The fact is that most machine gunners, RTOs, junior officers and other extremely dangerous jobs survived the war. An interesting comment I had. We flew north, then made a stop, in Cam Rahn Bay. Food: Allowance for the on-base dining hall and access to tax-free department and grocery stores. The ration packs also included tablets for the purification of water they encountered in the field from streams, ponds, and even wells, since it was unknown if the Germans had taken any steps to contaminate wells as they withdrew. 2 tour Nam veteran, Les Scates, U.S. Army (Ret.) After heavy fighting across France and the Low Countries, it was believed by the Allied High Command that the Germans lacked the ability or the will to launch an assault in the Ardennes, and the troops were there to rest through Christmas. We killed a lot of the enemy but we took few serious casualties. That was the reason for two dog tags. Training to become MOS 11B is open to both men and women. Of the American combat troops which served on the continent of Europe during the Second World War about 15% were frontline infantry. 5 (April 1944) What the Soldier Thinks, no. Walking wounded were usually treated at aid stations manned by the medical personnel of their own unit. Color Vision discrimination for MOS 11B is red/green. Units would send a thorough report of their KIA and WIA, battle action coordinates, estimated enemy troop strength, enemy unit KIA/captured and any known direction heading. It is an important role of MOS 11B and just one of their many responsibilities. Quickly learned to control rate of fire. In the last 5 years the symptoms of PTSD and AO are starting getting worse in me. Men of the 47th Infantry Regiment pass through Remagen on their way to the Ludendorf Bridge, March 1945. Vehicles of the US First Infantry division stalled on a Belgian road in late 1944. Soldiers that are assigned to Bradley or Stryker units also must learn how to drive and perform maintenance on their assigned vehicles. Through it all, he carried all of the gear he needed to survive in the field, protect himself from the elements, and defend himself from the enemy. As we were, steadily building up, our area for protection. 11 c mos , meaning I was also cross trained for mortars . Infantrymen in France and Germany frequently encountered such temporary graves, most of which when found was opened and the body reinterred in cemeteries in Europe, where many still lie today. How they got there depended on the condition of the roads and railroads between their consolidation point and where they were needed. Soldiers also learn basic combative training including hand-to-hand combat and tactical combat casualty care (TCCC). Some wounded received convalescent leave far behind the lines. I never thought of it that way before but have many times since. I was a REMF but Ive heard of 05Cs that were stuck out in the boonies on a firebase. An Rtos job was essential, tough,(Carrying the extra weight of the radio transmitter along with his rucksack), and dangerous. I for one commend you for your courage and thank you for your service to your country. And yes, please God, bless America. While all rifle companies had assigned medics, they were not always in the company of squads on patrol or deployed in forwarding positions. meaning what is the chance of me getting killed in combat. In France, the bars were as hard as the frozen soil. Infantrymen must protect the country against any threat by land. The BAR man carried a weapon which weighed over 20 pounds loaded, and he carried another 20 pounds in ammunition. Loaded 0%. So was the need to stay nourished, and despite the idea of eating unappetizing rations cold, due to the necessity of avoiding using cooking fires, it was better than nothing. EIB - A day in the life of an infantryman. wias. Non-divisional aeromedical evacuation units went by the callsign DUSTOFF. Their experience as front-line combat infantry was invaluable in training new recruits in what they could expect when it became their turn at the front. I was sitting on the ground one day trying to dry out my gear and better configure my ruck when my squad leader came walking over to me and said, Gow, youve got the radio. As he turned and walked away! I would suspect that stating with any accuracy the life span of a grunt like me, or any other MOS, would be pretty much pure speculation. Very memorable comments. At age 55, World War 2 Veterans were estimated to live 21.4 and 26.1 life-years, 1.4 and 0.3 more life-years for Korean Conflict Veterans, and 3 and 1.5 more life-years for Vietnam Era Veterans for male and female, respectively. The infantrymen didnt know the reasons why they had to fight and too often die for a particular hill, or seemingly useless French farm or village, they simply had to do what they were told. For example, life expectancy of Veterans at age 25 population, thus 3.6 and 0.5 life-years smaller income differentials for male and female Veterans, respectively, shown in Tables 17 and 18. Whenever and wherever possible, infantrymen in France traded with the civilians for food such as eggs and vegetables. Sorry,I was one of your Brothers