<p style=”color: #313131; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; line-height: normal;”><span style=”margin: 0px; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’, serif; font-size: 12pt;”><span style=”font-size: 1rem; color: #000000;” data-removefontsize=”true” data-originalcomputedfontsize=”16″>In Chapter 17, LT McDonough sends a patrol out to the beach nearby to 2<sup style=”font-size: 0.8333333134651184rem;” data-removefontsize=”true” data-originalcomputedfontsize=”13.333333015441895″>nd</sup> Platoon’s location for the purpose of nursing jungle wounds and boosting the soldier’s morale. The two men with this environmental injury, along with King as a volunteer and SGT James as a leader, were accompanied by Spangler and Evans after some friendly coercion by LT McDonough. Specific orders from McDonough were to have four men guard and two go in the water at a time. Immediately after arriving at the shore four men jumped in and were all swept away by the undertow. After fighting the dangerous tides both Spangler and Evans drowned.</span></span></p>
<p style=”color: #313131; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; line-height: normal;”><span style=”margin: 0px; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’, serif; font-size: 12pt;”><span style=”font-size: 1rem; color: #000000;” data-removefontsize=”true” data-originalcomputedfontsize=”16″><span style=”margin: 0px;”>            </span>It is difficult to justify actions after reading of the fatal consequences it would yield, however if I had not known this decision would be the death of two soldiers, I would agree that LT McDonough’s decision to allow them to send soldiers to the beach was not by its nature impulsive and reckless. While there was little tactical advantage involved in this patrol, the idea to nurse injuries and raise morale was a sound decision. It may have not been the safest of areas for his soldiers to be in, LT McDonough had assessed the danger involved with this maneuver. The danger was severely escalated when SGT James failed to heed McDonough’s order to have two in the water and four on watch.</span></span></p>
<p style=”color: #313131; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; line-height: normal;”><span style=”margin: 0px; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’, serif; font-size: 12pt;”><span style=”font-size: 1rem; color: #000000;” data-removefontsize=”true” data-originalcomputedfontsize=”16″><span style=”margin: 0px;”>            </span>It was surprising to read that LT McDonough did not go with this patrol on such an experimental visit. Up until this point, it had been in the nature of McDonough to lead from the front when dealing with new situations outside the wire. If he had planned on sending future patrols to this beach, I am surprised he had no interest in visiting the area for himself. If he had decided to accompany this patrol, the terrible situation could have been prevented. If he was present, SGT James would not be allowed to send four men into the water at the same time. His presence would have ensured his procedures were followed and could have possibly changed the outcome of this visit to the beach.</span></span></p>