Mk19's and helicopters

[Stalker6recon]

15 hours ago, 11bee said:

Doesn't look like any Mk 19 I've ever seen,

I think "that guy" covered it pretty well, but my post was more about the round than the mechanism that fired it. I know that there are differences between the rounds, like the Mk19 can't fire the M203 and visa versa, never asked why, didn't really care at the time, I just knew that I enjoyed the 19 way more than the 203. Back then, we only had access to the most common type of 203, which was underbarrel M16 varient, not something I would have ever wanted to lug around with me. I was more than happy to carry my M4 with M68 aimpoint on the 14.5 inch fluted H-bar. This was before the Army decided to field the M4 to pretty much everybody. Back in my day, if you saw someone with an M4, you knew they were a different MOS from the bravo, I liked the destinction, it's a Scout pride thing.

 

Anyway, as suggested, it would appear that they gutted the turret and just transplanted the weapon into the cabin, with a few modifications, it became what we see in the above pictures. I was hoping that somebody would either confirm my stats on the Mk19, or correct them. Did you use the Mk19 when you were in the Army? By the way, thank you, and the rest of you guys who raised their hand (twice) and swore the oath.

 

All I do know is that everyone I know who has had trigger time with the 19, absolutely loved it! I am no different in that regard. This thread has been a phenomenal learning experience for me as well.

 

Thanks everyone! Anthony

[Whiskey]

Stateside the MK19 was a joy and a blast (no pun intended) to utilize and fire. On deployments it was a nightmare. I say that based on my experiences because our supply chain was horrible and we couldn't get enough LSA to properly maintain them. Even with great care, they are still prone to jams more than any other crew served weapon and if you don't have that cleaning rod to pop the hung rounds out in a hurry, it is a PITA. 

 

On an even further sidenote, I had a guy in Platoon that was about 10 meters shy of blowing off the tail of a Blackhawk back in '05 with a MK-19.

[Stalker6recon]

1 hour ago, Whiskey said:

cleaning rod to pop the hung rounds out in a hurry, it is a PITA. 

I had forgotten about the forcing the round off the bolt face using the rod, that was even creamier to me than firing the "ghost" round.

 

That guy was LUCKY, imagine having to go to your CSM and explain why their is a helo with a missing tail boom, because you "accidentally" blew it off with the 19. Sounds like he was a few meters away from becoming LEGEND!

 

TFYS!

[BWDenver]

Attached is a 30 cal 40mm turret on 70-16055, the AH-1Q that was used for the OFCON tests between the AH-1R and AH-1Q.  55 was the Q.

 

I was flying crash rescue RC birds at the time at Ft Hood, and we go tapped

 

Bryan

 for providing high cover for the test.

Edited April 28, 2019 by BWDenver

[Whiskey]

What year was this Bryan? What unit?

[Stalker6recon]

13 hours ago, BWDenver said:

Attached is a 30 cal 40mm turret on 70-16055, the AH-1S

Now that is cool! My next question is this. If someone wanted to replicate this airframe as pictured, do you have other photos, with nose-art and other markings? May have to hook up with Floyd on this thread, since he was an AH-1 driver, maybe some resin chunkers in our future, if they don't already exist that is.

 

I would love to see this bird, or any of those pictured, as options to build factory, or aftermarket. Since this is Hood, I am figuring that it's 1st Cavalry Division?

 

If I could only go back in time, I would have definitely gone Air-Cav, I think I missed my calling!

 

Another great picture!

 

Anthony

 

PS. Maybe this thread should be pinned to the rotohead topics?

[BWDenver]

Anthony,

 

Then you would have been living in a tent for a lot of the year! 

 

The time frame was likely spring of 1975 based on the weather.  The unit to supply the AH-1Q's was most livelily the 6th ACCB, 1St CAV.  Not sure where the AH-1R came from.  There were two AH-1Q's in the test, 70-16055 in the pictures, and 68-15122.  15122 was SOC, Stricken Off Charge a some time after the test, and after it was converted to an AH-1S.  In the Military Aircraft Serials of North America both birds are listed a AH-1S.  

