Tragedy begets tragedy

History of my Battalion in Vietnam records a bad day.

Tragedy struck when [a Lance Corporal] was accidently shot and killed by a member of the platoon while he was checking the section’s claymores. The soldiers on gun picquet changed over while he was out and information was not correctly passed on. The corporal was coming back into the position crouched low in the grass and all the machine gunner could see was forehead and dark hair approaching

The machine gunner opened up and killed one of his own mates. Back home in Australia the demons visited the machine gunner. He served on in the Army for nearly three decades “hoping to pay back for what he had done” He was actually blameless because he hadn’t been briefed correctly but that didn’t matter…he pulled the trigger…he knew. He visited the local Veterans hospital looking for help. He was sent home with a flea in his ear. Stop making things up….this type of thing simply didn’t happen…go home and get over it This morning he got over it. A long time in the Army…disciplined…do it right…shower…suit…tie…clean shoes. Medals all polished and pinned on correctly. The Infantry Combat Badge, earned all those years ago, pinned on his suit, central and immediately above the medals. Wife asleep…take a chair and some rope….go out into the backyard. Set it all up and take the healing step into oblivion. All at peace now…no more demons. How was your day?