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The LT’s decision to send a group to the beach, while well intended, was concerning from the start. Murphy’s Law, as it would state, would just so have it that the soldiers’ demise would be under uncontrollable circumstances. In essence: pick your poison; inevitably something bad was to come of the good deed, this time at the cost of two American lives. The author doesn’t touch on any repercussions he had after the tragic event, which is stunning if true. Had the beach been in a closer vicinity, perhaps the choice would have been more viable. God’s will or not, McDonough was required to carry on without this impacting his leadership abilities.
<p style=”margin: 5px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, ‘Times New Roman’, Times, serif; font-size: 12.25px;”>I think the first time the statement is said by Killigan is the most impactful, because the second time it is stated the LT is referring to subordinates, not the enemy. Killigan’s comment got the LT thinking, pondering the actions taken out in the Vietnamese rice paddy fields. At the other end of the rifle is another human, who– while he may speak a different language and have different experiences– still has a family, still has dreams, still has his own values yet here is is face to face with another person he’s never met or likely seen in his life before this moment. Keeping the humanity of the situation in mind is important in keeping oneself grounded and seeing the battle scene in black and white.</p>
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