Richard Bates

Memories of Military Service: (A Teenager in Burma) Richard Bates

This is the story of a teenagerwho enlisted when he became eighteen, fought in one of the nastiest regions ofthe world against a ruthless fanatical foe, survived, and returned home beforehe (officially) became an adult. His descriptions of combat in the mountainsand jungles of Burmaare explicit and perceptive accounts of the stresses and horrors that theAmerican infantryman endured in combat. Bates' anecdotes of his basictraining in an infantry replacement- training center reveal a fascinating pictureof the training for combat that they underwent. It also covers winter maneuversin Louisiana, and his trip tocombat. The major part of his bookdescribes his experiences in two campaigns in North Burmaduring America'sattempt to clear a way for a road to China. Casualties in those campaigns exceeded 100% in fighting that was close andsavage. He writes about the stresses and deprivations in combat all infantrymenendured but are rarely mentioned in print. A fascinating aspect is hisexplanation of what kept him, and his comrades fighting in spite of everything.