life expectancy of an infantry soldier in combat

For his actions, he was awarded the Congressional Medal if Honor. Whenever and wherever possible, infantrymen in France traded with the civilians for food such as eggs and vegetables. Related Article: Marine Machine Gunner (MOS 0331): Job Description And Summary. If the enemy was near, we never saw any. In France, the bars were as hard as the frozen soil. There are a few other skills that are not mandatory yet go a long way in proving what makes an excellent U.S. Army Infantryman 11B: Related Article Marine Corps Tow Gunner (MOS 0352): Career Details. The infantrymans first encounter with the French or Italians usually took place near these camps. (tirotactico.net). then youd carry an extra 200 rounds of M60 ammo for the machine gunner , plus drag grenades , one smoke grenade plus etc. The infantryman ate, slept, marched, fought, and died with his squad. Others were encampments such as Camp Myles Standish, outside of Boston, Massachusetts. is sharing facts, thats truly good, keep up writing. located on the South End of, the Post. 2 tour Nam veteran, Les Scates, U.S. Army (Ret.) At times in Italy and later in France, infantrymen learned to sleep as they marched, stumbling forward as if they were sleepwalking, which in a way they were. And us the living that served, who suffer from PTSD ,that figure or percent-aged would be about the greatest of all. (and yes, you cant ask them, so it would have to be derived from the AA-reports and survivors). According to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) there are now officially 58, 318 names on the wall. Those determined to be too severely wounded to continue their recovery in theater were sent to either England or the United States on hospital ships, and then routed to recovery hospitals on specially equipped hospital trains. We did interdictions, blocks and other fun things on the river. 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. I packed my own radio and got a Thank you from his Mom. We were expecting, an attack. Additionally, you will learn to handle a large volume of weapons, military vehicles, as well as Prisoners of War (POWs). Im laying behind a rice paddie dike.I put my whole body as far down in the muck while the bullets were over my head. I am 81 now and survived the encounter by terminated the sniper. There is a demand to know how to operate in an NBC contaminated area as well as construct field expedient firing aids. Some unfortunately also came home with physical scars. Infantry OSUT is 22 weeks. I remember hearing somewhere about an RTO who wasnt getting the info out correctly and the Lieutenant (Kennedy) grabbed the mic and said My RTO Is Foxtrot Uniform. Some gave all. Forget the statistics, we all had a job to do, we went where we were told. We were like sitting Ducks. Interesting reading. Even when out of combat their comforts were few. There were also wounded. Their war was a personal one, with the enemy when engaged in plain sight, and the casualties inflicted by themselves and their unit revealed before their eyes. According to Indeed.com, overall Infantryman claim pay and benefits and job security and advancement as the two best features of the job. It was a lull before the storm, since more and more infantrymen were needed at the front. The minimum education needed to become a U.S. Army Infantryman (11B) is a high school diploma or GED. Regardless, several civilian jobs are comparable such as: Soldiers should consider enrolling in the Army PaYS program following retirement. Roger Loves you too, Im sure. 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. Commanders like him were few and far between many were afraid of their own shadow and were only there to get their ticket punched. Here are 10 of the most dangerous: 1. The M1 rifle, which was the standard rifle for American infantry in 1944, weighed over ten pounds loaded, and the twelve eight-round clips in his cartridge belt added another six and a half pounds to his load. He used. Helicopters, F4 fighters. Related Article: Army Height And Weight Standards. EIB - A day in the life of an infantryman. This meant that rations in the field were often frozen, as was the water in the canteens carried by the men, adding another eight pounds to their load, but entirely useless. I was a grunt with c co. 4/31 196th it inf bade. 2: role (MOS?). May they rest in peace. I know this is a standard cliche, but it is so true, All gave some. 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. 5 (April 1944) What the Soldier Thinks, no. A sled laden with ammunition is dragged by US infantrymen towards the fighting during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. Infantrymen frequently found that their unit was transferred to the command of another division, a means of reinforcing units which had been engaged with the Germans and weakened as a result, or which needed additional men for a counteroffensive. The American army traveled to Europe by ship, and by a wide variety of ships including troop transports designed and built for the purpose, Liberty ships, converted freighters, and the great ocean liners of the Allies. The rifle automatically ejected an exhausted clip, emitting an audible and distinctive ping. ASVAB Scores For Air Force Jobs: All 130+ For 2022, How To Choose The Right Military Branch For You, Marine Machine Gunner (MOS 0331): Job Description And Summary, strength requirement and physical profile, Correctable vision must be 20/20 in one eye, Air Force Combat Controller (CCT) (1C2X1): Career Details, Marine Corps Infantry Assault (MOS 0351): Career Details, Army Combat Engineer (MOS 12B): Career Details, Marine Corps Tow Gunner (MOS 0352): Career Details, Marine Corps Scout Sniper (MOS 0317): Career Details, https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/browse-career-and-job-categories/combat/infantryman-11b.html, https://www.indeed.com/cmp/U.S.