1fastpony
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With JATO Assist?
veterans day role call
- Thread starter 08stang
- Start date
Nope
1fastpony
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When I was in they had to use JATO but that was awhile ago. Traping was hard on the undercarriege too. Then again, our battle group had just rolled in the F-14 A+ AND Some Delta models...the F14A needed after burners, the later models didn't. They were bad ass's.
As a matter of fact the Nimitz was the last to do it and as for the A-3 Whale, if you recall them. They lost one over the side in the north Antlantic and NAVOPS and NATOPS said no more.
Whats your designation besides making sandwitches, ATC...Navigator?
Last edited:
95ragtop
Senior Member
I came in as a 14E Patriot Missile BS, then switched to 18D (medic).
1fastpony
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Thought this story would be good for summing up this thread. We, here at work normally get these stories of american service men and women who have served with honor and distinction. November is Native American month and this Marine is from my home state. It is amazing what a person will go through. I am sure we will hear more stories from the latest efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan in the future.
Native American Heritage Month - from the book "Warriors in Uniform" Vernon
Tsoodle
The following are excerpts from the book "Warriors in Uniform" printed in
2008 by National Geographic From the chapter "Fighting the Short Wolf Men:
Korea"
Vernon Tsoodle, a member of the Kiowa Nation, lives near Meers, Oklahoma
with his wife of 58 years. A Marine Corps veteran retired in 1973 with the
rank of master gunnery sergeant (E-9) after 30 years of military service
including his time with the National Guard.
"I was born in the vicinity of Mountain View, Oklahoma, in 1931.
Tsoodle (Red Teepee), my great-grandfather, was the father of Satanta (White
Bear), the great Kiowa warrior, and Old Man Tsoodle, my grandfather.
Satanta was a member of a elite society of Kiowa warriors called Kaseenkos.
Only the top ten warriors of the tribe could be members. I have been told
that if that society still existed, I would be considered a member because
of my war record.
Among the Kiowa people, the war record is the most important
determinant of status with the tribe. From the war record flow all the
great rewards of Kiowa culture. Because of my warrior lineage, I am a
member of the Kiowa Gourd Clan. Its members were always the strongest and
most able-bodied men of the tribe. It was their duty to protect the tribe
and serve as hunters, warriors, and camp policemen.
I lived with my grandparents, Old Man Tsoodle and his wife, Kau Tompa
Hodle. It was customary to give grandparents a child to raise since they
had no more children of their own at home and the grandchild would be around
to help take care of them. It was also a way to ensure that tribal
traditions and culture would be carried on by the next generation.
Since my grandparents could not speak English, I learned to speak
Kiowa.
That enabled me to converse with other elders. As a child, I heard many
stories about Kiowa warriors from the tribal elders who visited my
grandparents. For example, I learned that when our horsemen would close in
on their enemies, the war chiefs could shouts, "Bay-Pae-Tay! Bay-Pae-Tay!"
"Courage! Courage!" Whenever I was engaged with the enemy during my tours
in Korea and Vietnam, those words would race through my mind."
In addition to being influenced by ancestors, Tsoodle was shaped by other
forces when he was taken to Riverside Indian School in Anadarko, Oklahoma
and later to Chilocco Indian School for high school. "I learned things such
as discipline, which later served me well in the Marine Corps. A famous
Marine general once said, 'The difference between being afraid and being
helplessly frightened is discipline.' That applies not only to the Marine
Corps but to life itself. If you are afraid, that's fine. If you are
disciplined, you can handle any situation." Chilocco had a National Guard
unit, but it was empty because everyone had been sent overseas to fight in
World War II, so Tsoodle enlisted in the Oklahoma National Guard at the age
of 14. "My rifle seemed like it was taller than I was." "At Indian
boarding school we were taught when to eat, when to brush our teeth, when to
breathe. Boot camp as a snap compared to Indian schools."
Tsoodle was also one of the "Frozen Chosin" in Korea. "We did not realize
how cold it was until we got up there. Temperatures of 30 and 40 degrees
below zero were common. The ground was so frozen we couldn't dig foxholes.
We had to lay behind rice paddy dikes and things like that for protection.
You couldn't build a fire because you would give your position away. All
you could do was just lay there and endure the cold. I remember being
served a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings but it froze
solid while I was eating it. Even had there been no enemy shooting at us,
we wondered how we could survive."
