If you were in Iraq and a grenade was thrown your way ........?

Question

and you knew if you dove on it, you would face certain death but would most likely save your fellow squadies lives, would you do it? Or would you just run and leave the others to it?

I personally would run, cause no offense but I plan on living another 50 years. I cant be responsible for everyone else despite all the war hero stories you hear.

Answer 1

One day in April 2004, Cpl. Jason Dunham and his men were patrolling an insurgent stronghold near the Syrian border when an Iraqi leapt out and grabbed the 22-year-old Marine around the neck. Dunham, seeing his attacker had dropped a live grenade, snatched off his helmet and put it over the explosive.

The helmet did help blunt the explosion -- and saved the lives of others. But Dunham suffered serious injuries from flying shrapnel. Eight days later, he died from his wounds. His actions earned him a Medal of Honor nomination.

This article is a little bit older - but Cpl Dunham was awarded the Medal of Honor on 11/10/2006 - the Marine Corp Birthday.

If only more of us could be such a hero

Answer 2

Folks, you cannot judge and dude, unless you were there and have faced such daily occurrences, you should not be asking. The war you guys see on TV is nothing compared to the war I saw while over there. No one knows exactly how they'll react. No one knows the answer to this question. And nine times out of ten, you won't even notice when a grenade is tossed at you. I've had more than a couple explode dangerously close by and didn't even know they were there. Things are happening so fast and it's so crazy, one little thing in the air coming towards you just doesn't register. It's crazy.

Hollywood is to blame for this scenario. It very rarely happens in real life where the fighting is all to real.

Answer 3

There have been a few very brave soldiers who've done just that. Nine times out of ten if a grenade is thrown it's going to explode within ten secs or so, so I'm not sure how far you'd get running from it, could save your life, but almost certain you wouldn't walk away from it scott free without any wounds. But to answer your question, it takes someone very brave and honorable to do such thing and I'm almost certain that you'd actually have to be in the situation in order to determine what you'd actually do. Do you not think that those individuals who faced that didn't want to live fifty more years? When you take on a job as a soldier, sailor, marine or airmen you take on the responsibility of everyone you work with, we work in teams and if a member of my team fails to come home it hurts me personally and that too is a responsibility that you must deal with for the rest of your life. Who wants to call up his team members wife and children to say I'm sorry for your loss? Not me!

Answer 4

I don't know if I run the other way like you would, and I don't know if I would dive on it either, but I would at least try to pick it up and attempt to throw it back in the direction it came from.

Once you become a part of a team, you become responsible, whether you want to be or not...if you don't, you're considered undependable. Who would want to work with someone who's undependable, self-centered, and cannot count on that person when push comes to shove?

Answer 5

Big Dave it is comforting that you are not in our nation's military or any for that matter. When you are in the battle zone the only thing you can usually count on is the guy next to you. He needs to be able to count on you just the same.

I personally joined the Army with the interests of others in mind, so when I was on missions in Iraq I regularly put myself between perceived/potential dangers and my comrads. They all would have done the same for me.

Even today as a civilian I would gladly put my own life at risk for the preservation of another human being's life. It is not what you have got, but what you give. For most of us, I think bravery is not a conscious choice, but a natural reaction to adversity. I have seen quite a few men and women perform selfless acts of bravery with their lives at stake. I would say half of them were not even the type of person that you would expect such valor out of.

You do not seem to be such a person either, but I do hope for the sake of others around you that you find your testicles when the need for them arises.

Edit: I just read some of your q&a and all I can say is that while it seems a pity that you are in fact in the Army, if the situation arises where you may be called upon to risk your life for a brother, you may be surprised at your own actions. Only when you get there can you understand what it is like. I do wish you well if you find yourself in the heat of battle. It is ugly, but it also often brings out the best in a man. Remember your oath and your brethren who depend on you. They too will be watching your back.

Answer 6

What about not stepping on it and keeping others from stepping on. You always have to make an attempt to save your fellow brothers in arms

Answer 7

If it came down to me having to do it in order to save lives, I think I would. I think dying as a good person (saving lives) is better than living and having to see my buddies die. But I understand your point of view too.

Answer 8

Here, Would, Nuff Said.

Answer 9

You've just confessed to the world a lot about your personality. Hope that works for you in life. I don't know what I would do, but I try to always think of others first.

Answer 10

I would only kill myself if it would save my daugther. I am no good to the world dead and how do I know if the persons i'm saving are of admirable character? We've seen some of our soldier's doing not so admirable things as of late. So, I would run out of the way and yell for my comrades to do the same. If they don't quite get it, i'm very sorry.