How many military bubbas here?

**thescot** · 8th March 07, 09:24 AM

Maternal grandfather was a doughboy in WW I; had some tales to tell. My father was in the Seabees at Okinawa, and he carried a piece of sharpnel home that was removed from just behind his ear (didn't know it was there) in 1999 just before he died. I spent time as an MP, a tanker (hated that), and finally a platoon sergeant in a rifle company with the USMC.

And my dad had two cousins in the OSS during WW II, mostly behind enemy lines.

**Fearnest** · 8th March 07, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by thescot

I spent time as... a tanker (hated that)...

Ah, but launching that main gun round down range is almost the most fun you can have with both feet on the floor and fatigues (or nomex) on!

**Cawdorian** · 8th March 07, 11:46 AM

That may have a lot to do with being in the tank, being on the ground behind the tank is no fun. But on second thought I'd rather be behind the tank than in front of it.

**Fearnest** · 8th March 07, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Cawdorian

That may have a lot to do with being in the tank, being on the ground behind the tank is no fun. But on second thought I'd rather be behind the tank than in front of it.

Been both places - I'll agree with you there! (And the "best" was watching our signal officer ride the back deck for night fire... when that first round went off, he thought the tank had exploded, and took off running! I don't think his feet hit the ground until he was a good ten feet behind the tank, and he didn't stop running until he was WELL past the tower.)

On a sad note - it was a bad decision to do away with the external phone when we went from the M48/M60 series tanks to the M1 series... but the gas turbine engine's exhaust is ALSO something you don't want to be too close to (says the man who lost his eyebrows and forearm hair to one).