Thread: Stories!

War in the Wilderness is not my exploit.

I got a VSM for command of my battalion in combat! But that is another story. If you visit the Mahar Regimental Centre, Saugor Museum, you will get to know the background!

True, Brigadiers don't get into all this, but I have gone into a CASO (Cordon and Search Operation) since I wanted to get the feel. One must be upfront and know the environment or else comprehension of what is going on is not there and then people like Sniper gets away thinking the brass is a set of brass monkeys!

Rifleman, what company did you serve with in Vicenza?

ray,

some extraordinary stories, sir! thanks for sharing your experiences.

Astralis,

My pleasure.

Was away on a military bash for three weeks plus and hence the delay in posting!

ray,

welcome back, sir. hope everything went well, and look forward to your posts, as always.

10 years ago when my batallion went to our ´field laager´ there were 3 privates in service&maint.coy. who were rather happy-looking : 2 nights before they returned from their leave drunk as hell and of course met their NCO , who was at duty that night. -he offered them a choice : 1 week with MP-s at garrison or we find something for you in the field. they of course took the second option, which meant that they had carry it out after training periods/meals etc. they were not so happy when they found out that their punishment was to dig (manually) a hiding position for their supply truck (a really big 10t. Volvo truck , that was some 8-9 feet tall) and camouflage it. took them 12 days.

ok her is but one story.

In 1988 3rd Armored decided that 3/61 ADA was allowed to go to Graff. Mind you we were kicked off graff a few years back do to us destroying a range. Well we were going to Range 301 since it was brand new and we have not been there before. Well we rail load and have a grand time all the way there. All is goin well with nice sunny skies and they forcast was to be clear and cool. I was a young corpral at the time and gullible to boot because I believed it. We arrive and the first morning we had a lite rain and I figure ok. We get to tent city and all is well.
Day 1 at Graff.
I am awakened by LT because he needed a driver and he needed a 24M on site while everyone is loading out at the old church. So I was volenteered. Well I get dresses and step outside to a nice heavy fog. We start driving out and LT says were to be in blackout drive. I looked at him and said we are, its a bright fog is all. Her is a side note, LT has no sense of humor. Back to the story though. I switched to blackout drive lights and we continue on . Well arriving at Alpha Alpha, I found a trench that I could not see, Lt says stop right here. I was about to stop when I heard a noise I really did not want to hear. The sound of a M163A2 Vulcan accelerate to go over that which I did. I quickly moved the CUCV out of the way when the track came down clipping the bumper of the truck. Lt asked me to find a better place for the rest of the guns to come down and so I did as I am told. I am driving around in the dark when all these M1s came rolling in and now I am dodging them. Some how I missed seeing this rather deep hole when I dropped into it. I rolled down the window and climbed out of the truck, made note of where I was and lit up a couple chem sticks so I could find the truck later. Now the sun is coming up and I found where we were setting up so Lt ask hey its kind of cold out here , bring the truck on over so I can warm up. My reply "I can't". Lt say seriously, bring it here. So I said Sir I can't. Lt now asks why not, and my reply was its kind of stuck. Now mind you Lt has no humor. He say soldier I want my truck and I said it over there and pointed in the general direction of where it was. About this time over comes this LTC who asks Lt is that your truck in my tank trap. I never had to drive for him again

we i think back at the time it was,nt funny but now i have a good giggle,
during the battle at the lombar river in angolas we all sitting in our rattles,armoured troop carrier,as we where going into the attack we where hearing the ping ping ping of the small arms fire hit our vechile,we where told by intelegance that the enemy tanks had no fuel and where low on ammo,well needless to say i saw trees being cut in half by the enemy fire,as the order came stop, stap uit our vechile was hit there was a load bang the whole rattle had lifted in the air came down quite hard and our ears where ringing all we heard was fire,actually our gunner said prepare for fire ,well we hit the fire buttons which had come loose and our 2 rifleman grabbed the hand held fire extinguisher and started spraying,their was ****ing whitepowder everywhere,from the main extinguisher and smaller ones one thing i did notice we where reversing very quickly,as we stopped further back where it was relatively safe we climbed out ,well all 7 rifleman where covered in this fine white powder from giggles to histerical fits of laughter our major could,nt untill he saw us what we found so funny in the middle of a firefight.We found out later that our front left had side our vechile had been hit by T54 tank round it chewed up all the metal veered of and exploded somewhere behind us.Well i am not ashamed to admit it but a few of us had to change our pants after that

