Monthly Archives: May 2006

Famous Military Statements

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This collection was sent to me by a blog-fan, it’s one of those things that go the rounds, but funny and apt, nonetheless.

A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what’s left of your unit.”
– Army’s magazine of preventive maintenance ..
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“Aim toward the Enemy.”
– Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher
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“When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend.
– U.S. Marine Corps
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“Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. The bombs are absolutely guaranteed to hit the ground.”
– USAF Ammo Troop
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“If the enemy is in range, so are you.”
– Infantry Journal
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“It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed.”
– U.S. Air Force Manual
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“Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons.”
– General MacArthur
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“Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo.”
– Infantry Journal
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“You, you, and you … Panic. The rest of you, come with me.”
– U.S. Marine Corp Gunnery Sgt.
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“Tracers work both ways.”
– U.S. Army Ordnance
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“Five second fuses only last three seconds.”
– Infantry Journal
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“Don’t ever be the first, don’t ever be the last, and don’t ever volunteer to do anything.”
– U.S. Navy Swabbie
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“Bravery is being the only one who knows you’re afraid.”
– David Hackworth
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“If your attack is going too well, you’re walking into an ambush.”
– Infantry Journal
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“No combat-ready unit has ever passed inspection.”
– Joe Gay
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“Any ship can be a minesweeper … once.”
– Anonymous
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“Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do.”
– Unknown Marine Recruit
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“Don’t draw fire; it irritates the people around you.”
– Your Buddies
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“If you see a bomb technician running, follow him.”
– USAF Ammo Troop
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“Though I Fly Through the Valley of Death , I Shall Fear No Evil. For I am at 80,000 Feet and Climbing.”
– At the entrance to the old SR-71 operating base Kadena , Japan
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“You’ve never been lost until you’ve been lost at Mach 3.”
– Paul F. Crickmore (test pilot)
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“The only time you have too much fuel is when you’re on fire.”
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“Blue water Navy truism: There are more planes in the ocean than submarines in the sky.”
– From an old carrier sailor
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“If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage, it’s probably a helicopter — and therefore, unsafe.”
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“When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane you always have enough power left to get you to the scene of the crash.”
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“Without ammunition, the USAF would be just another expensive flying club.”
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“What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies; If ATC screws up, …. the pilot dies.”
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“Never trade luck for skill.”
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“Weather forecasts are horoscopes with numbers.”
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Airspeed, altitude and brains. Two are always needed to successfully complete the flight.”
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“A smooth carrier landing is mostly luck; two in a row is all luck; three in a row is prevarication.”
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“Mankind has a perfect record in aviation; we never left one up there!”
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“Flashlights are tubular metal containers kept in a flight bag for the purpose of storing dead batteries.”
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“Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it.”
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“When a flight is proceeding incredibly well, something was forgotten.”
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“Just remember, if you crash because of weather, your funeral will be held on a sunny day.”
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Advice given to RAF pilots during WWII: “When a prang (crash) seems inevitable, endeavor to strike the softest, cheapest object in the vicinity as slow and gently as possible.”
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“The Piper Cub is the safest airplane in the world; it can just barely kill you.”
– Attributed to Max Stanley (Northrop test pilot)
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“A pilot who doesn’t have any fear probably isn’t flying his plane to its maximum.”
– Jon McBride, astronaut
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“If you’re faced with a forced landing, fly the thing as far into the crash as possible.”
– Bob Hoover (renowned aerobatic and test pilot)
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Never fly in the same cockpit with someone braver than you.”
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“There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime.”
– Sign over squadron ops desk at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1970
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“If something hasn’t broken on your helicopter, it’s about to.”
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Basic Flying Rules: “Try to stay in the middle of the air. Do not go near the edges of it. The edges of the air can be recognized by the appearance of ground, buildings, sea, trees and interstellar space. It is much more difficult to fly there.”
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“You know that your landing gear is up and locked when it takes full power to taxi to the terminal.”
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As the test pilot climbs out of the experimental aircraft, having torn off the wings and tail in the crash landing, the crash truck arrives, the rescuer sees a bloodied pilot and asks “What happened?”.
The pilot’s reply: “I don’t know, I just got here myself!”
– Attributed to Ray Crandell (Lockheed test pilot )

