In spite of all the training you get and precautions you take to keep yourself alive, it's largely a matter of luck that decided whether or not you get killed. It doesn't make any difference who you are, how tough you are, how nice a guy you might be, or how much you may know, if you happen to be at a certain spot at a certain time, you get it. I've seen guys out of one hole to a better one and get it the next minute, whereas if they'd stayed still they wouldn't have been touched. I've seen guys decide to stay in a hole instead of moving and get it. I've seen guys move and watch the hole they were in get blown up a minute later. And I've seen guys stay and watch the place to which they had intended to move get blown up. It's all luck.


Letter to his brother Jeff from Guadalcanal (28 January 1943); p. 27 - To Reach Eternity (1989)

James Jones Quotes

In spite of all the training you get and precautions you take to keep yourself alive, it's largely a matter of luck that decided whether or not you...

In spite of all the training you get and precautions you take to keep yourself alive, it's largely a matter of luck that decided whether or not you...

In spite of all the training you get and precautions you take to keep yourself alive, it's largely a matter of luck that decided whether or not you...

In spite of all the training you get and precautions you take to keep yourself alive, it's largely a matter of luck that decided whether or not you...