haha unless you're in midair, you're the same as the rest of us!!
And if you're not on a sub, you're a Waste of Oxygen.
Seriously. Oxygen's kinda a big deal on a sub.
haha unless you're in midair, you're the same as the rest of us!!
You haven't lived until the cherry next to you pulls you out of the Huey by your field pant legs on your 6th jump. After you clear the skid you realize you're upside down. It will fix itself. Then bicycle out of the twisted risers. Start to enjoy the ride until the same idiot is running towards you, with the wind, and mirrors you pulling your toggle. Bam, he slams into you. He then pulls both toggles and drops below you. Looking up, you see your chute deflate, because since he was under you and couldn't see he lets go of his toggles. Long story short, did you know it's about 30' from top of canopy to your shoulders? Neither did I but that's about how far I fell onto the packed runway on St. Mere without air in my chute. Cracked and dislocated a couple of things in my legs but if I could have got up I would have killed that trooper. Saw him running away across the DZ never to be seen again.<br>
And thus started my Airborne career. <br>
A leg will always be a leg as far as an Airborne trooper goes, but, the wings on your chest make you Airborne forever.<br>
<br>
My story ends similar to FLATLANDER's - Summer of '84 I was an ROTC cadet at IU, one of only two MS2 cadets (usually only slotted for MS3's after they finish ROTC Basic) East of the Mississippi to go to Airborne School that summer. First day as a member of the 43rd Herd (43 CO, 4th Student Battalion - Airborne) we saw the majority of the unit was Army enlisted, about 15 each USMA grads & an ROTC cadets + a few enlisted Marines. Our Senior student was a formerly LEG, MAJ who was just getting assigned to the 82 ABN DIV. My stick mate was a cadet from Middle TENN ST UNIV. The food in the dining hall was neither great nor bad but I have memories. My stick mate and I, plus the rest of our class did our pull-ups to enter the mess hall, got our trays, sat down and preceded to eat - we had about 10-15 min to get everyone in, fed and out. Between my stick mate and I we had the following conversation - Me "May I please have the pepper" Him "Here you go" Me "Thanks" This entire conversation was enough to get the attention of a Black Hat who figured if we had enough time to talk, we had enough time to entertain the rest of the company. The next thing he said to us (knowing we we were both cadets) was "Sing to us, like some of that Madonna **** you listen to in college" Lucky for me, my stickmate was a quick thinker. After we rose,; he asked me if I knew David Allen Coe's "You never call me by my name" - the verse that his buddy wrote to make this song the perfect country song? I did As soon as he started out, I followed in and we belted out "I was drunk, the day my momma got out of prison..." We sang that whole verse, the black hat told us to stop and sit, he even told us to finish our meal I don't think he was a Madonna fan either Part II. Our Maj was the guy other officers should aspire to be like He was always ready, always prepared, always squared away Daily we had an inspection 1st thing after s#it/shower/shave after PT. Our boots had to be black glass - we paid for "boot black " and got a pass - The MAJ spit shined his nightly and they were perfect. We had to of course be clean shaved. Most did a good job, anyone bleeding was considered to have shaved close enough. The MAJ was smooth daily. All this said, the black hats found gigs on him every day. Everyday they dropped him for push-ups - just cuz they could. And every day, he pounded them out and jumped back up smiling. He understood the game and played it....Last day, graduation jump - wings awarded in the DZ and then a flight home for most of us. The MAJ left the C-141 as trained, the enlisted guy leaving the same time as him pulled his toggles and slammed into the MAJ risers. Both chutes stole eachothers air and reinflated a time or two until the MAJ hit the ground hard with a mostly open chute, only to have the enlist guy land square on him breaking his back. Never heard his outcome but he was not in good shape when he left. Like I said, he was a damn good guy.
What's really scary? As much as this sounds like BS I have no doubt in my (retired) military mind this actually happened. Often? Absolutely not. On rare occasions? Oh yes. From my days in Equipment Management (1994-1996, McConnell AFB, Kansas) I can think of three. Only (only??!!) one involved weapons, one was cryptographic equipment, one was classified equipment. Classified is the best story so here goes.Relayed to me by someone who was there:
Local N.G. unit armorer writes off T.O.& E. M60 MMG. Orders replacement. Replacement arrives late Friday afternoon Parcel Post. Armory is closed at that time. Box left leaned up against main entrance wall. Saturday the armory gym is rented for a wedding reception. Saturday many people file back and forth past said box. Staff Sgt. arrives Monday a.m. - brings box in and opens it, then attempts to not have a stroke.
MH
try flying military
- Summer of '84 I was an ROTC cadet at IU, ...
