History Archives
Knowing Your Neighbors
By Bull Nav
A couple of months ago, back when it was still cold and snowy, we were enjoying a Saturday afternoon at home. One of my son's buddies was over as were some other folks when the doorbell rang. It was the 80-something woman from two houses down, and boy was she frantic. Her boyfriend, who was recovering from hip replacement surgery, had fallen off a barstool and could not get up from the floor. She needed some assistance to get him up and into a bed. I put on my boots and headed over to their house where I was able to lift him up and carry him over to the bed. Apparently, his hip had popped out causing him to fall off the stool. Needless to say he was in a lot of pain.
I figured that's what neighbors are for, that's what you do. You help out.
This past Sunday, my family and I were out in the garage getting ready to do some yard work, when Jim (the gentleman I had helped out a couple of months ago) drives up and pulls into our driveway. He wanted to thank me for helping him out, which really did not seem like a big deal to me. He explained all the hip surgeries he has been through, and where he had worked, and we just generally had a nice conversation. I had not really talked with him before as he has only been in the neighborhood for about 2 years and we generally don't see them much.
As we were talking, he noted my crutches and asked what happened. I explained that I had ruptured my achilles tendon at drill at Great Lakes a while back and he answered that his son had gone to boot camp there. He further explained that he had done his boot camp at Parris Island.
We started sharing military experiences, and he stated that the worst time he spent in the Marines was when he was in Korea and trying to sleep on the ground at 30 below zero.
I noted that I had read a couple of accounts of the Chosin Reservoir and how it was bone chillingly cold for the Marines up there.
"That's where I was," he answered.
Needless to say, I was floored.
I didn't have a comeback for that, except to shake his hand and thank him for his service. We continued to talk for a while more until we were done.
He headed on home and my wife and I got on with the yardwork, with a new found respect for the man down the street.
108 Years Ago
By Bull Nav
On 11 April 1900, the Navy took delivery of the first submarine, SS-1. Since then, today has always marked the birthday of the Submarine Force.
From those humble beginnings, it grew to have a significant impact on the war with Japan. While comprising less than 2% of the Navy, the Submarine Force accounted for 55% of all Japanese ships sunk during World War II.
Today, about 3% of the Navy manpower (about 10,000 men) man the 52 SSNs, 14 SSBNs, and 4 SSGNs that comprise the force (about 21% of our total combatants). Though you don't hear of them much in this day an age of the Global War on Terror, OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, and OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, rest assured that those guys are going to sea and making significant contributions.
It is not for nothing, that our Submarine Force is referred to as the "Silent Service." During the '90s while the number of submarines was cut in half, worldwide combatant commander requirements increased 1000%. SSNs went to sea for months at a stretch, in radio silence. Likewise the SSBNs continued with their deterrent patrols, just as they have since the days of the 41 for Freedom.
They are always out there, always on patrol or on a mission.
Happy Birthday!
For more info, go to the SUBLANT history or the USS NAUTILUS (SSN571) Museum website.
Also, The Subreport has a daily roundup of submarine-related issues.
UPDATE: Since LtCol P asked (and Richard answered quite nicely) in the comments, I did not realize some folks might not know what the SSGN is. You can go to the SUBLANT site here to see the detail on the conversion of the first 4 Tridents to carry up to 154 Tomahawk Cruise missles, and a whole bunch of SPECWAR folks.
USS THRESHER (SSN593)
By Bull Nav
It was 45 years ago today that we lost the first of two nuclear submarines.
The USS THRESHER (SSN593), the first of a new class of fast attack submarines, was lost with all hands while conducting sea trials off the coast of Massachusetts.
The Navy quickly figured out what went wrong and made some sweeping operational and material changes (to include implementation of the SUBSAFE Program) which significantly enhanced subarine operations.
There will be a memorial service this Saturday in Kittery, ME.
Gunday Sunday: Charlton Heston
By Lt Col P
Charlton Heston, actor, patriot, veteran, civil liberties activist, died yesterday in California.
