Skip to comments.
I'm Battling Enemy Bugs in the Desert
(Nobody has bathed for 10 days)
National Post ^
| March 28, 2003
| Matthew Fisher
Posted on 03/29/2003 5:50:21 PM PST by UnklGene
click here to read article
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41 next last
1
posted on
03/29/2003 5:50:21 PM PST
by
UnklGene
To: UnklGene
As there are two of them and only one of me, they tend to win these battles. The fact that they're Marines may have somehting to do with it as well.
2
posted on
03/29/2003 5:53:23 PM PST
by
merrin
To: UnklGene
It's been a long time since I've read such good basic reporting, which allows the reader to feel that he is there. This is the kind of gritty detailed background you sometimes got during the Second World War, as I vaguely remember it.
3
posted on
03/29/2003 5:56:15 PM PST
by
Cicero
(Marcus Tullius)
To: Cicero
I agree. I liked the article and thought he did a good job describing the situation.
4
posted on
03/29/2003 6:00:06 PM PST
by
ET(end tyranny)
(Heavenly Father, please embrace, and protect, our Pres., our troops and those of our true allies.)
To: UnklGene; Corin Stormhands; ksen
Although nobody has bathed at all for at least 10 days, we don't notice the smell -- maybe because everybody is the same. G'nad, this story brought a tear to my eye!... snif!
5
posted on
03/29/2003 6:01:06 PM PST
by
HairOfTheDog
(May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out.)
To: g'nad
forgot to ping you! - see above!
6
posted on
03/29/2003 6:02:11 PM PST
by
HairOfTheDog
(May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out.)
To: SLB; Squantos; wardaddy; Matthew James; harpseal; patton; F-117A
GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!
(And this reporter too.)
7
posted on
03/29/2003 6:04:16 PM PST
by
Travis McGee
(----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
To: Cicero
gritty indeed.
To: HairOfTheDog
Boy is he going to be surprised when he takes his first shower and can get near his clothes.
If i have to explain it you will never understand.
9
posted on
03/29/2003 6:08:42 PM PST
by
dts32041
(Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun, the caliber of which does not start with a "4".)
To: UnklGene
Gee, this reminds me of the good ole days on the road with the band; six big guys and me in one little van pulling an equipment trailer. One gets quite used to sleeping sitting up. But I never did get used to the smell after three days non-stop travel. I don't think we did smell the same. Those guys stunk much worse than I did. LOL. I think about those grunts over there and pray for them without ceasing. They are some tough dudes.
10
posted on
03/29/2003 6:09:19 PM PST
by
WVNan
To: UnklGene
Both my Uncle and Father are WW2 vets. Though my Father was on convoy duty on the Atlantic and seen little action, he would talk about the storms and how his destroyer was being tossed about in the huge waves.
My uncle is in the process of writing a book about his time in North Africa, Sicily, Normandy, and into Germany and I've got a copy of the manuscript. He goes into great detail on the hardships of the average soldier such as fighting a fanatical enemy, sub-freezeing temps., deaths from friendly fire, etc.
Everyday I pray that our troops in Iraq find the streagth and courage to finish the job like great American service men did before them.
More detailed reports like the one you just posted may help people realize what these guys are going through.
11
posted on
03/29/2003 6:15:06 PM PST
by
Missouri
To: merrin
I wondered when someone was going to mention the sandflies. When I lived in Dahran, Saudi as a pre-teen, that was the most horrible thing for me. Even with the chador, the flies were in your ears, eyes, nose, mouth. Wherever they could find any moisture. I have told people about it since, but I do not have the Hemingway style of this reporter.
12
posted on
03/29/2003 6:16:03 PM PST
by
Pinetop
To: dts32041
The third is getting new chem suits after their hygiene.
13
posted on
03/29/2003 6:48:30 PM PST
by
MHGinTN
(If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote Life Support for others.)
To: Cicero
Right. Good stuff. Ernie Pyle would like it. No B.S.
14
posted on
03/29/2003 6:50:02 PM PST
by
RobbyS
To: Cicero
It's been a long time since I've read such good basic reporting, which allows the reader to feel that he is there. I agree. I know that our embedded reporters cannot transmit but a few minutes before they turn it over to the anchors. I do appreciate their reports from the front line.
But, cannot they write of their first hand experiences and transmit to the anchors? Sometimes, I do not need breaking news, but accounts from the front.
To: Cicero
It's been a long time since I've read such good basic reporting, which allows the reader to feel that he is there. This is the kind of gritty detailed background you sometimes got during the Second World War, as I vaguely remember it. I had to swat away the midges from my monitor and I had to shake the sand from my keyboard after reading this gritty account.
16
posted on
03/29/2003 6:54:40 PM PST
by
FreeReign
(V5.0 Enterprise Edition)
To: Cicero
You are so right. It's interesting to contemplate just how much extra space is taken up by the anti-chem/bio stuff. A special canteen for use with the body suits? Incredible. Does anyone know how long it takes for the chem. weapos/bio agents to dissipate? Just wondering how long the soldiers would have to be in this gear.
To: UnklGene
The conditions are absolutely appalling. But the Marines are quite used to it. They don't complain. They laugh and shake their heads about it, and get on with the job. More than I can say about the reporters.
18
posted on
03/29/2003 7:05:21 PM PST
by
FreedomCalls
(It's the "Statue of Liberty" not the "Statue of Security.")
To: UnklGene
Maybe it's a good thing the French aren't part of the Allied troops. Could you imagine sharing a truck with those stinkin' b******
19
posted on
03/29/2003 7:08:21 PM PST
by
Happygal
To: UnklGene
War is not a party and I am very sympathetic to the plight of the troops now waging war. However, the reporter might appreciate a little perspective. The troops now have the best war conditions troops have ever had, it's been worse in every war prior to this one. I was in Vietnam and the things he talks about were common. BUT, during WWII and WWI, conditions were horrible. During the Civil War, they didn't have sulfa, it had not yet been invented - get an injury, you're either going to die with gangrene or they would just cut that part out/off WITHOUT anesthetic (also not yet invented). Let's not even think about the War of 1812 and the Revolutionary War, much, much worse.
Still, our brave men and women currently fighting the good fight around the world deserve our prayers - they have mine and they need every prayer they can receive!
20
posted on
03/29/2003 7:09:15 PM PST
by
Chu Gary
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson