Saturday, January 14, 2012

Oh, Pee On Them!

I haven't commented on the Great Controversy of the Marines caught after a video of them allegedly peeing on dead Taliban fighters. The main reason I've said nothing is that I don't much care what our guys do to those savages. The other main reason is that I know a little history.

In the Guadalcanal operation back in '42 the Marines bagged one of Admiral Tojo's sons. After they identified the body and stripped it of all possible intelligence info, they buried him.

Here is an arcane bit of military lore: To keep healthy a Marine or soldier needs a lot of water. When I was in the Southeast Asian War Games (Second Place Team, thanks to the Democrats) it was not uncommon for a guy in a rifle squad to have up to four canteens. Anyway a guy who drinks enough to stay halfway healthy pees. A lot.The services had a quaint custom of taking artillery shell canisters, planting them in the ground deep enough to have the urine stay underground. These were called "Piss Tubes." The Chaplains called 'em "Relief Tubes".

Anyhow the United States Marine Corps of WW2planted one of these piss tubes on the grave of Tojo's son. They then put up a sign saying: take a piss on Tojo's son. After that any Marine passing by took advantage. Replacements were marched past and required to use that little convenience.

If those Marines of 1942 were part of America's Greatest Generation, then those Marines were doing the right thing. Therefore, these new Marines are only guilty of putting up a video. Civilians do not need to know the details of what our warriors do. What I have not heard is the same outcry against what they do to our soldiers.

You know what is funny? I see cries for funding almost daily from outfits like the USO, Soldier's Angels and outfits like that. Why do we need need those organisations? Because the government, which controls our military, does not meet the needs of the men and women who are serving.

Here are two little suggestions.

Number One: If one has never served in one of the combat arms of the military, the only thing you should have to say about the conduct of our warriors is "Thank You."

Number Two: If you are a politician, shut up about what our combat troopers are doing until such time as Soldier Angels and the USO and all other such outfits are no longer needed. Dear politicians, until you do your job, shut up about those who are doing theirs, far better than you have done in my lifetime.

2 comments:

pamibe said...

Completely agree! And excellent point about needing so much aid for the military!

Anonymous said...

True.
My father told me this same story about the Marines on Guadalcanal.