Generations of movie-goers know him by his major roles. Even greater numbers of Americans are indebted to him for his outspoken advocacy of Liberty. He marched for civil rights in the 1960s. In the 1990s he ascended to the presidency of the NRA and added his voice and considerable presence to the fight for the 2nd Amendment, retaking the moral high ground and fearlessly venturing into campus lions' dens and MSM cesspools. He never backed down and always did it with a smile and a good-natured challenge to his audiences-- good advice for us.
Let's not forget that he also served in the US Army Air Force in WWII, in an unglamorous but vital theater of the war. Like millions of others, including most of his fellows in the entertainment industry, he did what he was called on to do, when and where he was needed. There too is good advice for us.
Godspeed to you, Mr Heston. Keep your front sight clear and your powder dry. Thanks upon thanks for all you did for your country.
Desert Storm revisited - Part II
By Richard S. Lowry
Pardon me for opening with a commercial, but my first book, "The Gulf War Chronicles" is being re-released this week. My book sales are my only means of income. I would appreciate it if you would help support my writing by passing this on to as many people as you can and if you would truck on down to your local bookstore and ask them if they will carry the book on their shelves. Here is the Amazon.com listing.
A comprehensive and compelling account of the Gulf War. Lowry's operational history is valuable for military historians and professionals; it is also accessible to general readers. Understanding the current war in Iraq requires an understanding of the 1991 Gulf War. Richard Lowry's "The Gulf War Chronicles" is a great place to start. – Colonel H.R. McMaster, USA.
Thanks for your patience. Now, for the rest of the story.
In 1991, VII Corps was moving its thirteen hundred Abrams and Challenger tanks into attack position. The Big Red One faced the Iraqi’s westernmost fortifications. The British 1st Armoured Division was positioned directly behind the U.S. 1st Infantry Division. On the left flank of the 1st Infantry, the 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment was preparing to race into Iraq. Its mission was to find the Republican Guard. The U. S. 1st and 3d Armored Divisions would follow the 2d ACR and smash Iraq’s best units.
By the time the 1st and 3d Armored Divisions were engaged with the Republican Guard, the 1st Cavalry Division would be in place to act as a reserve. Lieutenant General Fred Franks wanted to strike the Republican Guard with a single heavy metal fist. He worked diligently to maneuver his divisions into position so that they could all attack simultaneously. As VII Corps rolled into Iraq, Franks ordered that only scouts could advance ahead of the juggernaut.
Colonel Don Holder charged forward with his entire Dragoon Battle Group. One hundred twenty M1A1 tanks and more than a hundred and fifty Bradley Armored Fighting Vehicles of the 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment (2d ACR) rumbled east toward the Republican Guard and northern Kuwait.
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Desert Storm revisited
By Richard S. Lowry
Colonel H. R. McMaster was recently passed over for Brigadier General for the second time. A second denial is usually the door to retirement. I hope Colonel McMaster hangs in there as he is the kind of officer our military needs in the 21st Century. He is a warrior, leader and scholar. Dr. McMaster's doctoral thesis detailed the mistakes of the Vietnam War. It was later published as the best selling book Dereliction of Duty. The treatise is a scathing indictment of the Johnson administration's prosecution of the Vietnam war.
Colonel McMaster has a knack for telling it like it is. In November of 2003 he wrote a student paper while attending the U. S. Army War College, titled Crack in the Foundation. While not knowing Colonel McMaster personally, I believe that his views in this paper are what have kept him from rising farther in the military. Don't get me wrong - I think he is spot-on in his analysis but I believe many in the Pentagon were embarrassed by his logic and candor.
So, who is the officer that writes it like he sees it?
Richard S. Lowry is the author of Marines in the Garden of Eden and The Gulf War Chronicles.
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Recommended Reading: You're Stepping on My Cloak and Dagger
By Lt Col P
Am sitting in the Tampa Airport, on the way back from drill. On the way out I finished an outstanding memoir of life in the OSS in WWII, You're Stepping on My Cloak and Dagger, by Roger Hall.
Not only is it full of interesting facts about the OSS, it's punctuated with the sort of self-convulsing witticisms that I appreciate. Consider this, the opening line-- "My orders were concise, with hygienic overtones: 'Report to O.S.S. Wash.' "
Above and beyond the well-placed puns, there are some great observations on airborne school at Benning. His experience on the towers, especially the 250-footer, was nearly identical to mine, except that when he went off the thing it was almost brand-new.
