The enemy gets a vote

I had seen this photo before and laughed as I recall numerous times in Ramadi, Iraq, it wasn't uncommon to get "caught" in the shower or sleeping
as your base was attacked. It happened to several Marines and shows just how
little the American people know what their young warriors are made of.

The enemy gets a vote and they can vote anytime they want. It was a nice
sunny day in Ramadi, Iraq and we had just finished up several patrols and we
were nasty dirty. There is nothing better after a long dirty day in theater
than to take a nice "cold" shower (not, because the water sits on the roof
of the shower trailer, if you even have a trailer and bakes under the sun to
a scorching high temp. Even the cold is very hot). As I hit the showers and
got plenty of soap in my eyes is when the first mortar round hit about
100yrds away. Then the second even closer a few seconds later. They were
bracketing our HQ. After the second round hit I found myself thinking .crap
shrapnel goes through these trailers pretty good, although we had sandbags
all up the sides. Then the cracking of small arms began close by as the
assault on our base commenced. Then the 3rd and 4th round hit almost
simultaneously as the rapid returning fire burst out back at the assault.
240 medium machinegun fire rang from our security towers and enemy rounds
occasionally bounced off the trailer after impacting on our protected
structure. As I found myself on the nasty floor I thought, man it would suck
to get killed in the head (shower).  So, that's when I made the call with my
rifle, towel, and flipflops to make a dash run for the bunker outside the
head. It was like a swarm of B's as rapid fire from friendly rang out to
repel the attack.

I got to the sandbag filled bunker and as I leaned up to see where the
threat was, I catch a glimpse of one of our towers firing back. The A gunner
(young Marine) looks over to me and gives me a big thumbs up and has a big
smile on his face. That's when the surreal reality of the situation hits
you, as you are now covered in dirt aiming in with your rifle in ..flip
flops or in the case of the picture, underwear

Comments

[Pincher]

Major!!! Are you telling us you were standing there B A N ??????
I'm sure the gunner will tell that story for years to come...With many smiles! But also with Thanks for doing what you needed to do...
You get an extra big smile and thanks from me!

[matt nuzzo]

MAJ PAIN - Lottie J turned me on to your site and you are 100% correct when you write how little "the America people know what their young warriors are made of". Unfortunately I don't think most people want to know the sacrifices these warriors are willing to make.

I am humbled and eternally grateful to all who serve.

Semper Fi

[Kelly]

We are so proud of all of you!

[jim b]

Uh yea ... but ... uh .. PINK?

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There is nothing better after a long dirty day in theater
than to take a nice "cold" shower (not, because the water sits on the roof
of the shower trailer, if you even have a trailer and bakes under the sun to
a scorching high temp.

[attract women]

oh my, this sounds absolutely terrible. made laugh, the flip flops part, but otherwise horrifying.

[Tadalafil]

I really admire people who work in the navy because it is a hard job the rules that they have and to be so far of your family is a difficult situation it is a different world and you never know when you can die in a war.

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Are you telling us you were standing there B A N ??????
I'm sure the gunner will tell that story for years to come...With many smiles! But also with Thanks for doing what you needed to do...
You get an extra big smile and thanks from me!

[ed hardy bikini]

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