 

There were multiple AH-1S aircraft at the time. 

 

The AH-1S MOD, was an AH-1G or 1Q upgraded to an S with avionics and TOW/TSU systems, and rounded canopies.  they could hit a but under 200 in a dive.  And very fast in level fight.  I always thought eh G, Q and Mod S "Looked right", not so much what followed.

 

The AH-1S PROD was an airframe TOW and TSU, with Flat plate windows.  They were not as fast as the G, Q or MOD S.

 

The AH-1S ECAS or sometimes called EWCAS Enhanced (Weapons) Cobra Armament System, the ECAS birds were the first to have the air data boom on the RH side.  If memory serves...

 

And finally the AH-1S FMC, Fully Modernized Cobra.  With the air data boom and updated avionics and fire control systems.  Floyd can probably speak to the Avionics changes far better than I can.  My total Cobra time was on the order of about 5 Hrs from the front seat, and that was in the G.  The last time was in a 7/17th camo bird.

 

 

This shot is an AH-1Q 70-16055, with TOW and TSU, and relocated pitot tube on the sail.  Unknown pilot in a two piece  Nomex Flight suit, some time before we started wearing the USAF one piece zoomy suits.

 

 

If you look at the close up of the cockpit you can see the front seaters Hemet Mounted sight interconnect system, the only "Nose art" are the muddy foot prints.  It was a peace time Army after all, and run by a bunch of TAG's...

 

"Tight As*ed Generals"

 

As stated earlier I was flying one of the two RC birds stationed at Ft Hood and we were ordered to cover the tests.  The order went out as a few weeks before two hapless 7/17 1 CAV AH-1G crews had A) stuffed an AH-1G into the trees at night and B) the "Rescuers" forgot to friction down the controls and the unmanned Cobra lifted off and proceeded to beat it self to death when it rolled over on its side.  They really don't hover well without a pilot.  the second bird was one of the AH-1G's with the Air force Style SEA Camo, real pretty Snake...

 

Ah the "good old days...."

 

In any event the, 218th Med Det RC was the last of the RC units flying dedicated Crash Rescue UH-1H's with two 25 Gal AFFF (Light Water) tanks and a 9' to 18' telescoping boom mounted on the RH side of the bird, just below the 22" or "Jump Door".  The recue hoist was mounted in the FWD cabin area on the LH side, just behind the LH Jump door.  In training we would routinely remove the 22" doors, in a real scrabble we would unlatch the LH door and the hoist would push the door open to allow the firefighter and medic to rappel down.  Sometimes we even removed the pilots and Co-Pilots doors to work the fires.  Although removing the pilots doors generally drove the Safety Officers who saw it into twitching and frothing at the month convulsions.  The right seat pilot controlled the boom and fought the fire, if any, with the bird.

 

One of the more memorable scrabbles, probably the only "No sh*t real emergency" I flew on while with the RC unit was covering an AH-1G that had a dual hydraulics failure.  The alarms went off and we were airborne in under 2 minutes, the medic and firefighter had been polishing the windscreens so they were the first to be at the bird.  The rest of the crew was on the second floor of Hood Base Ops, and usually bowled people out of the way as we ran down the stairs and out the front door to the bird.  They later put us in a room on the first floor to reduce the injuries to the hapless bystanders.

 

As I lifted off the Cobra was making a long shallow RH descending turn to line up on the runway.  Using as little control inputs as necessary to get it on the ground.  I went behind him and came up on his RH side just about the time he touched down with a fair number of sparks off the skids, he was still at a good clip when he settled onto the runway, I extended the boom and slipped the bird with a lot of left peddle so I could spray the Cobra, if need be.  In retrospect I was probably too close if it rolled over.  I did however get a close look at the pilot.  