Go forth and get a copy, you won't be disappointed.
The Greatest American Presidents
By Lt Col P
As I suggested below, I think the greatest American President is George Washington. His influence on the character of the nation itself, on its young and emerging governing institutions, and on the course of history, is so pervasive and strong that no other chief executive can be adequately compared to him. So, for me, the real question is, Who is the greatest American President other than GW?
I would nominate Abraham Lincoln in the 19th Century-- he preserved the Union.
I would nominate Theodore Roosevelt in the 20th Century-- he brought the U.S. into the community of first-rate powers, and oversaw extensive doemstic reforms. Also, he led a great, tough, truly American life.
Your turn. (Remember the rules...)
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Presidents' Day Op-For Reader Challenge
By Lt Col P
A challenge for all loyal Op-For readers, a sharp and perceptive crew if ever there was one: In honor of Presidents' Day, I'd like to hear your submissions for the greatest Presidents in U.S. history. Roosevelt? Lincoln? Jefferson? You tell me.
Here are the rules.
1. George Washington is out. He's in a class by himself, and it's not fair to compare any others with him.
2. You are allowed two submissions, one each for the 19th and 20th centuries.
3. Defend your candidates, but be brief.
Think about it over the weekend and make your submissions by way of the comments page when I re-post the challenge on Monday morning, 18 Feb.
Good luck!
Three Huzzahs for "Six Frigates"!
By Lt Col P
I'm only about a quarter of the way into it, but unless this book completely goes flat, I'll be giving three huzzahs-- the only appropriate accolade-- to Ian Toll's history of the early American Navy, Six Frigates.
I started it earlier this week, I can't put it down. I read it in every free moment during a conference this week, and sometimes during not-free moments.
The book describes in great detail how and why America came to have its Navy-- note that, despite being a maritime nation, no one saw a need for a real naval defense-- and how in particular the little nation came to possess six extraordinary, innovative, and dare I say transformational vessels. At the time, the frigate build was the largest Federal spending project; it drew resources and skills from across the country. Not surprisingly, the project was also heavily politicized, controversial, over budget and off schedule. All (reassuringly) familiar. Much to my surprise I learned that even though American yards had turned out hundreds of ships by the end of the 18th century, the four 44s and two 38s were the biggest vessels ever built in America, and the size of the project strained the available workforce and technologies.
My one complaint is that so far I have found three (3!) instances of a failure to capitalize the title "Marine." Although I am incensed by it, I shall overlook it.
All in all, strongly recommended.
George MacDonald Fraser, R.I.P.
By Lt Col P
The prolific author, 14th Army rifleman, and creator of the Flashman novels, has died. Our favorite beefy Afrikaner has a post and links.
I am a big Flashman fan, and above and beyond that a Fraser fan. His Steel Bonnets is a superb piece of real history, and Quartered Safe Out Here remains the rifleman's memoir of World War II.
Let us commemorate his passing appropriately, as good old Flashy might have, although he wasn't prone to that sort of thing. Still, pass a cigar and the brandy bottle, as Flashy demanded of Otto von Bismarck in Royal Flash. If you have a bearer or any other kind of servant, thrash him soundly. If you have a wench or dancing girl, give her a good solid rogering.
Godspeed to you, G.M. Fraser-- how many millions have you entertained and educated!
Paul Revere's Ride
By Charlie
Because we don't get a lot of American history, and because I felt like it, here's Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:
Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.He said to his friend, "If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm."
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“A Date Which will Live in Infamy”
By Charlie
From December 7th 1941 to August 14, 1945, the US fought a long and brutal campaign in the pacific. This bloody campaign included the Normandy-size invasion of Okinawa, naval sparring in the Coral Sea, and gave us names like Iwo Jima, Midway, and Guadalcanal. The fighting culminated with the employment of two of the most devastating weapons in the history of mankind.
All of this started on December 7th, this day in history. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a monumental event, a 9/11, but with a militarized empire backing it up rather than a shadowy terrorist network. The importance of this date cannot be understated, and has ties to the global war we are now engaged in. Facing a global threat after Pearl Harbor, the US invaded…North Africa with Operation Torch.