in Arms that helped talk you out of enlisting for another year in Vietnam. The average age of the 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date. You seen the enemy you shots him and vice versa. I was with HHC and 1st Platoon C Company in 70-71. Here are ten examples of what life was like for the combat infantryman of the Second World War. They endured faulty equipment, inadequate clothing, the errors of logistics and judgment which found them being delivered winter boots in summer and the opposite in cold weather. Rest and recovery could be at the level of any of the units of command, or as little as the squad level. Army Infantryman 11B are riflemen, while Indirect Fire Infantrymen 11C carry mortar weapons systems. Even during the period of rest, the possibility of a sudden attack was always present. We then took all Trucks and equipment to the Port Of Saigon. I would carry when on ambush. During the Second World War in all theaters, it was the infantry which bore the brunt of combat, be it ground units of the US Army or the Marines. I got shot on a mission with 45 days left. Thanks. We were probably not too far away on that day. Because the BAR had such a high rate of fire both the BAR man and another member of the squad carried extra ammunition for the weapon. It was one of my most memorable tours in the Navy I later went to a carrier and was bored silly because I had about 1% of the responsibilities I had as an O-2. Such protracted exposure to the elements boded ill for his life expectancy. Additionally, you must complete a Combat (CO) ASVAB score of 87. I lost my cherry very early. Bad apples were dealt with first at the squad level, and if that didnt correct the perceived deficiency the problem was presented to more senior personnel by the squad sergeant. These included cold beer, which was provided by American brewers, mandated by war regulations. The casualty rate for the American infantry was high. The 11X program challenges new recruits with the option of becoming MOS 11B or MOS 11C. We can all hold our heads high and be proud of our service. All that other stuff about seconds and minutes were story tellers, embellishing things to impress some listeners back home. OSUT training takes place at Fort Benning in Georgia. During some periods of intense combat more than a month could go by without clean clothes or a shower. When US troops encountered German units with multiple automatic weapons, the US Army changed its approach, and authorized two BARs per squad, though in practice this was difficult to achieve due to the weight of additional ammunition which had to be carried by other squad members, and which led to some non-coms favoring the Thompson to counter the German automatic fire. Many were killed or wounded ! My bud, Price took over as RTO. For the infantryman, the war was limited to how it affected his squad, and the need to protect and defend it. year old Marine thinking this is my last day on earth. While the platoon was commanded by a commissioned officer, usually a Second Lieutenant, the squad was led by a non-commissioned officer, usually, a Staff Sergeant serving as squad leader, assisted by a corporal. Aboard ship, the troops, most of whom had never been on a ship before, endured crowded conditions, jammed mess halls with waiting lines of up to an hour, seasickness, and boredom. In combat they treated the wounded in the field, wearing helmets which were clearly marked with a Red Cross. It had a crew of 4 (forward gunner, the coxswain (steering and driving) and the two aft gunners. If there was anything to this life expectancy of a few minutes then myself and many of my friends that are still alive today would be a long time dead. Some gave all. Forget the statistics, we all had a job to do, we went where we were told. The overwhelming majority of the combat infantrymen deployed during the Second World War carried as their primary weapon the Garand M1 rifle. These men were first loaded onto railcars from the French rolling stock which was called 40 and 8s. Joe Medicine Crow, the last war chief of the Crow Tribe of Montana is profiled in The War, a film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Occasionally the men were transferred piecemeal. We were in2dBn 503d . The prestigious badge, offered only to infantry and Special Forces Soldiers . In the absence of hard information, speculation and rumors spread, and the experienced infantryman learned to ignore the rumors and keep his mind on his job. I flew Dustoff and our unit did not have M60s for protection, nor did any other Dustoff unit that Im aware of. I personally believe and agree with previous posts that when its your time, not much you can do. Infantrymen also carried a sidearm. For some reason, the written word of this article was somehow deleted and lost. KICK ASS AS NEEDED!!! My second tour was as the S3 for LTC Anthony Herbertone of Americas greatest leaders and WARRIORS OF ALL TIME. Impressed with this secrecy and their implied importance, many of the soldiers discovered that civilians in Boston knew of the camp, its purpose, and the fact that the soldiers being temporarily held there were on their way to Europe. Also: for years I have read those life-expectancy numbers never really understanding them, but also noting that they wildly vary. See my calculation below in the comments bogus indeed. This was both damaging to morale and weakened the reliability of the unit, and was avoided as much as possible, but became necessary during the rush to contain the German counteroffensive in the Ardennes in 1944. However, you do receive added pay bonuses for rank and years of service. He also carried a weapon. 