Has anyone been shot?

[Joey2]

Yes. Got cought while crossing a dried up rice paddy in the mountains. My plt. was crossing when a 12.7 along with AK's and SKS's opened up on us.

I layed down and helped our MG give return fire so the rest could withdraw down an embankment about 6' high. I had my canteen shot off my hip and my flack jacket got furrowed in the back on the way to my canteen.

Another time an NVA opened up on our column moving up a trail. He fired an RPG at me from about 20ft. the rd. hit some folage, exploded and got me with shrapned in the arm, shoulder, and neck. My flack jacket got all tore up, the same one I had on with the canteen incident.

Shrapenl in the legs and face from booby traps, incomming mortars etc. I had shrapned comming out of my legs and face years after I returned home.

 

[ctdonath]

A friend's AK-74 doubled at the range. Second round, launched at an elevated angle due to first round, struck the cinder block barrier, ricoched, and struck my lip. Felt sudden compressive pain as bullet pressed lip against tooth. Tooth is fine. Looked down to see blood, turned out to not be much but kinda freaky to find a drop and not know what you'll find next. Small cut healed fairly soon, slight swelling, a fragment is still in there.

Not exactly up to the full meaning of "got shot", but gave a much clearer understanding of what that full meaning would be.

 

[Mnemesyne]

Yep...I've been shot...right leg, just below the knee..Still have the bullet..was a .22 Initially, it felt like someone took a red hot poker and rammed it into my leg...wound didn't bleed much, but the knee swelled up to about just larger then a softball....Somehow, throughout the whole mess, I kept a level head....It's an experience, I hope and pray I never have to feel again...Incident happened in 98 and I just now in '05 have the ability to carry and fire my own gun finally....Wasn't an easy recovery for me...I still have nightmares over the incident.....

 

[Nick_90]

A few years ago, in Lyon (France), I was happily walking back to my hotel around 2 am when suddendly I heard a muffled noise and felt a severe burn under my knee. Realising something must be wrong, I run to take cover behind parked cars. After waiting there a few minutes and nothing happening, I made it safely back to my hotel. Inspecting the damage, I found a .22 bullet, half stuck in my jeans' leg, half in my leg itself. Someone must have randomly shot at me, or more probably at the pavement in front of me and the bullet ricoched.
Scary, but it healed just fine...

 

[Berek]

Well, let's see. Once by an AK at medium range. Entered my upper arm and lodged in the bone. Once by a 9mm ricochet when police opened up on a criminal (I'll take one for the team (provided I live...) if evil is removed from *MY* planet. I never invited them anyhow.) And one in the leg from a misfire from a friend's firearm. It was factory but did not go off in the chamber. He waited about 15 seconds before ejecting, I wouldn't have thought it would go off after that wait either.

They burned. To the bone, they burned. My recommendation: Try not to experience it.

Berek

 

[P95Carry]

It was factory but did not go off in the chamber. He waited about 15 seconds before ejecting,

Glad you survived all your experiences but that episode proves, if any were needed - just how important rule #2 ALWAYS is!

 

[James T Thomas]

imaginary realm

Joey2: Dear young man, your story sounds fraudulent. I recommend you don't try spinning yarns before men who have actually been there, because they will spot you immediately and call you on it. If you persist, they will chew you up as you have no right to be making such claims.
I go to my own unit web site and correspond with a few of the men who have actually survive such horrendous battles and occasionally we will get some claimant to having been there, etc. You can't fool us, and I'm pretty sure many of the others with similar experience on this forum have spotted you too. Knock it off!

 

[walking arsenal]

You don't happen to clank when you walk do you james?

You probably could have stopped at the first sentance and made your point.

 

[Ryder]

What was the situation leading to you being shot?
Snipe hunting.

How did it feel (if it can be described)?
Like being punched.

Where on your body were you hit?
In the head.

What were you hit with (caliber)?
7 1/2 birdshot from 20-25 yards.

How did you react if you were able to?
I heard the shot sweeping through the air toward me and turned my head away. Lights out but I was still standing and decided to sit down in case of further shots. Fully conscious of what was happening, just couldn't see anything. On the second shot I layed flat and yelled "I'm hit" hoping to end the shooting. Sight came back about this time and I saw the bird circling around to fly right over me. Shooter held his fire until it passed me and when the third shot went off all I could do was regret I had no way to dig a hole.

What was your recovery like?
No penetration of the skin. Just big red welts. I had a nasty headache the rest of the day. Never went bird hunting with others after that.

As for being shot at and missed I had several of my own 9mm bullets scoot past me ticking off twigs and saplings one day. The bullets were lead and target was polycarbonate. These bullets were obeying the equal and opposite force law of physics. It was a high cyclic rate and I had to stop and think about what was going on. I was shocked to realize what was chopping down the woods around me.

 

[James T Thomas]

imposters

Walking Arsenal:

You are right, I suppose I am clanking. I'm sixty now, and squeaking too, -thank you actually, for reminding me. I suppose a little "oil" in the mechanism would loosten things up.

Please understand. The men I mentioned, and myself carry in our everyday lives the memory of the spirit of men who have sacrificed themselves doing their duty. Now comes this guy, who wants to be an author, and write combat novels. Well, OK, but when he enters this forum and begins to claim to stand amoung those men whose memory is sanctified by their blood, then I will not stand for it. If you feel I was too harsh, you should stand alongside some of the battle hardened sergeants that have survived, and get their perspective!

Your know, I did reflect about what he said before replying, and I thought initially that yes, he may have received shrapnel wounds, many men have.
If that is the case, he can claim so. But to embellish it with all the other "romance" stuff is not necessary. If he had been there, isn't that good enough? After all, many servicemen were support troops, and I salute them all. The infantryman cannot complete his mission without them, and they did face some risk also. Given. Read another forum here of the airman who did place himself at risk, and some misguided soul took him to task -that he was somehow undeserving of recognition just because he had not looked the enemy in the eye.

I'm enjoying my later years more than ever, but I do recognize the need to not lapse into becoming an old crank.
Thanks again.

 

[Werewolf]

when the third shot went off all I could do was regret I had no way to dig a hole.

MAN!

I really hope you kicked that sucker's behind good when you recovered. There's just no excuse for that kind of BS!

 

[walking arsenal]

If you feel I was too harsh, you should stand alongside some of the battle hardened sergeants that have survived, and get their perspective!

I have and do, on a daily basis.

My grandad is 82nd airborne, his brother was a gunner on a ship, doesn't like to talk about it. His other brother i wish i could talk to, but i can't, he died in combat. Strafed by a fighter.

My best friend is currently over seas.

I myself am a USAFA 2Lt.

I "get it" don't think i don't.

 

[Joey2]

James T Thomas,
When I die I may go to hell, but it won't be for lying. I do need to make a correction. It was a B-40 not a RPG.

A face to face with you would be nice.

 

[James T Thomas]

a retraction

Joey2:

I suppose I will have to give you the benefit of the doubt; I certainly do not want to accuse anyone falsely.

However, was it just your descriptions, or what? I mean, the polypropylene canteen, even with cup, would be simply punctured by small arms rounds.
In order to have it blown off, you should have lost part of your hip with it; web belt, double hooks and all.

Then every projectile I saw the effects of never, never, made furrows, dents, or anything else, other than cuts. They would cut cloth, splinter and shatter, but furrow? In the dirt perhaps, but not on cloth.

It is your descriptions that leave me skeptical.

Public apology if I have wrongly accused you, but "it's your fault."

You never have to question your eternal destiny either friend. I would have thought you would have resolved that matter "in a foxhole." Refer to the compendium of books; Bible: I John 5:11.

 

[Curare]

...which entered on the lower right medial portion of my right thigh and exited on the opposite side.

FYI, if it's on the right side of the right thigh its lateral--not medial.

 

[atlctyslkr]

Got a .22 in the shoulder when I was about 15. Was out riding dirtbikes in the woods when some other kids were out there blindly shooting in the woods from accross the field. Hurt about as bad as a beesting. It was from a good ways off and the bullet tucked right under the skin. Pushed the bullet out, and it hardly bled at all. I didn't even realize what it was until I got a look at it. I went home and told my parents who immediatly called the sherriff's office. They then took me down the street to our doctor to take a look at it. (This is a small town where doctors make housecalls and everyone goes to the same church ....). He takes a look at it, puts some antiseptic in it and says nothing to worry about. Don't know if Jonny law ever caught up with the shooters. Needless to say I didn't ride out there anymore.

 

[sacp81170a]

FYI, if it's on the right side of the right thigh its lateral--not medial.

Now that I look at what I wrote, you are correct, sir. It went through from left to right diagonally about 45 degrees from center in front to 45 degrees opposite center in back and slightly lower. Still can't figure how it missed the femoral. Somebody musta been lookin' out for me.

 

[SuperNaut]

I've been shot twice, once in the knee with a .25 and once in the ass with rock salt.

The knee shot was in a fight with a thief over a property ownership dispute. Caught the f****r breaking into my car and he took exception to me beating the tar out of him. He shot my patella right out of my skin, it was hanging on by tendons. Didn't hurt at all, but I suddenly couldn't stand up. Healed up fine but it throbs a bit before thunderstorms.

The ass shot was because I was trespassing on a farm while young and stupid. I had been warned multiple times, after I got winged in the asscheek I decided to take the warnings seriously. I never ran so fast in my life, but I still couldn't outrun that shotgun blast.

 

[BedPimp]

I have never been shot *knocks wood* but my grandfather was. WWII in Germany, shot through the lower stomach with a machine gun. He said he held his intestines in while he ran back to the medic tent. It left one heck of a scar, and he lived for almost 60 years after the incident, happy and healthy.

