We were discussing the different units and dangers of each. BUT WE MUST ALSO BE COGNIZANT OF OUR REQUIREMENT TO BE COMPASSIONATE HUMAN BEINGS. year old Marine thinking this is my last day on earth. never happened,we lost two sweep team members and some Members of the squad carried other equipment besides their personal load, as assigned by their sergeant. The infantrymans first encounter with the French or Italians usually took place near these camps. 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. It was mostly used by specialty units rather than infantry. Seven out of ten suffered some form of injury or death. Army Infantrymen (11B) are the main land combat force, and known as Eleven Bravo.. Our patrols were typically about 14 hours 24/7 We operated of old LSTs and large barges. While waiting for their orders for deployment the food was at least usually hot and plentiful, opportunities to fraternize with the welcoming French were frequent, and the mail arrived regularly bringing news from home. I spent 10 1/2 months in the jungles of Vietnam. Also, Infantry like the culture of the military job as well as management opportunities. According to Indeed.com, overall Infantryman claim pay and benefits and job security and advancement as the two best features of the job. I remember hearing a Lieutenant (Kennedy) say to one of his two platoon RTOs My RTO is Foxtrot Uniform. 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. Just published my book The Last Goodbye by John Fratangelo, available on line on Barnes and Noble and Amazon Prime Books, Getting great reviews. Thats what I figured but didnt know for sure. Different type units, different locations, different opinions on dangers. In the absence of hard information, speculation and rumors spread, and the experienced infantryman learned to ignore the rumors and keep his mind on his job. It didnt matter who you were or where you were. They run into the fire to help the wounded and many get wounded or killed. I personally believe and agree with previous posts that when its your time, not much you can do. It was just part of the job. However, Infantrymen may be eligible for bonuses, including an enlistment incentive of up to $41,000. A system for the treatment and evacuation of wounded was developed in the Mediterranean theater before the Americans landed in France, and by the end of 1944, it worked smoothly and efficiently, applying the knowledge gained by experience. 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. 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 special military bonus is reserved for particular in-demand, or highly-dangerous positions. Theres 58,276. Were talking averages, obviously so, an RTO, with an expectancy of 5 seconds (!) They were lazy, cowardly and of questionable loyalty, especially the RUFF/PUFFS, and they would steal your under ware if given half a chance. The soldier spent a majority of his time in camp drilling, with . When you assist in reconnaissance operations you can expect to employ, fire, and recover anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, locate and neutralize mines, operate, mount/dismount, zero, and engage targets using night vision sight. All infantrymen were issued gas masks, but by the time they reached the front-most had discarded them as being unnecessary since there had been no indication that the Germans were planning on using poisonous gas, as they had in the First World War. We were very, lucky. life expectancy of an infantry soldier in vietnam I for one commend you for your courage and thank you for your service to your country. They didnt know it, but they were about 60 miles from the Rhine River, which lay to the North, and less than one hundred miles east of Stuttgart, Germany. We were like sitting Ducks. Engineer OSUT is 14 weeks long. We were probably not too far away on that day. The rifle automatically ejected an exhausted clip, emitting an audible and distinctive ping. Before I became a team leader on ambush and recon I was in command of the scout jeep for the 25th ID resupply convoy from January 1968 to June 15, 1968 and I found the resupply convoys a lot more dangerous because the enemy always knew where it would be and when. Related Article Army Combat Engineer (MOS 12B): Career Details. There were two different groups that flew aeromedical evacuations. Joining the U.S. Army has an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Indeed.com, which is about as good as you will find on the career website. He encountered the open fields and farmlands of France, the dense woods of the Ardennes, the mountainous terrain in Italy, Les Voges, and Alsace, in all weather conditions. Also, it would mean the killed RTOs died within seconds of the fight (it doesnt distinguish between ambush or regular fight, eg. Amen I was a machine gunner for 7 months 503rd infantry 173rd airborne and you hit the nail right on the head. Even during the period of rest, the possibility of a sudden attack was always present. I was an Artillery Forward Observer 13F20 E-5 at that time. I want to know what the life expectancy of a us infantry army soldier is. Those who were killed in combat were identified by their dog tags, and buried by special details for the most part, although it was not uncommon for infantrymen to bury the dead of their units while on patrol, marking the location with a dog tag. An American infantryman inspects the body of a dead German in July 1944, near St. rice farmer who was still working with is ox like nothing ever My father was on a lrrp team!65-67never was shot but killed alot.He never really got over it though died in 2012! Death by a Bottle! At age 55, World War 2 Veterans Usually, these transfers led to the men being ordered to remove the insignia identifying their division from their uniforms, to deny the information to the Germans. 