An inscription on the Korean War monument in Washington, DC says, "All gave
some, some gave all." Tsoodle, who considers himself "one of the lucky
ones,"
grows emotional when he thinks of the Marines who did not make it out. "I
think of them and then I wonder why, despite four combat tours - two in
Korea and two in Vietnam - I never got a scratch."
Private Tsoodle's Bronze Star:
"For heroic achievement in connection with operations against an enemy while
serving with a Marine signal company in Korea on 28 Nov 1950. Private First
Class Tsoodle, acting as a machine gunner in a machine gun squad of a
reinforced rifle platoon comprised of communications personnel, displayed
outstanding professional skill and initiative. When his platoon was
assigned the mission of reinforcing an infantry company in defense of the
Hagaru-ri, Korea, airstrip, he fearlessly assumed an exposed position and
placed accurate and effective fire on enemy positions. Despite numerous
casualties suffered by his platoon, he continued to remain in position
throughout the night and, by his fire, inflicted numerous casualties on the
enemy. His aggressive actions were an inspiration to all members of his
platoon and contributed materially to the successful defense of the
airstrip. Private First Class Tsoodle's initiative and courageous actions
were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval
Service."
Native American Heritage Month - from the book "Warriors in Uniform" Vernon
Tsoodle
The following are excerpts from the book "Warriors in Uniform" printed in
2008 by National Geographic From the chapter "Fighting the Short Wolf Men:
Korea"
Vernon Tsoodle, a member of the Kiowa Nation, lives near Meers, Oklahoma
with his wife of 58 years. A Marine Corps veteran retired in 1973 with the
rank of master gunnery sergeant (E-9) after 30 years of military service
including his time with the National Guard.
"I was born in the vicinity of Mountain View, Oklahoma, in 1931.
Tsoodle (Red Teepee), my great-grandfather, was the father of Satanta (White
Bear), the great Kiowa warrior, and Old Man Tsoodle, my grandfather.
Satanta was a member of a elite society of Kiowa warriors called Kaseenkos.
Only the top ten warriors of the tribe could be members. I have been told
that if that society still existed, I would be considered a member because
of my war record.
Among the Kiowa people, the war record is the most important
determinant of status with the tribe. From the war record flow all the
great rewards of Kiowa culture. Because of my warrior lineage, I am a
member of the Kiowa Gourd Clan. Its members were always the strongest and
most able-bodied men of the tribe. It was their duty to protect the tribe
and serve as hunters, warriors, and camp policemen.
I lived with my grandparents, Old Man Tsoodle and his wife, Kau Tompa
Hodle. It was customary to give grandparents a child to raise since they
had no more children of their own at home and the grandchild would be around
to help take care of them. It was also a way to ensure that tribal
traditions and culture would be carried on by the next generation.
Since my grandparents could not speak English, I learned to speak
Kiowa.
That enabled me to converse with other elders. As a child, I heard many
stories about Kiowa warriors from the tribal elders who visited my
grandparents. For example, I learned that when our horsemen would close in
on their enemies, the war chiefs could shouts, "Bay-Pae-Tay! Bay-Pae-Tay!"
"Courage! Courage!" Whenever I was engaged with the enemy during my tours
in Korea and Vietnam, those words would race through my mind."
In addition to being influenced by ancestors, Tsoodle was shaped by other
forces when he was taken to Riverside Indian School in Anadarko, Oklahoma
and later to Chilocco Indian School for high school. "I learned things such
as discipline, which later served me well in the Marine Corps. A famous
Marine general once said, 'The difference between being afraid and being
helplessly frightened is discipline.' That applies not only to the Marine
Corps but to life itself. If you are afraid, that's fine. If you are
disciplined, you can handle any situation." Chilocco had a National Guard
unit, but it was empty because everyone had been sent overseas to fight in
World War II, so Tsoodle enlisted in the Oklahoma National Guard at the age
of 14. "My rifle seemed like it was taller than I was." "At Indian
boarding school we were taught when to eat, when to brush our teeth, when to
breathe. Boot camp as a snap compared to Indian schools."
Tsoodle was also one of the "Frozen Chosin" in Korea. "We did not realize
how cold it was until we got up there. Temperatures of 30 and 40 degrees
below zero were common. The ground was so frozen we couldn't dig foxholes.
We had to lay behind rice paddy dikes and things like that for protection.
