life expectancy of an infantry soldier in combat

He said fighting was especially deadly in the war-torn city of Bakhmut, dubbed "the meat. I was a REMF but Ive heard of 05Cs that were stuck out in the boonies on a firebase. The rifle companies of the 276th Infantry Division arrived in the French town of Brumath on the day after Christmas, 1944. There is a demand to know how to operate in an NBC contaminated area as well as construct field expedient firing aids. No high security clearance is required to become an Army Infantryman. If you have other information let me know. Second Lieutenant was the most junior commissioned rank in the Army and experienced squad leaders often had to make up for their commanders lack of experience in the field, and with the Army overall. Like all military branches, the Army pays soldiers according to rank and time in service. Infantryman must know how to receive and implement combat orders, direct deployment of personnel in a number of different operation types (offensive, defensive, retrograde, etc). I for one commend you for your courage and thank you for your service to your country. They were great patriots fighting for their families and their homeland. I packed my own radio and got a Thank you from his Mom. The blasts from the AMMO, really lit up the whole area. The Army provided waterproof boots and galoshes, which made the feet sweat on marches and could cause the same problems. The fact that PDoggbiker cant find any decent calculation/explanation, tells us a lot. American infantry from the 28th Infantry division march on the Champs Elysees in Paris. Basic training and advanced job training are combined into a single course. 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. Had multiple Ks and Ws. Stops on the march of more than a few minutes were to be used to grab any sleep they could. They endured the monotonous rations, lack of hygiene, bombardment by the enemy, accidental bombardment by their own artillery, constant tension, and the constant loss of friends because they were there to protect themselves and their fellow squad members, finish the job and go home. The theory is the longer you serve in the U.S. Army the more you will make. Each battalion contained a heavy weapons company with machine guns and mortars, and three rifle companies of infantrymen. Its just (bad) luck, fate, randomness theres no right or wrong, no justice or fairness, no reasoning. I know this is a standard cliche, but it is so true, All gave some. Joe Medicine Crow, the last war chief of the Crow Tribe of Montana is profiled in The War, a film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Originally I went to the 543d TC. I told by RTO that i could carry my own radio, When he agreed he was humping ammo. The 11X recruiting program is designed to pipeline Army Basic Training to the Army Infantry training program. Most infantrymen did not carry additional ammunition for the .45, which was considered a defensive weapon of last resort, and those that did typically carried only one or two preloaded magazines. It was rugged, reliable, and in the hands of a marksman deadly. 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. Related Article Army Combat Engineer (MOS 12B): Career Details. we were getting it with machine gun and mortars. The average age of the 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date. RIP KOOKIE forever young, Thank god you are still alive, I am age 77. Often as not he was right beside you with a stolen chicken and a bag of rice. As mentioned, who kept track of that in the first place? John Doever I was an Artillery Forward Observer with the Infantry. We had 5 kias and roughly 50 wounded in our company so about one in three got hit. Depending on the season in which they arrived, the camps could be pleasant or miserable; for example, Mediterranean fall sunshine or the bitter Mistral winds of winter. I was trained as a RTO in 1970 at Fort Ord then went to Fort Gordon for teletype school, my MOS was 05C20 when I finished. It was capable of processing an entire division for embarkation in a single day, but it seldom did due to the nature of shipping schedules from the Port of Boston. Through it all, he carried all of the gear he needed to survive in the field, protect himself from the elements, and defend himself from the enemy. Every infantryman must be fluent in any weapon and equipment that is involved in the operation. Vehicles of the US First Infantry division stalled on a Belgian road in late 1944. The prestigious badge, offered only to infantry and Special Forces Soldiers . Fellow members soon learned the strengths and weaknesses of each other, who could be relied on and who would shirk his duties. Of all the gear he carried, other than his weapons and ammunition, none was more important to him than clean socks. National Archives. While all rifle companies had assigned medics, they were not always in the company of squads on patrol or deployed in forwarding positions. What was the average life expectancy for soldiers during World War 2? They endured faulty equipment, inadequate clothing, the errors of logistics and judgment which found them being delivered winter boots in summer and the opposite in cold weather. a RTO got killed, it happened within 5 seconds but not that always ALL RTOs got killed. They were located, next to us, in/on Long Bhin Post. One went back to headquarters to notify them of the death, the other remained at the grave so that the body could be identified. It began just as, it was getting dark. 1 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Sgt. They also learned to never forgo any opportunity to rest. Food: Allowance for the on-base dining hall and access to tax-free department and grocery stores. I saw killed and wounded everywhere in our combat operations. When a squad was ordered out on a patrol it usually fell to the squad leader to decide who went and who stayed behind, unless he had orders from the higher-ups directing him who to send. 