I just love this picture. My husband. He's just so handsome, of course I don't think I've ever seen anyone who looked ugly in any Military uniform. They all look pretty snazzy.
As many of you know I belong to a Troop support group here. I help pack boxes for deployed Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. A few years ago Ken and I were talking about those boxes, and some of the funny stories he had from his time in the Military. I thought it would be fun to share some of those stories with the young Soldiers, Marines, and Sailors I write to. I had Hubby tell them to me and tried to get them down in story form. I thought I would share a few here.
My main reason for sharing them is that I'm at a loss right now what to write about. My good knee has gone out on me and I can't stand the thoughts of what may lie ahead. I really need a good laugh and these stories are funny.
Ken was a proud member of the 1st. Infantry division, the 2nd of the 18th. Also known as the Big Red One. He was an anti-sniper sniper. He also packed around a M-79 grenade launcher when needed. Most of his tour he used an M-14 and M-16. He pretty much did what no one else wanted to do. He was even a tunnel rat on occasion. His 6' + frame was often a tight squeeze. He had an 8 man squad under his direction. Their job as best as I can describe it was to spend days in the jungle tracking enemy movement.
You may wonder why I would even consider sending "war stories" to a bunch of deployed Troops; some out in the hot zones with bullets whizzing around their heads. They certainly don't need to be reminded about how hard, or un-nerving, or terrifying war can be. I agree with you there. They need to know that even when things are collapsing around them, when the world as they have always known it is gone, when there is nothing good, or decent about the day. They can laugh. They can think of a silly story an old Vet told them and laugh till their bellies ache. Maybe that laugh will ease the stress and the tension of the day. Maybe it will be the thing that the mind sits first in the memory so that when the memories years from now are recalled, they will not be so hard, or painful. Maybe they will remember that if an old Vet can find something to laugh at in Vietnam they can find something to laugh at too.
This is one of my favorite stories, I usually share it first.
This is a great story Ken had from his time in Vietnam. I was able to meet “Click” aka Dennis (Ken's machine gunner) at our home along with one of his sergeants . It was a day of stories and sharing of a bond that those who were not there can never truly understand. Their friendship was born of blood and valor. They were truly brothers.
It was 1966 and Ken and his 8 men were in the jungle looking for the enemy. I guess they spent all their time looking for them and reported movements and all that other Army type stuff. They had set up camp for the night.. They set up a perimeter, with wire, and claymores and went about getting dinner. Yummy C-rations from the Korean war.. The first set of 3 Soldiers were sent out to walk around and patrol.
It was dark and the jungle with its usual smells and sounds was settling in for the night. The guys weren't gone very long when 3 guys came walking up the path.. Dennis went out to see what the problem was. The 3 had only left a few minutes earlier.
He walked up behind the three and put his arms around their shoulders saying “ Hey what ya guys doing back here so soon? You just left.” Well it was NOT the 3 soldiers, it was 3 Vietcong.
Dennis, who had left his gun back inside the wire, screamed and ran.. The 3 Vietcong screamed and Ran.. Dennis ran back to get his machine gun.. The Vietcong had their rifles.. They were so scared they just ran away screaming.. Not a shot was fired.. No one saw them again. Dennis never went anywhere again without his gun...
It's funny how click got his name. He had just finished oiling his machine gun. The guys were hiding in a bunch of bamboo.. The barrel of the gun was sticking out.. Along came an enemy soldier.. Dennis saw him and was afraid to move the machine gun as the moon had come out and he was afraid that the gun would be seen if he moved it.. He grabbed a fellow soldier’s weapon and fired.. Unfortunately the gun did not have a round in the chamber so it made a great Big CLICK sound.. LOL That guy ran and Dennis yelled and fumed and finally got a round in the chamber. From that day on Dennis was lovingly referred to as Click...
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