I was listening to an old (about 2 years) podcast awhile ago. And there was this guy who called in and told this story about how, during the pacific war, the US Marine Corps would train monkeys to throw coconuts at the japanese snipers. I guess so that the marines could pinpoint the snipers position.
I find it very hard to believe, but the guy who called in was dead serious about it.
Can anyone comfirm this?
And also, what do you think? Should animals be used in combat?

Never been under fire before? If you had you wouldn't ask that question.

quote:

Originally posted by thegunny:
Never been under fire before? If you had you wouldn't ask that question.

Didn't answer my question there, did you? I just want to know it is true that the US Marine where able to train monkeys to throw coconuts at the enemy.

ok, first off the monkeys threw coconuts at anything that moved, they weren't trained. The Marines might have interacted with them when the Japanese weren't around and that could loosely be interpreted as training them.

I wasn't there, but have been in jungles with monkeys and other animals.

As for your question about using animals in combat, we use them now. Look at history on that subject. Men have been using animals for making war since the dawn of time. Did you know that we are using mules in the mountains of Afganistan, dogs in Iraq and Afganistan, dolphins in the Gulf?


Now, answer my question. Ever been under fire?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: thegunny,

Acctually during my first mission in Gibraltar I got shot at. The following days I was almost in an apathic state. I mean it was my first mission, It was my first real combat experience, but looking back I think the incident made me a stronger person.

OK, wouldn't you rather they had shot at a monkey rather than you and then you could have zero'd in on him?

I guess so, you make a very valid point.
It would be really scary, meating a squad of chimps armed with assault rifles though. Would you agree?

What the hell is going on in here? Monkeys and machine guns? Go Google it. Besides thegunny makes a good point there.

perhaps they would fight better than Saddass's Army.