 

As the Cobra came to a shuddering stop I looked up to see a thick white liquid stream down my windscreen.  I won't say what my first "thought" was.  We found the bottle of plastic polish between the pitot tube and the RH overhead air vent.  If I had gotten over about 30-40 Kts it probably would have made its way back to the tail rotor and we would have had a second aircraft emergency...

 

A few weeks later met Cobra pilot in checker Flag hobbies in Killeen TX.  That was of course one Hugh Mills.  A great friend.

 

Bryan.

 

Edited April 28, 2019 by BWDenver

[BWDenver]

On 4/28/2019 at 4:33 AM, Stalker6recon said:

 

I would love to see this bird, or any of those pictured, as options to build factory, or aftermarket. Since this is Hood, I am figuring that it's 1st Cavalry Division?

 

 

 

 

The two CAV Gun units were D 227th, I was a slick pilot in C 227th for a year out of flight school, and the 7/17th.  The Delta Guys were based at Hood AAF, PSP pads were down the hill to the east of the tower initially.  The 7/17th kept their birds at LZ Phantom to the west of the cantonment area.  I think B Co operated the OH-58's in the 227th.  C Co was all UH-1H.  D Co might have operated OH-58A's but I don't remember.  The CAV Gun guys would refer to us a "Another Fu**n Truck driver...." 

 

We thought less of them...  I knew more guys in the 7/17 than in my own gun unit in the 227th.

 

We also had (I think) D 2/1 CAV, 2nd AD.  They operated G Cobras, UH-1H and OH-58A's.  The 2nd AD birds were parked to the North of the 227th area.

 

For the modeler:

 

The 227th birds were all OD.  The 2/1 CAV birds were mix of camo and OD, and the 7/17th Cobra's and Kiowas were Camo  and AH-1G's OD, some in SEA camo, UH-1H were OD.  At lest one AH-1G had a SEA camo tail boom and the fwd half was OD.  That bird had a rather distinctive black band just aft of the sail.  I'm looking at the shot of it now. 

 

None of the birds had pipe bowl exhaust stacks.  At least one of the camo 7/17th birds had a sharks mouth (OD teeth, black mouth), have a picture.  Rotor blades were painted in camo pattern.  Made balancing them interesting.  Colors were black disrupt, sand underside and sides, Field Drab (similar to Flat Dark Earth) sides and "Green" on the sides, similar to OD.  Canopy covers were also camo, but seldom used in the camo finish, the AH-1G's at Lz Phantom used a mix of metalized and gray canopy covers. 

 

34th support operated CH-47C (Baby C's in '74), and at least two were camo, the rest OD, and III Corps Flt Det operated UH-1H's in camo and at least one had 60 Gal drop tanks.

 

Out at Robert Gray AAF (West Ft Hood) we had the 3/507 Lifesaver OD and red crosses on white squares, who I ended up flying with after my stint at the 218th (we flew the two RC birds to Edward, 70 15295 & 296).  And the MI OV-1D's, all in OD at that time, later to be painted gray.  We also had U-8's and U-21, at either Hood or RGAAF. 

 

I think just before the 73 war the Israelis showed up and A) asked for all the Sherman tanks on display (politely declined) and B) a "couple of OV-1's, (Politely granted).  The birds that took off for a long trip East, were still on the books several years later and it always made for an interesting time when the ARMS (Aviation Resource Management and Safety) team showed up and asked where are these aircraft?  Their maintenance rerecords seem to be "out of date..."  

 

To which they were told "Non of your business..."

 

Inspectors generally do not like to be told yes they are on the books and NO, YOU don't have the need to know where they are....  Eventually they were SOC.

 

Every once in a while a white and blue OV-1 would come into RGAAF for services.  And out would pop two "little old ladies".  No Sh*T, flown by two grandmothers.  They were operated by the Border patrol, and had at least 3 that I knew of.  I have a shot of one of the birds somewhere...

 

Bryan

 

Edited April 29, 2019 by BWDenver
update

[Whiskey]

Awesome stuff. My dad was at Bliss flying snakes with 3ACR around that time then made it to Hood a few years later.

