Is Killing In A War Murder?

[LearningToLetGo]

I registered for the draft back in 1975 when I turned 18. But had I gone to war and killed the enemy in battle, even one, it would have stayed with me for the rest of my life. What kind of person was this enemy?

What kind of life did he/she have? What would be the reaction of this enemy's parents or family when they learned he/she had been killed...by me?

This is very much on par with what I was thinking. We all live full and rich lives. We are all God's children. When one person kills another, even legally, that does not change the fact that one life terminates another. We may be too dense in this life to appreciate the complete ramifications of such an action but we won't be so dense in the next.

 

[Dave F.]

This is very much on par with what I was thinking. We all live full and rich lives. We are all God's children. When one person kills another, even legally, that does not change the fact that one life terminates another. We may be too dense in this life to appreciate the complete ramifications of such an action but we won't be so dense in the next.

This is why political leaders try to de-humanize the other people as vile evil doers that deserve to die. In reality the man with a gun trying to kill you was told you were the vile evil doer and deserve to die, but he is an average guy doing what his leaders sent him out to do, same as you are. Ending another's life in war does not mean it will sit well in your mind. Some buy into the idea of us against them and justify the killing in their mind, others are tormented by the guilt they feel even though they defended themselves against an attacker who would have killed them.

 

[Major]

Hello LearningToLetGo;

I have thought about this in my own life. I registered for the draft back in 1975 when I turned 18. But had I gone to war and killed the enemy in battle, even one, it would have stayed with me for the rest of my life. What kind of person was this enemy?

What kind of life did he/she have? What would be the reaction of this enemy's parents or family when they learned he/she had been killed...by me?

Perhaps a soldier is suppose to get past this in war but I can't help but think of this, and I have from time to time. Aside from the topic at hand, what you posted does sink in with me.

God bless you, Jason, and your family.

Robert, I appreciate your remarks.

May I say with all candor and truth, you never ever forget those whose lives YOU have changed.

YOU never ever get past those you killed in combat.

In 1965, I was the officer in charge of Battery 3rd Battalion of the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam. I was the guy who received the call from the line officer giving me the coordinates where he wanted the fire to hit. I in turn gave that to the gunnery officer and yelled....FIRE! In Northwest South Vietnam at Pleiku. during Operation Blue Light, I have no earthly idea how many of the enemy we killed. In day one, we fired 5000 rounds and that was only the beginning.

IN the moment, you really do not think about those you are killing. What you are thinking about is that those people over ther, 10 miles away are killing your friends and men. It is later when the facts sink in that the PTSD sets in.

I confess that I struggled with that for some time. Still do, like now when I am posting this comment. It never goes away!

The only TWO things I have encountered that helped is the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ for forgives us of ALL sin!
The second thing is the letters and calls from men who we saved by placing artillery shells exactly where they wanted them !!

 

[Major]

This is why political leaders try to de-humanize the other people as vile evil doers that deserve to die. In reality the man with a gun trying to kill you was told you were the vile evil doer and deserve to die, but he is an average guy doing what his leaders sent him out to do, same as you are. Ending another's life in war does not mean it will sit well in your mind. Some buy into the idea of us against them and justify the killing in their mind, others are tormented by the guilt they feel even though they defended themselves against an attacker who would have killed them.

Well said!

 

[bobinfaith]

This is why political leaders try to de-humanize the other people as vile evil doers that deserve to die. In reality the man with a gun trying to kill you was told you were the vile evil doer and deserve to die, but he is an average guy doing what his leaders sent him out to do, same as you are. Ending another's life in war does not mean it will sit well in your mind. Some buy into the idea of us against them and justify the killing in their mind, others are tormented by the guilt they feel even though they defended themselves against an attacker who would have killed them.

