Schofield troops' reactions vary to first taste of combat

[gottaB]

Schofield troops' reactions vary to first taste of combat

***

"You can't train for some things," said Spc. David Bland, 21, from San Francisco, who manned a truck-mounted M249 light machine gun throughout the fight. "To actually shoot someone is different. To see them shot, fall to the ground and then see blood come out — I'll never forget it. My heart was beating pretty fast."

***

"I was in a full adrenaline rush," said Pfc. Ian Barton, 19, of Reno, Nev. "Nothing else mattered. I wanted to kill something. After the first few minutes, I started to have fun with it."

Thomas, his platoon partner, agreed. "I was smiling." But as the battle raged, the pressures began to build.

***

"After seeing a buddy down like that, it got real," said Spc. Frankie Aguirre, 22, of Anaheim, Calif. "I was angry. But I knew Chiu was going to be OK because all he wanted was a cigarette."

***

[Ilsa]

1. Oh $#!+

I guess this probably helps them survive, but I really hate that there is pleasure ("fun") in what they are doing.

[gottaB]

2. Mostly they sound like kids to me

Horrible way to grow up.

[tabasco]

3. You can be sure of one thing.

The ones who had the most "fun" did the least fighting.

[Journeyman]

4. Nothing new here. . .

most of these accounts could be lifted near-verbatim from letters sent home by fresh troops in the opening months of almost every war. It's what they say in the coming months that will be most telling.


Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note,
  As his corpse to the rampart we hurried;
Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot
  O'er the grave where our hero we buried.
  
We buried him darkly at dead of night,
  The sods with our bayonets turning;
By the struggling moonbeam's misty light
  And the lantern dimly burning.

Charles Wolfe
1791-1823