What Would I Carry?

The Things They Carried Blog Post 1- What Would I Carry?

The first story in this book discusses all the things that soldiers carried during the Vietnam War. Among the things they carried- both out of requirement and out of sanity- were, "P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, C rations, and two or three canteens of water" (O'Brien 2). Given these items weigh between 12 and 18 pounds, I would personally try not to carry much more; keep it light. To keep up with hygiene I might bring a toothbrush and toothpaste, a bar of soap, baby powder, and maybe a hairbrush. Also, I would probably bring a copy of the New Testament and some kind of pen and paper to keep a diary or write letters. The emotional baggage though? That would take a long time to list off.