I loved it. Some of these men were discharged following recovery, while others remained in the service performing administrative or training duties. When in close proximity to the enemy smoking at night was forbidden, as were cooking fires or open flames. The TOTAL number of CIB and CMB awarded would give you the answer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The loading and unloading of supplies at the front was performed by infantry units, as was the moving it forward to the men engaged at the front lines. 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. The needs of the Army will dictate which MOS youre assigned. 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. American parachute infantry advance in the Huertgen Forest in February, 1945. ARMY COMBAT ENGINEERS | What Life in the Army is really like. Ive always considered myself damn lucky to make it out alive. Nobody attacked, where we were. 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. US Army. By February 1944 the US Army discontinued purchasing the Thompson, after approximately 1.5 million units had been obtained by the Army and Marine Corps. Although a partially discharged clip could be ejected from the rifle it was common practice not to do so. (and yes, you cant ask them, so it would have to be derived from the AA-reports and survivors). Different jobs have different life expectancy. We were like sitting Ducks. Was Billeted near an Army medevac Unit and was offered a chance to lay on my stomach with an M16 and door gun for them I decided not a good Idea. American infantry from the 28th Infantry division march on the Champs Elysees in Paris. I never saw any correlation as to what MOS a soldier was and their survival rate. Very memorable comments. Date: March 8, 2020 Author: pdoggbiker 97 Photo above is of Stanley Kober with RTO, John Scheur. These included cold beer, which was provided by American brewers, mandated by war regulations. Remember he wanted to reenlist for one more year in Vietnam. Learn more about 11B MOS, including what the requirements are, the training, day to day life, and more. They were glad to see me as it had been a while for replacements with the unit. Infantrymen used undisturbed snow as the source for the water to brush their teeth, as well as for drinking water and for mixing the powdered drinks from their rations. It was only in the direst of circumstances that an entire division was engaged in combat simultaneously, usually several units were held in reserve. Required fields are marked *. A typical Patrol Boat River (PBR) was about 31 feet long and had twin 50s forward an M 60 midships and a 50 aft. SS America, renamed USS West Point, could carry nearly eight thousand troops and its speed meant it could sail without escorts, capable of outrunning German U-boats. Toothbrushes and tooth powder were included in ration packs, and the teeth could be brushed using water in canteens, except for during the colder periods of the winter of 1944-45 when the canteens froze solid. Since U.S. Army Infantrymen are the primary land defense for the branch of the military they regularly participate in shooting drills. I couldnt disagree. All the comments and replies are of absolute truth, I was only 18 when I got to Nam ,Im a country boy from NC so here I am Welcome home. I was a 2LT on Hamburger Hill and had 4 RTOs over a 7 day period (excluding the times I ended up carrying my own radio). Comfortable with the results of his inspection, the soldier sits on a nearby log, powders his feet and inserts them into his damp boots, making sure to tuck his fatigue pants into the tops before tying the laces - a preventive measure to keep leeches and ticks from crawling up the legs. The rifle companies of the 276th Infantry Division arrived in the French town of Brumath on the day after Christmas, 1944. I DISAGREETHE ENEMY WOULD SHOOT THE GUY NEXT TO THE RTO-KNOWING HE WAS THE COMMANDER. According to Indeed.com, overall Infantryman claim pay and benefits and job security and advancement as the two best features of the job. Both served in A 2/18 1st Infantry Division. Bravo, 3/187th Inf, 101st Airborne Div, 2nd Plt, 2nd Sq, Hamburger Hill, May 69. Most Dangerous Military Jobs - Hardest Job in the Military | FRG During times of combat, it is not uncommon to mobilize troops, vehicles, and weaponry. The job training for 11B requires 14 weeks of One Station Unit Training (OSUT) which is a combination of time spent in the classroom and in the field. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Do the math. My first tour was as an advisor to the VN Abn. We went out typically in two boat patrols one lead one cover . (tirotactico.net). NFS. Boot camp for an Army Infantryman consists of two sections: Basic Combat Training (BCT) and Advanced Individual Training. July 68 to July 69. An Rtos job was essential, tough,(Carrying the extra weight of the radio transmitter along with his rucksack), and dangerous. Comments were more interesting than the article it self. Additionally, soldiers might record operational information on maps. Each rifle squad had one man assigned to carry a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) while the rest of them carried rifles, usually the Garand M1 rifle. Also, Infantry like the culture of the military job as well as management opportunities. We were probably not too far away on that day. The men couldnt eat them anyway, so they made excellent trade items with the candy-starved French. Look at the armament options in this article---those are all LRPF guns from .50cal to 30mm to 105-120mm cannon---and no "area saturation," "area destruction," and "mass fire" that China and Russia have. We were all in our Bunkers, and at the ready with our weapons. I am one lucky SOB. Belton Cooper, a soldier who supported an armored unit, recalled that the high number of tanker casualties forced the Army to hastily retrain infantry replacements as tankers. In winter this included wearing underwear, long johns, woolen pants and shirt, one or two heavy sweaters, woolen socks, an overcoat, a rain poncho, a woolen cap, a helmet and a liner, gloves, boots, and galoshes. All Rights Reserved. That was the reason for two dog tags. The rifle was accessorized to become a grenade launcher, firing the Mk 7 grenade with the addition of a modified sight. The M1 was a semi-automatic rifle, allowing its operator to fire an entire eight-round clip simply by squeezing the trigger for each shot, without having to operate the bolt manually to chamber the next round. The article was interesting. As a Huey door gunner, when we left the ground on a mission, I always thought that this mission would be my last! I flew Dustoff and our unit did not have M60s for protection, nor did any other Dustoff unit that Im aware of. One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. All of the next day, we could see SMOKE from the fire caused by the explosions of the AMMO at, the AMMO DUMP. Me, a vehicle mechanic with Btry E, 41st Arty Quads 1970. Roman Soldiers - History And Facts - English History 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. 