I had an uncle who was in the Brown Water Navy. He did two tours then started a third tour and got shot up pretty badly. Badly enough he was medically discharged. The few times I was around him he never talked about it that I can remember. Dad was a Korean War Navy man who served on a destroyer and was also wounded in action and I guess my uncle had shared some with him. Uncle Jim wasn't around much, evidently, he had a bad drinking problem and never really held a job. Uncle Jim seemed to make dad sad and pop was always taking up for him when he came up in conversations at family events.

Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.