Add your own personal favorites in the comments…

Caption This One Winner (060526)

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(U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Juan Valdes)

1.) Just John: “Much as other soldiers suffered from the lack of bullets during practice due to budget cuts, The Al Gore Memorial Photojournalist Commando Squad was forced to do without cameras for several weeks.”

2.) Rodney Dill: “Mine Sweeping School – “You put left foot in, you pull your left foot out…””

3.) Adjustah: “Now, raise your hands in the air like you just don’t care…” (Edited for accuracy to the lyrics, but it cracked me up.)

Other Memorial Day Blogging

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A La, over at Blonde Sagacity, has a Memorial Day post that includes suggestions of how to put the “Memorial” back into the day. She also lists out various wars since WWI, with number of deaths.

Paying homage to all who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country (always, but especially today):
1917-1918 World War I 116,708
1941-1945 World War II 408,306
1945 Okinawa US Navy 5,000, USMC/Army 8,000
06 Jun 1944 D-Day 1,465
1945 Iwo Jima 6,503
1950-1953 Korean War 54,246
1957-1975 Vietnam War 58,219
1983 Beirut Lebanon 241
1990-1991 Persian Gulf, Op Desert Shield/Storm 363
2001-Present Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan 295
2003-Present Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq 2,464

She also links to a Memorial Day Quiz. (I got 7/9)

Capt Ed remembers an Operation Iraqi Freedom Medal of Honor winner.

Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Sergeant First Class Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. During this action, he was mortally wounded. His courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack, and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers.

Citizen Smash posts a letter from the mother of a fallen hero.

God may have been ready to call my Marine to heaven on April 18, 2004 but I wasn’t, and I can’t wait till the day we will be together again. Rick is a hero to me and all that knew him and loved him. He left behind a legacy that will endure forever. A Marine camp in Iraq was named for him (Camp Gannon). An award for Leadership to the top graduate at the Naval Academy carries his name. These are two reminders of his dedication and sacrifice to his country, but there are thousands of personal reminders that are seared in my heart forever.

His Memorial Day post will be up later.

And Sgt Hook brings it home with memories of a career-long buddy and former roommate, who volunteered to help rescue 4 Navy Seals trapped and surrounded on a mountaintop in Afghanistan. MSgt Tre Ponder was in the ‘Stan for training, not duty, but he went anyway, and died with most of the rest of the rescuers and rescued when the helicopter crashed.

Most of the crewdogs could be found at our place on the weekends where we would bar-b-que meat from the commissary and share war stories over several cold beers. The old adage of “working hard and playing hard” certainly was our mantra, and nobody worked harder than Tre.

Tre could always be counted on, with his easy going, dedicated attitude you never doubted that he’d come through. He always did, and usually with a “shit eating” grin on his face.

Some of the fondest memories from my days as a crewdog involve Tre Ponder.

When our tour on the ROK was over, we went our separate ways, I to Italy, Jay to Georgia, and Tre to Kentucky. I ran into Tre five years later, after my Italian adventures, when I moved to Kentucky. He and his then pregnant wife helped me move into my apartment, lending me some tools and a ladder. Though a little older and now a family man, Tre was still that same old easy going southern boy that you could count on.

Update:
I just popped back over to Smash’s site and read his official Memorial Day post.

Every year, two days before Memorial Day, hundreds of Boy and Girl Scouts from all over San Diego County converge on Fort Rosecrans to honor these veterans by placing a single American flag in front of every gravestone and internment marker – all 85,000 of them.

