Pallets

We had jus’ been told we were heading into combat, a first for many of us. We were whooping it up, yelling things like, “Let’s go kill us some commie bastards.”

As the day grew longer and our departure delayed time and again, we grew restless. But our bravado never wavered as we continued to wait, gear packed and ready to be stowed.

“What the hell’s the hold up, Gunny?” one Jarhead called out.

“We’re waitin’ for that pallet over there to be loaded!” the older Marine called back.

Puzzled, someone else asked, “What the fuck’s so important about a pallet?”

Without missing a beat, the Gunny answered, “Those are body bags, Gomer Pyle.”

Silence.