Bayonets:
I am reminded of the summer of 1971, Fort Jackson SC, 3 days of training, from pugil sticks to learning to thrust, slash and parry with fixed bayonets on our M-16s. The training culminated in a frantic afternoon of running and attacking stuffed canvas enemy "solders" developing our war cry, shreiking "Kill, Kill, Kill without mercy" upon command while thrusting our bladed rifles skyward. Sprinting across fields, jumping ditches and stabbing and butt stroking the enemy.
At days end our platoon Sgt., drill Sgt. Dickie, gathered us together behind our barracks for a talk. Sgt. Dickie was a veteran of 3 combat tours in VietNam, a professional soldier who, if he couldn't be at war, would train those who would be going in harms way.
Sgt. Dickie said he wanted us to take one thing to heart and never forget. The very most important thing to remember about all the bayonet training was.............."If you have ammo, shoot the Mother........s". A no nonsense leader who any one of us in his platoon would have followed through the gates of hell.
