, "Fellows," he said, "by the way how did you like your dinner tonight?" "Oh great. Great. We should have more of it." And he said, "I just wanted you to know you ate that bear that GI Stewart shot out of the tree." Complete silence. All of a sudden, half a dozen run for the door and they got outside and lost their cookies. They couldn't stand the thought that they had eaten wild bear. And it was delicious.