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry. From Cam Rahn, we kept flying north to, a Landing Zone near QUANG TRI. Combat lifesaver course - Wikipedia John Doever BS but ia a way you are correct. Welcome home brothers and sisters. 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. Some were necessary as a part of simply releasing the tension built up through combat and seeing friends wounded or killed, but it was up to the sergeants to establish what went too far. That same day, I along with 3/4 others was transported to Long Bhin Post. The training for Army Infantrymen 11B consists of Basic Combat Training (BCT) and Advanced Individual Training (AIT), for a total of 14 weeks. Over 600 Navy FMF Hospital Corpsmen were killed in Vietnam. My 31-months in-country was in three Direct Support US Army aviation units, 15TC BN, First Cav, 335TH, Americal and 17TH Cav 101ST ABD65-71In the last battle I was directly involved, LAM SON 719, into Laos, cost army aviation units over 600-helicopters shot down or battle damagedthe NVA were waiting for our SECRET mission in early 71I was glad to go home at battles end, in March 71 , almost unscathed, I was TDY for my absurd third tourTo the point, many ARVN Rangers, airborne and their other best died in Lam Son 719US Army Infantry were forbidden entry to Laos in 71.. the ARVN were massacredand many US Army pilots and crew mambers were KIA & WIAeven MIA. The cars were antiquated, dating back to before World War I, and were unheated. * Basic training and advanced job training are combined into a single course. As the war moved forward, an exhausted soldier often merely lay on his blanket at night in an effort to simplify his life and maximize periods of rest. The need for special training for BAR operators, including the proper method of cleaning it, also contributed to its being carried by only one squad member. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. 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). Some reported not having the ability to shower for as long as several weeks. US Army. The infantrymen would have just enough time to wet down, lather up using GI soap, and rinse off. I saw killed and wounded everywhere in our combat operations. Education: Army members can earn full-tuition, merit-based scholarships, allowances for books and fees, plus annual stipend for living expenses. May they rest in peace. Infantry OSUT is 22 weeks. Here are ten examples of what life was like for the combat infantryman of the Second World War. Found NVA bunker complex. I never thought of it that way before but have many times since. You will become a member of a fire team which could result in deployment to one or more dangerous settings involving direct combat. From the Landing Zone, we were carried not too far. The US Army Combat Lifesaver Course is an official medical training course conducted by the US Army. Happy to Know on Twitter: "RT @starsandstripes: New York Army National As a Huey door gunner, when we left the ground on a mission, I always thought that this mission would be my last! There were also wounded. 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. 101st Airborne Division. He used. As a member of a fire team, you can expect to test your skills handling day and night shooting with several Army stables including M4 rifles, M230 machine guns, and M249 automatic weapons. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Elie Piha served as a paratrooper in the US Army from 2008 to 2012. You of course had the radio plus xtra batteries & handsets plus your rucksack with 7 to 8 canteens , 20 mags ( I used to carry 17 rounds in the mags instead of 20 ) because the springs would force the round into the chamber causing jams . At times in Italy and later in France, infantrymen learned to sleep as they marched, stumbling forward as if they were sleepwalking, which in a way they were. The Army provided waterproof boots and galoshes, which made the feet sweat on marches and could cause the same problems. 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. The 10 Most Dangerous Jobs in the US Military | Military.com In the 1st Cav medics were right behind the rto making them a very easy find also. They lived in the mud and snow, not in the deep trenches of the First World War but in foxholes they dug themselves, or in shell craters created by the artillery of both sides. THE MAN I INHERITED THE GUN FROM WASNT SO LUCKY. Sleep was not a luxury but a necessity. Parisians line the Champs Elysees to cheer the American infantry as they pass through the city in 1944. Some wounded received convalescent leave far behind the lines. Ive always considered myself damn lucky to make it out alive. I remember hearing somewhere about an RTO who wasnt getting the info out correctly and the Lieutenant (Kennedy) grabbed the mic and said My RTO Is Foxtrot Uniform. Related Article Marine Corps Scout Sniper (MOS 0317): Career Details. Out of the 3,000,000 men and women in our armed forces and reserves, we have lost 4,500 in this 9 year war. Non-divisional aeromedical evacuation units went by the callsign DUSTOFF. Made by the Hershey Company, the chocolate was laced with paraffin, which helped keep it from melting in the tropical heat. Altogether his burden was over eighty pounds. You were a Great RTO. The infantrymen of World War 2 slogged across Europe from the spring of 1944 through the early spring of 1945. 