This was excerpted from Ivy Roberts letter sent me for the USS LCI (G) 450 ships newsletter several years ago. To set the stage, our WW ll ship was in the Pacific and crossing the equator.
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"King Neptune -Crossing the Line" I need to start with a little Ancient Mythology and tell you about King Neptune to begin this sea tale. King Neptune was a Roman God and King of the Sea. It was believed that Neptune could control all of the seas. Neptune supposedly had a three- pronged spear as his weapon. There are many tales told of Neptune and his powers and deeds, as he was and is revered as a very powerful God from mythology. Also for those readers who may not know or remember the rituals associated with "Crossing the Line", that is Crossing the Equator. "Crossing the Line" is a rite of passage for mariners who have not previously crossed the equator. Years ago this used to be a severe hazing that determined who had the "right stuff' to endure long, strenuous voyages into the great unknown, where the stars were unfamiliar and charts were useless. Through the years the event evolved into ceremonies of varying degrees, depending on the ship and its crew content. The common theme among ships was to initiate first-time crossers (called Polliwogs) into veteran crossers (named Shellbacks). The Shellbacks were (are) so named because of being veteran, crusty, hardened mariners having already made the voyage of crossing the equator. The Polliwogs were considered non- hardened mariners who must undergo some initiation by the Shellbacks in order to become hardened mariners -this is where the "Buffoonery" (hazing) starts. However, for Polliwogs to become true sailors they must be initiated by the Shellbacks to obtain the honor of becoming "Hardened Salts". Sometime after having left the Hawaiian Islands (about a week's sail) heading toward our next vacation spot, we approached the Equator and it was time for the "Crossing of the Line" ceremonies to begin. Valentine, BM 1/C, having previously crossed the equator was appointed King Neptune. Seaman Bell, (ship's Black Steward) was appointed Davy Jones or Co-Captain along with Valentine. I recall the uniform of the day being ordered by Valentine (as King Neptune and temporary Ship's Captain) for shorts and shoes. I also remember us first- timers having to endure the "Belt Line" hosted by the previous crossers. I also remember a 5- gallon bucket, and recall Valentine had managed to get whiskey involved with the proceedings, which was strictly against Captain Kennedy's rules. As I recall, these events of "Buffoonery" lasted about a 24 -hour duration. I truly believe the whiskey onboard the 450 was Valentine's doing and it cost him - as he was not later appointed Chief seaman on the 450 when Chief Sellers left the ship. "Too Many Chiefs" If my memory serves me correctly, we left the Hawaiian Islands with Chief Sellers in charge but also had onboard BM's Valentine, Nelson, and Johnson. Do any of you other fellow 450 seamen remember the "Sandwich Incident" between Captain Kennedy and Valentine? It happened a few days after we crossed the equator and I believe stemmed from the whiskey Valentine had brought onboard against Captain Kennedy's orders. Anyway part, if not all, of Valentine's sandwich found its way onto Captain Kennedy’s face following a heated exchange of words. The whiskey and sandwich incidents cost Valentine the Chiefs position on the 450 - and he was well aware he was now in serious trouble with Captain Kennedy. Sometime later Valentine left the ship without permission under the guise of getting a haircut. I know this to be true because I was in the dinghy that transported Valentine from the ship to the island where we left him. The last time I saw Valentine he was waving good-bye to the dinghy and us. BM Johnson was now the Chief Enlisted Sailor as Chief Sellers had departed the 450. "Beginning of Chief Sellers' Departure"
Page 2
I guess you 450 sailors remember that Chief Sellers and Captain Kennedy did not get along very well. Chief Sellers did not sleep in or around the Officers' area, and he did not sleep in or around the enlisted sailors' area. We made him a place to sleep in the ship's forecastle (pronounced foksul). Chief Sellers did not like the idea of being on the 450 and felt the LCI (G) ship and its mission was
nothing more than a "Death Trap". I recall the beginning of the end of Chief Sellers' duty aboard the 450. He came to me and asked me if it was true that my Section III had not had liberty since leaving Hawaii? I said that was true. He then told me my Section III would be taking liberty that night -even without Captain Kennedy's approval. I questioned him on authority and asked how would this be done? He simply stated Section III would take Liberty tonight, or the Section would never get Liberty again while Sellers was Chief! Looking back on things, I know this was a power struggle between Captain Kennedy and Chief Sellers - and Section III was the pawns in the "chess match". I instructed my Section III crew we, would be taking Liberty tonight on Chief Sellers authority, but we would be departing the ship over the Fan Tail because I knew Captain Kennedy would be watching the Gangway. Chism and I were the last to leave the 450 over the Fan Tail that evening, and everyone had been instructed to return to the ship before midnight. Chism and I returned around 11 :00 PM and Captain Kennedy was still awake. Kennedy summoned me to his office. Upon entering Captain Kennedy's office he noted I was "under the influence" of spirits. He said "Roberts you are in no shape to discuss this now- report to me here at 08:30 hours in the morning". I informed Chief Sellers and he reported with me to Captain Kennedy the next morning at 08:30 hrs. I told Captain Kennedy that my crew and me had carried-out the last order given to us by Chief Sellers to
take Liberty .Chief Sellers confirmed to Captain Kennedy this was true, and the Captain and Chief got into a heated argument. Captain Kennedy got the last word by telling Chief Sellers "We'll see what I can do about this!" Chief Sellers was detached off of the 450.a week later Upon Chief Sellers' departure from the 450, Johnson now became Chief Enlisted Sailor on the USS LCI (G) 450 -