 

[ID_shooting]

Since somone resurected this old thread...

I took some 7.5 bird shot from a 20 ga in the shoulder at about 25 yards while chukar hunting. Heard a whiz past my ear, sharp sting on my soulder. I was wearing a leather vest with shooting pads, just some red welts where the shot hit me.

 

[das028]

I've never been shot, besides a pellet gun, but my dad took a .30-.30(or a 32 special cant remember exactly) in the thigh, when he was a teenager.

Long story short, He and a buddy were hunting back home in PA. They had called it a day, and were loading there rifles in the back of his truck. Well my dads buddy didnt unload his and just tossed it in the back of the truck, when bang, the gun went off, and struck my dad dead smack in the middle of his thigh. Shattered his bone, and ended his wrestling career. He was a very good high school wrestler. Anyway he has a nice scar on his leg now.


I have another freind who's brother took a .30-.30 behing the knee, in a hunting accident. Don't know the details, but I do know he nearly lost his leg, and took a long time to recover. He is still really screwd up.

 

[mljdeckard]

I've never been hit, felt a few buzz by.

When I was 16, in the southern Utah desert in July, I was out shooting with some friends who know no fear and feel no pain. One of them took a .22 ricochet below the ribs. We don't know for sure who fired it, I know it wasn't me, my ruger was clear and I was reloading at the moment. Entrance wound below the right ribcage front, exit wound below right ribcage in the back. Yep, that's what we said too. Buddy carry a mile through the desert to the truck, 100 mph 40 miles to the nearest hospital, and he was fine. Two stitches and a band-aid. The bullet went in at a narrow angle, slingshoted in the skin around the outside of the ribcage, and exited deformed. We like to say because the guy is a Sioux, the bullet was worried about the possible consequences of killing him, so it would rather wound him as a courtesy, and it went around.

Wait, I did take two pieces of birdshot, in the power leg through the jeans when I was like 12. But I never even put a band-aid on them, I don't count them. Even if John Kerry would have gotten a purple heart for them.

 

[Erebus]

Does rocksalt count?

If so I got a right buttock and thigh full once short cutting through an apple orchard as a teenager.

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

What was the situation leading to you being shot?
-1974. Lake Pillsbury, CA. 26 years old. Six pack of beer. Shooting holes in an old abandoned truck's engine block from about 2 feet away with a rifle. Darwin was working overtime.

How did it feel (if it can be described)?
-On about the 4th shot I grabbed my face, fell down and started screaming, "I'm Blind...I can't see!" My two friends pulled my hands away from my face and I was relieved that I could see again. The wheels were still turning very slowly in my head (beer) but I felt chipper and wondered what happened. My friends cringed and told me I was bleeding.

Where on your body were you hit?
- Copper jacket imbedded in skull in forehead.
- About 1/3 of the 405gr lead slug stuck in my lower jaw.
- A small speck of lead in the tip of my nose.

What were you hit with (caliber)?
.45-70 Govt 405gr factory loaded copper jacketed flat point

How did you react if you were able to?
- I was fine after realizing I wasn't blinded. I went back to my car and bent the side view mirror up to look at the damage. It made me queasy. When I tried to pull the lead out of my jaw with my fingers and it wouldn't budge I almost fainted and began to go into shock (more mental than physical). I began to tremble, got the chills and couldn't stand up. My friends drove me to the the local hospital in Ukiah, CA. That's where the fun started. It was a Sunday morning...I was an active duty E-6 (read: "blank check")...so they called in a neuro-surgeon, plastic surgeon as well as a GP. The County Sheriff questioned me in such a manner and with such convincing intensity that to this day I still believe the admission his shrewd questioning elicited from me..."Yes, Sir...I am the dumbest M.F. in the world."*
- The biggest bullet I dodged that day was when I got back to my ship with a huge stack of medical bills that a sympathetic Corpsman took care of it without a "line-of-duty" inquiry or JagMan Investigation that would have put my career dead in the water.

What was your recovery like?
-The jaw healed quickly with a only a small pucker scar.
-The lead is still in my nose but doesn't show.
-3 months later my forehead got a nasty infection. I told the Corpsman I thought it was shrapnel. He cut me open, found nothing and stitched me up. Several months later my forehead swelled up again. This time the Corpsman dug a little deeper and removed a 1-2mm piece of copper jacket from the bone. It hasn't troubled me since.

I still hobby around with guns but gave up drink in 1978. I could have bragging rights to taking a .45-70 shot to the head and surviving, but then everyone would know that "I am the dumbest M.F. in the world." Thank the Lord for the anonymity of the Internet.

*(Please excuse the abbreviated expletive. I thought it relevant to the story to quote accurately.)

 

[mljdeckard]

Flashman, that story makes me do a full body cringe. 45-70, headwound, and survival in the same story.