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. US Army. During training, you will spend close to a week on vehicle platform training. Where do we find this stuff? That same day, I along with 3/4 others was transported to Long Bhin Post. EIB - A day in the life of an infantryman. No combat assignments for another year of service in Vietnam or get out in about a month. 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. The men couldnt eat them anyway, so they made excellent trade items with the candy-starved French. This was both damaging to morale and weakened the reliability of the unit, and was avoided as much as possible, but became necessary during the rush to contain the German counteroffensive in the Ardennes in 1944. Here are ten examples of what life was like for the combat infantryman of the Second World War. I was to have that experience two more times before it was over. Welcome Home Brothers ! It means, IF (!) Infantrymen learned to survive without any creature comforts for the simple reason that anything that they kept they had to carry. !We dont abuse prisoners Now, if he reaches for his weapon to continue the fight BLOW HIS ASS AWAY THIS AINT SUNDAY SCHOOL!!! We were very, lucky. by John A. Haymond 2/7/2023. At age 55, World War 2 Veterans The next morning, the blasting could still be, heard. When you think of the U.S. Army, probably the first job you think of within the branch is an Army Infantryman MOS 11B. U.S. Army Infantrymen MOS 11B have many duties and responsibilities. In France, the bars were as hard as the frozen soil. Thanks for posting! I will always think/say, we had absolutely no reason for being in that place. Saw from mostly safe distance almost all the weapons systems that where there used. 5 seconds. I was a point man, M60 Gunner and squad leader. All they learned from their officers was that it was time to travel on foot. Additionally, soldiers might record operational information on maps. All of the next day, we could see SMOKE from the fire caused by the explosions of the AMMO at, the AMMO DUMP. I was never formally trained as an RTO. Required fields are marked *. 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. We were expecting, an attack. An infantry platoon commander in combat had an average of 6 weeks life expectancy. At age 55, World War 2 Veterans were estimated to live 21.4 and 26.1 life-years, 1.4 and 0.3 more life-years for Korean Conflict Veterans, and 3 and 1.5 more life-years for Vietnam Era Veterans for male and female, respectively. The extra socks they needed to carry to protect their feet was one example. 2 tour Nam Vet, Free Sample first six chapters of Cherries both Written and Audiobook, Author interview War & Life: Discussions with a Veteran. The Luftwaffe was still a potent threat during the summer of 1944 as the Allies pushed across France. 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. Sore feet and sore backs were part of life. For the most part, the members of the squad had no idea of the overall strategic situation or even the local tactical situation. Those who arrived during actual combat received a warmer welcome than those arriving while the squad was resting. 30 Apr 2023 00:05:29 While remaining at the camp, soldiers were told that they would be allowed to leave the facility and visit Boston, or Providence and other locations. I did worry about the strength of my flax vest. It was on the Job Training ! Engineer OSUT is 14 weeks long. However, Infantrymen may be eligible for bonuses, including an enlistment incentive of up to $41,000. They learned to spend the night in foxholes back to back with another squad member, giving them a 360-degree range of vision, and creating the term, Ive got your back. They were lazy, cowardly and of questionable loyalty, especially the RUFF/PUFFS, and they would steal your under ware if given half a chance. Land navigation is also a point of emphasis for U.S. Army Infantrymen. The infantrymen didnt know the reasons why they had to fight and too often die for a particular hill, or seemingly useless French farm or village, they simply had to do what they were told. 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. Their war was what they encountered. The trailer for that video can be seen by googling the title, and it might still be sold on Amazon. As I carried a PRC25 radio for over seven-months in the > Nam, I was curious to find out what I did RIGHT to surv >, One MOS I figured was a sure short timer was POL{Fuel} Truck Driver. Welcome home!! He also carried a weapon. In addition to handling and processing POWs, an Army Infantryman might also need to evaluate terrain and select weapon emplacement. The shortfall, on the other hand, is over 7.9 and 3.3 life-years for male and female in U. S. population, respectively. I applaud the courage and difficult and all so dangerous job of Roger Herforth when he served as an RTO for the Hawk Recon Platoon of the 101st airborne division in Vietnam.. The US Army Combat Lifesaver Course is an official medical training course conducted by the US Army. The loading and unloading of supplies at the front was performed by infantry units, as was the moving it forward to the men engaged at the front lines. I always was told that the life expectancy of a LT was 14 seconds in INITIAL combat versus 9 seconds for an RTO. Good article. Id had a premonition, and asked the LT to let me trade off to become the AG. Since U.S. Army Infantrymen are the primary land defense for the branch of the military they regularly participate in shooting drills. Appx: 6 months in, all of the 543d TC joined forces with the 572d TC. Wortman, another RTO never made it back to The World. Additionally, you may lead an infantry team in combat missions providing tactical and technical guidance to subordinates and professional support to both superiors and subordinates in the accomplishment of their duties. 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! Wow I was 31.8 Gun shot Carried model 1200 Winchester shot gun WIA May 68 Article was great. Not much different than his unit. In my tour everyone had the same chance of getting shot. I loved it. The cars were antiquated, dating back to before World War I, and were unheated. The rifle automatically ejected an exhausted clip, emitting an audible and distinctive ping. Got hit inside 15 minutes, first ambush we walked up too. 