"Life in the Infantry" Topic

"More than 16 million Americans served in the armed forces during the war. Fewer than a million ever saw serious combat. The infantry represented just 14 percent of the troops overseas. But wherever they fought – in North Africa or the South Pacific or Western Europe — the infantry bore the brunt of the fighting on the ground — and seven out of ten suffered casualties.

Those in the infantry — in the Army and Marines — endured hardships and horrors for which no training could ever have prepared them. The infantry was the workhorse of the military, not only faced with battling the enemy but also often asked to do physical labor at the front lines transporting the food, clothing, weapons and medicine needed to win the war. They experienced the war as no one else did.

"I'd never had any hardship at all before this happened," Paul Fussell said. "So, it was doubly difficult and surprising for me suddenly to enter this slum of the infantry which is what it was. The people in it were good people, good people. We had no comforts. We had no noble ideas. Most of us had no education at all. And our only hold on life was the hope that the war would be over soon."…"
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Amicalement
Armand

Paul Fussell is a very well known author on the topic serving in the Infantry in WWII. All those who commented in the article had seen the elephant …

And obviously they know of what they speak.

All should read this article.

Thanks Tango !

And yet for all that is made of the Infantry bearing the brunt of the fighting IIRC the bomber pilots and submariners had higher casualty rates. Cheers!

A votre service mon cher ami!. (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

That has been said Lee. But they didn't exist day to day, walking mile after mile, in all types of terrain and weather. And on occasion having to survive by killing someone up close and personal, seeing them die in front of you.

As well as on occasion the battlefield turned into a meatgrinder. With body parts of friend and foe alike. Scattered everywhere, looking like a slaughter house.

Of course I am biased having served in US Army Infantry units, '79-'90

all that is made of the Infantry bearing the brunt of the fighting

Infantry takes more losses overall, because they are one of the most numerous type of combat unit in any army/military. It has been said the percentage of Infantrymen, sub and air crews are all around 70-75% losses. In many modern conflicts. But in raw numbers Infantrymen out number both sub and air crews. Whether alive or dead … And when I say Infantry I'm counting both ARMY and USMC.

If you want to know what life was like in the infantry, read "Up Front" by Bill Maldin.

I was referring to WWII. In modern conflicts almost ALL of the losses have been infantry.

When I said modern I meant 20th Century. Of course there really were no sub or air crews until WWI, 1914-1918. Even in WWII most Armies' Infantry took about 70-75% losses, generally. But figures will very by nation, etc. Remember losses are broken down into 3 forms:

KIA
WIA
MIA/POW

With WIAs being the biggest percentage, generally.

Plus there a more Infantrymen in any army than the other branches. E.g. Tank & FA crews. As again there are more Infantrymen than sub or air crews in raw numbers. To become losses …

Again when I say Infantry as in the article, I mean Army & USMC.

Now from some stats, certain armies took more Infantrymen KIA than others. IIRC, the USSR and Japanese.

Read "At the Sharp End " by Ellis.

Thanks!.

Amicalement
Armand