My grandfather fought in the Island hopping campaign in the Pacific as a Marine paratrooper, and doesn’t talk much about his experience to this day. We anguish over our casualties in Iraq, and I have lost friends there, but imagining casualties of over 100,000 killed and 250,000 wounded or missing is difficult for any of us to conceptualize.
So this day will be remembered, not only because of its significance to the country, but because it was a moment in time that harkened back to the Revolution- in 1941 the minutemen shouldered their rifles and went to war when called, just as they did in 1776, just as they did in 2001, and as they will do in the future in time of great peril.
Tarawa
By Lt Col P
On this day in 1943, the bloody ugly nasty fight at Tarawa began. Three days later it was over, at the cost of a thousand Marines killed. A full scale diorama at the National Museum of the Marine Corps brings it to life in vivd detail.
Action In The Swat Valley
By Lt Col P
This past saturday or sunday morning I was watching Fox News, and in the microsecond I was able to take my eyes off Courtney Friel I saw one of the tickertape headlines saying something about a punitive expedition in the Swat Valley of Pakistan. Ah! That struck a chord!
Yesterday I found this in the WaPo:
Pakistan Bolstering Forces in Northwest"More than 1,000 security forces, civilians and fighters have been killed in the past five months in Pakistan. Much of the violence has occurred in the Swat Valley, an area in North-West Frontier Province once known to tourists as the Switzerland of South Asia.
"Pakistani army officials said government forces killed 100 fighters loyal to a pro-Taliban cleric in three days of fierce battles in the northern Swat Valley. Forces loyal to the cleric had been gaining ground in recent weeks, capturing several towns in the valley. In the adjacent Shangla district, they have seized government buildings with little resistance from security forces."
The fabled Valley of The Swat is no stranger to trouble. Winston Churchill described it in detail in 1897, when he penned his account of the expedition of the Malakand Field Force, a story which bears close resemblance to current events. After describing the valley's former glories as a pacific kingdom of Buddhists, he continues thusly:
"The reputation which its present inhabitants enjoy is evil. Their treacherous character has distinguished them even among peoples notoriously faithless and cruel. Among Pathans it is a common saying: 'Swat is heaven, but the Swatis are hell-fiends.' "
There is much to note beside that picturesque passage, which again should remind smart readers that events do repeat themselves. Chapter One in particular provides a description of the inhabitants of what was then the Northwest Frontier that is, I expect, still mostly valid. The book fired my imagination when I read it, some 25 years ago, and it still does today. I strongly recommend it.
A Proud Day for Australia
By John
History comes alive in Beer Sheva, Israel.
If the title and post don't really sound related, just click. The photos are incredible.
Hotel Tango: Robert Avrech
Into The Wild Blue Yonder
By Lt Col P
Brigadier General Paul Tibbets, the pilot of Enola Gay, slipped the surly bonds today at the age of 92. B5 has a good post and good links.
He ought to be remembered for what he was-- a fine American who did his duty to the fullest, in an extraordinarily difficult mission. Just about every story done on him mentions that dropping the first bomb never bothered him much at all. We should all be glad that he did, and not least of us the modern Japanese. That's right. Modern Japan was almost certainly saved from a truly horrific invasion and occupation by the two bombs, the first of which was delivered on time and on target by one Col Tibbets. Think I'm wrong? Those devices destroyed two cities; Operation Olympic would have laid waste to the entire country, prolonged the war by a year, cost us a million more casualties, and the post-war occupation wouldn't have been pleasant at all. (See George MacDonald Fraser's Quartered Safe Out Here for a WWII rifleman's view of the bomb.)
Here's to you, General. And Godspeed on your final flight.
"All Hands to General Quarters"
By Bull Nav
So spoke CDR Ernest Evans, Commanding Officer of the USS JOHNSTON (DD557), as Kurita's Center Force bore down on TAFFYIII.
He continued:
Prepare to attack major portion of the Japanese fleet.
All engines ahead flank.
Commence making smoke and stand by for a torpedo attack.
