Question 65: Free Response

Survey

Attitudes of Combat Infantrymen

Questionnaire

Form F
65
If you have any further remarks to make on any subject relating to your combat experience please write them below as fully as you like:
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I wish they would check on the officers before they ever send them out to combat. Cause there was one officer that used to tell us don't this and don't do that and then when you got into action he was one of the ones that got kill first by just doing the opposite of what he use to tell us not to do.

And another thing what is the use of having good officers when they wear their rank in combat they might as well put targets on themselves. Yes thats how we lost some good officers just because they were wearing their shining rank.
I think that if I would go into any length of action my age and physical condition would be a liability to the rest of the troops and my company because I tire a lot more than some others and I cant regain my strength and stamina as the younger men can. The majority of these men in the company have been overseas so long that they are getting the opinion that they don't care who wins the war. Some of the officers in my Reg have received the Silver Star for doing nothing while others have gone back to U.S. to go to school with a nice big furlough thrown in.
Well for one thing they try to make pack mules out of us when we started to make the beach head I think that a fellow should go in as light as possible and I think that each platoon should have more automatic weapons than they have got. And I think the higher the morale of the soldier is the better they would fight and one way to make their morale high is to give them a furlough before they go in to combat any how if they haven't been home in about three years And I think that is the way most of the men of this outfit feel about it all.
A machine gun squad leader attached to my Platoon (I was then Platoon Guide) even after briefing impossible of misinterpretation, made an excuse to lead his squad the wrong way and attached himself to another company. As a result of the failure of this support, I believe we received all but 1 of our first day casualties. He is still a machine gun squad leader.

We need a smokeless powder. We carried - on orders - too much equipment into combat. Packs are unnecessary because none of us could eat while we were in that action.
After men have been in service as long as we have been and have seen combat even for a short time, as we have seen it, I fail to see the necessity for a full day of monotonous drill, day after day. I believe a half day of drill and the aftenoon devoted to baseball and such would be better for the men mentally and physicially.

Ranger training is a farce. The men get in better and more appropriate shape by hikes and day problems then they do by hiring themselves out a la Lt Col D'eiscm. Why is it that all the officers above a major participating in the Malkin Battle were decorated? Men in our company died inspiring other men have been refused such a simple thing as a Silver Star. Unless qualifications are stricter, these "honors" are outright phonies. Why do army "food experts" have such one track minds? Haven't the ever heard that variety is the spice of life? Weekly menus could be saved and reused over and over again for the duration & six.
There really isn't much to say, as you can see from this form we were not in action very long, but some are going again some, and if I have the good fortune to see it through, there may be a lot more to say then. Here is one thing I know we will be scared at the thoughts of meeting those rats again but once we hit we will get over it.
We know that the army needs Generals and all other top ranking officers but just because they put their foot on shore about 4 hours after everything is over is no reason to present them with some of the Army's highest awards. The enlisted man does the fighting and a damn good job while some observer comes along and gets the Silver Star for being on board a ship and coming in after it is all over. The enlisted man has to practically be an army by him self to get the different awards. We do not appreciate the awards when we see how they are giving them out.
There were medals given to members of our Regiment high ranking officers that did not deserve them they done their duty so did we but we never got any thing after all we are all humans, one gives the other one a medal legal a private hasn't chance in that matter he has to get a leg or arm shot off before he gets a anything. I think medals are given very foolish.
on question No. 20 Silver Stars, I know of 5 men who should of received the silver star but they say his actions did not call for it.

