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Military Service

Viking said:
Thanks Bob and AF for the kind words, it was my pleasure.:tiphat: Here are a few shots of my old boat, USS Narwhal SSN 671.
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OFF TOPIC . . . I wish I could find the photos of the WWII German Sub I took to post for you to make some comparisons. I did have the opportunity to talk to one of the surviving members of the boarding party that captured the sub. It is currently on display at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago. We are members there and get to attend special showing, events prior to public display. The WWII German Sub has been there for a few decades but really fell into disrepair. It is in pristine shape now and I would encourage anyone visiting Chicago to tour it.
 
Viking , You must have a better temperment than I do . I went on an old Diesel electric sub in the late '60's. How anyone can function for a prolonged period of time in those cramped confines while under water still escapes me.
The men of the "silent service" have got to be a breed apart .
My hats off to You ! John
 
Ditto on the submariner service Viking. You gotta have it together to serve on a sub in the first place.
 
B_Skurka said:
OFF TOPIC . . . I wish I could find the photos of the WWII German Sub I took to post for you to make some comparisons. I did have the opportunity to talk to one of the surviving members of the boarding party that captured the sub. It is currently on display at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago. We are members there and get to attend special showing, events prior to public display. The WWII German Sub has been there for a few decades but really fell into disrepair. It is in pristine shape now and I would encourage anyone visiting Chicago to tour it.
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When I was a kid, I watched that sub go up the St.Clair River. I lived there!:wave: :beer:
 
nixon said:
The men of the "silent service" have got to be a breed apart .
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That is a true understatment...IMO...if ever one existed!
No offense meant either

To know the real meaning of the 'silent service breed', you'd have to have been one. It's either in your blood or it isn't! Nothing else can even come close to describing the life they live. I know this because my father was a 30 yr lifer in the USN that included yrs of sub service. I can attribute the stress and challenges that this breed of men endured, contributed to the permanent separation of my father and I. When he was the CO of one sub, it made life even worse. Kinda hard to explain, but for those of you that did serve an extended tour of duty that included the silent service, you probably know what I mean. The consequences of belonging to that "breed apart" are an extreme...and a tough price to pay

I also didn't serve in the military for the same reasons as Bob. No draft & my age group, and the fact that I had absolutely no interest in it at all...side effect of being a military brat, as we we're called<G>. Funny thing I'll never forget, my father didn't even believe there was no draft at the time and returned with me to the recruiting office to hear it himself. Tough guns he was!!

While I originally had no intention of posting anything here, Nixon and Viking's mention of subs caught my eye. After a little web searching, I found mention of my father and the sub...SS 482 Irex, his tour as CO of it until 69 when it was decommissioned, and a few other bits about his tour of duty. Never had any interest to search the web about him or his tour before, until you guys brought it up....
Thanks in a strange, but meaningful way.
and more importantly...thanks for your service to our country.

Here's a pic I found and a mention of him from the Irex website...

"I lack information for much of 1967-68. But during this time the Irex went on another Med cruise, under the command of R. L. Koehler, during which she visited Nice and she tied up at the Douane pier there to spend a week on a routine port of call. ".....................................................

"Apparently, once stripped, the Irex was then stricken from the Navy inventory (decommissioned) on 17 November 1969. The decommissioning ceremony involved lowering the ensign, and, despite the use of the term "ex" above, on that day the captain, Cmdr Robert L. Koehler, painted over the hull number on the sail. The above list anticipated that the ultimate disposition of the cull would be in 1970 (or April 1971?). "
 

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Army 83-85, "prematurely" (sp?) dishcharged (honerable of course) due to severe hearing loss (I can always hear "ringing" in my ears:D ).
 
US Army, Infantry with wings. Gravel Agitator, Beetle Basher. Jumped out of perfectly good airplanes. Learned to sit on my helmet in those Hueys you guys played with so I did not get shot in the jewels. 1961-1964. Far East, but we were not there.Got hit but did not get PH, as we were not there. Had 6 stripes, made Corporal 3 times. Kept shooting allies. Could not tell the difference between North and South. Had a couple of Jar Heads in the family too. WWII. Pacific. Seems we are always fighting the "Yella Fella"! No regrets, and was glad to pay my debt to my country. Now I feel that I can bitch, as I paid my dues, and bitch I do! Funny, I just found my dog tags two days ago. Long time ago, in a different:gun2: :gun1: :14_6_12: :finger2: time and place.

It was a kick!!!!!!!!!!!
 
LarryRB said:
Army helicopters

1970-74
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Used to really like to see you guys come in and get our butts out of some really interesting situations. You were a little late for my time, but to you and all the chopper guys before and after. I am still here because of you. The only thing I can say is ,:tiphat: Thanks!
 
Air Force 60-65 B-66 bombers (Nukes) England. Took a 10 year break USAR 75-93 combact engineer.Retired 23 years total service. Now disabled vet.
 
loki2 said:
Used to really like to see you guys come in and get our butts out of some really interesting situations. You were a little late for my time, but to you and all the chopper guys before and after. I am still here because of you. The only thing I can say is ,:tiphat: Thanks!
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Very hard to talk to other chopper guys too... I had two of a three and half year tour, with a very small special breed of guys. We were their permanent taxi cabs. We were attached to the 5th SFG, Kontum, also known as MACV-SOG, then several name changes followed, however, nothing really changed. Let's see, SOGII,, FOBII, CCC, TFAEII... Name changed were purposely done.........
 
loki2 said:
What?????;)
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U.S Army reserves while in high school, '82 (wanted to get a head start with Basic).

AIT at Sill. Started off as a 13 foxtrot (couldn't score high enough for an 11 bravo:D ). Benning, and then Bragg. Kill a commie for mommy:a1:

"Training", loud "bangs" and next thing you know I can't hear.

