“I think every true warrior dreams of getting a kill with a sword, but no one actually takes steps to do it.

It was 2005 in Iraq. My battalion was taking some rest after the fighting in central Iraq. We got mail call and my buddy (redacted) got a long package and seemed super eager to open it. A small group gathered around him, curious as to what was inside.

He cut the tape on the box, and pulled out a sharpening stone and then turned away from us. He pulled something out of the box, and turned back toward us holding a mother fuc**ng ceremonial NCO sword.

‘What the fu*k are you going to do with that?’

‘Brother, I paid $300 for this sword. You bet your ass I’m gonna get a kill with it.’

Our squad leader grabbed the sword and said, ‘(redacted), what’s going to happen when we are on patrol and start taking effective machine gun fire? What are you going to do, you dumbass?’

(Redacted) took the sword back into his hands, pulled the sword out of the scabbard and said, ‘Sergeant, I’m gonna deflect the bullets with this bad boy, run up to them and stab them. Luke Skywalker this bi*ch’

During the following weeks, he came to be known as ‘King Arthur. King of the Boots.’”
– Anonymous US Marine. 1st Marine Division. Iraq, 2005
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This interview was conducted by Battles and Beers (TM) and the Marine requested to remain anonymous. We will respect his wishes.

As we always say here at Battles and Beers (TM) Every soldier has a story, and every story deserves to be told.