A question for those who were in the military...

[goon]

I have no idea about whether this guy is telling the truth or not.
But there are stories about confederate and union soldiers sharing stuff and trading coffee for tobacco, etc.
There are also some other stories around about the strange things that happen in war.

http://www.mamarocks.com/story_of_taps.htm

http://europeanhistory.about.com/library/bldyk12.htm

http://carol_fus.tripod.com/army_ac_hero_alan_magee.html




So I wouldn't be too suprised if he was telling the truth.

 

[MASTEROFMALICE]

When people ask me what I did in the Marine Corps I almost always tell them,

"Threw grenades......killed people........the usual stuff."

Is it true? No one knows but me, but it's usually the kind of answer they're looking for because they all seem to be satisfied with that.

The only people who get the whole story are guys who were jarheads themselves.

 

[slow944]

When I was stationed in Udorn Thailand I got pretty wasted one weekend with some NVA Officers that were in town for some R&R. All Soldiers are alike; we don't start the wars, we just have to fight them.

 

[JohnL2]

I am in the anything is possible camp. I've read some books about how crazy things were during the Cold War. You wouldn't believe half the stuff that was happening "off stage".

 

[Jeff Timm]

US Army special forces are often used as translators on diplomatic missions. Russian language specialists were fairly common back in the 70's.

Geoff
Who was in the Ordnance Corps 1972 - 82.
Who has also been told the Ordnance Corps didn't exist then.

 

[stephpd]

military

Actually we were in Afganistan before 1979. Saw recently were Brezenki? was talking about our activity in that area. We were busy building training camps for Bin Laden et al to oppose the coming soviet invasion. It's all brinkmanship. Forceing the other guys hand, happening with Iran right now.

As to weather the story with the soviet is true or not, who knows. I was floating around Iraq and Iran when the hostage rescue was attempted. Before getting there we stopped in a few ports and one I remember a bar with US, Canadian, Brittish and Russian all in the same bar. So away from combat The 'enemy' could be sitting at the next table. It Happens. Seems the Navy got into more brawls with the Marines then anyone else.There were no fights at that bar that night. Lots of MP's from all countries. Mostly we were just out getting drunk.

 

[Neophyte1]

believe

Life is sometimes stranger than fiction. The 'gentleman's story' reminds me of life;

It's the "eye of the beholder".

 

[AlaskaErik]

During my military career I interacted with a lot of SEALs. And one thing they didn't do was brag about their previous exploits. It's been my experience that those who brag are the ones who either never served or they were a supply clerk in Korea or something like it. But for some reason they feel the need to make themselves into someone they never were. The first six years of my military career were spent as a United States Marine. If someone tells me they were a Marine and I'm suspicious, I play Stump the Dummy. And I'll find out real fast you really were a Marine. I won't mention what happens if I catch you lying.

 

[buck00]

Someone already pointed out- you might have gotten the 15 second story. He isn't going to pour his heart out to some kid in class.

Did we have special forces in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation? Absolutely. You don't pump millions of dollars worth of equipment and supplies in there and have some CIA agent in a suit hand it over. This is nothing shocking. Don't assume the public knows everything. We have special forces in Iran and Pakistan right now. Does this mean they are running around in firefights every week- no, but at very least doing recon, etc.

The Soviets had troops in Vietnam as wel. I got a story from an older vet who was surprised I knew what a LRRP was. It took awhile to get it out of him but at one point he told me how they observed a patrol that contained some Russian (or E European) advisors. They called in all types of stuff on them.

The best way to find out more is to just talk and shoot the breeze. Ask him how and when he first signed up (and why) and get him talking. Little by little you may be able to get bigger stories out of him- and once you hear them, they will either confirm he is making stuff up or prove he is legit (depending on how much mil history you know.)

 

[hardhit777]

sorry for the delay in checking back guys. I got the date wrong he corrected me today when i asked him about it again. It was April of 1980 that he was there. He really comes off as one of the guys that has BTDT. I have never served in the military before and im only 22, so i could not tell you if he was liein or not but i believe him. He told me to day about the Russian solders. He said the regulars were not all that great, but the spetznats guy were pretty good. He didn't go any further and i didn't pry. We were putting a transmission back together and were trying not to get it wrong. Yeah i m a gear head and mechanic by trade.

HH

 

[antagonist22]

Deleted my message,didn't read the response above