Not to mention, despite the forced perspective of the photo, it looks like his aim with that mace was waaay off. Yet, he seems to be looking directly at the shooter.
Is his own index finger directing the spray away from the shooter?
Asked an AUS nam vet about people actually getting shot during the war.
What you described as "land on his butt" is pretty much it and real.
It's as if someone punched you seriously hard in the chest. You don't "whip-lash", you fall back on your arse and go from there.
I believe him. He was one of a handful of vets from the nations involved during the entire war that actually survived standing on a Bouncing Betty and live to talk about it.
At any rate I'm sure if he was shot in the head and dead standing, inertia and gravity would take him down the way he fell.
I'm sure he is dead just as I'm sure it was all a set up and they used this guy as a patsy.