After the opening ceremony, I grabbed a bundle of flags and rushed ahead of the torrent of Scouts, towards the far end of the cemetery. I had some people that I needed to visit. (snip)

My final planned stop was the resting place of Lieutenant Thomas Mullen Adams, my brother’s friend who was killed in a tragic helicopter accident in the opening hours of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I arrived at Tom’s grave just ahead of the leading edge of the scouts, and reverentially planted the flag. We had a few moments of quiet before the masses arrived, so I told Tom about Grant’s wife and new baby, and their new home in Hawaii. (snip)

I stood up and walked a few feet away while the scouts passed through, taking only a few seconds to methodically place a flag on each grave, salute, and move on.

A man, one of the scoutmasters, paused in front of Tom’s grave. “He’s just pining?” he said, “What does that mean?”

“It’s a joke.” I told him. “It’s a line from Monty Python’s ‘dead parrot sketch.’ You know: ‘E’s not dead, e’s just pining for the fjords.’”

“Oh!” he said. “Did you know him?”

“Yes, he’s my brother’s friend; they served in the Navy together.” I told him the whole story;” (snip)

I could see it on the man’s face, something had changed. These weren’t just tombstones anymore, they were real people.

Let’s remember that, if nothing else. These honored dead, these hometown heroes, were real people. They lived, loved, and laughed, and because they served, we are free to live, love and laugh. May we also serve as honorably as they did, in whichever way we choose to serve.

To Absent Friends…

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In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Monday is for rememberance of those who paid the ultimate price, but it also gives me a chance to say “thank you” to those who are currently serving, or have ever served.

Thank you Dad, Uncle Jack, Aunt Ruth, Uncle Bill, and Grandpa, for your service. Thank you Paul, Sgt Mom, Timmer, Sgt/Cpl Blondie, Radar, Detailed Recruiter, & Joe (R.I.P.) for serving. Thank you, wounded veterans, for your sacrifice. Thank you, those who gave all, whose names are written on a black wall in DC, on stone columns in towns all over the country, and in the hearts of those who loved them.

I don’t know that I’ve ever known anyone who’s died in the service of our country, but I know that those who have gone before did not die in vain, and that those who serve today stand on the shoulders of giants who look like ordinary people.

My heart is full, and I raise my glass to you, in gratitude, and in salute.

To all of you, past, present and future warriors, SALUD!

X-Men: The Last Stand

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Wow! That was a blast. Not to mention a total geek fest. There are nods to almost every classic science fiction movie and some books to boot. Bonus points to the first one to post the obvious Heinlein reference.

In case no one’s told you yet. There’s one more brief scene after the credits run. I’m not sure if it was worth it or not and the folks at the movie theater didn’t seem to care as they turned on the lights and were cleaning before it was over, but it does make you wonder how much of a “last X-Men” movie this is really going to be.

Oh, and nobody even mentions Jesus in this movie. Feel better?

UPDATE: Spoiler in the comments for those who saw the movie but walked out before the last scene after the credits.

The Ultimate Da Vinci Code Review

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“You know when you talk,” says one of my co-workers with some exasperation, “Sometimes it sounds to me like the parents and teachers in those “Charlie Brown” cartoons… you know, just ‘bwah-bwah-bwaw’? I know you’re saying something, but I can’t understand a single word of it!”

My bad, making an allusion to a 19th century poem in casual conversation, but then I grew up thinking Osbert Lancaster was hilarious (especially “Here of All Places” which permanently warped my tastes in architecture and descriptions of same ) . She probably won’t get much from the funniest take on the Da Vinci Code that I have read so far… but perhaps some of you might… especially if you took a class where the prof insisted on playing recordings of Old English readings.

