Dave Powell's Hill 881S Collection - Page 10

Faces of Warriors - Continued


"Wow, I'm surprised that Capt. Dabney or Lt. Esslinger allowed the ear ring.  At least he shaved once in a while and guess the Inspector General was not expected anytime soon." was your webmaster's comment.  Actually, Lt. Esslinger, wearing helmet, is talking to either a "newbie" replacement or a "comeback" healed after a medical evacuation.  That's not an ear ring, it's a pull ring for a hand grenade pin.  All the troops carried a spare grenade pin.  Bad scene to pull pin on grenade in the dark, then discover target is friendlies or maybe a rat.  Now what?  You've got live grenade in hand, pin is lost in the dark.  It'll keep you awake and you won't get many visitors, but it makes for a very looonnng night if you don't carry a spare pin!  Recognize the trooper on the left? Webmaster
Since corn cobs were hard to come by, bamboo would have to do until he could get off the hill.  Unfortunately, 2ndLt. William Resor Ammon (2nd Platoon Commander, Mike Company) did not get his corn cob pipe, he was killed two days prior to all being relieved by other forces on 04/16/68.
HM James R. Mathis was fed up with rats in his 'bunny' hole and developed this primitive blow gun to wage war on them.  Click here for the whole story
Later technology improved and the cross bow was developed for the rat war.
Who is this Marine?  Webmaster

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