Oh Yeah the battleships were beasts the I saw the USS Iowa up close, both in dock and out at sea. It was amazing to see her fire her nine 16" guns. It looked like she took a hit and was on fire. The sound was so loud and the percussion felt like our little LST had been hit - everything shook and rattled. It was awe inspiring!
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We were doing a live fire in Korea when I heard a loud boom in the distance and the round whistling over. We were about 3km from the impact area, and that 155mm shook the ground even where we were. Damnā¦ Fast-forward to 2004, in Iraq. We were calling in artillery fire for a registration when somebody made a mistake and damn near hit US. One of the rounds impacted about 200 meters from us before we were able to call them off. That wasā¦unsettling.
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We were out at gunnery with an Air Defense Artillery battalion and some infantry guys. I was on fire fighting duty out at the range because one spark would set Ft Hood burning it was so hot and dry all the time. I saw this flash of lightoff in the distance and a full barrage of MLRS missiles streaking toward us. I asked the E7 I was with if he thought they were incoming because of how it looks to the people underneath those crazy bastards and Iāll never forget his answer. He said" if they are you donāt have to worry about it for long". Watching telephone pole sized missiles fly right over your head helps put your problems in perspective 
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And the ship happen to record a 5 part series on that Gulf war tour, here is part 3 of 5, starts off running from chemical cloud(?) You ask: can a ship
Outrun a chemical cloud? Also show tomahawks launching, and I think " shellback" initiation, happens when you cross the equator. Hapi
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My Navy buddy told me about his first initiation when he crossed the equator for the first time. Nowadays theyāre a little more conservative than they used to be from what Iāve heard.
It makes sense as when I was promoted getting your wings used to be a blood ceremony and it was banned by the time I got in.My platoon Sargent gave me a separate ceremony with my family to give me blood rank as well as my wings. They take off the covers on the pins of the rank and then pound it into your chest. It has a long history in aviation and was a real honor to receive it with the ban in place. Civilians thought it barbaric and too many young people in service didnāt want to do it and complained until it was ruled cruel lol.
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Wow! thatās some crazy shit guys! Love hearing all the stories!
Yep hapi polywogs to shellbacks
So here is my old ship the only Super Carrier to be sunk. Have some mixed feelings about this.I guess better then being scrapped!
Would have rather seen her as a museum but the old girl didnāt go down easy and Iām sure with a full crew in a combat situation short of a tactical nuke sheād survive.
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Sign up now!!
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Thanks brother. I was getting to it but was catching up on other things so I appreciate you posting the link here.
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No problem brother! Thanks for for thinking about us here!
Not to mention the awesome giveaway!! Next time weāll ā@Lady.Zandra63ā and I" will make sure we have something to donate to the cause.
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You gave Vetās a place to gather and talk, you have done plenty my brother. Proud to be a part of OG with both of you.
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Thank you. You guys made OG a place where there kind of threads are possible. Weāre glad we can be a part of it. Means a lot to us both. Appreciate your kind words.
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Glad to see a fellow 11C here in the Vets section!!!
11C gunner '86-'89 4BN 22ND INF 25th ID (Light)
Unfortunately JUST missed the Panama deployment to oust Noriega, did get to go to JOTC in '87 though, being stationed in HI, we got deployed quite a bit around the Pacific theater. Thailand, Korea, Philippines, Guam, Japan. It was nice getting to see part of the world on Uncle Sams dime, LOL
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Welcome to the OG @FirstCavApache64 glad to see you make the trip over here from RIU!!!
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Hey there @Kgrim welcome aboard! Iām a squid but enjoy learning more about other branches and interesting military stories
Right now there is a sign up for a veterans give away you seem to be qualified if youāre interested check it out!
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Thanks. I tried to like your post but Iāve had such a busy day online today Iāve apparently used up all my likes. I need to get used to that. Just know I liked it in my mindš. I just wish I had checked this out before, now that I have seen the great info to dig around in. I still owe Spider Farmer a grow journal there but I donāt plan on spending much time there anymore.
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Already signed up!!!
Thanks for the heads up!!!
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I hear you. Once I signed up here, I havenāt even signed in over there.
This is a much friendlier environment, with a TON of more useful info, help, etc. without all the BS, shit talk and bashing.
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Awesome!! Glad you got in buddy!!
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We blood-pinned our CIB (Combat Infantrymanās Badge, itās only for 11-series or 18-series MOSs who have actually exchanged fire with the enemy). Some dudes blood-pinned rank insignia occasionally.
I can understand why command frowns on it, but it does happen. Being against regulations means itāll still happen, but wonāt be taken too far. Usually.
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Holy shit! You sure donāt see mortar maggots every day. I was in '01-'09. 9-11 happened when I was in Korea. Shit got really real, really quickly when that happened. I didnāt deploy to Afghanistan, but to Iraq 3 times, twice to the same FOB (Warhorse, Baquba). I was there for the Invasion, the Sadr Uprising, the Abu Ghraib scandal and the countryās first elections.
Of the 8 years is spent in the Army, 5 of them were overseas. In fact, I chose Korea as my first duty station because it was the farthest away from where I was living at the time (Arkansas).
Donāt feel bad you missed out on Panama, or any other deployment. War sucks, and command love nothing more than trying to enforce spit-and-polish regulations in the middle of a fucking warzone.
I spent about 4 of those years as an FDC chief. Iām also an IMLC (Infantry Mortars Leaders Course, pronounced āEm-Loc.ā) graduate.
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