A Marine Wants Out

     We arrived via dump truck to some palce off in the desert. It had been a long hot ride. No one told us where we were going. No one ever did. Any way weather there in the basins stays at six percent humidity and hovers around 120 -130 in summer and snow is possible in winter. Sandstorms , rattle snakes, scopions ane cactus, but mostly sand prevails.  It was apparent on arrival that this was a pre walk   work detail. We all were help load I beams and scrap metal into the bed of the dump truck.  A cat wth a boom loaded the I beams. We set to work though the day.  I attempted to help but was promptly sat down by my Marines and told "Doc, you don't do nothin, you is our doc, what if you get hurt then what?"

So I sat there on the rocks. The day went on. Soon a marine sat on the dump truck step, beneath the boom and the i beams being loaded. He back to weep, and complain. He said " I just can take it any more! It the USMC wants to kill me , why don't hey just do it now?" He was very young,  and sobbing, Sweat does not happen in the high desert. So he just shook. This went on. I watche as the heavy beams passed over his head, and told him to move. He would not. At last a beam fell heading straight for the boy.. I lept and pushed him off, into the sand, the I beam crashed heavily to where he had been standing. Laying there on top of him my arm ached. I had got a graze from the beam on my right shoulder. I did not report it. Who would care? I thougt there in my 21st year. Hey, "Doc moves" My grunts said.. anywhy , after detail the dump truck left us to our walk. The night passed, but my weeper would not stop. Finnaly I directed him to the thousands of square miles around us of empty desert....  Stress I understand now, however I told him we all had the same. I told him he ws free to go , but would be buzzard bait.    There were a number of guys out there that broke.  We corpsman had fair quarters with showers and 3-4 in a room. They slept in huts and bunks.  I remeber  on mate was an Amtrack Corpsman i thought this pretty cool.

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