Tough call.
Barnes was out of control. He tried to kill Chris. He killed Elias in cold blood. He ravaged that village. Who knows what else he had done. Those eyes were dead inside and Barnes would never be able to go back home normal again. He'd only do more damage if allowed to roam free, whether in Nam or back in the States.
But it was murder. And of a superior officer, no less.
As Lieutenant Jek Porkins with people corroborating (i.e. witnesses), I'd have to try Chris for murder and hope for a plea of temporary insanity, then let him go home with a dishonorable discharge after a stint in a military hospital.
As a human, I'd tell him to keep his mouth shut, bury it as another death from the offensive, and send him home to his grandma.
reply
share
PittPanthers47 (237)
9 months ago
That's a very good post, Jek!
Yeah, that really echoes what I decided I would do to be honest. As you say Barnes was a hot mess and had completely lost it. The village debacle, the fragging of Elias, the attempted murder of Taylor all are very serious things. Barnes had lost any and all of his humanity to say the very least.
While by the book what Taylor did was wrong, I would be willing to sweep the incident under the rug as well. I would mandate him to sign a non-disclosure pact and not to ever speak about what he had done. I would give him his separation from the US Army with an honorable discharge and whatever medals he had accumulated. Being wounded twice he was likely to be discharged anyways.
I would be willing to see his side of it although it was a major breech of military decorum. As for Barnes I guess I would allow him to have his full benefits of his service as well. He was gone and the matter was over and done with.
reply
share