Uncle Sam wanted me to transfer me to the REMF's and I said no.

Hey, five minutes later and I got the "what"!:D
 
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LarryRB said:
Very hard to talk to other chopper guys too... I had two of a three and half year tour, with a very small special breed of guys. We were their permanent taxi cabs. We were attached to the 5th SFG, Kontum, also known as MACV-SOG, then several name changes followed, however, nothing really changed. Let's see, SOGII,, FOBII, CCC, TFAEII... Name changed were purposely done.........
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I spent time with the Yards! Great people!! :a1:
We sure turned our backs on them, but that was the shit head liberal polititions. (SHLP), who were making a fortune off of the blood of our soldiers. While Hanoi Jane was putting out for the enemy.
SOG was not invented when I was in country. Came later.

What???? :D I can't hear either. Bombs, Bullets and Bullsh*t, all are tough on the hearing. You mean your ears are not supposed to ring?? :rolleyes: Answer the phone.:smileywac
 
loki2 said:
I spent time with the Yards! Great people!! :a1:
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My father at the time was in communications in the AF during Vietnam. Spent close to three or four years over there (he was a lifer) during that war. Spent most of his time in Thailand (sp?) wearing civies, and spent some time in Laos as well (always thought it was a BIG secret). How he got some black and white pictures I don't know, but I was amazed at the little airstrips on the sides of mountains in the middle of a jungle so "thick" it was amazing. The planes (not 130's!) where small and he always spoke highly of the pilots and thier skill to land where they had to.

One time back stateside on a visit, he brought me back a handmade crossbow from one the "villagers". No longer than 20", amazing on how the trigger was made, and although the arrows were "short" as well, took skill to make such a straight arrow. Still have that crossbow, and although the "string" is a little frayed, still works perfectly.
 
Your Dad probably was stationed at NPK. We did a lot with guys out of that place. I have over a thousand hours in Laos, and less than three hundred in VN. Maybe 20, at most in Cambodia.. We worked an area called Base 609 and leghorn. Ask your Dad about that, and if he knows 609/Leghorn.
 
And he was just down this past weekend (per my B-17 post here).

FORGIVE the spelling.

Flew into and stayed "awhile" in Udorn, Thailand (apparently where they trained pilots?) then he went over to Vien Chen (sp?)

He wasn't sure abour 609/leghorn. Honestly, seems like "role reversal" now that he's getting older (he gets flustered easily when he has to "think", and to think I drove him up the wall when he "taught me to drive stick, now he drives me up the wall if he tries to drive my truck).

He enlisted in 1949, still not exactly how old he is:cool:

Mentioned "Air America".
 
LarryRB said:
Your Dad probably was stationed at NPK. We did a lot with guys out of that place. I have over a thousand hours in Laos, and less than three hundred in VN. Maybe 20, at most in Cambodia.. We worked an area called Base 609 and leghorn. Ask your Dad about that, and if he knows 609/Leghorn.
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You could not have been in Laos and Cambodia, because we were not there.;)
 
AFF- Don't let the jerks make you think the rest of us don't appreciate your service. As your Mom and Dad can tell you, I spent more than a little time in Viet Nam myself and know how disheartening it can be to turn on T.V. and see the lunatic fringe being covered as though they represented the majority. They don't. We AMERICANS are simply gratefull there are still enough of you kids with real blood in your viens to pick up the torch of freedom and carry it to other lands in order to insure our safety. God Bless you and thanks for the sacrifices you make for us daily.


J.P.
 
Thank you and you are welcome Alonzo. It is hard to see all of that on TV and stay motivated. Perfect example; My husband and I were coming back on base from a Veterans Day Parade downtown, and there was a guy with his little protesting sign. I just couldn't believe that he would do that. But that is his opinion.
 
USAF active duty July 1973-August 1985, first year in I was a forklift mechainic then retrained into Aircraft Corrision Control specialist and fiberglass repair,
From June 1981 to July 1983 Air Force Training Instructor at Lackland AFB, Tx (thats a Drill Instructor to non-AF types) Made E-7 in just a little over 8 years.

USAF Reserve from August 1984 to September 1996 as a First Sgt in a flying Squadron, retired after my right knee and left ear kept me from flying anymore (mainly my left ear)

Served in Thailland, Japan, South Korea, The Phillippines, Texas, Nevada, and Maine active duty

Served in Alaska, Washington, California, Phillippines, South Korea, Saudi Arabia (during the first Gulf War)

Retired from the Reserve as E-8 First Sgt.

My father served during WWII in the Army Air, and the Air Force after the split from the Air Force, I have had 2 brothers of the 5 brothers serve and they have since also retired with E-8 My other brothers were medically unable to serve.

I had one brother that enter the Air Force when I was a T.I. and they mistakenly assigned him to the same Squadron that I was a T.I. I had them immediately transfer him to another Squadron, The reason was to avoid any type of conflict of interest and I made it a point not to visit him until his last day in Basic and he had finished Basic.
 
Bump,

We have several new members so I'm hoping they'll post their service here as well.
 
bczoom said:
So we have an idea as it's beneficial to know in so many ways, chime in if you served in the military.
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US Army 1964 - 1967 stationed in Heidelburg, Germany. MOS 74C20

AFF, best of luck to you and your husband, and thanks to both of you for your service. Don't let the few protestors make you think the rest of us don't appreciate your service. All of us are grateful for your sacrifice regardless of what the liberal media says.

Bob
 
bobpierce said:
'79-'84 USAF, our motto - "In God we trust. All others we monitor, jam, or deceive".
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Sounds like you worked on the same type of equipment I did. I worked on the on EA-6B's. What was the USAF using at the time?
 
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