Making the rounds online once more is a video from a couple years ago that captured a daring act by a Yemeni fighter, purportedly a Houthi soldier, that has garnered widespread commentary and admiration, regardless of the soldier’s affiliation.
The video, which is more than two minutes long, documents a mad dash — it lasts the entirety of the clip — of a fighter desperately scrambling to safety with his wounded comrade draped over his shoulder.
Small arms rounds ricochet in the dirt all around him for the duration of his two-plus-minute run, but the man trudges on undeterred.
Numerous observations of the video have been made in the wake of its release, many laden with sarcasm given the absurdity of select content.
Certain users on Marine Corps social media channels, for example, have commented on the impressive performance the individual would exhibit if undergoing the rigorous Marine Corps Combat Fitness Test.
Others have noted that the individual in question demonstrated perhaps the longest “I’m up” segment of the classic “I’m up, they see me, I’m down” combat maneuver ditty in history.
Remarks also made light of the tremendous inaccuracy of those firing at the slow-moving man, who somehow managed to jog — and even slow to a walk on more than one occasion — unscathed across wide open terrain.
In reality, this is as close to a real-life adaptation of the infamous Stormtrooper blaster marksmanship as anything before. Even rifle range pizza boxes are scoffing at the lack of Kentucky windage.
In any case, a fearless and impressive strategy. Add in some John Madden commentary, or a “Rocky” or “Chariots of Fire” soundtrack for maximum enjoyment. Check out the video below.
J.D. Simkins is the executive editor of Military Times and Defense News, and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.