You haven't lived until the cherry next to you pulls you out of the Huey by your field pant legs on your 6th jump. After you clear the skid you realize you're upside down. It will fix itself. Then bicycle out of the twisted risers. Start to enjoy the ride until the same idiot is running towards you, with the wind, and mirrors you pulling your toggle. Bam, he slams into you. He then pulls both toggles and drops below you. Looking up, you see your chute deflate, because since he was under you and couldn't see he lets go of his toggles. Long story short, did you know it's about 30' from top of canopy to your shoulders? Neither did I but that's about how far I fell onto the packed runway on St. Mere without air in my chute. Cracked and dislocated a couple of things in my legs but if I could have got up I would have killed that trooper. Saw him running away across the DZ never to be seen again.<br>
And thus started my Airborne career. <br>
A leg will always be a leg as far as an Airborne trooper goes, but, the wings on your chest make you Airborne forever.<br>
<br>
My story ends similar to FLATLANDER's - Summer of '84 I was an ROTC cadet at IU, one of only two MS2 cadets (usually only slotted for MS3's after they finish ROTC Basic) East of the Mississippi to go to Airborne School that summer. First day as a member of the 43rd Herd (43 CO, 4th Student Battalion - Airborne) we saw the majority of the unit was Army enlisted, about 15 each USMA grads & an ROTC cadets + a few enlisted Marines. Our Senior student was a formerly LEG, MAJ who was just getting assigned to the 82 ABN DIV. My stick mate was a cadet from Middle TENN ST UNIV. The food in the dining hall was neither great nor bad but I have memories. My stick mate and I, plus the rest of our class did our pull-ups to enter the mess hall, got our trays, sat down and preceded to eat - we had about 10-15 min to get everyone in, fed and out. Between my stick mate and I we had the following conversation - Me "May I please have the pepper" Him "Here you go" Me "Thanks" This entire conversation was enough to get the attention of a Black Hat who figured if we had enough time to talk, we had enough time to entertain the rest of the company. The next thing he said to us (knowing we we were both cadets) was "Sing to us, like some of that Madonna **** you listen to in college" Lucky for me, my stickmate was a quick thinker. After we rose,; he asked me if I knew David Allen Coe's "You never call me by my name" - the verse that his buddy wrote to make this song the perfect country song? I did As soon as he started out, I followed in and we belted out "I was drunk, the day my momma got out of prison..." We sang that whole verse, the black hat told us to stop and sit, he even told us to finish our meal I don't think he was a Madonna fan either Part II. Our Maj was the guy other officers should aspire to be like He was always ready, always prepared, always squared away Daily we had an inspection 1st thing after s#it/shower/shave after PT. Our boots had to be black glass - we paid for "boot black " and got a pass - The MAJ spit shined his nightly and they were perfect. We had to of course be clean shaved. Most did a good job, anyone bleeding was considered to have shaved close enough. The MAJ was smooth daily. All this said, the black hats found gigs on him every day. Everyday they dropped him for push-ups - just cuz they could. And every day, he pounded them out and jumped back up smiling. He understood the game and played it....Last day, graduation jump - wings awarded in the DZ and then a flight home for most of us. The MAJ left the C-141 as trained, the enlisted guy leaving the same time as him pulled his toggles and slammed into the MAJ risers. Both chutes stole eachothers air and reinflated a time or two until the MAJ hit the ground hard with a mostly open chute, only to have the enlist guy land square on him breaking his back. Never heard his outcome but he was not in good shape when he left. Like I said, he was a damn good guy.
I would love to read this story, but with no breaks it is too hard for old eyes. Also unknown abbreviations should be spelled out at least once.
The food in the dining hall was neither great nor bad but I have memories
I only flew Space A once. We called it Military Hop in the Army.
We were on Green Ramp (the sand and gravel staging area next to the apron at Pope AFB). We had our full equipment, chutes and weapons in containers. We were in flight rigging so we were not chuted up. It was 0 Dark Thirty, 100 degrees, and 30 C141's with their engines running, blowing heat and fumes on us. There was a weather delay and they told us to take our weapons to the nearby Advanced Airborne School and catch a few Z's. We stayed in squads so we would not be left behind.
I fell asleep and had a nightmare. I dreamed that I woke up, stood up and all of the planes were gone. This shocked me awake. I stood up and looked toward the apron and all of the planes were gone. OH! !
I freaked out and started trying to find a way to catch my unit. I ran to the riggers shed, but they had no idea. I finally found the AALCO (Army Air Force Liaison Coordination Officer or something like that) and he got me on a Hop to Ft. Bliss, TX. I was in fatigues, with a weapons container and no cover.
We were jumping into Orogrande, New Mexico. I landed at Ft. Bliss and started asking around how to get to Orogrande range. I eventually found a convoy going out that night. I had to ride in the back of a 5 Ton full of stainless steel kitchen equipment, 25 mimes, through the desert at night (freezing) with nothing but shirt, trousers and no cover.
I get there and tell the CQ what unit I am with and he directs me to the barracks my platoon is assigned to.
When guys come in they start telling me how much trouble I am in. My squad leader, plt. Sgt and LT come in and I tell them my story. The LT is wanting to court martial me.
The go to the CO and he sends me his compliments on my initiative. He said most men would have hitched a ride back to the barracks.
Next installments: Why this happened. The desert turns to quick sand.
Here Is the why.
My squad leader, Sgt. Mike Butry, a LLRP Ranger with two tours in Vietnam needed a bravo team leader. PFC Paul Evans is the ranking man in the squad, but when he is offered the team he refuses. PFC Barry Yahola is next in line and also refused. PFC me is next in line and when the squad leader offers me the job, I tell him "I will do whatever you want me to. I just hope I can do a good job for you."
This is just before we went to Desert Training. It got around that I had been made team leader when Evans and Yahola outranked me. The word was that I had gotten it by brown nosing and had messed over the other two.
On the night I was left behind, I was right with my squad but the squad leader was somewhere else. They sent the guys to "look" for me, but they said I was no where to be found.