Posted on 03/17/2003 5:28:40 PM PST by MadIvan
The battle flags were unfurled yesterday as the troops who will spearhead an invasion of Iraq gathered in formation at dawn to be told by their commanding officer to prepare for an advance to the border.
Divided into their three companies, each with unit banners held aloft in the early morning breeze, the men from this battalion were promised by their colonel, John W Charlton, that he expected soon "you will all be heroes".
He told them: "You may see enemy units that will fight tremendously hard so don't underestimate them.
"When you go in you take the fight to the enemy.
"You go in there with both barrels and you let them have it. You let them know that they are taking on the US army and you crush them."
The battalion is one of nine from the Third Infantry Division stationed in temporary camps pitched only a short distance from the Iraqi frontier that make up the American front line.
After nine months in Kuwait its soldiers were finally being ordered to complete checks on their weapons and focus their minds on the prospect of war.
Col Charlton described the spectacle likely to greet his men - known throughout the division as "The Dragons" - when the order is given to invade.
"You will see thousands of vehicles attacking. You will see hundreds of aircraft overhead on route to destroy targets in Iraq. You will see Tomahawk missiles flying over us.
"And you will be part of that.
"One day down the road you can look back and say you took part in protecting America, in protecting our allies in the region, and in destroying an evil person who has killed thousands and thousands of his own people."
The men have been briefed about the battle plan. The crews of M1-A1 Abrams tanks have removed the uranium depleted shells from containers and loaded them into their vehicles.
The officers expect they will today receive the order to start uprooting the camp for a move to their forward attack positions.
For the waiting troops there is a sense of relief that finally they can complete their job. Most talk of their pride in being part of a war that they see as making the world a safer place for their families.
The memory of the events of September 11 is still strong.
Again and again one hears that "taking out" Saddam Hussein prevents weapons of mass destruction being placed into the hands of terrorists and thereby helps stop a similar outrage occurring again.
"Why am I here?" says Capt Bill Young producing a photograph of his four-month-old son. "I am doing this for him."
Among the younger soldiers there appears to be some who doubt the morality of the coming war.
While I was walking past one of the mobile mortar units, Pte Gareth Stewart, 20, called me over. He said that he wanted the world to know that not all in the US army support an attack.
"I have no beef with the Iraqis," he said.
"This is Bush's war and I am not alone in thinking that."
Yet, as I walked on afterwards towards the mess hall, his staff sergeant ran up behind me and pressed something into my hand. It was a sticker bearing the logo of the New York Port Authority, the force that policed the World Trade Centre site.
"My brother-in-law works for them," said Sgt Jeff States. "He lost many good friends. When we go north I am going to stick this on the guns so we don't forget what it is we are achieving here."
Just like the pizza I had for dinner last night.
My fellow FReeper, that is the funniest damn thing I have read in a loooong time. Almost choked on supper 'cause I was laughing so hard.
If I were wearing a hat, it would be off to you.
FReep on.
We live in interesting times.
Man, this motivates me...thanks for posting it Ivan, any idea oh now the British troops are getting motivated, I imagine they are as ready as we are.
oh, and that little private...if I read the article right is in the same division that my buddy Daniel is in. He's a Sgt and a cav. scout, so keep him in prayer. I get the feeling that the private in question will not be seeing combat, probably much to his joy.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
Ask, brother, and ye shall receive. The greatest war speech ever, courtesy of Wm. Shakespeare.
For those who don't know, St. Crispian is the patron saint of shoemakers, and his feast day is 25 October. The speech is set at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, where an exhausted, bedraggled, sick force of 5-6,000 Englishmen faced a French army that outnumbered them five to one. It was a fairly desperate situation. I've posted the entire exchange, since it's well worth reading.
[Enter King Henry.]Henry V, Act Four, Scene Three
Westmoreland:
O! that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!
King Henry:
What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? - No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England:
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more, methinks, would share from me
For the best hope I have. O! do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say - 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloster,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap, whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
I expect they will surrender as fast as they can.
For their sake, I hope so. I don't really have a gripe with the poor, pissant Iraqi private who was conscripted at gunpoint.
The Iraqi leadership is the focus of evil in Iraq. I hope that we kill every last one of them.
Rooo-hah!
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