Veterans...Get the hell in here now!

doublejj said:

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Again the CG gets ignored however my recruiter insisted on showing me pics of bad ass boats with beautiful ladies on them.

Hook, Line & Sinker.

raratt said:

Happy Veterans day to my brothers from all services. I even bought a large assortment of crayons for the Marines to snack on!

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At least the Marines eat crayons, the Navy guys kept eating all our urinal cakes, I think they thought they were breath mints.

It's amazing how simple & profound a simple word can be in unrelated circumstances.

I was out mowing the grass this arvo & the dogs were going berserk around the mower, getting in the way etc.

My partner took them away/inside, blocked the doorway & yelled "CLEAR!". That was it. I was triggered back to live-fire CQB.

After all this time....... Fuck me!!!

I posted about these when they were first issued but worth a repeat. SIG's Custom Shop took a lot of pride in the production and it shows. Design by Marine, Tim Butler.

"Shortly after 2:00 am on the morning of November 21, 1970, the night sky near Hanoi was shattered by the roar of planes on their way to undertake one of the most carefully planned and executed rescue missions of the Vietnam War – the raid on Son Tay Prison to rescue American prisoners of war. Son Tay, 23 miles west of Hanoi, the capital of North Vietnam, was attacked and, less than an hour later, the plan had been carried out faultlessly. Then the bitterly disappointed Raiders were on their way home, having rescued no-one

The American Armed Forces had sent 56 Green Berets and 28 aircraft manned by 92 airmen to Son Tay and the only casualty of the raid was the flight engineer of the Blueboy helicopter, who had his ankle fractured by a fire extinguisher that had broken loose in the crash landing. As a result of the raid, the members were awarded six Distinguished Service Crosses, five Air Force Crosses, and all 50 members of the ground crew, in addition to 35 of the active members, received Silver Stars. General Manor received the Distinguished Service Medal.

The armed services believed the mission to be a complete tactical success as it was so well-planned and executed, but the intelligence failure was a significant blow to all involved. It was later learned that there were 65 prisoners interred at Son Tay, and they had been moved 15 miles closer to Hanoi due to a threat of flooding. This move had taken place on the 14th of July, almost four months before the raid – a major gaffe on the part of the intelligence agencies responsible.

This raid was severely criticized in the media and by opponents of the Nixon Administration and to the Vietnam War. The major charge made was the poor quality of intelligence upon which the operation was mounted. One of the greatest fears was that as a result of this abortive raid, the prisoners in other camps would be treated worse.

In fact, reports from prisoners later confirmed that this raid did, in fact, improve their conditions. Prisoners that had been kept for long periods in solitary confinement were placed in cells with other prisoners, which improved their morale considerably. The amount and quality of the food they were given also improved.

While the success or failure of this raid can be debated ad infinitum, it is recognized as being a model for the planning, training, and deployment of this type of mission. It formed the blueprint for future missions of a similar nature, and for that reason, it deserves its place in history."

Today in Military History:

"On November 22-23, 1943, as World War II raged, United States forces seized control of the Tarawa atoll from the Japanese; a day later it secured the nearby atoll of Makin. After 76 hours of fighting, the battle for Betio was over. The final casualty figures for the 2d Marine Division in Operation GALVANIC were 997 Marines and 30 sailors (organic medical personnel) dead; 88 Marines missing and presumed dead; and 2,233 Marines and 59 sailors wounded. Total casualties: 3,407. Of the roughly 4,800 Japanese defenders, about 97% were thought to have been killed. Only 146 prisoners were captured — all but 17 of them Korean laborers. More casualties would come in operations on surrounding islands.

The intense bloodshed on Tarawa, documented by war correspondents who were close to the fighting, sparked outcry in the US. Many criticized the strategy and tactics at Tarawa, but the Navy and Marine Corps drew lessons from the battle and applied them throughout the war, and Betio's airfield supported operations against other vital positions in the Pacific.

"The capture of Tarawa knocked down the front door to the Japanese defenses in the Central Pacific," said Admiral Chester Nimitz, the commander in chief of the Pacific fleet.

