Does anyone know, is that stat true about the life expectancy of a 2nd LT dropped into a hot LZ in vietnam in 1968 being 16 min? Cause if it is, then that's crazy.
shareIt wouldn't surprise me if it was. All they had to do is look for the guy with the giant radio on his back and shoot the guy next to him.
shareYes it is true, according to my husband who was in the Navy.
Lyndac1027
i'm afraid i'm gonna have to call shenanigans on that one and am going to need some proof as i find it hard to believe, to say the least
any links/proofs/examples ?
it is better to have a gun and not need it, than to need a gun and not have it
I'm not sure if an average was ever nailed down to the specific minute. Remamber, Hodges specifically says new Marine 2Lt, hot LZ and 1968. That is quite a combination. A 2Lt is the least experienced officer (unless he is a Mustang commissioned from the ranks), likely courageous to a fault and the number 1 target for all enemy riflemen (officers first, then RTOs, then obvious specialists like artillery fire controllers, then those with support weapons like M60 MG and then NCOs...).
Hot LZ makes all the difference and 1968 was the peak of the war and casualties. The fact that he's a marine 2Lt means he is fighting in the northermn most sector of SVN - along the DMZ. Marine casualties tended to be higher there than in other sectors. A "perfect storm" working against 2Lts...
I became eligible for the draft in 1970. As I remember it, the "common knowledge" was that the life expectancy of the guy on point of a patrol was 16 minutes. 2nd LTs was about 2 weeks, I thought both figures were mentioned in the film. I have no idea if any of that was true, that what the gossip was among 18 yr olds waiting for their "Greetings" from Uncle Sam. For the record, my number was 96, and they went up to 92 that year!
L