Lol

No doubt he is a hero for what he did. I was just wondering why he did not try to throw the grenade away rather than muffle it with his backpack. Seven seconds might have given him time to do that. I have never been in that situation, but maybe those who have or have practical knowledge may want to comment on this.

Aurel

This is a story about a British marine right?

Well.....in my experience with live hand grenades you just can't be too sure about those seven seconds. Sometimes the thrower holds them for three or four. You just don't know. So......rather than gamble I tend to just fall onto the grenade. It's safer that way.

Unfortunately, those with the "practical knowledge" you speak of aren't with us long enough to share their experience. :(

In a situation such as this, however, one really has no idea how much time one has to "react". It seems it would be more of a reflex kind of thing than a reaction to some sort of "deductive reasoning" process.

Randy

Yes.

Randy

That is one brave young man!

Semper Fi, David

Bravo! Salute!

He'll probably go a very long time without having to pay for his own beer...

Grenades have a 5 second fuze unless that's been changed since i got out (which i seriously doubt). Perhaps WP nades have a 7 second fuze. I honestly cannot recall.

Commenting on the marine's actions, i would definitely not second guess a guy that flung his living flesh over an explosive device to save his friends. I am under the operating theory that if there was any other option, he would've exercised it.

One of our own guys did this recently in Iraq and won the CMoH, but he didn't live. :(

"The next step below them would be US Army Special forces."

Uh oh. I see the natural enemies of the USMC have surfaced...

You're not going to compare the training of the average Marine to that of a US Army Special forces trooper are you?

That would be like comparing a leg infantry Army national guardsman to a Recon Marine.

Nope - not me.

But for some decades now, short Col.s in USMC have been trying to figure out how to head off the enemy menace.

After all, if you can put SF on a ship and land them by helo.... "Why do you need the Marines"/ title of an article, not my own sentence.



I will offer this: a MEF is a complete "little" package. Once US A is involved, things tend to snowball. There are political implications to the package concept also.

The other reason is historical. We've had Marines since before we actually existed as a nation. It would be really hard to end that.

But the problem still exists, and is still studied at the Naval War College.

Someone has to protect Navy guys in overseas bars. :D

Stories like that boggle the mind. I helped pull some people out of a burning house once, but it really did not seem dangerous at the time. (I was drunk at a party when a neighboring house went up in flames w/ kids sleeping inside). Sometimes when someone really needs you, you do not have time to analyze, just act. But jumping on a grenade or some of the other things that guys do on the battlefield are really almost incredible. I cried when I read about the U.S. serviceman that died doing the same thing and recently won the CMOH. It just sucks when someone that good dies before they can reproduce, and so many scumbags get to live and multiply.

If there is any justice in this world, hopefully a lifetime.

Great story, but for some reason Superman still has me laughing with every post of his.

I guess you can be in awe and laugh at the same time.

Kohima Epitaph

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1216905453.gif

Inspired by the Battle of Kohima, fought by the British Troops in 1944. WWII.

I have seen the Kohima Epitaph often in the UK. British soldiers carry on the tradition.

John_AZ
USMC

This is really funny.

Seals = Delta Force = Rangers

All elite - all unique - Royal Marines are up there in their training. Great story.