[BWDenver]

On 4/25/2019 at 12:47 PM, snake36bravo said:

The Snake for me is just death on call for real. For that airframe cannons became the thing as did AT capability

 

 In mid 1973 I had a Rucker Instrument IP, newly minted CW2 Equals, that in 1971 or 72 he got a kill on a PT-76 with 19Lb rockets when he was in Viet Nam.  

 

We were sitting at the table, post flight and he was telling us about the event.  He sat there and said as he was coming up behind it "and they rotated the turret, NO ONE told me they could rotate the turret!!!"  Luckily he put two 19 Lb 2.75's into it.  Otherwise the thing would have killed him with a main gun round.

 

I hope he was a better gun pilot than instrument IP...

 

The preferred attack method with an AH-1G on a North Viet tank was the 20mm wing mounted Vulcan.  Without the gun they stand out because they have the distinctive blast panels on the LH side of the airframe FWD of the wing.  Kept the muzzle blast from shaking the airframe apart.

 

Some intrepid Cobra warriors would borrow Zuni pods from the USMC Black Pony's.  When the Marines started shooting Zuni's out of AH-1J's off the N Vietnam Coast during Operation MARRHUCK, they put gray coatings on the horizontal stabilizer and other parts of the bird to protect it from the rocket blast.  I have a shot (not one I took) of (6)817823, AH-1G, in nice flat USMC green markings. It has a 40 mm in the RH side of the turret...

 

Somewhere I have the MARHUCK shots...

 

Bryan

Edited April 29, 2019 by BWDenver
obesrvation on weps

[BWDenver]

While in Korea I was stationed with the 377^th Dustoff unit.  We would occasionally get tapped to cover live fire exercises.  Attached is a shot from one of those live fires.  There were several AH-G Cobras.  The birds were painted in Aircraft green CARC, This ship was armed with an 20mmn wing gun, and an XM129 and 7.62 minigun in the M28 turret.  

 

Rather poor image, Korean C-41 photo finishing was not that great in 1978…

[Stalker6recon]

6 hours ago, BWDenver said:

and an XM129 and 7.62 minigun in the M28 turre

Once again, proof that my initial thoughts regarding the 40mm was at least used to some degree on helicopters. Obviously not the Mk19 exactly, but pretty much the same weapons system.

 

Anyway, after I started this thread, I began to notice that there are indeed kits out there with the M28 as configured here. I can't say for certain which kits include this option, but I have definitely seen at least one kit containing the mini and 40, which is really cool. Some of the more exotic door gunner versions would be really fun to add Huey's of the Vietnam Era. I have been hoping the Floyd Werner would be whispering in the ears of Kitty Hawk for such a kit in 35th scale, so anyone wanting to give him a bump, feel free, I pester him enough already!

 

Thanks for the new content, I hope this thread is pinned for everyone to enjoy, and as always, thank you for your service as well brother!

 

Anthony

[Stalker6recon]

On 4/29/2019 at 9:13 AM, BWDenver said:

he got a kill on a PT-76 with 19Lb rockets when he was in Viet Nam.   

Somehow I missed several of your comments/replies, so I am actually playing catch up right now. I hope that this thread has brought back a lot of fond memories of your time in the service, you have same pretty hairy stories. I wish I was a proficient builder, but I am not, it will take years to be able to produce a kit worthy of showing on here. Even more so, a kit that honors you, and the rest of the pilots that literally played roulette whenever you pulled on the collective and lifted off your skis. I can't imagine what a dual hydraulics failure would feel like, not even sure how that would effect the ability to fly, I am no pilot. I would guess that the only input remaining, is power. Not a fun ride! Then coming up on a Russian light amphibious tank (had to look that up, as well as the Zuni pods, were those early FFAR rockets?). I would think the advantage goes to the snake, as the rate of turn, elevation and the sight, likely made firing that 76mm a challenge for stationary targets, much less, one that is moving in four dimensions at the same time.

