One tough Sonofabitch Gunny

[Sailor]

"I found a piece of red detonating cord between my legs," he says. "That's when I knew I was screwed."

Realizing he had been sucked into a trap, Sgt Burghardt, 35, yelled at everyone to stay back. At that moment, an insurgent, probably watching through binoculars, pressed a button on his mobile phone to detonate the secondary device below the sergeant's feet. "A chill went up the back of my neck and then the bomb exploded," he recalls. "As I was in the air I remember thinking, 'I don't believe they got me.' I was just ticked off they were able to do it. Then I was lying on the road, not able to feel anything from the waist down."

His colleagues cut off his trousers to see how badly he was hurt. None could believe his legs were still there. "My dad's a Vietnam vet who's paralyzed from the waist down," says Sgt Burghardt. "I was lying there thinking I didn't want to be in a wheelchair next to my dad and for him to see me like that. They started to cut away my pants and I felt a real sharp pain and blood trickling down. Then I wiggled my toes and I thought, 'Good, I'm in business.' As a stretcher was brought over, adrenaline and anger kicked in. "I decided to walk to the helicopter. I wasn't going to let my team-mates see me being carried away on a stretcher." He stood and gave the insurgents who had blown him up a one-fingered salute. "I flipped them one. It was like, 'OK, I lost that round but I'll be back next week'."

For the rest of the story:

pc540.blogspot.com/2006/02/michael-burghardt.html



GN and AA have it right, you DON'T piss off Superman - or a Marine Gunnery Sergeant

Thought Tittus and others who don't frequent THC might like to see this. AA put it up early today and so far none of the usual suspects have tried to denigrate this guy.

[101ABN]

"As a stretcher was brought over, adrenaline and anger kicked in. "I decided to walk to the helicopter. I wasn't going to let my team-mates see me being carried away on a stretcher."

I can relate.

When I was evac'ed I was hoisted out through the canopy but when the chopper landed, I refused to let the REMFs carry me. I declined the litter and walked to the triage station. It hurt like hell and I nearly blacked out a couple of times. I do admit there was a sick satisfaction in showing those cherries what grunt paratroopers are made of.

In retrospect, probably not the smartest thing I ever did but I'll bet there's some asshole somewhere telling his grandkids about it.

[tits]

That picture is worth a wallpaper on this CPU.

Thanks.

Gawds 101, I salute you.

What action was your last? It must have been a chance field ambush since you went out through the hoist and canopy. I often thought that the Evac boys and those wounded evac via the lift were some of the bravest SOBs on earth. However, no one beats the Corpsman and Medic. I never experienced it, but the thought of rushing up and treating a wounded man while under fire is just plain counter-nature.

I read once that we lost over 4000 helos during the 15 years of engagement in Vietnam. How many were from 1966-1972 and how many were Evac? How many crewmen were wounded or killed attempting to Evac a wounded man?

I salute you Airborne.

You were a gunner, ie. a target. How long were you in country before you received your wounding ticket home? Were your crippled or maimed? You look pretty good next to your bike (a little geriatric )

Sorry for the questions. There were many questions that I wanted to ask since you shared the story about hearing someone screaming during a nasty engagement when you realized that it was you.

I don't know about you, but I can recall my head aching for hours after prolonged fire of the 60.

I stand salute you Airborne.

[tits]

That scene of the Sargent Major and the LtC marching around with all that lead flying around them is so Hollywood that it seems plausible.

I thought of that after reading 101's account of being lifted through the canopy. Sitting targets in a shower of lead and not getting hit seems improbable, but it does happen.

[101ABN]

"What action was your last? It must have been a chance field ambush since you went out through the hoist and canopy."

Grenade frag. Hit two of us that day. (4 July '67) The medic was a cherry but he knew his stuff.

I carried a 60 for a brief period early in my tour but had been a fire team leader for several months when I was hit (chest wounds).

I was the old timer in the platoon and felt it necessary to set an example for the newbies by not being a wuss, so I "John Wayned" it for the platoon while waiting for the chopper.

I spent more thanr a week in intensive care at the 2nd Surg hospital in Chu Lai but blew my evac flight to Japan (a long story I wont go into here) and got sent back to my unit although I never went back out into the field for the last month and a half of my tour.

I still carry the frag, but no permanent damage, thank God.

[MrDoublel]

By the way, that picture was run front page on Stars and Stripes, finger and all! I heard the Gunny has since recovered and returned to duty in Iraq.

[Sailor]

sfcdoublel said:

By the way, that picture was run front page on Stars and Stripes, finger and all! I heard the Gunny has since recovered and returned to duty in Iraq.

Betcha next time he wears the whole bomb tech suit.

He wasn't just tough, he was one LUCKY sonofabitch.

[MrDoublel]

He said he doesn't like to as it restricts his movements and is hot as hell. Although, he may start to now. I don't know if you saw my reply at THC but snopes.com checked this out and validated the story.