In fact, as we moved ahead, I noticed that the order
was occasionally changed as the terrain changed, so that machine gun
squads could be brought forward to cover suspicious points while the
riflemen passes, or even the mortar squad advanced and put in
position in case its protection might be needed. Another impressive
aspect of the march was the clumsy, cumbersome weight of some of the
weapons the men carried and the husky ease with which they slung
them on their shoulders and hiked down the rough trail and over to
steep hillsides where just ordinary walking called for strenuous
effort. This is one of the lesser superlatives of these young
paratroopers: their superb physical fitness. Not only are they fit,
but they have a tough staying-power, far beyond that of ordinary
conditioned men. This has been built into them by nearly three years
of life in the field. Endurance, that is another of their
superlatives.
Capt. Charles M. Bradford, MD |