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. Lucky you. There is a demand to know how to operate in an NBC contaminated area as well as construct field expedient firing aids. Michael Doolittle..I was with 1/8 inf, 1st Brigade, and that day, March 22nd was also our darkest day. The rule of thumb was , any new guys would get the radio and keep it until another new guy came in. I applaud the courage and difficult and all so dangerous job of Roger Herforth when he served as an RTO for the Hawk Recon Platoon of the 101st airborne division in Vietnam.. Some wounded received convalescent leave far behind the lines. There is no civilian occupations that are the direct equivalent of an Army Infantryman MOS 11B. Here are ten examples of what life was like for the combat infantryman of the Second World War. Carried the prc25 for about 7 months. Soldiers also learn basic combative training including hand-to-hand combat and tactical combat casualty care (TCCC). Even when out of combat their comforts were few. Welcome home brothers and sisters. Les Scates U.S. Army (Ret.) My shit got weak and a sniper popped three rounds in my young ass. Hats off to them. 82nd 2/505th. Artillery, and ground forces. Yet the famed French commander could not have achieved success without the hard efforts of . The fact is that most machine gunners, RTOs, junior officers and other extremely dangerous jobs survived the war. As a result, Army Infantrymen 11B are trained to conduct mobilization in a variety of settings on land. Related Article Army Combat Engineer (MOS 12B): Career Details. (Petty Officer 2nd Class. There are a number of standards and qualifications you need to meet to become MOS 11B, especially since the Army expanded its OSUT training in 2019. The prestigious badge, offered only to infantry and Special Forces Soldiers . I was an M-60 machine gunner for a battalion recon platoon in 1967, for the First Infantry Division, Known as The Black Scarf Battalion. And dug Berms, in the area. A Day in the Life of an Infantry-Man in World War II 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. Some were constantly exposed to combat, some not so often. Digging in was an exercise which added to sore backs blistered hands as the entrenching tool chipped away frozen ground. I applaud your courage as I know an RTOs job is essential, difficult (carrying the weight of his radio transmitter, his rifle, his ammo, and his rucksack), and dangerous as the enemy surely wanted to knock out any communications for support. 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. It didnt matter who you were or where you were. I agree with all of the comments, however I would add Tunnel Rats to the group I was one and saw many of my friends die in those tunnels I was very fortunate or very lucky and was never a lead but was at the tail end. Like you, I carried a PRC-25 for about 5 months and never got hit. RIP KOOKIE forever young, Thank god you are still alive, I am age 77. 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. Absent an opportunity to prove themselves, these arriving infantrymen found the squad wary of them, and sometimes almost hostile. I was wounded 3 times during the 10 1/2 months I was in-country before being medevacd out in Apr of 68. We all have opinions, this is mine. I was an Artillery Forward Observer 13F20 E-5 at that time. I also was 2/327 B company. I know this is a standard cliche, but it is so true, All gave some. Love you Wortman!!!! 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. A much better approach would be/have been: of all the combat-casualties, what was their Happy to Know on Twitter: "RT @starsandstripes: New York Army National Camp Standish was both a staging area for embarking troops and a prisoner of war camp. However, you do receive added pay bonuses for rank and years of service. His comparison to a FB was that if we were fired on we returned fire and requested assistance when needed. They are responsible for capturing, destroying, and repelling enemy ground forces. We ambushed and got ambushed, firebase got attacked who carried what or did what had no bearing. I was lucky too but VN never left me. 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. Their war was what they encountered. We were discussing the different units and dangers of each. Of the American combat troops which served on the continent of Europe during the Second World War about 15% were frontline infantry. Assigned to HHC 1/77 Armor, 1st, BDE 5th Inf. It was mostly used by specialty units rather than infantry. happened. Both my tours were in the Delta (IV Corps) where the only ground troops were regular ARVNs and RUFF/PUFFS. Each battalion contained a heavy weapons company with machine guns and mortars, and three rifle companies of infantrymen. 1: physical position (in the field / column) I was with HHC and 1st Platoon C Company in 70-71. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. Tony told me that either he or I would greet all incoming troops and we did- and here is the speech we gave to them. 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. 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. I was a cmbt engr demolition specialist carried a 45 auto and an M70 grenade launcher in addition to the C-4 and Det Cord. is sharing facts, thats truly good, keep up writing. For example, troops in the south of France were moved first by rail, then by Army trucks, to their destination blocking elements of the German army from reinforcing and resupplying the assault in the Ardennes. Much smaller income differentials in life expectancy, 0.2 to 3.6 life-years smaller for Veterans in 2010-17 are estimated. 