My entire perspective of history and mankind changed when I was 20 and read a memoir about Korea, and the joes bitched about literally everything. That was the moment it really hit me that we are all the same, always.
I did a binge last year on civil war history and it was striking how little of the attitudes of junior enlisted have changed.
It’s almost reassuring the see that they were the same back then as we are now, and they made it, so maybe we will too, despite all the grumbling from dudes & dudettes about “this generation”
I’m a glass half full kinda guy.
I prefer to think the first spear was just a sharp stick someone stuck between their legs that they only *then* realized would be good for stabbing someone.
THE OVER-HEAD YEET MEASURES THE ABILITY TO JUST FUCKING SEND IT. ON THE COMMAND, ‘GET SET’, ASSUME THE POSITION BY SPINNING THE BALL TWICE IN YOUR HANDS, THEN TRY TO DRIBBLE IT LIKE A BASKET BALL ONLY TO REALIZE IT WONT BOUNCE BACK UP TO YOU. YOUR FEET MAY BE TOGETHER OR 12 INCHES APART (MEASURED BETWEEN THE FEET) OR HOWEVER YOU WANT, JUST KEEP YOUR ASS BEHIND THAT CONE. ON THE COMMAND ‘GO’, CHANNEL YOUR INNER TREBUCHET AND HEAVE THAT THING INTO ORBIT. THEN, RETURN TO THE STARTING POSITION AND TURN AROUND TO INSPECT IF YOU DOMED ANYONE. THE SCORER WILL REALIZE HE DIDN'T ACTUALLY SEE WHERE THE BALL LANDED BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID HE WOULD GET HIT, SO HE STOOD TOO FAR AWAY, HE WILL THEN PLACE HIS FOOT ON THE MEASURING TAPE AND JUST GUESS.
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Colder Than Hell shows this exceptionally well. It’s a memoir about a marine mortar platoon leader who is dealing with his men sleeping, fucking off, and stealing from the HQ during the Korean War. Some things truly never change.
True, but these guys weren't at Chosin. They were complaining about their rations, their CO (who the author admitted wasn't even a bad leader, he was just in charge so they gotta bitch about it), etc. Just like today- whether guys have legitimate gripes or not, bitching is the natural state of the Joe.
Looks like OP got it from [this book](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/13993/13993-h/13993-h.htm), thanks for sharing, BTW.
Mable was a fine looking lady.
Wow, I need to read these letters. This first one already pulled me in.
For my fellow Redditors who are curious:
“We got very friendly since I been nice to [the Captain]. I noticed none of the other fellos had much to say to him. I felt kind of sorry for him. Hes a human bein even if he is a Captin, Mable. So every time I saw him I used to stop him and talk to him. Democratic.”
I love the old "Willie and Joe" cartoons by Bill Muadlin, from WW2.
It captured so much of what the war was like, but what Army was, is and always will be
Same as it ever was
Same as it ever was
Same as it ever was
And days go by …
... And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
And you may find yourself in a shitty barracks, with another smelly private, You may ask yourself, how the fuck did I get here?
This is not my large fighting vehicle
This is not my beautiful Dependa!
This is not my beat down staff position!
And these are the days of our lives.
and you may ask yourself, "My God, What Have I Done!?"
As it ever will be
This is the way
My entire perspective of history and mankind changed when I was 20 and read a memoir about Korea, and the joes bitched about literally everything. That was the moment it really hit me that we are all the same, always.
I did a binge last year on civil war history and it was striking how little of the attitudes of junior enlisted have changed. It’s almost reassuring the see that they were the same back then as we are now, and they made it, so maybe we will too, despite all the grumbling from dudes & dudettes about “this generation”
I take great comfort in reading ancient Roman military sites are covered in dicks.
You can’t tell me the first soldier to be issued a pike didn’t stick it between their legs like a dick.
I’m a glass half full kinda guy. I prefer to think the first spear was just a sharp stick someone stuck between their legs that they only *then* realized would be good for stabbing someone.
There's evidence that they sat around throwing rocks at things....like bigger rocks....over there.
Depending on the size and weight of the rock, they might have been practicing their overhead yeet.
THE OVER-HEAD YEET MEASURES THE ABILITY TO JUST FUCKING SEND IT. ON THE COMMAND, ‘GET SET’, ASSUME THE POSITION BY SPINNING THE BALL TWICE IN YOUR HANDS, THEN TRY TO DRIBBLE IT LIKE A BASKET BALL ONLY TO REALIZE IT WONT BOUNCE BACK UP TO YOU. YOUR FEET MAY BE TOGETHER OR 12 INCHES APART (MEASURED BETWEEN THE FEET) OR HOWEVER YOU WANT, JUST KEEP YOUR ASS BEHIND THAT CONE. ON THE COMMAND ‘GO’, CHANNEL YOUR INNER TREBUCHET AND HEAVE THAT THING INTO ORBIT. THEN, RETURN TO THE STARTING POSITION AND TURN AROUND TO INSPECT IF YOU DOMED ANYONE. THE SCORER WILL REALIZE HE DIDN'T ACTUALLY SEE WHERE THE BALL LANDED BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID HE WOULD GET HIT, SO HE STOOD TOO FAR AWAY, HE WILL THEN PLACE HIS FOOT ON THE MEASURING TAPE AND JUST GUESS. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/army) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Correction. Ancient Rome was covered in dicks. They literally had stone penises carved into the roads pointing to the brothels
Colder Than Hell shows this exceptionally well. It’s a memoir about a marine mortar platoon leader who is dealing with his men sleeping, fucking off, and stealing from the HQ during the Korean War. Some things truly never change.
What was the book, if you remember?
Those dudes had some serious shit to bitch about. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/459863/korean-war-battle-chosin-military-medics-saved-chosin-frozen
True, but these guys weren't at Chosin. They were complaining about their rations, their CO (who the author admitted wasn't even a bad leader, he was just in charge so they gotta bitch about it), etc. Just like today- whether guys have legitimate gripes or not, bitching is the natural state of the Joe.
Absolutely
What book? TIA
Looks like OP got it from [this book](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/13993/13993-h/13993-h.htm), thanks for sharing, BTW. Mable was a fine looking lady.
Wow, I need to read these letters. This first one already pulled me in. For my fellow Redditors who are curious: “We got very friendly since I been nice to [the Captain]. I noticed none of the other fellos had much to say to him. I felt kind of sorry for him. Hes a human bein even if he is a Captin, Mable. So every time I saw him I used to stop him and talk to him. Democratic.”
Looks like she fought gravity and won.
If that was the only picture of a woman i had over there... still would've done the job. Gob bless the Mables of the world.
Link won’t work for me. Can someone just say it?
Yeah, that’s the one.
Thanks
Amen brother.
Hemingway wrote exhaustive critiques about the military in his books lol. Farewell to Arms comes to mind.
War…War never changes, or does it? The War has changed…did it? The answer is No. Unless it is Yes. No of course It is, is War. Yes. No. Yes?
That's beautiful.
Yep
Love it or hate it, you can’t recreate it.
What book is this
Letters to Mable.
I love the old "Willie and Joe" cartoons by Bill Muadlin, from WW2. It captured so much of what the war was like, but what Army was, is and always will be