 

Amazing information, you all deserve to have your aircraft manufactured by someone. Everyone that flew and fought/rescued deserves it.

 

I remember when I was in OSUT Ft. Knox, my inquisitive mind always pissed off my DS's, because I would ask the questions I thought would be good ones. While training for the M2A3, going over the Bushmaster 25mm, looked at the Apache and wondered why they had a bigger gun than us. The designers of the Bradley really screwed the pooch on that one. We had the tallest, LOUDEST reconnaissance vehicle in military history. For guys that are supposed to slip in unseen and call for fire, we had to do so in a tank that could be heard from 3 miles away!

 

Questioning the Sally gun got me a lot of push-ups, but I never stopped asking the obvious. After I certified on the Javelin anti-tank missile system, which by the way, is probably the greatest single man portable anti-tank weapon ever created. It had benefits for Scouts that were even better than the missile itself. The CLU (command launch unit) on the Javelin had spectacular capabilities, and having lots of batteries was a must. The IR sights allowed us to see through the night, we could easily spot the number of people inside a car/van and if they had weapons from more than a kilometer away. Then the missile itself is just amazing. Two options, top attack or direct for bunkers. Once you lock the target, you can adjust the aim point to a safer elevated angle, fire the missile and immediately return to cover and concealment. The missile will track moving targets for at least 4k, some hits beyond that range are reported. Anyway, I then questioned the use of the TOW on the Bradley. Why did they guys walking behind us, have better firepower than we did? We are in a tank with a sissy gun and even the missile system was/is dated.

 

You know what that got me, more push-ups! I didn't mind at that point, I could have done push-ups for an hour straight, nothing hurt anymore. So I had a lot of fun, and banter with my drill sergeants. Since I was working at the Pentagon post September 11th, putting in fiber optics for the JAG that handled the opening of Gitmo back in 2003, just before I shipped off to OSUT at the ripe old age of 33, they all thought I was undercover CID! I let them think on it the entire time!

 

Anyway, as per usual, I am floored by your knowledge and sacrifice, same goes to the bulk of the guys on this site as well. Everyday is a learning day for me, not just tips on building, but history itself, something that everyone should seek out and enjoy at the same time.

 

Thank you all very much, this is my crowning achievement so far, because no matter how I end up modeling (museum quality or straight to the bin), this has been an eye opening journey into history for me, and I absolutely appreciate that more than any tip someone can offer me.

 

Anthony

[BWDenver]

The Zuni was weapon used on F-8’s, OV-10’s and USMC AH-1J’s.  It is the equivalent of a 5” artillery  shell with a hell of a rocket motor attached.  If you pop one off you need to pull out at least 1,000 above the detonation point.  Think FFAR on steroids.  The FFAR’s used by the AH-1G was a 2.75” variety, 10 Lb and 17 Lb heads. 

 

Essentially a “dumb round” point shoot, forget.  The most lethal of which is Flechette.  More commonly called “Nails”.  The 10Lb warhead had 2,200 nails in it, packed in a red powder.  So if you think the Cobra is a no brainer against a tank, think about a 76mm Canister round coming up at you, packed with nails.

 

The one thing I learned is to never underestimate your foe, the reason they put TOW’s on a Q was to get just outside of the effective range of a tank, around 3000 M.  The Hellfire gave even more of a standoff range.

 

Look, I spent 32 years flying in because quite frankly flying helicopters is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.  And they pay you to do it.  We did it because it was fun.  I only got shot at occasionally, al be it on two continents…

 

You had a 25mm so A) you would not be stupid enough to take on a tank, B) you could take on other Mech Infantry vehicles, and the occasional helicopter, and C) it was light enough to allow you to get the heck out of the area if need be.  Remember it was replacing the M113, whose primary armor was aluminum.

 

Attached is one of the 7/17^th 1^St CAV birds from Hood, if memory serves, the circle designates it as a C Co bird.  I seem to recall if we had used company insignia C Co 227 th would have been a circle.  Some camo birds had camo on the upper surfaces of the MR blades, this one does not.  The TE is camo along with the skid cross tube fairings, I think the AH-1G is the prettiest Snake, add camo even better.