Left full rudder.
And thus the CO and crew headed off into history and doom in the few short hours they had left. On his own initiative, before being ordered to do so, CDR Evans drove his ship towards the overwhelming Japanese force to defend the 6 jeep carriers he was escorting.
Sixty-three years ago today.
Five ships of 13 in TAFFY III lost. Over 1000 men killed.
Yet, the superior Japanese force which could have easily crushed them and then went on to slaughter the invasion force in Leyte Gulf turned around and ran.
After all was said and done, 1 PUC, 1 MOH, 29 Navy Crosses, 2 Silver Stars, and 2 Bronze Stars were awarded.
The story of the Battle Off Samar is well chronicled in James Hornfischer's Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors.
Additionally, you can find more information at The Battle Off Samar website.
Grenada (Heard From Today!)
By Lt Col P
23 Oct 1983, the same day as the Beirut bombing, a scratch joint task force assaults and takes the island of Grenada, overthrowing its tinpot Marxist government and ejecting Cuban soldiers and workers.
The Navy history website has a nifty little account of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Fox and Echo companies [of 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines] merged north of St. George's and secured a flat, stadium-like area called the Queen's Racecourse, which the Marines dubbed "LZ Racetrack" (LZ standing for landing zone). The battalion landing team commander set up headquarters there."We did a lot of humping today," said Marine Captain Mike Dick, Fox Company commander, after the first day of the operation. He looked over his men and added in a low tone, "It's quite a bit different from Camp Lejeune. We're doing this for real and for keeps."
Make that Capt Mike Dick, VMI '77, now Colonel, USMC, retired.
Two Hundred Forty-One
By Lt Col P
23 Oct 1983-- two hundred forty-one Marines, sailors and soldiers dead.
It's been fairly well established who did it, and who was behind it.
They have yet to be brought to justice, and I don't mean in a court of law.
Some day that account will be settled.
"Her Sides Are Made of Iron!"
By Lt Col P
On this day in 1797, America's oldest warship slipped off the ways into Boston harbor and was launched on a career that has yet to end. One of the six original frigates of the US Navy, she and her sister ships were larger than the frigates of other navies, and were built to outrun those they could not outgun, and vice versa.
Although she is most famous for a series of stunning victories over British vessels in the War of 1812, her in-service years saw peace as well as war. Before 1812 she saw action in the Med against the Barbary pirates, and against the French in the Quasi-War.
She is still in commission today.
The Liberation Trilogy, Book II
By Bull Nav
Rick Atkinson's second book in his Liberation Trilogy is finally available.
The Day of Battle covers the Italian campaign from 1943-1944 and I am very much looking forward to reading it. I read the first book, An Army at Dawn when it came out 3 years ago and was astounded by the depth of his research and thoroughness of the book. He left no stone unturned and did not paint anyone in a glorifying light. It was an excellent historical study that was a very good read.
I expect the same from the latest endeavor, but I will have a hard time waiting for the last installment...
Best Sunday Ship Post EVA
By John
Eagle1 of Eaglespeak combines two things near and dear to every VMI man's heart: The Goshen Pass and Matthew Fontaine Maury.
Although I barely recognized Eagle's pictures of Goshen. Place just doesn't look the same without half a company's worth of piss drunk VMI cadets exploring innovative new ways to break limbs on Goshen's rock-strewn waters.
I still have scars, folks.
Anyway, go over to Eagle's and learn something. I'm pretty sure that OPFOR only makes people dumber.
The Military and the Constitution
By John
Hey, so Small Wars Journal doesn't have a monopoly on deep-minded strategic thinkers/bloggers. We just have to import ours, har. This bit comes from Colonel Hank Foresman, a VMI alumn (of course), currently serving as Chief of Transformation Third Army Operational Maneuver Future Plans.
Colonel Hank Foresman
Many of us in the United States military have not given much thought to what our Oath of Office means. We begin that oath by swearing or affirming that we “will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that [we] will bear true faith and allegiance to the same,” we then swear that we “will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over. . .so help [us] God.” Unlike many militaries our allegiances is not to the Head of Government, but rather to the fundamental law of our nation, The Constitution of the United States.