(link found through Manolo)

Lady and gentlemen, start your engines

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Since our company got involved in torque sensing for F1 racing a few years ago and the divorce between Champ cars and Indy cars played itself out, the only open wheel racing that I follow outside of F1 is the Indy 500. Before it was televised, I remember listening to it on the radio even as a child, having lived in a family with a long history of involvement in stock and super-modified racing throughout NY, PA and New England in the fifties and sixties. Women drivers have been an on and off presence at Indy since 1976 (previously Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James, and Sarah Fisher), but, in my view, were more of a novelty than a serious trend.

Last year’s Indy 500 was absolutely GREAT because Danica Patrick showed, finally, that a woman driver could mix it up with the best the IRL had to offer. Although finishing fourth, she led for several laps and showed a degree of cool fierceness that was lacking in those of the fairer sex who preceded her (Sgt Mom and Cpl Blondie, I am being careful here). This year she starts somewhat lower in the field (inside row 4), but I am confident she will put on a great show. Check it out (Sun. 1:00 CST)

Next week the Indy teams will race at Watkins Glenn, former home of the U.S. Grand Prix. Back in my day, I worked a food concession there all through high school and got to (sort of) see the Trans Am (Camaro, ‘Cuda, Mustang), Can Am (anybody remember Chaperral?) and F1 races from ’68 through ’72. What a dream job. After having been closed for a couple decades, Nascar has raced stockers and trucks at the Glen the last few years, but it will be great to see open wheel racing there again.

Also note that the Monaco F1 Grand Prix is Sunday morning – televised early on SpeedTV. I personally think that Monaco is the premier F1 event because of (a) the difficulty of the street course and (b) the decadent wealth that permeates the entire event (including the 100+ ft cruisers in the harbor).

See you at the track.

Radar

Here’s looking at you, kid.

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After reading Sgt Mom’s outstanding post last night, and adding my own rosy commentary, I came across this article in The Daily Standard on the Moroccan approach to relations between Islam and other religions that offers hope. For example:

“Abaddi’s visit to the United States underscores this point: It was part of an ongoing campaign to reach out to religious groups in the United States. One aim is to raise the profile of what he calls the “Moroccan model” of moderate Islam. Evangelical leaders, for example, have been invited to Casablanca for high-level meetings and inter-faith dialogues. In March of this year, the Moroccan government helped sponsor a conference of “Rabbis and Imams for Peace” in Seville.”

I have tried to make sense of this issue for years now; tried to express the conclusions at which I have arrived without coming off as being cut from the same cloth as the Muslims that I have been critical of – more often than not unsuccessfully, I think and particularly with the left. It has been a challenge to reconcile the theme that Muslims-in America-are-not-like-those-zealots-in-Iran-they-just-want-to-live-the-American-dream with the stories about long standing mosques in the U.S. being hijacked by radical imams (I am looking for a link to a series by the Chicago Trib on this topic), and organizations like CAIR that, despite their moderate appearance, are a front for the radical fringe. I have no doubt that the former premise is largely true, but so is the latter. A question that I grapple with is why the moderate multitudes are so silent on the subject; why they do not loudly, openly, and with great frequency disavow the subset of the Muslim belief system that spawns the likes of what we see in the news on a nightly basis. Comments and emails to previous posts on the subject have chastised me for being ignorant of some supposed vocal repudiation, but were absent any sort of citation. To some extent, the print media must take some responsibility, for if they expended as much effort researching the Muslim counterpoint to radicalism as they spend in their attempt to sensationalize the horrible acts of (what I hope to be) the radical minority, perhaps average people like me would not have these questions.

Getting back to Morocco, I think a large part of the problem is that in many nations the Muslim majority is poor and illiterate, and hence easily led by corrupt leaders. I am skeptical that the moderation practiced by Morocco, and hopefully a future Iraq, can turn the tide in the apparent time frame that we have. There are too many people over there both serving and drinking the KoolAid, and too long a history of distrust for the west.

Geez, I started this with an upbeat attitude and end up at the same place. Maybe I need to take a trip to Casablanca. Maybe stop by Rick’s Place. I hear the Nazi’s are gone.

Radar