I also know of 4 officers who received the S S for running to the rear every time a Jap machine gun opened up. And it's caused a great fall in the mens moral as they can't figure it out. If the men were like the officers we would all be receiving Silver Stars and the Japs would be the Kings.
All men serving over seas 2 years or longer that has been in Combat some time or more should be allowed to go back to the states and see his relatives and friends and let some of the other troops get a chance at what we have done over here. A lot of the guys in my outfit have not been home going on three years and I think anybody living away that long should get to see home once more if possible.
We want to know the reason that they don't accept the rotation plan in this area. We have been overseas 26 months and been in action once and still we are drilling and training like any bunch of recruits. They don't seem to realize that there are a great deal of men in the States just waiting for the chance to come overseas. Why not give them this chance. Another thing is why can't we have some experienced officers other than these Benning 90 day wonders. We are kind of tired of teaching them so that they can turn around and instruct us in the same subject.
I think the morale of my outfit would be very much higher if they had a furlough before they went into combat again. Also, I think men over thirty eight as a rule are not as fit for combat as younger men. Especially when they have farms back home where they are badly needed as myself.
Why are so many men laying idle in the Army back in the states. I guess thats the envy of every soldier who has been over seas for a long time. Most of us haven't been home in over three years, there should be some provision made for the men. It does sort of get a guy down.
I was more scared when we got on the boat, when they said enemy submarines were around. They locked all doors and made us stay below.
I believe each every outfit should not be sent into combat too many times for it grinds the fellows on bad feelings. Like the law of averages. Remember? Combat is very horrible and a man hates to be reminded of certain things especially if he has in his memory a fresh scene of dead American soldiers. He should be given time to forget before going into the same thing again.
Our troops still don't have enough training in night work, fighting and cooperation without normal leaders in case of their loss, and use and knowledge of Jap weapons.

I don't think the moral of our outfit is too good. 80% of our company has been over seas at least two years without a furlough. Others like myself have been in the Army over a year and over seas 11 months and have never had a furlough. Considering the leave the troops at home get and the length of time nay of them have been there it is very unfair. Our outfit resents this and I believe it damages their combat morale. So often we hear " I wouldn't mind doing my part. If only I had a furlough or could have one.
Throw the combat pack as far away as you can because it was a hindrance to everybody. That extra weight means a lot on the second day as in our case we didn't need it because we probably could get what we wanted to eat anyway. Besides I never got very hungry until we were relieved any way. You could carry enough in your pockets to last you three days or longer if you wanted to or had to in an extreme emergency.
what I don't like about our CO is that he didn't let us know what is in the company funds as I would like to know and so would we all. Our last CO put it up on the bulletin board every day and we knew just what we had and our CO doesn't deserve the bars he has he does a lot of talking but never does anything for us, he only things of himself, that's all. He should think more of his men because they are the ones who do the fighting and our morale is so low that it is pitiful.
Not pertaining to combat. 1. Company funds is never posted. 2. Men have no say as to what it should be spent for. Are never asked either. 3. Passes are stopped when it isn't necessary. 4. Others in the Bn have had 2 hour parties & we can't even get one. I personally asked the first Sgt & he said the N.C.O.'s didn't stand in any too well with the C.O. so we shouldn't ask. Who the fuck owns the money anyway. 5. Some officers walk around & spy on N.C.O.s and Pvts of the Co. 6. The 1st Sgt. has never been in the field in his life & doesn't know what to expect from his men. 7. The Company Commander wants a lot out of the men, but never will give credit to them or anything else. 8. We aren't allowed to express our opinions openly. We're Americans, but no one would know it. Our Officers give us the shit now & about a week before we go into combat, they come around & want to be friendly with the men. they don't know their men and won't even take an NCOS word, as to a man's
ability. 9. VERY IMPORTANT Breaking up squads, platoons, the companys, on landing, a NCO knows his men, but he doesn't know men from another squad platoon, etc. 10. The Commanding Officer was at the dock, when some of our men left before the rest of the outfit did, & he wouldn't even wish them luck. Never said a word to them 11. We either want a furlough or an all out battle. I haven't seen my Father for 3 years & they have had plenty of troubles, & have had to move out of in order to make money to continue to live. They have 3 sons in the army. 12. VERY Important Prices over there are sky high these fucking Black people are making money hand over fist. 13. Military Police over here don't help a soldier, they really go out of their way to get him into trouble. 14. Company cooks are lousy. We have men in the outfit who were cooks and bakers back home, but they can't get any place. 15. We can't wear anything that looks good. If we start showing the officers up, they make us change our uniform Cloth belt etc. 16. Our company officers kid & twit us because they can & we can't get liquor. 17. U.S.E.D. & Civil workers, driving Gov't vehicle won't never pick a serviceman up on the road.
When we hit combat; newspapers and radios broadcast that our outfit had hit 'such and such' atoll. We knew the folks back home knew we were in action and were worrying and it tended to lower the morale. Immediately upon leaving action there should be a "speedy" way of getting the news back home that the man is safe. I was worrying about the folks worrying about me.
I think they should do away with the combat pack. I realize this is a serious job. But I would like to see Mother and Wife again before I carry on this job. I never had a furlough, that is the reason. I know it wouldn't make any difference to me when I came back for combat.