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. How Awful Life Was For A Napoleonic Soldier. Soldiers also act in the mobilization of vehicles, weaponry, troops, and more. Depending on the severity of a wound, an infantryman injured in combat could find himself directed to a medical facility which was established in five levels or echelons. Newspapers and magazines were available for the troops as were recreation activities such as baseball and softball, volleyball, and during the warm months swimming if a suitable body of water was near. You seen the enemy you shots him and vice versa. I handled Top Secret Commo on a daily basis. Some very close calls but I am alive at age 74. Sanitation facilities were a box filled with sand in each car. I am proud to have fought alongside of them. I was lucky too but VN never left me. I was a 2nd Lt. Infantry platoon Leader. There is no guarantee that recruits going through 11X Infantry Enlistment Option will become MOS 11B. A Day in the Life of an Infantry-Man in World War II Bravo, 3/187th Inf, 101st Airborne Div, 2nd Plt, 2nd Sq, Hamburger Hill, May 69. What is the life expectancy of an army infantry soldier? Treatment of wounds using sulfa drugs and powder and the growing use of penicillin to prevent and treat infections were on his side. When they first arrived in Europe the squads had often been together since their basic infantry training, but casualties and replacements inevitably changed their composition. Some unfortunately also came home with physical scars. You have to earn it, so hard work during your education and training is extremely important. I was one of the lucky ones I came home without a physical scratch. For the most part, when they went home after the war they regathered themselves and used their GI Bill rights to get educations, buy houses, and create the baby boom and the suburbs. Had multiple Ks and Ws. 4ID Mortar Teams Persevere at the Best Mortar Competition I was an Infantry Scout Dog handler. 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. Housing: Allowances for living expenses, utilities, and maintenance. Nor was treating wounded their only duty, they were responsible for the overall health of the men in their company, treating them for dysentery, routine illnesses such as colds and flu, blisters, sprains and broken bones, and other miseries encountered by the men. Life of the Civil War Soldier in Camp | American Battlefield Trust PDF Mortality Rates and Life Expectancy of Veterans - Veterans Affairs As they approached and entered the Alsace region this welcome became less enthusiastic. Some embarkation ports were near major military installations, such as Norfolk, Virginia. My dog and I walked point my whole tour in Vietnam. Very interesting I carried theM 60 for 5 months that gun would cut down anything. In Vietnam 70% 0f the casualties were Infantry BUT it might be 70% of ALL the Infantry that served in Vietnam. Thanks for posting! So I guess i lasted longer than I was supposed to. Some Brothers said why spend another year in this hellhole???? July 68 to July 69. US Army. Our 5th night there, the AMMO area started burning / blowing up. EACH OF US CARRIES OUR OWN MEMORIES AND THEY RUN THE GAMUT. Replacement infantrymen were often treated as an outsider, and no doubt already somewhat fearful of what they were getting into, they bore an additional burden of being considered to be little more than a casualty waiting to happen. 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. His comparison to a FB was that if we were fired on we returned fire and requested assistance when needed. Back in 1965, I was a door gunner on Medevac recovery operations. Take out the power center, youve got the edge. How Awful Life Was For A Napoleonic Soldier - historynet.com The blasts from the AMMO, really lit up the whole area. meaning what is the chance of me getting killed in combat. The TOTAL number of CIB and CMB awarded would give you the answer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Results When comparing life spans of service veterans, there was no statistically significant reduction for the average life span of the 234 combat-exposed veterans in our sample from the 28th (Mori) Battalion (66.7 years), relative to the Mori veterans from two non-combat cohorts: the 132 personnel in the 15th Reinforcements (67.2 years) and the 147 personnel in Jayforce (66.9 years). As I remember it the life expectancy was based on after the ambush was sprung or the fire fight started. Nobody attacked, where we were. Soldier,this is a wardont forget that, and anytime we are in a fight we will be toughest SOBs in the fight!! I was a point man, M60 Gunner and squad leader. Infantrymen are renowned for being great at handling high-stress situations and are often natural-born leaders. Life was seemingly grand for Napoleon's army, but reality told a far different story. It is an important role of MOS 11B and just one of their many responsibilities. 