Robert, I appreciate your remarks. May I say with all candor and truth, you never ever forget those whose lives YOU have changed. YOU never ever get past those you killed in combat. In 1965, I was the officer in charge of Battery 3rd Battalion of the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam. I was the guy who received the call from the line officer giving me the coordinates where he wanted the fire to hit. I in turn gave that to the gunnery officer and yelled....FIRE! In Northwest South Vietnam at Pleiku. during Operation Blue Light, I have no earthly idea how many of the enemy we killed. In day one, we fired 5000 rounds and that was only the beginning. IN the moment, you really do not think about those you are killing. What you are thinking about is that those people over ther, 10 miles away are killing your friends and men. It is later when the facts sink in that the PTSD sets in. I confess that I struggled with that for some time. Still do, like now when I am posting this comment. It never goes away! The only TWO things I have encountered that helped is the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ for forgives us of ALL sin! The second thing is the letters and calls from men who we saved by placing artillery shells exactly where they wanted them !!

Hello Dave F. and Major;

Thank you for your posts. Well said and what you both wrote sank in with me. Major, I have a question not related to the topic. When you mentioned Battery 3rd Battalion of the 25th Infantry Division how do you break down all these battalions and divisions? I could never figure it out.

Dave, I like your perspective. Did you serve in the military or get deployed? My Dad and two brothers all served in the military but I never did. As a matter of fact I failed the entrance exam and decided to move on.

I only shot a gun once. When we were overseas one New Year's Eve my brother in law gave me a .22 rifle and I shot it in the air (which was not smart) Fortunately, the bullet coming down didn't hit anyone. But that was it.

God bless you, brothers.

 

[Major]

Hello Dave F. and Major;

Thank you for your posts. Well said and what you both wrote sank in with me. Major, I have a question not related to the topic. When you mentioned Battery 3rd Battalion of the 25th Infantry Division how do you break down all these battalions and divisions? I could never figure it out.

Dave, I like your perspective. Did you serve in the military or get deployed? My Dad and two brothers all served in the military but I never did. As a matter of fact I failed the entrance exam and decided to move on.

I only shot a gun once. When we were overseas one New Year's Eve my brother in law gave me a .22 rifle and I shot it in the air (which was not smart) Fortunately, the bullet coming down didn't hit anyone. But that was it.

God bless you, brothers.

Honestly........I just read what was written on the orders.

All of that is because there has to be accountability and in each Brigade there are postal workers, cooks, doctors, nurses, clerks, and so on.
Each man has an MOS which is a number for what he is trained to do. Example.......13Alpha10 is what I was as an Artillery expert.

Now all Army personnel are "Warriors"! All men are trained as to how to operate a weapon (Rifle-hand gun) then they are further trained in the MOS they qualify for.

 

[Dave F.]

Hello Dave F. and Major;

Thank you for your posts. Well said and what you both wrote sank in with me. Major, I have a question not related to the topic. When you mentioned Battery 3rd Battalion of the 25th Infantry Division how do you break down all these battalions and divisions? I could never figure it out.

Dave, I like your perspective. Did you serve in the military or get deployed? My Dad and two brothers all served in the military but I never did. As a matter of fact I failed the entrance exam and decided to move on.

I only shot a gun once. When we were overseas one New Year's Eve my brother in law gave me a .22 rifle and I shot it in the air (which was not smart) Fortunately, the bullet coming down didn't hit anyone. But that was it.

God bless you, brothers.

I was in the U.S. Navy for one tour of duty. I was never in combat, my father was in Viet Nam. He doesn't talk about it much, I think he is more comfortable talking to me about his experiences over there because I went into the military and could relate to much of what goes on. I have had multiple conversations with those who have been in combat. I was in the Philippines when Marcos was overthrown.

 

[Major]

I was in the U.S. Navy for one tour of duty. I was never in combat, my father was in Viet Nam. He doesn't talk about it much, I think he is more comfortable talking to me about his experiences over there because I went into the military and could relate to much of what goes on. I have had multiple conversations with those who have been in combat. I was in the Philippines when Marcos was overthrown.

By the ways........My hobby for that last 30 years or so has been model Battleships. I do 350 x 1 ration and place a little plaq in front of them explaining when that ship was in battle, its armaments, size and so on. That way my grandchildren asked questions about those ships and how they did in WW1 and WW2.