This story was writen by an Aussie engineer who was having real trouble comunicating with his son
Can You Understand?
How a 20 year old kid feels fresh from recruit training, corps training and Jungle warfare training. When he is shipped out of the Australia to a country called Vietnam, armed only with a whole lot of bullshit provided by the army and politicians that he is here to help free these people from oppression.
Can You Understand?
How he feels when he arrives and after two or three days he is sent out to a minefield to lay mines. and no sooner is he there someone steps on a mine or a malfunction happens and he sees one the boys have his legs blown off.
Can You Understand?
How this kid feels when after a couple of months of laying mines he is sent out on an operation with an infantry battalion as was the case in all operations because the infantry required a couple of sappers (engineers) to locate and disarm any mines or booby traps the grunts (infantry soldiers) may encounter. It was common to find mines and booby traps in the Jungle as the V.C. (Viet Cong) used to get into the minefields that were laid by the Australians and dig them up. They would then replant the mines in areas where the Infantry patrolled.
Can You Understand?
How he feels once out in the Jungle in the pitch darkness pouring rain with a lot of other people around him but still somehow alone. When all of a sudden, BANG. an explosion. somewhere in the darkness and then people screaming for a sapper. MINE! Some-one yells "Don't move". But the 20 year old kid has to move. He has to get to another kid slumped against a tree. He had stepped on a mine.
Can You Understand?
This 20 year old kid has got to pull his bayonet from his belt, get on his belly and probe the ground in an arc every foot or so to locate any other mines that may be in the area. It is only 15 yards from where he starts probing the dirt. But it seems like a mile. He slowly makes his way forward with a medic close behind.
Can You Understand?
How this kid feels as he makes his way forward he is picking up pieces of meat covered in blood and he hears the other kid call out for his mum.
Can You Understand?
How he feels as he watches him die. And there is nothing he can do.
Can You Understand?
How, now a not so fresh 20 year old kid feels when he finds himself back laying mines again. When all of a sudden another explosion, 20 yards away. He looks around after the dust has settled and the screaming stopped and sees one of his mates has been blown to bits by a mine.
Can You Understand?
Why the kid resorts to alcohol to try to come to terms with what is happening.
Can You Understand?
How he feels when he finds himself out on another operation with the infantry someone steps on yet another of our mines. This time several of a platoon of boys are severely wounded. Once again the kid has to probe the area with his bayonet to locate any further mines that may be around. He has got to do this so the injured may be taken out with no further injuries.
Can You Understand?
How he feels when he has to do this whilst people are screaming in agony.
Can You Understand?
By now this 20 year old kid is a seasoned veteran after only a few months this place called Vietnam. Ready for anything. From planting mines, disarming mines, going down tunnels and blowing them up with explosives.
Can You Understand?
How a fresh 20 year old kid grows up fast in this country.
Can You Understand?
Why upon his return to Australia where he found no one really cared who he was, or where he had been. No one apart from his family and loved ones. He was so bitter, frustrated and angry. There was no counselling either during the war or after. No one to say "Hang in there, kid", or "Job well done". Nothing. Only his mates. You had to comfort each other in your own way.
Can You Understand?
How a 47 year old man feels when he looks at his own 20 year old son and people talk about war and conscription.
Can You Understand?
He is terrified at the very thought of it. And that he would go to any lengths to prevent any government from taking him to a war like Vietnam.
Can You Understand?
I hope so!
Spr. Arthur Scarvil, 1st FId Sqn. Nul Dat, Vietnam, 1967.