In the words of military historians Jeter Isely and Philip Crowl, “The capture of Tarawa, in spite of defects in execution, conclusively demonstrated that American amphibious doctrine was valid, that even the strongest island fortress could be seized.”

The costs of the forcible seizure of Tarawa were two-fold: the loss of Marines in the assault itself, followed by the shock and despair of the nation upon hearing the reports of the battle. The gains at first seemed small in return, the "stinking little island" of Betio, 8,000 miles from Tokyo. In time, the practical lessons learned in the complex art of amphibious assault began to outweigh the initial adverse publicity.

Four Medals of Honor were earned at Tarawa, one of them posthumously. Thirty-four Navy Crosses, the Navy’s second-highest award for valor, were issued along with some 250 Silver Stars."

"Not only was the DFC ceremony the largest of its kind in decades, but also, according to the Distinguished Flying Cross Society’s president and board, Capt. Rhea McFarland, 14th Airlift Squadron C-17 pilot, and Capt. Leslie Green, 375th Air Expeditionary Squadron flight nurse, are the first female African Americans to be awarded the DFC in the 96-year history of the award.."

That old boy don't know how incredibly lucky he was.

BarnBuster said:

That old boy don't know how incredibly lucky he was.

Thanksgiving Miracle: Coast Guard Rescues Overboard Passenger from the Carnival Valor

A passenger on the Carnival Valor who went overboard sometime after 11:00 p.m. Wednesday night was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard the following day

www.cruiselawnews.com

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I read that just a bit ago. I'm sure he's thankful today.

I got out to not have people order me around anymore thanks though.

Greengrouch said:

I got out to not have people order me around anymore thanks though.

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I got around that by advancing in rank.
I've had O4's + try & have me do things I refused to & they never got their way!
E-9, FTW.

GreatwhiteNorth said:

I got around that by advancing in rank.
I've had O4's + try & have me do things I refused to & they never got their way!
E-9, FTW.

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Mate, I have the utmost respect for members with your experience. There are times, however, when speaking truth to power can come from any level.
Bear with me whilst I tell the story.........

During Exercise Kangaroo '92 in the top-end of Australia, we (1st Cdo. Reg.) were tasked with being the Enemy (Kamarians) & given a POE job on the port/airfield town of Wyndham in Northern WA.

The SAS patrol who had been scoping it for us for several weeks considered it a Company-strength raid operation. Bear in mind that an Australian Commando Company packs a SHITLOAD of a lot of firepower......Half of the Company went-in amphibiously to take the port. The rest of us jumped-in at night at about 500ft to take the airfield.

At the time of insertion, the CHQ had already been awake for at least 48 hrs, planning the op. I was part of CHQ & was a mere Sig. (a Private), but made myself available to provide the Boss (an ex-SAS Major) with any communications advice he needed or asked-for (sometimes, I would provide advice he didn't ask-for, but was grateful for it in hindsight).

We took the town/port/airfield before dawn, then prepared for the inevitable counter-attack.

We sat there for another 48 hrs with nothing happening, except for a Recce. helicopter that we shot down.

Here's where the "truth to power" story starts..........

After a couple of days of no sleep, the Boss confronted me:

Boss: "Pom, how long has it been since you slept?"

Me: "About as long as you"

Boss: "I want you to get some sleep"

Me: : "Yeah, I want YOU to get some sleep too - you're walking around like a fucking zombie"

Boss: "I'm fucking serious, Pom. I need you to be on top of your game when the shit happens"

Me: "I'm fucking serious too, Boss. I can be replaced, but if you're not on top of YOUR game, then we're ALL fucked when the shit happens"

Boss: "Do I have to make this an order?"

I pulled the Thermarest I was sitting-on from under my arse & chucked it across the room at him. I mean...... AT him.

Me: "No, Boss, you don't have to make it an order, but you can lead by example & get some sleep for the benefit of your men when the shit happens"

The CSM got up from the other side of the room & was preparing to tear me another arsehole. The Boss stopped him.

Boss: "CSM, stand-down. I'm taking this one on advisement."

He turned to me & said "OK, Pom. Point taken. I'll get some kip. If anything happens, I charge YOU with waking me."

