[Meldrim]

Talked to somebody whose fought against Germans, Koreans, Chinese and/or Vietnamese. As for getting my ass blown off, 1600+ over two years is nothing compared to the 2100+ in September 1968, or Pusan or Tet or Bastogne.

As for not liking the military, I prefer to be in units where the standards preclude quota's. For the most part, I've been successful at staying in those types of units.

[brazzaville]

Good afternoon.
"As for not liking the military, I prefer to be in units where the standards preclude quota's. For the most part, I've been successful at staying in those types of units."

Good answer. I, too enlisted when I was 17, in 1966. It's just about the perfect age for soldiering.

I can't comment on the qualities of the German soldiers but I've heard very few negative comments about them from the old veterans who drove them into the ground when they were young soldiers. The same goes for the Japanese, though I've known several veterans who still feel a deep hatred for them.

I knew South Koreans in Vietnam who were tough professionals and have uncles who fought the communists in the "police action". They were less impressed with the abilities of the communists than they were with their numbers and their willingness to die. It didn't keep the North Koreans and Chinese from being driven all the way back to the Yalu

We lost a couple of thousand a week right after Tet but we destroyed the Vietcong and kept South Vietnam alive for a few more years. In the end, after 10 years the communists lost a million men, we lost 58,000 and the communists only won with the assistance of liberals in our government.

In the end the bad guys in Iraq and Afghanistan will lose, too, and it will be the all volunteer, coed military we have now that will do the job. Among the victors will be amputees who volunteered to return to their units and overage ex-stockbrokers.

9/11 is what put them there.

Michael Frazier