You couldn't build a fire because you would give your position away. All
you could do was just lay there and endure the cold. I remember being
served a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings but it froze
solid while I was eating it. Even had there been no enemy shooting at us,
we wondered how we could survive."
An inscription on the Korean War monument in Washington, DC says, "All gave
some, some gave all." Tsoodle, who considers himself "one of the lucky
ones,"
grows emotional when he thinks of the Marines who did not make it out. "I
think of them and then I wonder why, despite four combat tours - two in
Korea and two in Vietnam - I never got a scratch."
Private Tsoodle's Bronze Star:
"For heroic achievement in connection with operations against an enemy while
serving with a Marine signal company in Korea on 28 Nov 1950. Private First
Class Tsoodle, acting as a machine gunner in a machine gun squad of a
reinforced rifle platoon comprised of communications personnel, displayed
outstanding professional skill and initiative. When his platoon was
assigned the mission of reinforcing an infantry company in defense of the
Hagaru-ri, Korea, airstrip, he fearlessly assumed an exposed position and
placed accurate and effective fire on enemy positions. Despite numerous
casualties suffered by his platoon, he continued to remain in position
throughout the night and, by his fire, inflicted numerous casualties on the
enemy. His aggressive actions were an inspiration to all members of his
platoon and contributed materially to the successful defense of the
airstrip. Private First Class Tsoodle's initiative and courageous actions
were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval
Service."
madrussian
T-101
2002-2004 Army Reserve 92A, 2004-2008 US Army Active 92A, 27 month total in Iraq (Warrior, Spicher, Anakonda, TQ, Corrigedor, Ramadi....) as a gun truck driver, TC, gunner. 2008 to current - Army Reserve 88m, enough sad.
bushmasterbob
Member
Canadian Forces/Army, 2007-current. Ldsh(Rc) A Sqn 2 Troop. Leopard 2 A6M Gunner/Loader in Afghanistan TF 01-10. Coming home tomorrow, been there since april. Served with 1-71 and 1-75 Calvary a bit.
US-1
Banned
USAF Satellite Recon/Surveillance Analyst. 1986-1992. Liason station at Langley.....and I don't mean the base either. 
ZmanM3
The Evil One
Tre06GTP1SC
South Texas Death Ride
I read the book that talks about the firefight that lead to his earning the MOH, it follows that platoon through their time in the Korangal Valley. An excellent read IMHO. War
Tre06GTP1SC
South Texas Death Ride
I'll take you up on it Herk. Meet you in Tulsa! The USAF doesn't do anything better than make sandwhiches....LOL
I'll take you up on it Herk. Meet you in Tulsa! The USAF doesn't do anything better than make sandwhiches....LOL
yep! we suck! oh wait...
seems like I am only making sandwiches right now... I'm DNIF for the forseeable future... getting old sucks... and having a job that has such strict health requirements does as well...
accline
Junior Member
US Army 96-06 - UH60A/L/M, RC-12D/N, OH-58C, pilot that is....
01/02 - Kuwait
03 - Iraq
04 - Afghanistan
Colombia a couple of time
Melvin’s Fly I probably flew you around in UH-60s at Campbell, I was in 5-101 in 97-98.
01/02 - Kuwait
03 - Iraq
04 - Afghanistan
Colombia a couple of time
Melvin’s Fly I probably flew you around in UH-60s at Campbell, I was in 5-101 in 97-98.
Melvin's Fly
Member
Probably did - we flew a lot. I was the one in camo.
I did Air Assault School in Spring of 97.
accline
Junior Member
Same here, May 97...
don't miss the ruck marches.
don't miss the ruck marches.
RogersBlue05GT
Junior Member
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- Oct 12, 2008
- Posts
- 18
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- 0
US Army 91-present 12W4X2B Construction Supervisor/ AIT PLT SGT/ Air Assault.
Melvin's Fly
Member
We may have been in the same class - I was April or May 97
ha - My Assistant Gunner was supposed to re-enlist on a day when we did a road march - but he didn't because the road march sucked so much
Buddyweiser
Member
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- Oct 15, 2007
- Posts
- 147
- Reaction score
- 5
US Army 2004-present wheeled vehicle mechanic and stryker mechanic, Recovery vehicle operator ( for when shit gets blown up) and welder/fabricator. I'm currently sttioned at FT Lewis WA. Deployed twice to Iraq. And we think our projects are bad...
crabcakes and football
crabcakes and football
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