Few men are killed by bayonets, but many are scared by them. Having the bayonet fixed makes our men want to close. Only the threat to close will defe… - George S. Patton

Just as I was leaving the hospital, I saw a soldier sitting on a box near the dressing station. I stopped and said to him, “What is the matter with you, boy?” He said, “Nothing; I just can’t take it.” I asked what he meant. He said, “I just can’t take being shot at.” I said, “You mean that you are malingering here?” He burst into tears and I immediately saw that he was an hysterical case. I, therefore, slapped him across the face with my glove and told him to get up, join his unit, and make a man of himself, which he did. Actually, at the time he was absent without leave.

Every man is scared in his first battle. If he says he s not he s a liar. Some men are cowards but they fight the same as the brave men or they get the hell slammed out of them watching men fight who are just as scared as they are. The real hero is the man who fights even though he is scared.

Some men get over their fright in a minute under fire. For some it takes an hour. For some it takes days. But a real man will never let his fear of death overpower his honor his sense of duty to his country and his innate manhood.

Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best and it removes all that is base.

A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied ten minutes later.