Thread: Non-PC soldier doing what needs to be done

Moment teenage soldier went into battle against Taliban... wearing 'I love New York' pink boxer shorts

aking on the Taliban in pink boxer shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops is not regarded as conventional military uniform.

Especially when the shorts declare 'I love New York'.

However when Zachary Boyd, 19, was woken up by a Taliban assault on his platoon he only had time to grab his weapon, helmet and body armour before springing into action.
Enlarge Zachary Boyd

Zachary Boyd had been asleep when the firefight erupted in the mountains of Afghanistan. So he only had time to put on his helmet, body armour and grab his weapon

Most of the time his appearance on the Afghanistan's frontline would have gone unnoticed by the eyes of the world.

However, Boyd managed to pick the day when a photographer was on hand to capture him going into battle in the pink boxers, red t-shirt and flimsy footwear.

The image of the fight at Firebase Restrepo in the Korengal Valley of Kunar Province later ended up on the front page of The New York Times.

'I knew he was a boxer guy. I knew that for sure. I did not know they were pink, and I didn't know they said, 'I love New York,' father Tommy Boyd told his local Texas radio station WBAP.

'After I saw the picture I just laughed for about five minutes.'
Enlarge Zachary Boyd
Boyd

On seeing the picture, Boyd's father said: 'I knew he was a boxer guy. I did not know they were pink, and I didn't know they said, 'I love New York'. Boyd, right, joined the Army because of the September 11 attacks

Boyd phoned his mother Sheree Boyd to warn her that he might be in the paper.

'He said: "I hear the Times is what they put on the President's desk",' she said.

'Then he told us, "I may not have a job any more after the President has seen me out of uniform".

'It was typical. He has always been an interesting little character.'

Boyd, who graduated from Keller Central High School in 2007, decided to join the army because of the September 11 attacks.

He was promoted to the rank of Army Specialist last week.

The Ministry of Defence today said that A British soldier has died in an explosion in Afghanistan.

The soldier, from The Royal Marines Armoured Support Group, was killed yesterday while travelling in a Viking vehicle near Lashkar Gah, in Helmand Province.

Next of kin have been informed.

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: 'We are numb with grief at this loss of a noble Marine, who served his country for the good of the Afghan people.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues who feel the greatest loss.

'He will always be remembered as a true hero.'

The marine is the 159th British Army soldier to have been killed in Afghanistan since conflict began in late 2001.

Britain has more than 8,000 troops based in Afghanistan, the vast majority serving in Helmand, a desert province that remains a heartland of Taliban-led insurgency.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldne ... horts.html

God Bless Him! He died with great honor!

Our brave young soldier!!

Originally Posted by ELE

God Bless Him! He died with great honor!

Ele, you do know that the soldier who was killed is not the same one who was photographed in his boxers?

The soldier who was killed was a Brit........two stories contained within the same article.

Those bright clothes sure make an inviting target. That's why standard issue military underware is green. Well at least he wasn't sleeping nude!

Originally Posted by Bowman

Those bright clothes sure make an inviting target. That's why standard issue military underware is green. Well at least he wasn't sleeping nude!

Did you read the comments at the end of the article Bowman?

LOL........this one was my favorite and had me laughing so hard my mascara ran into my eye and nearly blinded me for life:


"Reminds me of when I was in basic training I was told to put my hat on reached into my pack & without looking put on what I thought was my hat. Turns out it was pair of under pants!
I was told later that seeing me charging at them screaming like a banshee wearing a pair of pants on my head was quite a terrifying sight!
More likely a ridiculous sight & I picked up the nick name Y fronts as a result. Just to clarify that point - they were in fact briefs."