15 May he was killed by friendly fire, and a host of us were WIA, myself included. wias. Yes, I made E4 at graduation, that was considered a NCO then. both tours. Date: March 8, 2020 Author: pdoggbiker 97 Photo above is of Stanley Kober with RTO, John Scheur. They served in squads, led by a junior officer and experienced sergeants, slogged through and slept in mud and snow, maintaining contact with the enemy, taking and holding ground. Transportation was provided, and troops were not allowed to wear unit insignia outside the camp, nor discuss their unit or the camp with civilians. Dap, Hope this helps. When men were transferred out of their unit to join another division they were placed under the command of a different squad leader. Related Article: Army Height And Weight Standards. Squad leaders were given limited objectives, leaving them to speculate for the most part on aspects of an operation outside of those in which they and their men were participating. The liners had been gutted and great rows of tiered bunks filled their hulls. Love you Wortman!!!! Commanders like him were few and far between many were afraid of their own shadow and were only there to get their ticket punched. Although the men were usually informed of such a move, their immediate officers and non-coms remained in place, as seldom was a transfer of less than company strength. PDF Mortality Rates and Life Expectancy of Veterans from 1980 to 2017, and In Fury, starring Brad Pitt and Shia leBeouf, we follow the story of five American soldiers, a crew serving in one tank in Germany, 1945. Fortunately, it was recorded on Spotify and can be listened to here: Your email address will not be published. Hats off to them. Joe Medicine Crow escaped the law of . It doesnt make any sense statistically/mathematically it is impossible. Troops were moved to the front to prepare for another offensive in the autumn of 1944, and then redeployed in response to the surprise German counteroffensive. During training, you will spend close to a week on vehicle platform training. Although a partially discharged clip could be ejected from the rifle it was common practice not to do so. They accomplished the task with little knowledge of the tactical situation which drove them to take and abandon positions, engage and disengage the enemy, sleep in the open in driving rain, sleet, snow, or the hot humid summer of 1944. well I wonder how long your going to last lieutenant? The Army continues to build upon its training for fire team members with more time in the field, including tactical training that focuses more on squad formations. We walked the mountains and rice patties all thru Tu Thien Province. Now, there are additional weapon qualifications including handling M4 rifles, M240 machine guns, and M249 squad automatic weapons. Those who arrived during actual combat received a warmer welcome than those arriving while the squad was resting. 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. The shortfall, on the other hand, is over 7.9 and 3.3 life-years for male and female in U. S. population, respectively. 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. The basic unit for any infantryman in the United States Army was his squad. Your email address will not be published. Infantrymen must protect the country against any threat by land. It means, IF (!) This is excellent! I was to have that experience two more times before it was over. Sorry,I was one of your Brothers in Arms that helped talk you out of enlisting for another year in Vietnam. Spent my year in a Recon platoon 2/35th 4th ID. The incredibly important role in the U.S. Army is responsible for defending the country through real-life combat. 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. said to me. I told by RTO that i could carry my own radio, When he agreed he was humping ammo. Your Dad and I had the same job. Sure but so was everyone else who went 12 months without getting killed or wounded. According to General George S. Patton, the M1 was, the greatest battle implement ever devised. The .30 caliber M1 was designed to be easily disassembled for cleaning in the field. The Luftwaffe was still a potent threat during the summer of 1944 as the Allies pushed across France. What was the average life expectancy for soldiers during Vietnam It was rugged, reliable, and in the hands of a marksman deadly. I knew some of this, but certainly not all. What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in ww2? The next morning, the blasting could still be, heard. And yes, please God, bless America. Veterans of the 289th Infantry Regiment on the road to St. Vith during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. Great reading. The extra socks they needed to carry to protect their feet was one example. Our home base was Quang Tri fire Base, But I spent about 6 months out at Mai Loc with the rig. Infantrymen learned to survive without any creature comforts for the simple reason that anything that they kept they had to carry. In some conditions, infantrymen would change their socks at any opportunity. I wasnt aware that they kept life expectancy statistics. We had one RTO killed because he was too close to a 2ND Lt, same thing happened to another RTO. I was once told a story by a World War II veteran who . American parachute infantry advance in the Huertgen Forest in February, 1945. In the case of a night attack, the men could not exit the bags quickly, and most infantrymen quit sleeping in them, preferring to stay on top of the bag and cover themselves with their overcoat or blanket. Welcome home!! 