Originally Posted by
FVR
I was in Panama in 84, we had a patrol of 4 Marines and a boot Lt. We were running a little behind on making the rendezvous, the boot Lt. took command and that is where we really went wrong.
I will be first to say, it was my squad, I take resp. for the screw-up. I should have spoken up but I was a boot Cpl at the time.
He decided to use landmarks for land nav., Duhh, idiot. The date on the map we were using was 1956, yeh, landmarks change evey year, how about 2.5 decades.
It was pitch black, you could not see your hand in front of your face, we had just come out of waist deep water and I noticed that we were climbing. Around midnight, this looney was trying to make his way down a slight ravine. I did take charge at that point, told the men to bed down for the night, wrap up in your poncho's. I gave out the last of my water as I was the only guy who brought two canteens and iodine tablets. I had plenty of water for myself and shared.
We were not scared (yeh) as there was 5 of us, we were spooked. I mean lost in the jungle, triple tree canopy, dark as dark can be, with a Lt who was an idiot.
Next morning we were awake right at the slightes light. The Lt 5 hours prev. had decided to go down a little rockface. IDIOT! Stupid **** was on a ledge, ah, we were about 150' up on a mnt. Against the Lt's orders, got the radio oper. to call us in as lost, gave our last known coord. and waited. When we heard the helo, we sent up smoke, they dropped the ropes and we were out of there.
I caught a little bit of crap for that, but our squad next time out, each man had two canteens and a handful of iodine tablets.
Oh yeh, and we left the Lt back at the barracks.
We were not lost, just misguided. LOL.