So what does that Constitution say about the military. It says very little, but by reading what it does say, it is clear, that it was the founders intent, nee their desire that whilst declaring the President the Commander-in-Chief, they clearly intended that the Congress would be the dominate branch in administration of the Armed Forces. Congress was given first and foremost the power to declare war. Whilst formal declaration of wars have ceased to be fashionable, clearly the intent of the founders was that prior to the commitment of the Armed Forces of the United States that the Congress of the United States would give their assent. So why is this power given to the Congress and not the President. For a very simple reason the founders of our nation were well aware of the misadventures, which had occurred under the prerogatives of a nations sovereign. They understood the lessons of a common shared history, a history that had seen Royal government ignore the desires and weal of the Parliament, to fight wars without the assent of Parliament and to demand later that Parliament pay for his adventures. The founders sought to ensure that they alone, as the representatives of the citizens of the United States would commit the United States Armed Forces.
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Airborne Heroes, Fort Benning Place-Names
By Lt Col P
While going through the Airborne Course at Fort Benning, I noticed that several of the training areas were named after Medal of Honor recipients from the Airborne forces. I waited and waited for some period of instruction to begin with a brief lecture on who these men were and what they did. Sadly, I never heard a word.
I think this is a major gap in the programme of instruction at Benning. The Airborne forces do not lack for real heroes, and it would be a small but far-reaching step to tie the training of today with the courage and sacrifice of yesterday.
So, allow me to introduce to you PFC Elmer Fryar, for whom the drop zone is named, and PFC Joe Mann, for whom the ground branch training area is named.
Let their names not just be letters on signs.
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Beer & Artillery
By Lt Col P
I find myself these days in Columbus, GA, and am pleased to report that the place has a nice downtown and historic district.
Dating back to the early 1800s, Columbus was a river port that played a significant role in the Civil War. It is said to have been the site of the last battle of that conflict. Fortunately, many antebellum structures either survived the unpleasantness or were rebuilt, resulting in a tree-arched avenue lined with old homes, and a fine old monument to the Confederate war dead, complete with a delightfully defiant inscription.
Two other sites of interest also caught my eye. The first is The Cannon Brewpub, easily identified by the (working) 1/2-scale model of a Civil War bronze cannon by the front door. I found the service indifferent, the food very good, and the beer outstanding. Strongly recommended. Beer and artillery-- what's not to like?
The second is the National Civil War Naval Museum, a large and ambitious undertaking housing the resurrected hull of an ironclad built in Columbus, as well as many many other truly fascinating exhibits. I am not sure this museum gets the press it deserves. The website doesn't do it justice, so perhaps you'd better just come on down and see it. I spent a morning there and enjoyed every minute.
I'm going to visit the Infantry Museum at Ft Benning next.
"Santiago! And At Them!"
By Lt Col P
So was the battle cry on that great day, that magnificent day, the 11th of September 1565, when the Knights of St John and the long-awaited Spanish relief force from Siciliy drove the Turk from Malta.
And unless I am wrong, today is the Feast Day of the patron saint of Spain, Santiago Matamoros-- Saint James the Moor Slayer.
:-)
Evening Quote
By John
Just because....
A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one.
-Alexander Hamilton
We Will Joust!
By John
Pinch has a phenomenal first hand account of escorting legendary fighter pilot Robin Olds to a post-conference party. I'm pretty sure it's how the man would want to be remembered (General Olds passed recently):
Robin at age 75 or so, was still in ‘ burner ‘! Given that my grip on his sport coat had become a very stabilizing force in his life, other than an occasional teeter, he was showing no wear!At my rickety edge of consciousness I meekly re-suggested a departure.
“Are you saying I am too drunk to drive?” he bellowed again.
To which I tactfully replied, “Absolutely not, sir, I only desire the honor and the privilege of driving the General to his quarters.”
He demurred.
Another hour passed before he sensed my weakened state and offered a window of opportunity.
“I demand an honorable challenge before going to quarters,” he declared.
Thinking that I retained superior SA [ another error in judgment ] I replied:
“Let the General engage with his weapon of choice! ”
“ Get me two brooms and those two empty scotch bottles over there. We will Joust! ”
The story is so classic fighter pilot, it hurts. Read the whole thing.