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. It was always quick/quick, load the bodies in and get the hell out. National Archives. The 11X program challenges new recruits with the option of becoming MOS 11B or MOS 11C. Loaded 0%. Two points: 1) at least in Army units, Medevacs (dust offs) flew unarmed aircraft. (tirotactico.net). Food: Allowance for the on-base dining hall and access to tax-free department and grocery stores. One result of combat is dealing with prisoners of war, with Army Infantrymen being the first means to process POWs. I do remember when I got short I thought about it a lot more. Sept 69 to Sept 70. Then we all, loaded on C-147 cargo planes. 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. S/F, There were no door gunners on dustoffs. On Sun, Mar 8, 2020 at 4:00 PM CherriesWriter Vietnam War website wrote: > pdoggbiker posted: A friend recently sent me the link to an article > claiming that the life expectancy of a radio operator in the Vietnam War > was only 5 seconds. Id love to see the casualties listed by Corps ? Axes were useful, but not all men in the squad needed to carry one. 10 Answers Out of thousands of men that invaded that town in southern Afghanistan, we have lost 19. 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.*. HOOAH!!! Welcome Home Brothers ! Saw from mostly safe distance almost all the weapons systems that where there used. Thanks for the reply. Because the BAR had such a high rate of fire both the BAR man and another member of the squad carried extra ammunition for the weapon. Expenditures for a body in a combat zone? It was more or less next man up . First thing we did was, Set up a complete circular perimeter. National Archives. Rules may have changed, I was in the Delta region. Often as not he was right beside you with a stolen chicken and a bag of rice. 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. Related Article 5 Best Combat Jobs In The US Navy. Cruz quite a lot. Despite these encampments being located in secured areas, the army being the army demanded sentries around them, and sufficient make work was scheduled to give the men something to do. AnswerIt depended on the position they had. Lt lost a finger, same time. Operation Military Kids was founded to be a resource for teens and young adults who are interested in joining the military, but don't know where to begin. Other severely wounded men and those recovering from surgery were sent, if necessary, to hospitals operated by the Army, the International Red Cross, or the medical services of the nation in which they were located. I always was told that the life expectancy of a LT was 14 seconds in INITIAL combat versus 9 seconds for an RTO. However, you do receive added pay bonuses for rank and years of service. then youd carry an extra 200 rounds of M60 ammo for the machine gunner , plus drag grenades , one smoke grenade plus etc. by John A. Haymond 2/7/2023. Because if only 1 RTO fought for say only 10 or 15 minutes before being killed, that would up the AVG for the total war! Sore feet and sore backs were part of life. An interesting comment I had. A sled laden with ammunition is dragged by US infantrymen towards the fighting during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. While traveling through the boonies the first few men were usually always shot first. Color Vision discrimination for MOS 11B is red/green. (Petty Officer 2nd Class. The system made the success of American infantry operations almost wholly dependent on the ability of the squad leaders to direct their men in the field. approaching a village and a firefight starts). Love this analysis. As of July 2019, the Army had 19,820 11B Infantryman on active duty. You just do the best job you can and if you got hit, so be it! During times of combat, it is not uncommon to mobilize troops, vehicles, and weaponry. I carried the proc 26 radio after I was asked by my field 1st ( E 7 ) if I would for my platoon . They were also in a circular formation. Related Article: Marine Machine Gunner (MOS 0331): Job Description And Summary. 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. Both my tours were in the Delta (IV Corps) where the only ground troops were regular ARVNs and RUFF/PUFFS. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. All Rights Reserved. If my memory is correct, only the 1st Cab flew wiith doorgunners. Combat lifesaver course. Much smaller income differentials in life expectancy, 0.2 to 3.6 life-years smaller for Veterans in 2010-17 are estimated. I quit trying to make sense of all the numbers that have been generated about Vietnam. Great information. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thank you for both articles: (1)Going up river to port and (2) the flight from Italy back to Nam. 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.