We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:03:49 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification AFSister sends: An Irish woman of advanced age visited her physician to ask his help in reviving her husband's libido. What about trying Viagra? asks the doctor. "Not a chance", she said. "He won't even take an aspirin". "Not a problem", replied the doctor. "Give him an Irish Viagra. Drop it into his coffee. He won't even taste it. Give it a try and call me in a week to let me know how things went". It wasn't a week later that she called the doctor, who directly inquired as to progress. The poor dear exclaimed, "Oh, faith, bejaysus and... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html Sun, 27 Feb 2005 04:37:33 -0600 (Purple Hippos, or is that the Supreme Scruple..?) John, ya worry me... Not gonna comment on anything else right now... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16236 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16236 Mon, 28 Feb 2005 14:28:07 -0600 In the '70s I was in the 1/35 Infantry in Hawaii. Every year we'd go to the Big Island to Pohakuloa Training Area for a month in pup tents, etc. As a radar guy, our platoon had the job of playing aggressor for the infantry platoon ARTEPs. We dragged our stuff to the top of a small hill (a dormant volcano vent actually), and built defensive positions (foxholes, bunkers, tanglefoot, flares, whistlers, grenade and artillery sims, etc). We had two nights to get ready, then for 9 nights one platoon a night would attack the hill! We repulsed them all fairly well, but of course they had to run the course, so they made the top, secured the position, etc. By the last night, we had really done a great job of prepping the defense, and the grunts were really, truly pissed off. So much so that their PSG gave very loud angry orders to butt-stroke any one of us a$$-holes who moved, breathed, etc. On hearing that, my team sergeant and I both went from playing wounded (per plan) to playing dead. Suffice to say, it was not pleasant, they really were pissed. We found out later, than my PSG had popped a star cluster into the chest of some dimbulb who emptied a magzine of blanks near his ear... This was the guy later left the Army to go be a merc in Africa. He was NOT a nice man. What I remember most about that place was the lava rock and cinder dust. It was awful,it shreeded clothes, ruined boots, etc. A month in that crap, and for us it was just a day's work. I only imagine the hell it was for people on Iwo, Tarawa, etc. It makes me shudder to think. -SangerM http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16229 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16229 Mon, 28 Feb 2005 14:06:59 -0600 Lawhawk - I think I would characterize your comment as an addition, not a correction... just sayin' Dave - you are, of course, correct. Having had to hump two PRC-77's up the north wall of the Central Corridor in order to overlook Alpha and Bravo passes to O/C a live fire w/live assault on the bunker complex... I can empathize with *anyone* who had to climb a pulverized volcanic stone while being shot at. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16198 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16198 Mon, 28 Feb 2005 09:39:41 -0600 But there are still hundreds, if not thousands, of Japanese soldiers and sailors entombed in that rock, sealed in their caves and bunkers by the Marines 60 years ago.There are still Marines and other US personnel who have not been recovered from Iwo Jima because it was too dangerous to recover their bodies - they were killed in caves full of Japanese munitions. Among those who were not recovered was the soldier responsible for filming the Iwo Jima flag raising. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16191 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16191 Mon, 28 Feb 2005 08:46:52 -0600 John, you only think Suribachi doesn't look like much because you're a redleg. As an infantryman, that thing looks like the cast-iron bitch to assault that it was. It's steep as hell, an it's surrounded by nothing but flat, totally dominates all the rest of the island. As a bonus for the defenders (who were so well dug in that many of them are still dug in there), I'm sure that guns on other parts of the island could fire on the assaulting Marines trying to move up the slope, hitting them from behind. Assaulting it in modern times, I'd go for vertical envelopment-cover the top liberally with napalm and FAE (so as not to leave duds laying around), following as close as possible with assault troops in helicopters. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16180 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16180 Mon, 28 Feb 2005 08:05:42 -0600 Bill, you (and Fred, now that I think about it) need to show cause why you should not suffer immediate summary execution by impalement, or breaking on the wheel, or something like that there. ow ow ow ow OW ow ow! That's a 7-owchy, right up there with kidney stones and labor pains. Multiplied by your reminding me of it. Bad Bill, Wicked Bill! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16161 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16161 Sun, 27 Feb 2005 21:24:39 -0600 My favorite Fred line about LAVs: "One of 'em had a Mexican crew; we called it the Sancho Panzer..." http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16157 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16157 Sun, 27 Feb 2005 20:36:43 -0600 The overhead pic of the just-barely-awash amphibious vehicle reminds me of something Fred Reed, who used to drive them for a living, wrote in one of the columns on his Web site. (www.fredoneverything.net) It seems he was assigned to familiarize the slightly-more-junior with the sensations of being in one of those things, and said loudly to his juniors, and passengers, "It's too rough up here; take'er down!" Everyone present being Marines, I'm sure there was no panic or nuthin', but I betcha a bit more vomiting and thoughts of "I'll get you for this!" http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16145 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16145 Sun, 27 Feb 2005 18:12:33 -0600 Cricket... hmmm. I'm not sure that CU ever really *was* on anyone's list of institutions of higher learning... and I have family and friends that are alumnae! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16143 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16143 Sun, 27 Feb 2005 17:59:54 -0600 One more institution of higher learning that I can cross off my list if they do so. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16139 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16139 Sun, 27 Feb 2005 15:59:11 -0600 Sounds like an interesting story, Chief. Remind me not to go to McDonalds with you. Churchill is one level down from pond scum. He deserves the back of our hands, not a huge payout. My first reaction to the story on 1SG Jurgerson was "Amazing". But it shouldn't be amazing to hear these stories - there are examples everywhere of this kind of loyalty and leadership, and love. Maybe the MSM are just unable to see how much that appeals to most of us. It's one of the reasons I spend most of my time hanging around the Castle and other millblogs - the stories are better. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16127 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16127 Sun, 27 Feb 2005 10:30:06 -0600 AFSis - Ref Starbucks joke: Remind me to tell you why I'm flagged from McDonald's... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16114 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/sunday_fare.html#comment-16114 Sun, 27 Feb 2005 06:29:29 -0600