Best overlooked anecdotes from military history?

SGT William B. — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 12:57:28 -0400

What are some of the best anecdotes from military history (any nation) that you can recall? Most of us probably have general stories about individual leaders, like Audie Murphy, Chesty Puller, etc., but what I'm really looking for are the tiny details of the story that are lost in the telling, the things that get overlooked.

For example, one of my favorite stories comes from a terrible firing range accident involving someone I consider to be one of the greatest American military leaders to have ever served, General David Petraeus (don't know him personally, obviously, and the 2012 affair and his resignation definitely raise some questions, but he's still a favorite of mine). Anyway, the common story is that when Petraeus was a LTC commanding the 187th Infantry Regiment in 1991, he was accidentally shot in the chest by a soldier whose weapon discharged after the soldier tripped. He was rushed to the emergency room and operated on by a future US Senator, and fortunately survived. When he argued that he was fit to return to duty a few days later, the two argued, and then LTC Petraeus got down and did 50 solid pushups. They signed his release papers the same day.

A lot of folks know that part of the story, and it's always a good one. However, the one that's less known is what happened to the company commander and the soldier that nearly killed LTC Petraeus by accident. I can't verify how true this is (came through Michael Yon, independent military photojournalist and writer who embedded with multiple US/British commands throughout OIF/OEF), so take it with a grain of salt. In today's Army, we all know that an accident on the firing line that nearly kills a top officer would probably be punished so severely that the officer in charge of the range would probably not promote for the next few years, if at all, and the enlisted soldier who fired the shot would probably smoked to hell and back, as well as receive some sort of UCMJ action.

LTC Petraeus did one of the most gracious things ever. He promoted them.

The company commander at the time, CPT Erik Kurilla, would later go on to become the 75th Ranger Regiment commander (I think he's a Brigadier General now?). Not sure what happened to the soldier. I like this story a lot, and it gets ignored frequently in favor of the part where Petraeus was released from the hospital. I'm a fairly harsh person to work with; I expect a lot from others, and I can be difficult to please. This story always makes me remember that I too was given a second chance for a mistake, and that giving others the benefit of the doubt and the opportunity to redeem themselves can sometimes lead to incredible results.

Response by Col Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2014 1:24 PM

Col Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 13:24:40 -0400

SGT Bradley, excellent question and you've provided a great example; the one that immediately comes to mind for me is Major General Smedley D. Butler, USMC. In the U.S. Marine Corps there are those top three historical figures that every marine knows, and which represent honor, courage, and 'soldierly virtue' in the USMC, those individuals are: LtGen Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, MajGen Smedley D. Butler, and SgtMaj Joseph D. "Dan" Daly. Of these, almost everyone is aware of Smedley Butler and his amazing experience and accomplishments; however, most are not aware of what he actually said about his experience. The link below provides just a few quotes that illustrate some of his main points. Paraphrased from an online book review, some biographical information on Smedley Darlington Butler (1881-1940): nicknamed "The Fighting Quaker" and "Old Gimlet Eye," at the time of his death he was the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. By the end of his career he had received 16 medals, five of which were for heroism. He is one of 19 people to be twice awarded the Medal of Honor, one of three to be awarded both the Marine Corps Brevet Medal and the Medal of Honor, and the only person to be awarded the Brevet Medal and two Medals of Honor, all for separate actions. He became widely-known for his outspoken lectures against war profiteering, U.S. military adventurism and what he viewed as nascent fascism in the United States. In addition to his speeches from 1935 to 1937, he served as a spokesman for the American League Against War and Fascism. In 1935, he wrote the exposé "War Is a Racket," a trenchant condemnation of the profit motive behind warfare.

http://www.amazon.com/War-Racket-Profit-Motive-Warfare/dp/ [login to see] http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198259.War_is_a_Racket http://www.wanttoknow.info/warisaracket

In reading the comments of Smedley Butler, a quote that I've used often is absolutely appropriate and applicable once again: "This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill--the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill--you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. Remember that all I am offering is the truth. Nothing more. --Larry and Andy Wachowski, The Matrix, 1999 (as quoted in New York Times Bestseller "Wired for War" by P.W. Singer).

War is a Racket

War is a Racket - Highly decorated U.S. General Smedley Butler describes in detail how he came to realize that war is almost always a profiteering racket for the ultra-rich.

Smedley Butler Quotes at BrainyQuote

Enjoy the best Smedley Butler Quotes at BrainyQuote. Quotations by Smedley Butler, American Soldier, Born June 30, 1881. Share with your friends.

Response by SSG Maurice P. made Sep 24 at 2014 7:24 PM

SSG Maurice P. — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 19:24:18 -0400

sorry im out of votes for the day you can only have 50 but you deserve my vote
i too was graciously spared 3 times in my career by leaders who saw something in me... 2 of the 3 times i should have gotten a big chicken dinner and once i should have gotten a donald duck...I am very lucky to have gotten the priviledge to retire from the u.s army and a added treat to retire active duty...i accumulated 20yrs active duty in a 34 year career