11th day of the 11th month

[lagilman]

People who say "war is hell" are too often those who've never been under fire. Those who have too often rarely say anything at all.



(I'm referring not only to those who died, but those who found themselves either unable to speak of what they'd seen, or were unable to find anyone to listen. Because that's the final and IMO most insulting sacrifice we demand of them - to not inflict the truth of war on those of us who are not on the front lines.)

Comments

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I was never under fire, but served with plenty of men who had been. They didn't talk much about the bad stuff, even to other soldiers. That didn't fit the image.

Funny stories, yes, like the Staff Sergeant who got an Arcom-with-V (army commendation medal for valor) because he passed out gas masks to his squad when they were hit by tear gas. From his own M-79 grenade launcher . . .