-Army/reviews?fjobtitle=Infantryman, Gas Turbine Systems Technician (GSM and GSE): Career Details, Good Conduct Medal & Ribbon Explained For All 5 Branches, Sea Service Ribbon: All 5 Military Branches Explained, Overseas Service Ribbon Explained For All 6 Military Branches. My shit got weak and a sniper popped three rounds in my young ass. C Co, 1st-12th 66-67. The men couldnt eat them anyway, so they made excellent trade items with the candy-starved French. The most common trade items were cigarettes and chocolate, both of which Americans were amply supplied with, and the French civilians were not. The fact is that most machine gunners, RTOs, junior officers and other extremely dangerous jobs survived the war. I was never hit by enemy fire even though they had multiple opportunities after that I was an rto for the company commander and I have to say both jobs were not fun. Ron. Sometimes walkie-talkie sets were substituted, they weighed far less but offered a more limited range. Related Article Marine Corps Scout Sniper (MOS 0317): Career Details. U.S. Army Infantryman overwhelming have positive things to say about the military career choice. I couldnt disagree. All infantrymen were issued gas masks, but by the time they reached the front-most had discarded them as being unnecessary since there had been no indication that the Germans were planning on using poisonous gas, as they had in the First World War. Engineer OSUT is 14 weeks long. An infantryman carried on his back and in equipment bags and pockets everything he needed to survive in the field during a patrol or while en route to an ordered destination. Our patrols were typically about 14 hours 24/7 We operated of old LSTs and large barges. The Infantry makes up approximately 15% of the Armys total force. Soldiers also learn basic combative training including hand-to-hand combat and tactical combat casualty care (TCCC). As a member of a fire team, you can expect to test your skills handling day and night shooting with several Army stables including M4 rifles, M230 machine guns, and M249 automatic weapons. In the case of a night attack, the men could not exit the bags quickly, and most infantrymen quit sleeping in them, preferring to stay on top of the bag and cover themselves with their overcoat or blanket. Your email address will not be published. Soldiers must meet a very heavy strength requirement and physical profile requirement of 111221. Wortman, another RTO never made it back to The World. Fifteen percent of all American beer production was set aside for the American military, and it was brought near to the front for resting troops to consume. National Archives. They learned to spend the night in foxholes back to back with another squad member, giving them a 360-degree range of vision, and creating the term, Ive got your back. waving then I realized they Werent shooting at him only at the An American infantryman inspects the body of a dead German in July 1944, near St. This is excellent! In some instances, American troops received a type of chocolate which had been made for use in the tropical climate of the South Pacific, and which due to a typical Army error in administration ended up in Europe. EACH OF US CARRIES OUR OWN MEMORIES AND THEY RUN THE GAMUT. In Fury, starring Brad Pitt and Shia leBeouf, we follow the story of five American soldiers, a crew serving in one tank in Germany, 1945. Also, it would mean the killed RTOs died within seconds of the fight (it doesnt distinguish between ambush or regular fight, eg. You of course had the radio plus xtra batteries & handsets plus your rucksack with 7 to 8 canteens , 20 mags ( I used to carry 17 rounds in the mags instead of 20 ) because the springs would force the round into the chamber causing jams . Foot soldiers went by the grace of God, but had a better chance than the infantry platoon commander in combat. BUT WE MUST ALSO BE COGNIZANT OF OUR REQUIREMENT TO BE COMPASSIONATE HUMAN BEINGS. Thank You General Vessey for the almost 53 years I have lived since that day. Some wounded received convalescent leave far behind the lines. He also carried an equipment bag, ammunition bandolier, backpack, entrenching tool, grenades, rations, canteen, spare socks, a blanket, a half shelter (to sleep under), and whatever personal items he wished. When you assist in reconnaissance operations you can expect to employ, fire, and recover anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, locate and neutralize mines, operate, mount/dismount, zero, and engage targets using night vision sight. Many of the skills you learn while in the U.S. Army are universal to just about every type of job. Great information. My second tour was as the S3 for LTC Anthony Herbertone of Americas greatest leaders and WARRIORS OF ALL TIME. Nor was treating wounded their only duty, they were responsible for the overall health of the men in their company, treating them for dysentery, routine