Combat Infantry Badge: The Most Dangerous Decoration

The Combat Infantryman should have some special recognition because it was he who did the fighting, killing, wounding and dying.

Courtesy: askcost.com

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - Few people who are not Combat Infantrymen know or understand the significance of this most honorable badge. Many of those who earned and wore it above all other decorations often wish they didn’t have it.

As for it, I’m as proud of it as I am of my two doctor's degrees. The Combat Infantry badge C.I.B. is by far the most dangerous decoration. Many of you do not have the slightest idea what I’m talking about.

The C.I.B. was devised by General Lesley McNair who was supposed to take over as Commander of American Forces in Europe in 1944. He was to be under General Eisenhower but he was killed in the Cobra attack on St. Lo in France by airplane bombs which destroyed that area and by bombing 'short' killed hundreds of Infantrymen including Gen. McNair.

He felt that the Combat Infantryman should have some special recognition because it was he who did the fighting, killing, wounding and dying.

The Combat Infantry were no more than 14% of the Army but they suffered 70% of the one million wounded and 300,000 killed in WWII. The next most wounded, killed or captured, 10%, were the flying Air Force; their ground crews had almost no casualties. The tankers and artillery had very few by comparison.

Except for the Marines, the Navy had very few casualties. This is why I say the C.I.B. is a dangerous medal.

I was a graduate Chemist when I volunteered for the Army.

General George S. Patton

Ordinarily I would have been sent to O.C.S. but I had lost the tip of my trigger finger so I couldn’t be an officer, so I ended up a frontline Combat Infantryman.

Actually, I spent my time as a forward scout, pointman on the attack and forward observer. You are reading about a very lucky Dogface.

I tell people that I am a survivor of General Patton’s Third Army. For those who don’t know about him, his divisions had the highest casualty rates. The 90th Division went through about 35,000 men and replacements and the 5th Division went through about 30,000.

Many of his Divisions went through 20,000 men. We of the 89th Division were scared spitless when we were transferred under that crazy “God of War”.

He seemed to relish the idea of losing men in battle. Their sacrifices in battle was supposed to make him look “good”. We called him “Old Blood & Guts”, our blood and his guts. It fit!

I’ve read books about him and his own autobiography. He seemed to have a “death and glory” wish and he certainly had his way. His Third Army was very successful but the casualties and sacrifices were outrageous.

Artillery, tanks and air bombing and strafing would have been much cheaper than the government payout for our Life Insurance (maybe). He also produced a ton of PTSD victims, thousands of dead alcoholics and dead cigarette smokers.

As a PTSD victim myself, I appreciate what my fellow Dogface/Combat Infantrymen have gone through in Korea, Viet Nam and the Middle East.

Apparently General Patton’s dictum of attack, attack, attack is still with the Army and the Marines.

Right now we have over 1,000,000 military PTSD victims and not enough medical caregivers in the VA system to even take a modicum of care for them and these PTSD victims are becoming alcoholics, drug users with suicides, accidental lethal drug and alcohol overdoses and all sorts of lesser anti-social behaviors.

As a physician, I am astonished and troubled to see so many seriously disabled veterans at the VA Hospital and I am certain that I am not seeing the worst cases.

We were paid an extra $10 per month for wearing this badge.

SALUTE AND HALE TO MY COMBAT INFANTRY BUDDIES!!!

Got a question or comment for Dr. Leveque?
Email him: Newsroom@Salem-News.com

More information on the history of Leveque can be found in his book, General Patton's Dogface Soldier of Phil Leveque about his experiences in WWII.
Order the book by mail by following this link: Dogface Soldier.

If you are a World War II history buff, you don't want to miss it.

Watch for more streaming video question and answer segments about medical marijuana with Bonnie King Dr. Phil Leveque.

Click on this link for other articles and video segments about PTSD and medical marijuana on Salem-News.com: Dr. Leveque INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES