Age of casualtys - Page 2

PHO127 · #11 08-02-2005, 03:48 PM

On my 2nd tour I was not yet 21, My last tour there was as a 4 tour Captain the ripe old age of 25. SMJ Farrell (then MSG) was in his mid 30s when we were together in SOG and was grandpa material although I don't think there was anyone who would have the balls to call him that to his face. As I recall he was on his 6th tour.

splummer · #12 08-03-2005, 03:23 AM

I haven't mentioned this before but my V. buddy Wayne has a 50+ year old brother in Badad with the New York National Guard. [the 69th is an infrontry unit.] He said there are 3 others in their 50's and I think 2 are V. vets.

DMZ-LT · #13 08-03-2005, 05:50 AM

" Any one call me Grandfather and I'll kill em" SGM in We were Soldiers Once , after the LTC told the troopers the Indians called all the older warriors , Grandfather. I've met SGM Farrell before , the only thing I call him is "Sir"

exlrrp · #14 08-03-2005, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PHO127 On my 2nd tour I was not yet 21, My last tour there was as a 4 tour Captain the ripe old age of 25. SMJ Farrell (then MSG) was in his mid 30s when we were together in SOG and was grandpa material although I don't think there was anyone who would have the balls to call him that to his face. As I recall he was on his 6th tour.

I must have been one of the youngest there. I volunteered the day I turned 18--I was there within 5 months
The day I turned 19 (Dec 2, '67) I was walking point on a lrrp patrol in the Ia Drang Valley (still a Sp4). by this time I had done 6 months with the 101st as a grunt and been through Recondo School.
This had to make me one of the youngest lrrps too.
Interestingly, I read a story in one of these LRRP books about an 18 year old E6 that had been in C Co 75th RR, which is what my lrrp company E Co LRP 20th Inf (Abn) was renamed to.
This seems highly unlikely to me, I don't see how that could have happened--possible I guess
When I was in the 101st, the average age in my platoon couldn't have been more than 20--when you figure that most of the NCOs werre older, that meant a lot of 18 & 19 year olds. The oldest non-NCO I remember was a guy we called Pappy--he was 25
Stay good
james

Bill Farnie · #15 08-03-2005, 03:31 PM

The 18 yr old E-6 is a possibility if he made the rank in Shake N? Bake school. The top troops in the classes made E-6 upon graduation

DMZ-LT · #16 08-03-2005, 05:21 PM

I was almost glad when my shake and bake got wounded. He was almost to helpful. Sometimes the book is wrong