illnesses such as colds and flu, blisters, sprains and broken bones, and other miseries encountered by the men. Lt lost a finger, same time. Tapered at both ends, the bags were difficult to get into and even worse to get out of, and the men took to calling them mummy bags. During times of combat, it is not uncommon to mobilize troops, vehicles, and weaponry. Sanitation facilities were a box filled with sand in each car. I sure feel for all you guys that went outside the wire. A typical Patrol Boat River (PBR) was about 31 feet long and had twin 50s forward an M 60 midships and a 50 aft. If you would like to get a copy, and cant find it, let me know, and I will make sure you get one. In the last 5 years the symptoms of PTSD and AO are starting getting worse in me. We killed a lot of the enemy but we took few serious casualties. Our Aussie Dust off choppers had door gunners, we worked on the theory if the Noggies would shot at Red Cross choppers, we would return fire, Aussie grunt, 60000 00 Aussies fought in Vietnam, Up the Old Red Rooster and more beer. For the most part, when they went home after the war they regathered themselves and used their GI Bill rights to get educations, buy houses, and create the baby boom and the suburbs. Also: for years I have read those life-expectancy numbers never really understanding them, but also noting that they wildly vary. In some conditions, infantrymen would change their socks at any opportunity. Then we all, loaded on C-147 cargo planes. Infantrymen learned to survive without any creature comforts for the simple reason that anything that they kept they had to carry. Units which were depleted from battle casualties received replacements both while they were on the line and during periods of rest and recreation. The liners had been gutted and great rows of tiered bunks filled their hulls. my left and saw this rice paddie farmer and his ox and I was trying to motion him to get down he just looks at me and starts 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Elie Piha served as a paratrooper in the US Army from 2008 to 2012. Many were killed or wounded ! Your Dad and I had the same job. An infantryman was trained to fire a full eight-round clip in battle before reloading the weapon. Some reported not having the ability to shower for as long as several weeks. we were getting it with machine gun and mortars. In my humble opiniona maneven leaders should often recalculate their adversaries capabilities and limitations and his own limitations as wellwhen 10,000 miles from home against a determined worthy foein a strange landThe objective of Lam Son 719? He was killed in an ambush along with three others. His entrenching tool could be used as a pick and a spade, but the often frozen ground encountered in late 1944 resisted his efforts stubbornly. Depending on the severity of a wound, an infantryman injured in combat could find himself directed to a medical facility which was established in five levels or echelons. Both my tours were in the Delta (IV Corps) where the only ground troops were regular ARVNs and RUFF/PUFFS. I was shot down on my very first mission in July 1968. That was supposed to be 58, 220. but wait, there are more numbers for the same story. Never knew they had life expectancy stats. The names of the towns and villages were meaningless to the men, most of whom had no knowledge of French geography nor what their destination was. You have to earn it, so hard work during your education and training is extremely important. During combat, soldiers need to request, observe, and adjust direct supporting fire. They saw burned-out tanks and other vehicles, bombed-out villages and towns, civilian refugees with all of their remaining belonging in carts or on their backs. Then he said youre on a FB, the enemy always knows your location, can pretty much attack at will, and you really dont have the capability to retreat. Lucky you. I was lucky too but VN never left me. I was an RTO for 9-1/2 months for Hawk Recon 2/327 101AB from dec, 1969 to sept 70. Thats my experience. Quickly learned to control rate of fire. Treatment of wounds using sulfa drugs and powder and the growing use of penicillin to prevent and treat infections were on his side. I quit trying to make sense of all the numbers that have been generated about Vietnam. A wounded American soldier is loaded into a halftrack converted to serve as an ambulance in Germany in early 1945. The British lost 704,208 dead in the Great War, and if they were to form up in three ranks and march at the standard British army speed of 120 thirty-inch paces to the minute, they would pass in one day, fifteen hours and seven minutes. I am one lucky SOB. For all the men given a brief respite from the fighting, the possibility of the period being abruptly cut short was ever-present, as activities at the front demanded their immediate return to the battle line. Most of us have memories of these kind of experiences. Of the American combat troops which served on the continent of Europe during the Second World War about 15% were frontline infantry. Usually, these transfers led to the men being ordered to remove the insignia identifying their division from their uniforms, to deny the information to the Germans. Some of these men were discharged following recovery, while others remained in the service performing administrative or training duties.

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