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry. The incredibly important role in the U.S. Army is responsible for defending the country through real-life combat. For the most part, the members of the squad had no idea of the overall strategic situation or even the local tactical situation. Soldiers also act in the mobilization of vehicles, weaponry, troops, and more. As a Huey door gunner, when we left the ground on a mission, I always thought that this mission would be my last! The training for Army Infantrymen 11B consists of Basic Combat Training (BCT) and Advanced Individual Training (AIT), for a total of 14 weeks. The infantrymen would have just enough time to wet down, lather up using GI soap, and rinse off. The special military bonus is reserved for particular in-demand, or highly-dangerous positions. If you would like to get a copy, and cant find it, let me know, and I will make sure you get one. However, Infantrymen may be eligible for bonuses, including an enlistment incentive of up to $41,000. Absent an opportunity to prove themselves, these arriving infantrymen found the squad wary of them, and sometimes almost hostile. Boot camp for an Army Infantryman consists of two sections: Basic Combat Training (BCT) and Advanced Individual Training. In our spare time we did medevacs and medcaps for the local communities and when required inserted SEALs . Joining the U.S. Army has an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Indeed.com, which is about as good as you will find on the career website. Sleep was not a luxury but a necessity. 1st Cav, 101st, etc. It goes without saying that battle could claim a soldier's life and soldiers enlisted anywhere from 10 to 25 years, depending on their rank. Really? Officers and sergeants frequently carried the M1 carbine, which used the same ammunition as the M1 rifle but was lighter and easier to handle in the field. I assisted Vessey and Capt Cartwright by helping prepare the Bee Hive Rounds (first time they were ever used), firing 4 rounds at proximity 0 range into a human wave attack on or weak side after 5 hours of relentless attacks on the opposite side of the perimeter Those 4 rounds killed @ 400 enemy soldiers, of the 881 total enemy losss John Vessey later became a 4 Star general and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs appointed by Reagan 1983, and at retirement became Chair of the POW MIA Commission for 14 years, Passing away in August 2016 just 6 months before our 50th Reunion. As always during the war, the combat infantryman knew little of the overall situation and did as he was told ignorant for the most part of the reason why. I never saw any correlation as to what MOS a soldier was and their survival rate. The Army provided waterproof boots and galoshes, which made the feet sweat on marches and could cause the same problems. An American infantryman inspects the body of a dead German in July 1944, near St. Each company, usually commanded by a Captain, contained three rifle platoons, and each of those was comprised of three squads of twelve men each (a company also included a light weapons platoon). I was trained as a RTO in 1970 at Fort Ord then went to Fort Gordon for teletype school, my MOS was 05C20 when I finished. Some unfortunately also came home with physical scars. Sure but so was everyone else who went 12 months without getting killed or wounded. All the members of the squad carried additional weapons, including a sidearm and bayonet, and when deployed in the field carried both smoke and shrapnel grenades. As of July 2019, the Army had 19,820 11B Infantryman on active duty. Parisians line the Champs Elysees to cheer the American infantry as they pass through the city in 1944. Ha Ha always enjoyed being a volunteer! One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. It was always quick/quick, load the bodies in and get the hell out. It means, IF (!) The Army considered its use as an embarkation point a secret, and so warned the young soldiers when they arrived. The higher the score on the ASVAB, the better your odds at becoming MOS 11B. An infantry platoon commander in combat had an average of 6 weeks life expectancy. 67-67 11B 4th Id. They endured the monotonous rations, lack of hygiene, bombardment by the enemy, accidental bombardment by their own artillery, constant tension, and the constant loss of friends because they were there to protect themselves and their fellow squad members, finish the job and go home. Back in 1965, I was a door gunner on Medevac recovery operations. ethan astaphan and sonita heng, ohio university ticket office,
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