Hey, if anyone knows of a couple of good sites that have soldiers personal recollections of their first combat experience I would be most appreciative if you could pass those on to me. Doing a paper for my History class. Thanks

10/19/2005 1:18:55 PM

Quote :

"Three wars back we called Sauerkraut "liberty cabbage" and we called liberty cabbage "super slaw" and back then a suitcase was known as a "Swedish lunch box." Of course, nobody knew that but me. Anyway, long story short..."

-Abe Simpson

10/19/2005 1:29:25 PM

hahahaha Funny, but not sure I can use it in the paper.

10/19/2005 1:36:58 PM

It works. Trust me. I want to see those words in print.

[Edited on October 19, 2005 at 1:37 PM. Reason : s]

10/19/2005 1:37:39 PM

What if you just went to google and typed "first combat experience"?

10/19/2005 2:22:25 PM

Well, don't know about websites. However, you could do it the old fashioned way and actually read some books. Suggestions "The Forgotten Soldier", autobiography of a german solidier on the eastern front. A true testament as to why wars shouldn't be fought and there nastiness. Anybody who holds illusions as to the true nature of warfare afterwards didn't actually read the book. Another, "We Were Soldiers Once and Young”, don't watch the damn movie, read the book. "Tigers in the Mud", story of a scrawny 18yr old pussy who becomes one of the greatest panzer commanders in history with over 150 tank kills. "Brazen Chariots" tank commander in North Africa. "My War Gone By, I Miss It So" is an independent reporter’s observation of the Serbian Croat war in Bosnia. He has some very insightful interviews with the combatants. "This Kind of War" details the horror of fighting the Korean War. "All for the Union" is the diary of a civil war soldier. There are a ton of books obviously, recently there is a new book called "War Diaries" I believe. It is probably exactly what you’re looking for. Otherwise, I say Google that shit. My guess is you’re writing this thing at the last minute and haven't taken the time to read any books. So all I can say is use Google or find a veteran and ask him some questions. There are 4 ROTC departments there with staff members.

[Edited on October 19, 2005 at 2:30 PM. Reason : .]

10/19/2005 2:28:51 PM

http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/tandey.htm

Quote :

"28 September 1918 at Marcoing, France, a 27 year old private in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment earned the Victoria Cross for gallantry, and almost changed history forever. "...during the counter-attack after the capture of the village and river crossing, Private Tandey's platoon was held up by machine-gun fire, he crawled forward, located the gun and with a Lewis gun team, knocked it out. Arriving at the river crossing, he restored the plank bridge under a hail of bullets. Later in the evening, during an attack he, with eight comrades, was surrounded by an overwhelming number of the enemy. Although the position seemed hopeless, he led a bayonet charge, fighting so fiercely that 37 of the enemy were driven into the hands of the remainder of his company." "As the ferocious battle wound down and enemy troops surrendered or retreated a wounded German soldier limped out of the maelstrom and into Private Tandey's line of fire, the battle weary man never raised his rifle and just stared at Tandey resigned to the inevitable. "I took aim but couldn't shoot a wounded man," said Tandey, "so I let him go."" That wounded soldier was none other than Lance Corporal A.Hitler. "

[Edited on October 19, 2005 at 2:35 PM. Reason : .]

10/19/2005 2:34:54 PM

^ Bob Dole's book was interesting. He spent 2 years in training and then was paralyzed from an artillery shell less than a month after arriving in Italy.

10/19/2005 2:34:58 PM

The nature of the assignment won't let me use books. Believe me, if I could I would be done in an hour. And it seems no matter what I search for google keeps sending me to book reviews or newspaper articles.

10/19/2005 2:41:13 PM

"One Shot, One Kill" by carlos hathcock.

a must read.

10/19/2005 2:47:36 PM

http://www.war-stories.com/warstory.htm

10/19/2005 2:50:02 PM

What kind of history class demands that you can't use books??? Who's teaching this? Go find Caddell and ask him, he's the god of military history at State.

10/19/2005 3:02:32 PM

Caddell is a golden god. I see him at gun shows.

10/19/2005 3:04:41 PM

caddell is a gun nut AND a member of the Sierra Club. he was always having to take spiteful shit from this asshole right-winger in our class over that. with that said, i personally think the best military stories at nc state come from one, Charlie Carlton, although he was British military and you might be wanting US stories.

10/19/2005 3:32:07 PM

Read any books about the 101st Airborne / L Co. 75th Ranger LRRPs in Vietnam. Awesome books and stories and there are a ton of them out there.


Some of the Medal of Honor citations on this page - http://www.mishalov.com/Citations.html - have stories along with them either from the person who earned the award, or from after action reports.

10/19/2005 5:39:29 PM

Caddell rocks.

10/19/2005 5:43:25 PM