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). What is the life expectancy of an army infantry soldier? Thanks. Stops on the march of more than a few minutes were to be used to grab any sleep they could. Photo above is of Stanley Kober with RTO, John Scheur. Before you get started, it is important to determine right off the bat if you want to become a U.S. Army Infantryman 11B or Indirect Fire Infantryman 11C. The Army currently lists AT&T, Hewlett-Packard, Kraft Foods Global, Sears Holdings Corporation, Time Customer Service, and Walgreens as partners of PaYS and great employers for Army Infantryman post-service. It was just north of Saigon. 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. It was on the Job Training ! According to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) there are now officially 58, 318 names on the wall. But I made it back in one piece. May they rest in peace. My bud, Price took over as RTO. It was a daily challenge to know who your real enemy was. 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. 101st Airborne Division. The infantrymen would have just enough time to wet down, lather up using GI soap, and rinse off. 10-4. In the 1st Cav medics were right behind the rto making them a very easy find also. 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. 5 (April 1944) What the Soldier Thinks, no. 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. I was once told a story by a World War II veteran who . Here is an 18 For the infantryman, the war was limited to how it affected his squad, and the need to protect and defend it. It was rugged, reliable, and in the hands of a marksman deadly. by Jeffrey J. Clarke, Center for Military History, February 26, 1992, Citizen Soldiers, by Stephen Ambrose, 1998, Ardennes-Alsace, by Roger Cirillo, Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, 2003, online, American Battle Casualties and Non-Battle Deaths in World War II, by the Combined Arms Research Library, Department of the Army, June 25, 1953. 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. It began just as, it was getting dark. Cruz quite a lot. It was a lull before the storm, since more and more infantrymen were needed at the front. It was an honor indeed to serve with some of the finest soldiers I have ever met. Loaded 0%. The key may be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats and had improved survivability. 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. It was just part of the job. He was not the type to hump a radio. But it was my jobso I tried not to think about it much. Whenever and wherever possible, infantrymen in France traded with the civilians for food such as eggs and vegetables. three, he believes he is doing what his country wants him to dojust like you So you better damn well treat him with the compassion you want for you!! Gotta say I think you hit it on the nose. I wasnt aware that they kept life expectancy statistics. wias. This is excellent! Pararescue U.S. Air Force pararescuemen and a simulated 'survivor' watch as an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter comes in for a landing. Related Article: Marine Machine Gunner (MOS 0331): Job Description And Summary. Additionally, you must complete a Combat (CO) ASVAB score of 87. The Browning Automatic Rifle, of which each infantry rifle squad had one (and which was incidentally a favored weapon of Clyde Barrow of Bonnie and Clyde fame) was also a .30 caliber weapon. 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry. 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. Vietnam War Facts, Stats and Myths - US Wings Ernest, Im glad that your first tour with the VN airborne was rewarding. EIB - A day in the life of an infantryman. For example, infantry units directed to disrupt German lines in Les Vosges in January 1945 had no idea they were preventing the reinforcement of troops involved in the Battle of the Bulge. * Basic training and advanced job training are combined into a single course. Ambulances are not supposed to be armed (either) though in training, medics are told they and their vehicles will be a prime target. I always found life expectancy numbers interesting in that I could never find any supporting information that could be validated. located on the South End of, the Post. 1st Cav, 101st, etc. 4ID Mortar Teams Persevere at the Best Mortar Competition An interesting essay, even more interesting are the comments. If you would like to get a copy, and cant find it, let me know, and I will make sure you get one. Thus they were deployed without artillery of their own. Some gave all. Forget the statistics, we all had a job to do, we went where we were told. Thank You for your courageous service as an RTO with the legendary Hawk Recon Platoon. 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. I was to have that experience two more times before it was over. 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. 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. It was up to the squad leaders to keep them fighting in brutal weather, without asking why. Tired, footsore soldiers experienced difficulty keeping up with the rest of their unit, and traveling alone was far more dangerous than within the unit itself, for both the straggler and the rest of the unit. I too never understood survivor quilt, Enjoyed your article. Our home base was Quang Tri fire Base, But I spent about 6 months out at Mai Loc with the rig. I always was told that the life expectancy of a LT was 14 seconds in INITIAL combat versus 9 seconds for an RTO. No trees or anything on the ground. Food: Allowance for the on-base dining hall and access to tax-free department and grocery stores. Spent my year in a Recon platoon 2/35th 4th ID. A sled laden with ammunition is dragged by US infantrymen towards the fighting during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. Found NVA bunker complex. Really? Well he didnt make it. Made by the Hershey Company, the chocolate was laced with paraffin, which helped keep it from melting in the tropical heat. These men were first loaded onto railcars from the French rolling stock which was called 40 and 8s.
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