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. Thats why I never understand people talking about survivors guilt it should have been me, why him? etc. Found NVA bunker complex. Instead, they were soon engulfed in the biggest battle of US Army history. I am 81 now and survived the encounter by terminated the sniper. 10 1/2 months in the bush. Quickly learned to control rate of fire. Interesting but something is missing. 101st Airborne Division. His clothing alone weighed more than twenty pounds. Correct. It was the infantry which carried the fight to the infantry of the enemy, battled the elements while out in the open, and carried on the grunt work of the advancing army. An interesting essay, even more interesting are the comments. 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. But, once the enemy lays down his weapon, I want YOU TO REMEMBER THREE THINGS: 1, HE IS A SOLDIER, JUST LIKE YOU.2, HE IS AWAY FROM HOME And family, just like you. As an Army Infantryman, you will likely see time in combat. How Awful Life Was For A Napoleonic Soldier. Both served in A 2/18 1st Infantry Division For some reason, the written word of this article was somehow deleted and lost. Army Infantryman 11B are riflemen, while Indirect Fire Infantrymen 11C carry mortar weapons systems. I carried the PRC-25 Radio most of that time. Here are our sources: Company A, 276th Infantry in World War II, by Frank H. Lowry, 1991, Life in the Infantry, by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, The War, PBS online, 2007, Command Decisions: The 90 Division Gamble, by Maurice Matloff, Center for Military History, Department of the Army, 1960, online, The Infantry Organization for Combat, by Hugh Foster, April 26, 2000, online, The European Theater of Operations, ed. 1ST MAW 66-68. As I made it back to the road I remember seeing the In some conditions, infantrymen would change their socks at any opportunity. He was wounded and suffered permanent disability shortly before his tour was up. As far as I knew that was done in the whole battalion in 1968 . The 276th was not going into combat as a division, but as a task force, meaning that it was used to plug gaps in the line in response to fluid conditions during the German attack in Belgium. The incredibly important role in the U.S. Army is responsible for defending the country through real-life combat. I too never understood survivor quilt, Enjoyed your article. Survival led them to shed those items which were not essential to their remaining alive. Spent my year in a Recon platoon 2/35th 4th ID. There is no civilian occupations that are the direct equivalent of an Army Infantryman MOS 11B. For example, life expectancy of Veterans at age 25 population, thus 3.6 and 0.5 life-years smaller income differentials for male and female Veterans, respectively, shown in Tables 17 and 18. The names of the towns and villages were meaningless to the men, most of whom had no knowledge of French geography nor what their destination was. Here is an 18 I wasnt aware that they kept life expectancy statistics. [1] However, this claim is as much an indictment of US Army personnel practices and miscalculations as it is an indicator of tank crew losses. Walking wounded were usually treated at aid stations manned by the medical personnel of their own unit. I credit my longetivity to great training at Ft Benning. Regardless, several civilian jobs are comparable such as: Soldiers should consider enrolling in the Army PaYS program following retirement. For example, troops in the south of France were moved first by rail, then by Army trucks, to their destination blocking elements of the German army from reinforcing and resupplying the assault in the Ardennes. . HOOAH!!! An American infantryman inspects the body of a dead German in July 1944, near St. Infantry soldiers are trained at Fort Benning, Georgia. The Thompson .45 caliber submachine gun was sometimes carried by a non-com to give a squad more firepower in the field, but it was not deployed as heavily as films and television depict due to its poor penetrating power and its weight. Others were encampments such as Camp Myles Standish, outside of Boston, Massachusetts. There is also training provided on advanced land navigation (day and night) as well as opportunities for leadership positions that are extremely beneficial both in the Army, and with future civilian opportunities. 9 (September 1944) The American Soldier (1949), vol. Motorized elements of the division and the supporting logistics facilities traveled by road. Alsace had for more than a century been a region disputed between the French and the Germans, and many of the residents there were more supportive of the latter than the former. More severely wounded were sent, by ambulance or by rail, to forward surgical posts. Our Aussie Dust off choppers had door gunners, we worked on the theory if the Noggies would shot at Red Cross choppers, we would return fire, Aussie grunt, 60000 00 Aussies fought in Vietnam, Up the Old Red Rooster and more beer. U.S. Army Infantryman overwhelming have positive things to say about the military career choice. I was with HHC and 1st Platoon C Company in 70-71. Bloody May 1968 Mini TET. Clip 8m 41s. Soldier,this is a wardont forget that, and anytime we are in a fight we will be toughest SOBs in the fight!! The soldier spent a majority of his time in camp drilling, with . We were in2dBn 503d . I was in the AF a Reo in a F4-C. Who had time to worry about the life As an Infantryman, you may be listed as an MOS 11X. His entrenching tool could be used as a pick and a spade, but the often frozen ground encountered in late 1944 resisted his efforts stubbornly. I spent my year in Vietnam with the 1/22nd infantry part of the 4th division. In the last 5 years the symptoms of PTSD and AO are starting getting worse in me. Army Infantrymen are experts in both weaponry and machinery, so there is a need to maintain and store combat weapons of all types.

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