 

Unfortunately the shot was taken with a 110 pocket camera.  The 110 negative, coupled with “silkscreen” printing make for some lousy shots to scan…

 

I started carrying it when I was in Flight School.  It was small and I could hide it.  If I had been “caught” carrying a camera I might have been booted out.  They were serous about cameras in the cockpit.  I had a hapless 58 crew chief when I was flying into China Lake, I flew with my knees and took a bunch of shots, then handed the camera to the CE to store.  I let down to land on the pad and we stopped at 1’.  The idiot put the camera, a Nikon F2A  with motor drive UNDER the collective.  I think the ground guide heard me chew out the fool.

 

Don’t build for the “experts”, build for yourself.   I did a Sand Snake for an IPMS Nat a few years ago, late 80’s.  All the “experts” said “they never painted them that color”, others chimed in, “yeah, it’s all wrong”.  I just kept my mouth shut.  And on the day of the judging I put a shot I had gotten at Rucker of 66-15333 AH-1S ECAS.  There were a number of jaws that hit the tables when the model was popped up on the screen at the banquet.    I just chuckled.

 

Build for yourself, keep building and get better.

- Bryan

 

Edited April 30, 2019 by BWDenver
punk

[Sarathi S.]

Couple of coworkers of mine were around when Whiskey Cobras still carried Zunis.  They said they were a rare load because they scared the bejeezus out of the pilots when they fired them.  

 

I'd be really interested to see any MARHUK pics you have, Bryan.

[Stalker6recon]

17 hours ago, BWDenver said:

Build for yourself, keep building and get better.

- Bryan 

I plan too, nobody else around here to share it with anyway. I won't be hung up on the details, whether it is the perfect example, but I do want to be close. 90% sounds like a good number, and I don't think I will go crazy over having to spend months tracking down exact photos and trying to get the color just right. If they call for FS-***** and I buy that paint, I will be happy with the outcome.

 

Going back to the 76mm, I forgot about those rounds. I always think of the simple cartridge firing a single bullet, not a shrapnel round, nasty stuff. As for the Bradley, yes, it was a far cry from the M113, even though we still had a bunch of those. Either set up as a TOC, a medivac version which I spent time in (and it made me appreciate the rolling Christy suspension of the Brad, big time)and for mortars as well. The Bradley , with the loud diesel engine, the top speed left a lot to be desired, but we were light cav, so no armor for us, just some HMMWV, or simply Hummers/trucks. I was around during the shift to the new Cavalry fighting vehicle, the Stryker, although I had no experience with it. The guys that did begin the transition that I spoke too, loved it for the speed, in excess of 60mph, where the Bradley topped out at just over 40mph and the Stryker had firepower as well, I forget what size though. Anyway, the Bradley version of the sabot was capable of punching holes through the T72 like Swiss cheese, and the rate of fire is faster. One of those deals, who ever shoots first, usually wins!

 

The part of your comment regarding the TOW being added, reminded me of the first Gulf War, where the tankers told of coming face to face with the armor of saddam, then watching gleefully as they were fired upon, only to see the rounds land harmlessly by more than a thousand meters. Then returning accurate and deadly fire back, almost like shooting a barrel of fish, they were so outclassed. That is the point anyway, I hope we always maintain that type of advantage, for the sake of our troops.

 

Thanks again, and feel free to continue to add to this thread, whenever you fancy, it makes this tread all the richer having your stories and pictures for us all to enjoy!

 

Anthony

[BWDenver]

My hat goes off the Mech Inf guys.  I went out in the field with Mills in his 113 at Hood.  The bouncing around and dust made me sick as a dog.  He had to get one of his folks to drive me back to civilization.