The AK-47 Turns 60
By Lt Col P
The AK-47 turns 60 today-- the "47" in the name referring to 1947, the year in which it was adopted, hence the nomenclature.
The great LtCol Jeff Cooper called it a "peasant's gun," not suitable for the true rifleman, but readily admitted that it had some real virtues. Not least of them was simplicity, followed by reliability. If accuracy was never its strong suit, well, it's good enough within its parameters. And good enough is good enough.
It also shows its ugly mug all around that world, and for that added reason it has gained some real currency in the world of serious firearms instruction. Respected outfits like Gunsite and EAG Tactical teach AK-specific classes, and they don't lack for students.
The only reason I don't own one is that I haven't coughed up the cash to buy one. I really should rectify that because a good solid Romanian WASR-10 runs about $330 on GunsAmerica.com. That's 330 bucks for the rifle and, "2-30 rd magazines,sling, cleanig kit [sic], oil bottle and manuel [sic]." I can only assume Manuel is the illegal that cleans it and polices the brass after I'm done firing, damn his eyes. But I could be wrong.
So, a muted happy birthday to the AK and its inventor. I don't love you, but I respect you.
LIBERTY!
By Lt Col P
Happy Independence Day, folks! Today the Founding Fathers declared not only independence from the mother country, but also Liberty, that magnificent political and social condition that we enjoy still today, although in some quarters it's a bit battered.
What's the difference between freeom and Liberty? Freedom is the absence of restraint, whereas Liberty is the condition in which engaged, active citizens can live as they choose and pursue their goals as they see fit. Freedom too often descends into license, while Liberty, if preserved, offers the best balance between an unfettered life and civic order. Liberty is what the Founders fought to win, and sought to hand down to us. It is worth fighting for.
Via Michelle Malkin, here's a great piece of historical writing-- Liveblogging the Continental Congress.
And below the fold, I have placed the entire text of the Declaration of Independence. Too often we remember only the opening passages and forget the rest, the devastating point-by-point critique of King George and his government. An extraordinary document, written by truly great men.
Enjoy your 4th.
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Another great Submariner from the greatest generation passes
By Bull Nav
I just found out that one of the greatest submariners ever, winner of the MOH, 4 Navy Crosses and a DSC has passed away:
CNO Statement on Passing of Retired Rear Adm. Eugene Fluckey
Release Date: 6/30/2007 1:34:00 PM
Special from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Every man and woman serving our Navy today joins me in mourning the death of retired Rear Adm. Eugene Fluckey, recipient of the Medal of Honor and a true naval hero. We extend humbly to his family our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies in this, their time of great grief and sorrow.
He was a true leader. Bold, innovative, he truly cared about his men.
In his final war patrol report as commanding officer of USS Barb, he had this to say about his crew: “What wordy praise can one give such men as these; men who … follow unhesitatingly when in the vicinity of minefields so long as there is the possibility of targets … Men who flinch not with the fathometer ticking off two fathoms beneath the keel … Men who will fight to the last bullet and then start throwing the empty shell cases. These are submariners.”
He will be sorely missed.
Bubblehead also has it.
Phantoms of South Korea
By John
Reader John C. sends:
Here is a pic of one of our Phantoms at Osan AB ROK 51st fighter Wing.This pic was taken in 1984 right after the 3rd generation shelters were opened for business. They were suppose to be sealed in case of a chem attack. We could put 4 Phantoms in each one with wing tips folded. The girls (and I literlly mean teenage girls) at the paint barn at Clarke AB Phillipines would paint the sharks mouth on by hand after they painted the NATO paint scheme. We were sending two planes at a time to Clarke to be painted,a brutal TDY,lol. This was one of the first ones to go from the old lizard paint to the NATO paint pattern. That is a CAP-9 trainer missle on station 8a, and a ALQ119 jammer pod on the rt front AIM 7 station.
Very cool, thanks John!
