PFC Pete Schroeter was a newly arrived draftee in Vietnam and found himself assigned to A Company. His thick German-American accent immediately earned him the nickname of "Pete The Kraut."

On the night in question it was dark and raining like hell when Pete made an emergency pit stop at the company latrine.

Upon entering the dimly lit building there was only one other occupant. Standing at the urinal troth he observed what appeared be an old oriental man wearing a poncho with the hood up, dripping with water, and stooped over the troth doing his business.

Pete stepped up beside the old man and began relieving himself. Not wanting to appear ignorant he decided to strike up a conversation and all he could think of at that moment was  "*Beaucoup rain outside Papasan."

The old man to his side ignored Pete's greeting and continued doing his business. When finished the Papasan turned towards Pete and said "I'm your First Sergeant Troop," and turned and left the building. Pete stood dumfounded.

It wasn't until Pete returned to his barracks that he learned from his buddies that his first sergeant, Thomas M. Amii was of Hawaiian decent, and that 1SG Amii wasn't known for having a sense of humor.

Pete believes that the greeting that night in the dark latrine was the reason he was immediately assigned as the company's resident plumber when he wasn't performing his regular MP duties.

* "beaucoup" is French for many or much and was commonly used by the Vietnamese.
Papasan is slang for father or an elderly man.