I am an over privileged American who has never had the honor or fortune to service with the armed forces of my country. As such I have a mostly self-educated opinion of all things BOOM! In the real world, I am currently piling up research for a fictional series of novels taking place in the Pacific Theater of the Second World War. So I will be asking, begging and pleading for information that is not conspicuously available in the public domain.
Don't bloody forget the Australians... I would read the huge collection of Commando (comics/illustrated books) in the Pacific...plenty of ideas there...
Welcome to the Forums--Just finished "Once an Eagle" by Anton Myrer and it will definitely give you an idea what jungle fighting is all about. Good luck on your literary venture.
NOBODY forgets the Australian Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise....
I grew up in post-Vietnam era Middle America, and Military service just wasn't talked about, either in the positive or the negative. I actually have several in-laws who served during Vietnam, but they NEVER talked about it. Same goes for fathers of my friends. The only real contact I remember of the "real" military was when a recruiter came to our school, to tell us about the ASVAB, and how important it was to do well in taking it. The ASVAB turned out to be so pitifully easy, I guess it didn't leave me with a very good impression of their requirements. So needless to day, the idea of joining one of the services, never occurred to me. Chairborne Warrior? I may aspire to that some day.
I came to terms by saying I used to kill people for $8.47/day, before deductions. If they didn't like that, fuck 'em.