My shit got weak and a sniper popped three rounds in my young ass. They were lazy, cowardly and of questionable loyalty, especially the RUFF/PUFFS, and they would steal your under ware if given half a chance. Good article. The next morning, the blasting could still be, heard. It was the infantry which carried the fight to the infantry of the enemy, battled the elements while out in the open, and carried on the grunt work of the advancing army. We ambushed and got ambushed, firebase got attacked who carried what or did what had no bearing. Walking wounded were usually treated at aid stations manned by the medical personnel of their own unit. Had multiple Ks and Ws. Great reading. Learned a lot from him. 1: physical position (in the field / column) Army Infantrymen are the main land combat force and are considered a backbone of the U.S. Army. Their officers traveled on the same train, but in passenger cars, which were marginally more comfortable but also unheated. There is a demand to know how to operate in an NBC contaminated area as well as construct field expedient firing aids. 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. The American lines in the Ardennes were thin when the Germans attacked there in 1944 in part because the troops stationed there were there to rest. But I made it back in one piece. we were getting it with machine gun and mortars. It was up to the squad leaders to keep them fighting in brutal weather, without asking why. No combat assignments for another year of service in Vietnam or get out in about a month. They were marched or trucked to holding areas, where they encamped in accordance with their division procedures to await the arrival of their heavy equipment and logistics facilities. Additionally, you will learn to handle a large volume of weapons, military vehicles, as well as Prisoners of War (POWs). An American infantryman inspects the body of a dead German in July 1944, near St. The rifle was accessorized to become a grenade launcher, firing the Mk 7 grenade with the addition of a modified sight. Like you, I carried a PRC-25 for about 5 months and never got hit. The PaYS program is a recruitment option that guarantees a job interview with military-friendly employers following retirement. What was the average life expectancy for soldiers during Vietnam Thats why they called us GRUNTS ! Some reported not having the ability to shower for as long as several weeks. I was lucky too but VN never left me. I never thought of it that way before but have many times since. Bathing and shaving were unheard of luxuries at the front, and when units did receive an opportunity to shower it was often through the use of a lister bag shower. Housing: Allowances for living expenses, utilities, and maintenance. An infantry platoon commander in combat had an average of 6 weeks life. I for one commend you for your courage and thank you for your service to your country. 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. 10 Answers Out of thousands of men that invaded that town in southern Afghanistan, we have lost 19. Soldiers that are assigned to Bradley or Stryker units also must learn how to drive and perform maintenance on their assigned vehicles. of what was usually 5 or 6 going in and many times the leads would find traps, punji pits or the VC waiting. Those who arrived during actual combat received a warmer welcome than those arriving while the squad was resting.