US Military question

[Big_Z]

I over heard some soldiers talking about what happens when Post is being overrun. They said something about a razor, a .45, a match, and 1 bullet. The razor is to cut the Post flag up, the match is to burn it and the .45 and 1 round is to shoot yourself. Can somebody fill in the blanks and give me some background to this? Thanks.

 

[OutcastHuman]

I've never heard of that before but I wouldn't be suprised if someone did it.

 

[Big_Z]

The guy I heard this from has been in the military a long time. Every now and then he calls a HMMWV a jeep. :lol:

 

[Pyro]

ive never heard that one before

 

[Charge 7]

What a load of BS. That's some guy's idea of a "war story". Makes me wonder whether he served at all and if so as what and where for how long. When a unit is "over run" you aren't worrying about the flag being taken down if it's flying at all as it would be a sure registration point for fire. And anybody who's thinking of using a .45 on himself instead of the enemy wouldn't be there to begin with.

 

[03USMC]

It's a Military Urban Legend. The Match, the Razor, and the .45 ACP around are rumoured to be kept in the truck of the flag mast. If you know where the truck is tou'd know how hard it would be to reach it, especially if your being over run.

 

[A Can of Man]

Plus, do you know how hard it is to set fire to a flag with a friggin' match? :lol:

 

[Missileer]

I think a Zippo and can of lighter fluid would be better.

 

[Big_Z]

I guess its my fault for not making it more obvious that this wasn't a real regulation. The guy who said it is a E-7 tank commander who still serves. I believe he was saying this is a question he would ask somebody who he thinks is f*$&%# up.

 

[EagleZtrike]

That sounds like Vietnam times :shock: . Japanese were known to fight to the end though. That was some honor and pride.

 

[Charge 7]

If you don't think the VC fought to the end it shows how little you know about 'Nam, but as this is all about a load of horse bisquits anyway, it really doesn't matter.

 

[Strongbow]

I over heard some soldiers talking about what happens when Post is being overrun. They said something about a razor, a .45, a match, and 1 bullet. The razor is to cut the Post flag up, the match is to burn it and the .45 and 1 round is to shoot yourself. Can somebody fill in the blanks and give me some background to this? Thanks.

Someone with a big imagination Sir.

 

[Sexybeast]

if the enemy is a civilized nation (with a good record of treating prisoners)

i advise him to surrdener, and fight another day

 

[Mark Conley]

The items discussed are indeed the items kept in the round ball (the truck) of a base 's flagpole. Its to symbolize that the men would always have the means to fight to the end...the way it was explained to me was there was a coin, a bandage, one round of ammunition, and a match.

It was a common question during boards to ask "how many trucks were on a military base.? The answer was always...one. anything else is a vehicle.

 

[Big_Z]

Thank you Mark, that was what I was looking for.