Me: "I promise you'll need to know if anything important happens - you have my word"

A few hours later, I got the call over the radio that we had Armour approaching into a choke point we'd created.

The CSM smiled at me & said "You made the promise, Pom......." I made the Boss a cup of coffee & woke him up. We went into E&A mode & got away.

After that, the Boss always specifically asked for me by name to be his Sig. on operations.

GreatwhiteNorth said:

I got around that by advancing in rank.
I've had O4's + try & have me do things I refused to & they never got their way!
E-9, FTW.

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i made e4 twice in 4 years

Greengrouch said:

i made e4 twice in 4 years

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I made E5 twice in one year.
I was a testosterone charged idiot at that time.

Edit: The only thing that has changed between then and now is the T ratio.

Today in Military History:

The Inchon landing by the X Corps in September 1950 and the breakout from Pusan by the 8th Army led to a stunning reversal in the Korean War. Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s risky plan had unhinged the Korean People’s Army (KPA) position, and the rapid advance had led to its almost certain destruction. A supremely confident MacArthur declared to President Truman that “organized resistance will be terminated by Thanksgiving.” Later he announced to his troops that they would be home by Christmas.

The X Corps, commanded by the ever-aggressive Maj. Gen. Edward Almond, was keen to be the first United Nations force to reach the Yalu River. As the temperatures in the mountains of North Korea plummeted, Almond continued to direct his commanders to advance faster. By late November, the 1st Marine Division commanded by Maj. Gen. Oliver Smith and the 31st Regimental Combat Team (7th Infantry Division) took up positions in the snowcapped mountains around Chosin Reservoir.

While confidence reigned supreme at MacArthur’s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, the situation at the front was becoming ever more concerning. A Siberian cold front had descended on the region, and temperatures plunged to as low as -36 degrees F. The relentless cold led to frostbite in the ranks, frozen weapons, frozen medical supplies, dead batteries, and more. Even worse, MacArthur and Almond disregarded growing evidence that a sizeable Chinese force had crossed the Yalu to oppose the UN advance approaching its Manchurian border. China’s Chairman Mao Zedong had directed that the veteran 9th Army attack the Marines and Army forces near Chosin. Stealthily, the Chinese army – roughly 120,000 soldiers from the 20th and 27th Corps – took up positions near the US forces.

After midnight on November 27, 1950, the Marines in their dugouts could hear strange sounds emanating from the woods below. Loudspeakers broadcast curses and commands. Cymbals clanged, and bugles blared. And a chorus of “Marines, tonight you die!” came from the waves of Chinese troops from the 59th, 79th, and 89th Divisions moving up the slopes in their white quilted uniforms.

Caught by surprise, the Marines struggled from their sleeping bags and grabbed their weapons. With star shells now illuminating the ground before them, the Marines on the front line attempted to slow the overwhelming Chinese assault with their M-1 rifles, machine guns, and grenades.

The lead Marine elements around Yudam-ni struggled to hold back the Chinese assault while Charlie and Fox Companies of the 7th Marines struggled to defend their thin lines near Toktong Pass. During these intense nighttime battles, Marines such as Private Hector Cafferata, Staff Sergeant Robert Kennemore, 1st Lieutenant Frank Mitchell, and Corporal Lee Phillips would earn the Medal of Honor for their brave and resolute actions.

Fox Company, led by Captain William Barber, managed to hold the critical hill above Toktong pass and the vital road below for five days. Despite a severe wound to his leg, Barber kept moving amongst his men’s foxholes, keeping them focused. Barber’s company had taken grievous losses in the fight (only 82 out of 220 original men remained effective), but they had also inflicted great harm on the enemy. As reported in his Medal of Honor citation, Barber’s “heroic command accounted for approximately 1,000 enemy dead in this epic stand in sub-zero weather.”

Over the next 5-7 days, the Americans fought, or as MajGen O.P. Smith said, "attacked in another direction," down a winding, treacherous, snow-packed road to Hungnam, a North Korean port 70 miles away. Through extraordinary willpower, exceptional war-fighting skills, and countless acts of valor, US Marines and soldiers escaped the Chosin trap.