 

At Carson I flew cover for a Bradly test when they were still calling it the IFV.  And when I was deployed to Kuwait flying 47's in 2003 the Stryker's showed up.  That was one quiet APC.  They started adding the Anti RPG armor to the vehicles, and found out they were all slightly different.  It took 24 Hrs to add the slat armor to each one.   I think I might start a tread on AH-1G's

 

Bryan 

[BWDenver]

23 hours ago, Sarathi S. said:

I'd be really interested to see any MARHUK pics you have, Bryan.

 

I'll have to dig them out.  I interviewed one of the MARHUK pilots for Mike Verier for his work on the Cobra.  I got his shots and got them copied and sent off Mike.

 

The MARHUK operation off an LPD off the coast of N Viet Nam was the basis for USMC attack helicopter operations even today. 

 

Mike also includes a shot of my next to a 7/17 Camo AH-1G.  That was a fun Saturday afternoon! 

 

Oh to have hair again! 

 

The helmet caused a bit of an international incident in Korea, Some tight as**d Lt COL saw it as I took off from Yongsan Heliport and he called every single heliport between Seoul and Tegu trying to find me.  Discretion being the better part of valor it went up on my wall...

 

I also provided Mike with a shot of a camouflaged Budweiser beer truck at Ft Brag, he used it in his book on Bragg, with a rather interesting caption.

 

Bryan

[Sarathi S.]

Bryan, which Cobra book?  The Osprey one published in 1990?

[Stalker6recon]

5 hours ago, BWDenver said:

Mills in his 113 at Hood.             

 

That was one quiet APC

As I said, those things are a nightmare, the Bradley is much better, especially if you are driving, the turret sucks, since you are far from the center of movement, everything is amplified, but if you can see forward, at least you don't get vertigo like you can riding in the back, that is the worst place to be, even with the "suspension" it has, I never rode in the M1, but I imagine it is similar since both have the same type suspension. The M1 is remarkably silent as well, but probably nothing compared to the Stryker.

 

Loved having green guys coming straight out of boot camp, the old "go to supplies and bring me back a box of grid squares!" joke, or my personal favorite, hand a guy a big trash bag and tell him to bring back an exhaust sample from the Abrams!

 

You would be shocked at what some guys would do. Our supply office even cut up a map, just to keep the joke going for a bit longer.

5 hours ago, BWDenver said:

  I think I might start a tread on AH-1G's

Definitely link it here is you do, this NEVER gets old to read and see! Now I just got to find out what MARHUK means! Thinking🤔

 

Anthony

[Michael A.]

Operation MARHUK (Marine Hunter Killer), HMLA-369 operated from three different ships off the coast of North Vietnam from around June 72 to Jan 73.  This included actual combat time, transit time, ship change over operations and down-time for maintenance activities. 

[Whiskey]

I'm not at my laptop but if you go to the Library of Congress'archive website and type in anything related to Operation MARHUK you'll get a few image hits. 

 

12 hours ago, Stalker6recon said:

 

Loved having green guys coming straight out of boot camp, the old "go to supplies and bring me back a box of grid squares!" joke, or my personal favorite, hand a guy a big trash bag and tell him to bring back an exhaust sample from the Abrams!

 

Ball-ping hammer and go tap the sides of the Brad to find weak spots in the armor, ask supply for chem light batteries, or go ask the Platoon Sergeant if we can sign out a PRC-E7.

[Hajo L.]

Wasn´t there also the order to organize some "ID 10 T"?

 

 

HAJO

[Stalker6recon]

9 hours ago, Michael A. said:

Operation MARHUK (Marine Hunter Killer)

Just one of those things, when you see it but have no clue what it means, it's jibberish. Once it is explained it almost seems obvious, like I should have known that already. I was three years old, so I have an excuse, a weak one, but dammit, I wasn't four yet!

 

Anthony

[Stalker6recon]

1 hour ago, Hajo L. said:

Wasn´t there also the order to organize some "ID 10 T"?

  

Now that one I do remember, it was "operation ID" on ten year olds trying to buy Tonka Trucks before they could legally drive? No ID, NO TONKA! Right?

Edited May 2, 2019 by Stalker6recon
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