A Hernando Sun column recounts a moment from the Vietnam War involving soldiers of Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. The writer describes a 2:00 a.m. patrol led by Lt. Eugene Cockerell, whose 1st platoon was set to ambush Viet Cong in a series of villages in Quang Nam province. Several recent patrols had failed when barking dogs gave the Marines away, and orders came down to kill the dogs.
Many Marines objected. Before dawn, the platoon heard rifle fire and the cries of a wounded dog that did not die quickly. The writer says a burst of automatic fire followed, and the dog whimpered for a few minutes before it died. The next day, a 19-year-old squad leader spoke out against the order. Cockerell, whom the writer describes as deeply respected, told the men to tone it down. The writer says the men understood that they should leave the dogs alone but, if questioned, say they had killed them.
The column is written as a reflection after a church discussion about soldiers and obedience, in which the writer was asked about killing in combat. The writer uses the episode to argue that soldiers follow orders, a point the Bible study teacher made in the writer’s defense.
Originally reported by Hernando Sun
