Originally Posted by
WalkingMan
I served in Vietnam 68 and 69 with the Bravo 1/3 FO team and a few other 'snoopin and poopin' units.
We used to joke that before we could be killed or wounded, we had to fill out the correct request form, and send it back to the Rear Area, and it had to be approved, but that at the moment, they were COMPLETELY OUT OF REQUEST FORMS, so... PERMISSION DENIED. :)
I think that casualties were considerably higher in Vietnam, especially in Grunt Companies, Recon, FO teams and other forward deployed units, than they are now... especially at the present time, when casualty rates are way down (for the moment at least) in Iraq.
Combat Medicine has evolved considerably since Vietnam, and so have things like MedEvac capabilities, so that injuries that killed Marines 40 years ago can be survived today at a much higher rate, and with a better outcome.
What I remember being the 'big thing' topic under discussion, was not the casualty rates (KIA/Wounded), but the Life Expectancy for various MOS's, which was measured in 'minutes under fire'. I don't believe the 'statistics' were scientifically calculated or anything, I would guess it was all scuttlebut.
I remember that Tunnel Rats had the lowest life expectancy, Officers and Corpsmen, were on the 'Dead Man Walking' list, and that my MOS ...a 2533 radio operator humping a PRC 25 radio, walking point, doing night ambushes, and getting dropped off on some Very Forward hilltop to Observe, Report and Direct Fire Missions and Air Support... was also pretty crappy.
When you see your Brothers (and nowadays Sisters) die or get wounded in combat, it sucks, but Marine Corps training really does kick in when the sh*t starts, and it saves a lot of lives, not to mention helping to keep one reasonably sane, under insane conditions.
Jarhead Humour saves a lot of lives.