Marion:-
If this posting is too gross please feel free to delete it. Comparing my posting vs. yours reminded me of a truly serious problem I had that affected my men.
For several reasons, I had certain men that were prone to having the dysentery in the setting that the above picture portrays. One guy managed to get extra Long-Johns and wore them at the same time to "contain the problem".
What none of us knew,until our Medic(s)(God Bless Him/Them) pointed out after the fact, that the soiled Long-Johns would freeze and compound the problem(s). The guy above had to be sent back due to the fact that the act of freezing to his body created another serious problem that required Medical attention.
Would you believe that I had to argue and give him a direct order (surprised he obeyed it)to get him to go back to a Field Hospital for treatment? He actually went AWOL from the hospital and came back up on his own because he was afraid he was letting the rest of the squad down!!
I say this in all sincerity, what you described doing last night was the dream of almost every guy on the line. There were times when some of us felt we would never be warm again.
As I said above,I don't know how today, we ever did that back in those days!! Sorry if I got maudlin.
Sgtleo
Sgtleo, We were 19,20 20+ then, our minds and our bodies could handle it but I agree with you there were maybe one or two that could'nt. NONCOM's had to make some tough decisions sometimes, except the T5's. Rocky Iron hands,! Sgtleo it's a wonder we got hands now!!!