By the time US forces, with thousands of North Korean refugees in tow, reached the evacuation beaches, nearly 6,000 Americans were dead or missing; thousands more were wounded. None of the men who survived the horrific battle would ever be the same. Today they are called “The Chosin Few.”

Mao’s attempt at destroying 1st Marine Division, however, had come at a high price. The communist dictator had lost an estimated 50,000 soldiers, including his eldest son, and had learned to never again underestimate the American fighting man

This fierce battle led to the withdrawal of all United Nations forces from North Korea and to the award of 13 Medals of Honor to soldiers, pilots, and Marines who fought at the “frozen Chosin.”

Battle of Chosin Reservoir - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Frozen Chosin U.S. Marines at the Changjin Reservoir
THE 31ST REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM AT CHOSIN RESERVOIR, KOREA 1950

December 1, 1943, The first operational use of the American P-51D Mustang is in a fighter sweep over occupied Belgium. The P-51 was designed as the NA-73 in 1940 at Britain’s request. The design showed promise and AAF purchases of Allison-powered Mustangs began in 1941 primarily for photo recon and ground support use due to its limited high-altitude performance.

But in 1942, tests of P-51s using the British Rolls-Royce “Merlin” engine revealed much improved speed and service ceiling, and in Dec. 1943, Merlin-powered P-51Bs first entered combat over Europe. Providing high-altitude escort to B-17s and B-24s, they scored heavily over German interceptors and by war’s end, P-51s had destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft in the air, more than any other fighter in Europe.

The Mustang was the first single-engine plane based in Britain to penetrate Germany, first to reach Berlin, first to go with the heavy bombers over the Ploiesti oil fields in Romania, and first to make a major-scale, all-fighter sweep specifically to hunt down the dwindling Luftwaffe.

One of the highest honors accorded to the Mustang was its rating in 1944 by the Truman Senate War Investigating Committee as “the most aerodynamically perfect pursuit plane in existence.”

Mustangs served in nearly every combat zone, including the Pacific where they escorted B-29s to Japan from Iwo Jima. Between 1941-5, the AAF ordered 14,855 Mustangs (including A-36A dive bomber and F-6 photo recon versions), of which 7,956 were P-51Ds. During the Korean War, P-51Ds were used primarily for close support of ground forces until withdrawn from combat in 1953.

North American P-51 Mustang

BarnBuster said:

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December 1, 1943, The first operational use of the American P-51D Mustang is in a fighter sweep over occupied Belgium. The P-51 was designed as the NA-73 in 1940 at Britain’s request. The design showed promise and AAF purchases of Allison-powered Mustangs began in 1941 primarily for photo recon and ground support use due to its limited high-altitude performance.

But in 1942, tests of P-51s using the British Rolls-Royce “Merlin” engine revealed much improved speed and service ceiling, and in Dec. 1943, Merlin-powered P-51Bs first entered combat over Europe. Providing high-altitude escort to B-17s and B-24s, they scored heavily over German interceptors and by war’s end, P-51s had destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft in the air, more than any other fighter in Europe.

The Mustang was the first single-engine plane based in Britain to penetrate Germany, first to reach Berlin, first to go with the heavy bombers over the Ploiesti oil fields in Romania, and first to make a major-scale, all-fighter sweep specifically to hunt down the dwindling Luftwaffe.

One of the highest honors accorded to the Mustang was its rating in 1944 by the Truman Senate War Investigating Committee as “the most aerodynamically perfect pursuit plane in existence.”

Mustangs served in nearly every combat zone, including the Pacific where they escorted B-29s to Japan from Iwo Jima. Between 1941-5, the AAF ordered 14,855 Mustangs (including A-36A dive bomber and F-6 photo recon versions), of which 7,956 were P-51Ds. During the Korean War, P-51Ds were used primarily for close support of ground forces until withdrawn from combat in 1953.

North American P-51 Mustang

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Just curious - Is there a back-story to the painting? The P-51D is being attacked by a Spitfire & both of them are sporting white ID stripes (not the B&W "invasion stripes" that would place the incident shortly after D-Day).