Blog #32 Kill or Be Killed…A Combat Infantryman’s Mantra
At first, I saw the reference to I Corps in Vietnam, and remembered my own experience as a Vietnam Vet in I Corps which was the most dangerous battlefield of the four different corps. It had the most casualties and included the famous battles of Da Nang, Khe Sanh, Camp Caroll, the Rockpile, Con Thien, Ashau Valley, Hamburger Hill, and Kham Duc, among others. (Google any of these names to learn how incredible these battles were and how the US Army and Marines performed against great odds.)
I have written about those who are likely to die and those who can survive. For me, as I have said, in the beginning - the first two hours of my first patrol after arriving in Vietnam, I was nearly killed with two others crippled and nearly dead as we put them on a Medivac. With a year to serve in Vietnam, I simply thought to myself I will not survive. There is little chance I can survive. But I also said I will kill as many of the enemy as I can before they get me. Kill or be killed was my daily state of mind. I did not have fear (I know that sounds crazy). I would use all my wits and remember all my training to outsmart the enemy. Doing so saved my platoon members lives and my own. Even so, I was wounded twice and saw too many of my soldiers killed. But the enemy paid a very high price.
John Shoemaker, LT Platoon Leader, 2/1/196 LIB, Americal, 1970
Now from a perspective of another Vietnam Combat Veteran I saw in Quora:
Why was serving in I Corps during 1967-1968 considered so terrifying for soldiers in Vietnam?
“A better word that fits I Corps would be NVA contact and VC contact expected. After in country six months gun shot in both legs and still fighting on line, nothing terrifies you. If you survive combat 6,7,8 months what is left is is a hard core light weapons infantry man ready and able to meet any enemy and eliminate them using whatever means available, M-16, hand grenade, or calling in artillery. If you survive long enough fear is not an issue, you become a combat infantry man, no fear just straight up kill or be killed, if you break down mentally, fight over for you and simply who is next. Most soldiers adjusted, some didn’t, all did the best they could under the circumstances. When casualties happen in your platoon you have to keep fighting and your human survival takes over and things you never new you could do will happen. I Corps had plenty NVA and VC but Nothing terrifying, simply Contact … Kill or be Killed nothing more or less.”