Ya know what ? After a walk around the house a couple of times I've cooled off and seen the error in my thinking. You were psychologically (as well as physically) abused also and no doubt could, if you haven't already, benefit from some form of counseling. Yours is also that of two generations (at the least) suffering the horrible effects of war.
As others have noted, they've met and served with many Marines who never behaved like this Colonel. I'm sure there are Marine combat vets who have seen and done a lot of the same things in combat (or had done to them), maybe worse, but they came back relatively sane acting.
Its possible that guys like your dad as well as Conroy had heredity issues or were abused themselves as kids, hard to say. None of it changes the bravery they demonstrated under fire and the enormous debt we owe to the men and women who answered the call.
Even back in the 60s there was nothing like the counseling available to today's kids.
We were told to "suck it up buttercup" and that 'others had it worse, what makes you so special ?" "Walk it off, what, you going to cry? (little girl) ?" Maybe they were so damaged that they should not have had kids. Maybe they worried privately that we would wind up in a fox hole some day so they wanted us to be able to handle it better than they did - they worked on 'toughening' us up. I remember at Boy Scout camp we were called 'girls' (as in 'alright girls, time to get up !) and talked to like we were in boot camp. These guys were indoctrinated, they were whipped into shape and taught to be as savage as the enemy they were about to face so as to save these kids lives. No hesitation pulling the trigger, no split second 2nd thoughts about 'Thou shall not kill" which they were taught in Sunday School etc. Then, after all the horror, they were returned home and expected to slide right back into polite society. Not every soldier experienced the same in terms of trauma, this could very account for the difference between those who returned home relatively unscathed by the experience and those who returned full tilt insane. Do you think you would have done better ? Maybe so, who knows. But its been my experience in life that some of the most vulnerable, weakest people can be the most dangerous.
I guess my point is that the entire 'Greatest Generation' shouldn't be judged by the psychotic (?) or tormented few who came back this abusive. Before and after the war and throughout history there have been mothers and/or fathers who physically and/or psychologically abused their children but never served in the military - its not just Marines, not just war veterans.
You seem to still harbor anger and resentment - have you tried counseling ? I have a short fuse myself but I did get the counseling I needed and its been helpful for the most part. I sound off here on the 'net but I would never put my hands on another person unless provoked and even at that I've learned to turn my back and walk away rather than get into it.
I could delete all of this and maybe I should. Then again maybe it will spark some useful conversation. I'll let it stand for now.
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