Mascot Pet Cemetery - Fort Sill, OK
N 34° 41.594 W 098° 25.206
14S E 553113 N 3839177
2-2 Field Artillery Regiment mascot cemetery located on Fort Sill, OK.
Waymark Code: WMN985
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 01/23/2015
Views: 7
The 2-2 FA Regiment is one of the few units with live mascots. When they die, they are buried with full military honors. This cemetery is the resting place for both Big Deuce the mule/donkey and Short Round the goat.
Mules were used to haul guns, ammunition, and Soldiers in the early days. Big Deuce is a symbol of that tradition for the unit. SGM John L. Sanders was ordered to "Get an ass" in 1950. He procured Big Deuce I.
Big Deuce I served from 1950 to 1964.
Big Deuce II served from 1964 to 1971.
Big Deuce III served from 29 June 1971 to 1981.
Big Deuce IV, a donkey, enlisted in the Army in Jan 1982 as a Private. On Memorial Day 1984, CPL Big Deuce decided to take a nap during the playing of the National Anthem. This is violation of Article 92, dereliction of duty. Reduction in rank was considered; however, he was given 60 days to prove himself on July 4th. The following year he did gain his third stripe gaining the rank of Seargent. In 1986, he was officially inducted into the 2nd Artillery Regiment. Early Aug 1991 he made the rank of Sargeant First Class. On 9 Aug 1991, Big Deuce IV retired from active military service at Pritchard Field on Fort Sill. He retired to a farm in Cach, OK.
Big Deuce V served from 18 Dec 1991 to 9 Mar 1995.
Big Deuce VI enlisted in Mar 1995. He was promoted to SFC on 25 Jan 2010. In 2013 he was again promoted, this time to Master Sergeant and is still serving in 2015.
Short Round is Big Deuce's technical advisor. He is a goat.
Short Round I joined Big Deuce IV as his technical advisor in 1982. In 1986, he officially joined the Army as a Private. 9 Aug 1991, then Corporal Short Round retired with Big Deuce and went to the same farm in Cache, OK.
Short Round II was said to have failed the entrance exam and not be allowed to enlist.
Short Round III was born in 1996. March 1997 he arrived at the unit. He died in 2002.
Short Round IV, an Afghan Goat, enlisted into the Army Feb 2002 and on 1 Mar he was assigned to the 2-2 FA. He attended the U.S. Army's Escape and Evasion Course, which he mastered and put to use to conduct remedial physical training and land navigation during non-duty hours, i.e. escaped his pen. He also had POW training, high physical fitness standards, and participated in ceremonies raising unit morale. His record included 32 retirement ceremonies, 32 salutes, 26 battalion runs, 16 battalion organizational days and one St. Barbara's Day ball. He mysteriously died on 8 Dec 2009. A memorial service was held the same day as was posthumously promoted to Sergeant.
Short Round V, a red goat, was born in Sep 2009. He joined the Army 19 Jan 2010 as a Private and was officially enlisted on 25 Jan. In 2011 he made Private Second Class, 2012 Private First Class, and 2013 earned his Corporal stripes. He is still currently serving.
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