The Bravest Kid I Ever Knew

A young Marine named Pvt. Undemstock from Ames, Oklahoma was so terrified in a terrible jungle war that he literally shook and his teeth actually chattered so loudly. He was dangerous to every Marine around him on every nightly ambush. His fear was so deep that he would bite through his lip.

How this young farm boy got into the Corps and how he made it through a brutal Marine Corps boot camp that weeded out anyone not able to stand combat with some of the toughest men on earth is and always will be a mystery to the men around him.  

At one point our Lieutenant came to him and told him he was going to send him home. Almost anyone would have jumped at that chance at that time in that place. He said no, actually shivering as he said, “No!” He cried as he said no. Then he said “I’m not going home until the other Marines go home.” The Lieutenant, my A-gunner and I marveled at his determination, each of knowing he shouldn’t be here.

He walked into a grave yard about three days later with a squad of Marines. We knew there were enemy soldiers on the other side because we’d already made contact and hit a couple. He knew he might be walking into fire, no one suspected how much fire but that’s what Marines do every day and Undemstock was a Marine. And he knew that if he made it through this fight the Marines would go look for another fight tomorrow. He would get no rest, there would be no chopper ride back a cozy base and a beer or an interview with the news media. There was nothing ‘Special’ about this day, it’s just what Marines do. Some grizzled Sergeant would yell, ‘Saddle up’ and these tough men would throw on their packs and walk into the jungle again looking for another fight.

A suspected Battalion of NVA opened up on that eight man squad. There are around 500 men in a Battalion. The grave yard was raked with three 30 caliber machine guns. Then what seemed like hundreds of AK-47’s opened up from two sides of the grave yard. Then captured American grenade launchers opened up. Then B40 rockets streaked from two sides of the graveyard like giant sparklers, explosions were everywhere. Then satchel charges were thrown into the grave yard. Finally came a mortar barrage that went on all night.

That 20 year old farm boy died. We found him in a fetal position behind a grave mound. He may have caught a piece of shrapnel but that didn’t kill him. His heart had just stopped from fear. The same fear that could not stop him from walking into that grave yard with some tough Marines looking for a fight.

This young Marine was the bravest kid I ever knew. As we celebrate Memorial Day today, try to remember boys like this who loved America and the Marine Corps more than their life.