They Ordered Him To Write His Own Death Letter 😳
A veteran recounts being ordered to write a death letter at age 18 during military service, a moment that made the reality of combat truly sink in. He wrote letters to his girlfriend and parents, and reflects on what an 18-year-old motivated soldier would have written. The experience marked a turning point in his understanding of the danger he was facing.
Summary
In this short clip, a veteran recalls a pivotal moment during his military deployment when his platoon commander ordered every soldier to write a death letter — a letter to be delivered to loved ones in the event of their death. At the time, the speaker was 18 years old and had already been exposed to some realities of combat, including witnessing shrapnel wounds and hearing explosions and stories of casualties, but writing the death letter was the moment that made the situation feel truly real.
He wrote two letters: one to his girlfriend at the time and one to his parents. All letters were then turned over to the platoon commander for safekeeping. When asked if he still has the letters, he says he does not. Reflecting on what he wrote, he describes it as typical of a motivated 18-year-old soldier — patriotic and emotionally straightforward, likely expressing sentiments like fighting for his country and his team, and expressing love and missing his family.
Key Insights
- The speaker describes being ordered by his platoon commander to write a death letter, which he found shocking and surreal at the time.
- The speaker identifies the act of writing the death letter — not the combat itself — as the moment he truly understood the life-threatening reality of his deployment.
- He wrote letters to both his girlfriend and his parents, covering the two most significant personal relationships in his life at the time.
- All death letters were collected and held by the platoon commander, suggesting this was a standard military procedure rather than a personal choice.
- Reflecting on the content, the speaker believes his 18-year-old self wrote something patriotic and emotionally simple, focused on love of country, team, and family — consistent with the mindset of a motivated young soldier.
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] Remember one day Platoon commander comes in and he's like, "Everyone's going to write a their death letter." Jesus Christ. >> And I'm like, "Are you kidding me?" Cuz at the time I didn't know. I saw some guys get shrapnel wounds. I heard the stories of the heads. I seen and hear the explosions. But then I'm told to write my own death letter. And I had a girlfriend at the time, so I wrote a letter to her. My parents were in my life. I wrote a letter to my parents. We all turned our letters over to our platoon commander. That's when I knew [ __ ] was [ __ ] real. Do you still have…
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to AccessMore from Shawn Ryan Show
Navy SEALs Picked The Worst Sniper Hide 😂
A group of Navy SEALs recounts a humorous incident where they inadvertently set up a sniper hide in a house occupied by an Iraqi prostitute. The language barrier led to amusing misunderstandings while trying to maintain focus on their mission.
China Wants to Destroy the US Dollar 😳
The discussion highlights the formation of BRICS, a coalition of countries seeking to diminish the dominance of the US dollar and promote the Chinese yuan as a global reserve currency. The speaker expresses concern about the implications this shift could have on the US economy.
He Watched John Basilone Die On Iwo Jima 😔
The speaker recalls their experience landing on Iwo Jima, detailing the chaos and fear of the battlefield. They recount losing two friends and encountering multiple dead bodies as they advanced.
The Most Dangerous Job in WW2?! 😳
The transcript discusses the perils faced by flamethrower operators in the Marine Corps during WWII, highlighting the extremely short life expectancy in battle. One survivor reflects on their experiences and the lingering effects of war on mental health.
Why Shawn Ryan Left the SEAL Teams
Shawn Ryan left the SEAL Teams due to a desire for more action and concern about the negative impacts of a long military career on personal life. He observed that extended service often led to loneliness and family breakdown.