I can understand not being able to open the doors under water, but why can't you open a window under water?
You want them already down to save the time and panic. People panic, even trained Marines, under those circumstances, so the window is already down. If water is up to your nose, you don't want to try to force yourself down, unwind a window, and then swim out. You just want to swim out.
It also lets the pressure equalize much quicker. Water is one hell of a force. You don't want to be swimming against the water rushing in. You want it to seek an equilibrium rapidly so that you're not fighting against it.
Also, you did it because that's how you were told to do it.
I am not one who panics. If the windows were up and I roll them down I would get a breath and wait for the water to stop rushing in, which I know it will do when its full.
You really won't know until you're in that situation. That and do you really want to add extra time to it if you don't need to? 'Snot like they're even remotely waterproof, so you're still gonna get wet.
But, I've seen grown and trained men panic in various situations. I've seen 'em break down and cry. I've seen 'em fold up on themselves, rock back and forth, and spout gibberish. The military, for all it's cracked up to be, is gonna test your limits.
Then, add the intensity of battle. I've seen a dude with a sucking chest wound cry for his mama 'cause he wasn't ready to die. It made a bizarre gurgling noise and it was hard to understand what he said, but it was fairly clear. 'Snot like the movies. There's good reasons for most of us to be fucked up. You spend your entire childhood learning that killing is wrong and then they teach you to kill.
I forget the exact percentage, but a large percentage will not even fire at the enemy when the time comes. Some won't even fire a shot.
Combat's fucking terrifying. It leaves a hole in you.
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