Darkhorse
By Slab
I got my issue of the Marine Corps Times yesterday, was impressed with their cover story. They had a good article on one of the most storied battalions in the history of the Marine Corps, the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Marine Regiment. 3/5 used to call themselves "Consummate Professionals", but this was changed to "Darkhorse" in 2005. In the past year, 3/5 has been in the news after 7 Darkhorse Marines and one sailor were accused of killing a man in Hamdaniyah last April.
Marine Times, to their great credit, decided to focus on the valor and sacrifice of the Marines of 3/5.
In a large glass case, the images of two dozen Marines etched in wood and crystal glance from several shelves. Each piece represents the battalion’s fallen warriors, many young infantrymen who died in places like Fallujah and Ramadi, where they fought insurgents, patrolled neighborhoods and helped steady the fledging Iraqi government and security forces during three combat tours.On a nearby podium lie three binders, two bulging with pages of award citations detailing the actions of 3/5’s men in the intensity and stress of combat. The citations represent bravery, determination and courage — of fighting up stairwells, assaulting trenches, dodging wounds and gunfire to evacuate wounded buddies — and include nearly every level of commendation and decoration leathernecks can earn for their actions in war.
3rd Battalion 5th Marines, which has seen combat from WWI France to Guadalcanal, the Chosin Reservoir, Da Nang, and the Al-Wafrah forest of Kuwait, has been to Iraq three times, and is getting ready for a fourth trip this year. They were part of the "March Up" in 2003, participating in the seizure of Baghdad. In November 2004, they took part in the assault on Fallujah. And last year they returned to Iraq to operate in the Fallujah and Habbaniyah areas. Through all of this, 6 Darkhorse Marines have been awarded the Navy Cross - more recipients than any other unit in this war.
Not much is said about 3/5's deployment to Iraq last year. Unlike the race to Baghdad and the assault on Fallujah, there were no great climactic moments. If you didn't know any better, you might think it was defined by the Hamdaniyah incident. However, I had the distinct pleasure of working alongside several Marines from 3/5, as I was in direct support of the battalion's Military Transition Team for three months. The pride and professionalism of these guys was amazing.
The 3/5 MTT team, when they finally got to meet some of the advisors they would be replacing in Jazirah, were told that they would be going into "the scariest environment imaginable". Their new home would be a small Combat Outpost in an area that had never been under Coalition control. When the old MTT team was preparing to occupy this new COP, the leaders reconnaissance was almost a battalion-sized operation, complete with Bradley IFVs on overwatch. When the 3/5 MTT actually arrived, they found themselves engaging in gunbattles almost daily. Their COP was hit repeatedly by enemy mortars, and by March they had the dubious distinction of being the most heavily mortared base in Iraq. In May, the insurgents loaded a 14.5mm heavy machinegun (similar to the Chinese Type 75 pictured here) in the back of a truck and attacked the COP. The Marines of MTT 3/5 loaded into a Humvee, drove out to meet their attackers, and brought back the heavy machinegun after killing or driving off all of their attackers.
That was a few days before I arrived. Within a few weeks it became apparent that MTT 3/5's aggressiveness had caused the enemy to give up direct attacks in favor of indirect methods such as IEDs and occasional mortaring. The Iraqis near the COP began to spend more time outside their houses, and they started to let their children play in the fields. Several of them thanked the 3/5 Marines for making the area safer. One even asked to pose for a picture with the gunnery sergeant who shot him accidentally during a heated gunfight weeks before.
Links to the citations for all 6 Navy Crosses are below the jump. It is stories like these, not Hamdaniyah, that make up the legacy of the consummate professionals of the Darkhorse Battalion. Remember to raise a glass in their honor at your next opportunity.
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Summer "Escape" Reading
By Lt Col P
A handgun course I took Memorial Day weekend caused me to realize again how tough the human spirit can be, which in turn lead me to think about the men who have sustained grevious injuries in this war and still volunteered to go back into combat. That, in turn caused me to remember a name from books I had read long ago-- Douglas Bader.
And Group Captain Bader gave rise to this post.
There exists in the literature of WWII a sub-genre of escape books, and some of them are among the best memoirs of that war. Several are among my own favorites, and made a powerful impression on me. So, here is a short list of suggested reading for your summer "escape," to remind us all that you can't keep a good man down.
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