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The Dark
Chainmail

Posted on 03/13/2018 1:03:37 PM PDT by Chainmail

Some of you asked me to write some more about my experiences all those years ago. This one is about a close call and my memories of it.


TOPICS: VetsCoR
KEYWORDS: 1967; banglist; combat; marines; vietnam
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To: NEMDF
"Assuming the one killed by Dog Handler was enemy?"

Well, yeah... Wasn't my writing clear enough?

Were we in the habit of only wearing black shorts and carrying submachineguns around our neck?

Hint: we wore green utility uniforms, flak jackets and helmets pretty much full time..

41 posted on 03/13/2018 2:36:24 PM PDT by Chainmail (A simple rule of life: if you can be blamed, you're responsible.)
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To: Chainmail

I kind of figured. Sorry for my stupid question.


42 posted on 03/13/2018 2:50:06 PM PDT by NEMDF
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To: Chainmail

Thank you for that part of your story. My dad had PTSD from WW2. He was part of the Stalag Left 3 Death March as the Russians advanced. The POWs were marching through snow and were told not to stop for anything or anyone. One fallen man grabbed my dad’s pant leg, but my dad had to keep going or be shot. He kept going, but that man haunted him for the rest of his days. Every time my dad was awakened by a noise, the fear in his eyes was heartbreaking. He passed 20 years ago and I still miss him. We civilians have no idea what young men in wars have experienced. Glad you are around to tell your story.


43 posted on 03/13/2018 2:51:51 PM PDT by originalbuckeye ('In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act'- George Orwell.)
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To: Chainmail

Thanks for your service and for sharing your story.


44 posted on 03/13/2018 2:57:23 PM PDT by Envisioning (Carry safe, always carry, everyday, everywhere.)
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To: Chainmail

Good story. Thank you.


45 posted on 03/13/2018 3:00:22 PM PDT by Vermont Lt (Burn. It. Down.)
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To: trebb

It’s interesting you describe it that way. My wife grew up in a tight ethnic community. There were a group of “uncles”, probably eight or nine of them. Never married, or divorced after a short time.

This group met almost every night at the local vets club. They all held good jobs and never caused any troubles. They were active in the church, doing the grunt work for festivals and doing whatever was needed for the poor and sick. They all died under 70 from a variety of self inflicted causes.

It wasn’t until I asked an inlaw what was the deal with these guys. He told me they all went off to the Pacific or Korea. They never really came home is what he said.

It was heartbreaking.


46 posted on 03/13/2018 3:08:06 PM PDT by Vermont Lt (Burn. It. Down.)
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To: spel_grammer_an_punct_polise
lighten up Francis
47 posted on 03/13/2018 3:14:49 PM PDT by Chode (You have all of the resources you are going to have. Abandon your illusions and plan accordingly.)
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To: Chainmail

“I wonder what the dog felt, having a .45 fired right over his face.”

“Oh - that’s nothing compared to having a 7.62 round coming in over my face!”

I’m guessing with all of the loud noises on the battle field - a pistol going off in your ear is probably not a whole bunch different than the rest of what you (and the dogs) had to deal with.

I wouldn’t know - thank you for your service. And your great story!

In high school we had a long-term substitute that had been in Vietnam. Every Friday he would spend half the class with his homemade slides and telling stories. (It WAS a history class...)


48 posted on 03/13/2018 3:58:27 PM PDT by 21twelve
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To: NEMDF

Sure. Sorry for my cranky response.

Takes a little out of you write about this stuff.


49 posted on 03/13/2018 3:59:37 PM PDT by Chainmail (A simple rule of life: if you can be blamed, you're responsible.)
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To: Chainmail

Thank you for your service.


50 posted on 03/13/2018 4:23:23 PM PDT by FourtySeven (47)
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To: Chainmail
A friend of mine who served in Korea after graduating from West Point told me of a worrisome incident soon after he arrived there. As the night duty officer, this green lieutenant got a call in the wee hours from the front gate sentry post.

A few minutes later, he was there in the cold with the sentries, arms at the ready, trying to figure out what the noises they were hearing intermittently meant. It seemed as if North Korean infiltrators were slowly creeping through the brush on the nearby hills and ravines to get into position for an attack. Yet searchlights directed at the menacing noises revealed nothing amiss, with neither troops nor animals nor civilians visible.

Should they nevertheless put the base on alert? Or should they take no chances and pepper the hillsides with gunfire? Or should they at least send up flares to get a comprehensive view of the scene? Or were they letting their imaginations run away with them?

Fortunately, my friend the young lieutenant called for a veteran NCO, who quickly came to the gate. After a moment of listening, the NCO declared that they were in no danger. It was just a bone-chilling cold front slowly moving in from Siberia. The noises they were hearing was the vegetation freezing as the cold air hit. A few minutes later, the front arrived as if the door to a deep freeze had opened and theyy had been shoved inside.

51 posted on 03/13/2018 4:30:21 PM PDT by Rockingham
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To: Chainmail

Hmmm.....You call names?

That says a lot about YOU, not me, sir! ;-)

I do not mind my own business if I feel that U. S. national security has been violated.

If nobody you ever heard of had to sign such papers then you are very low on the totem pole when it comes to security clearances.


52 posted on 03/13/2018 4:34:30 PM PDT by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Note to all foreigners: Please.....GET OUT and STAY OUT!)
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To: Chode

Who is Francis?


53 posted on 03/13/2018 4:35:14 PM PDT by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Note to all foreigners: Please.....GET OUT and STAY OUT!)
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To: Chainmail

Semper fi, good read. ;)


54 posted on 03/13/2018 4:39:29 PM PDT by eldoradude (Keep calm...we'll get to the carrion part later.)
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To: spel_grammer_an_punct_polise

Well, you must have some good stories. It’s a shame you forgot them.

I am pretty sure that a story from a marine in a village is not divulging any secrets.


55 posted on 03/13/2018 4:45:11 PM PDT by Vermont Lt (Burn. It. Down.)
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To: spel_grammer_an_punct_polise

Maybe you know him as Psycho.


56 posted on 03/13/2018 4:47:24 PM PDT by gundog (Hail to the Chief, bitches.)
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To: spel_grammer_an_punct_polise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OnpkDWbeJs


57 posted on 03/13/2018 4:49:43 PM PDT by gundog (Hail to the Chief, bitches.)
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To: Vermont Lt

“Well, you must have some good stories. It’s a shame you forgot them.

I am pretty sure that a story from a marine in a village is not divulging any secrets.”

Our ‘enemies’ can glean information from any military story and our ‘enemies’ DO read FR.


58 posted on 03/13/2018 5:14:18 PM PDT by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Note to all foreigners: Please.....GET OUT and STAY OUT!)
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To: gundog

Oh, a movie. That is why I have no idea of “Francis” or “Psycho”. I do not waste my time watching ridiculous movies. I have much better things to do with my time.


59 posted on 03/13/2018 5:17:25 PM PDT by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Note to all foreigners: Please.....GET OUT and STAY OUT!)
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To: Chainmail

Got to hand it to you bro, 70 years old and a 15 year old kid must be driving you crazy...........LOL!


60 posted on 03/13/2018 5:36:28 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (My cat is not fat, she is just big boned........)
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