I am researching the PCF 19 deployed in Vietnam from 1966 - 1969 patrolling in Coastal Zone I & II - northern Vietnam. There is alot of misinformation and plain untruths on the Internet and it makes me sick. I don't believe anyone who writes anything about the 19 realizes there are 5 men of that long-term crew who are still alive today. If anyone on the WAB had come into contact with the PCF19 during 1966 - 1969 or knows of someone who has, please post or send me a P.M. More than likely those who would have had the most contact would be someone in the 3rd Marine division and those serving on the USS Repose. However, there could be servicemen from the USS Forrestal or the USS New Jersey who may recall the 19. Thanks.

A Brit true story /

While serving in Germany 1978 , i was driving to camp in my car which was an opel rekord , a real piece of junk it was, the alternator was buggered and so i had to drive on side lights with a freshly charged battery , i was on my way to a corporals mess piss up and near the camp gates the RMP spotted me on sidelights ,( in the brit army we have affectionately named RMPs as monkies or rock apes if you like )

Well ,the cop car was full of trainee chimps and the sgt in charge must have thought right, i,ll show these chimps how its done . He does a tyre screeching turn ( like the dukes of hazard ) and pulls me up outside the camp gates and proceeds to lay down every #*&^%$£ rule in the world , i had turned my engine off and the lights to conserve the battery , and he was strutting round like a freshly screwed peacock showing off to the chimps ?

He was stood in front of my car and ORDERED me to turn on my headlights to see if they worked ? when all of a sudden there was a hissing sound ? whats that he said , aawww fcuk me thinks I , the repair i made to the radiator seems to have come undone , the radiator was pissing BRITISH ARMY STOLEN ANTI FREEZE (AL3) , ALL OVER HIS NICELY PRESSED UNIFORM , oh crap thinks me , but alas there was nothing he could do ,(unless he knew the anti freeze was swiped, mind you , so was the gas ) as a busted radiator isnt part of a mechanical roadworthy test ,so bawling and shouting that my life was over etc etc ,off he shoots threatening everyone who could hear that i would pay for his uniform to be cleaned ,,im still waiting for the bill , he made himself look a right prick in front of all his trainees , and i still laff about it now,even the car was telling him to piss off .lol

I hope he is still alive and reading this,the w#nker

ps i even washed the car next day as a treat, then scrapped it a week later , shame eh ?

Good one Tankie!

But a chap like you should be in the clink. It is safer then for the country, forget about the army!

Tankie,

Did anyone told you that sentry duty is not a license to steal?

Originally Posted by Officer of Engineers

Tankie,

Did anyone told you that sentry duty is not a license to steal?

Ray , me in clink ? well ok ,only once but , and that was for something i didnt do ?
i didnt hide well enough

OoE , yes i was told that on numerous occasions so i never stole any POL , i just bought it cheaply off the sentries who did