[proxy_user]

Well, there are many accounts of incredible stupidity and inompetence in WWII. They probably used non-combat troops to play the Germans, guys who had no knowledge of weapons or ammunition.

If you read some of the stories in Paul Fussell's book, or in Eugene Sledge's autobiography, you would find this highly credible.

Sledge tells the story of actual combat soldiers being so poorly trained they didn't know to how to pull the pin on a grenade. The Japanese caught the grenades, pulled the pins, and threw them back.

[Leisler]

"...ledge tells the story of actual combat soldiers being so poorly trained they didn't know to how to pull the pin on a grenade."

Pilots have been known to land without putting their gear down. Obviously, they weren't trained. Right? Sledge is wrong. Although it is probably true the explanation, is immense stress and fear, at a level that can't be replicated 100% in training.

[fourdeuce82d]

If you read some of the stories in Paul Fussell's book, or in Eugene Sledge's autobiography, you would find this highly credible.

read both of PFs books dealing with wwII, and sledge's "with the old breed."

But I've also been in the army, and fired blanks. And I call bullshit.