David, I was just a smart ass kid during World War II desperate
to get into the action and two weeks before my 17th birthday
enlisted in the Marines just a few months after the war had ended.
It was the best I could do.
After three years of service with the Marines I attended the U of
Georgia and two years later was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the
army just in time to be shipped out for the Korean conflict.
You know, that strange war that never was since it never was
declared and thus only a mere police action. General McAuthor
mistakenly thought it was a war too. President Truman settled
that question when the General let it be known that he was
determined to cross the 38th parallel and on into China. Whew!
Well, anyway, I was lucky. I didnt get shot simply because
none of the chinks got a chance to shoot at me. My orders
instructed me to report to Seattle and some of you must know
what that meant. Shortly before I was to ship out my orders
were changed sending me to Fort Eustis to be assigned to the
Transportation School as a training aids officer.
My point for telling you all this is that some other unlucky fellow
no doubt took my place. I got a soft job in Virginia and that poor
devil must have caught a lot of hell in Korea because I have a pretty
good idea what he was doing there. As a transportation officer
most likely he would have been in charge of a truck convoy
responsible for hauling supplies to the front lines. Its a dangerous
job because you are a slow moving target always subject to enemy
attacks.
I sometimes watch the history channel on cable. When ever
it programs the Korean deal and I see those trucks having been
shelled along some heavily snow bound road with retreating G.Is
struggling their way back to the rear I cant help but feel guilty.
I find myself wondering how did my replacement make out. Was
he captured, wounded, killed or is he somewhere back in the states
having lost a part of himself from frost bite? I dont know who
he is,or was, and I suppose it is just as well that I never find out.
Theres a lot of big talk now about going over there in Afghanistan
and whipping some butts and I hope they mean it as it is what we
should have done a long time ago. But I gotta tell ya the Russians
had similar ideas and we know how they made out. Thats a rough
country and the folks we will be confronting have very little regard
for life including their own. Im reminded of the Japs during the
great war. To the Japanese soldier surrender was never an option
and it was like shaking coons out of trees to get those suckers
out of their bunkers and caves.
Right now Americans are mad as hell but I wonder just how long their
anger will last when the body bags start coming back. Seems we
have lately developed some funny ideas as to the ways a war should
be fought. Its ok to wage war just as long as none of us get hurt.
We seem to think that because of technology no one has to go back
into the trenches any more. Wanna bet?
None of us have any idea what the president and the generals are
contemplating as to a strike. It is unusual that the United States to
get the backing of so many countries including Russia so this certainly
gives the green light to do what ever we feel necessary. But what ever
plans our leaders may have in mind in my opinion they had better do
it soon before this thing cools off and everyone has had a chance to
to think things over.
We already have at least one member of the list who is having
reservations because of fear that a sibling might get hurt. War is a
dirty business and the only way to play the game is to win and to
win you have got to pay a price. The question is how much are we
willing to pay?
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