Ewan Took

Bombdogs... cute but deadly. It's the last bit of petting you'll ever do...

__________________
"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."

Lucifer Baphomet

I loved that show

And brass eye

__________________

Richie Waves

"due to broadcast restriction must inhale helium to subtract credibility from his statements"

__________________
My lastfm

Oooh, Betty! the cat did a shit in the hat

Brave Republic

They have a railway gun at Aberdeen proving grounds in Maryland. Great place to see WWI-late 1970's armor. Although every year some poor enlistedman has to paint them all, usually a horrible and non authentic color, to prohibit rust.

__________________
CAVE ADSUM
--------------------------------------------------

Brave Republic

We have to remember that it was only in the propoganda of the enemy that the NVA and VC were simple peasants armed with old rusty French pre WWI rifles and knives. In reality main force VC were highly trained, North Vietnamese Regulars were highly trained and in fact many were really Chinese (250K PRC troops served in Vietnam), Local Force guerillas were used but not in a fiorefight situation. The AK 47 was ubiquitous during US involvement as was the SKS which even while our troops were there was being phased into more of a rear echelon weapon. They had RPG 2 and 7's, they had Chicom supplied uniforms and equiipment, grenades, explosives, etc etc etc. US troops were fighting a modern army--modern in both training and equipment. They also had special Sapper units made up from Dac Cong (in simple terms their speical forces) who's role was not only infiltration and raids on firebases but to provide special hunter teams to US Recon teams on teh ground behind the lines. So Spooky wasn't churning up any farmer by day-fighter by night romanticized peasant warrior (you know, what some of you championed in your hazy protest days at berkeley) but a moderrn army intent on destroying our force on the ground. Giving a recon team the ability to lay a lead and copper jacketed curtain of protection aroud themselves was a plus.


Actually,. I'm fond of the flechette round myself. Thoudans of tiny darts with fins (nicknamed nails). The most common deleivery was in a chopper's 122mm (?) rocket, although flechette rounds were made for the m79 "bloop" gun and even current day for shotguns

detrius

Again, I was in no way complaining, intending to start a discussion or making an evaluative statement, I was merely commenting on the sheer sheerness of the idea to put wings on a tank.

And I, too, have heard the stories about vast underground complexes and U.S. soldiers who allegedly threw away their M16s and replaced them with the Kalashnikovs of fallen Vietcongs, I know about the Ho Chi Minh trail and the sophisticated Vietnamese air defense network, so your little discourse in history was really unnecessary.

And the notion that anyone who feels a bit queasy about such weapons is just a hippie who spent his youth drugged at Berkeley is just asinine. I don't have to like weapons just because you do.

__________________

Brave Republic

Hi there., sorry if you took offense, I wasn't trying to make you look bad or really respond to you per se, but was reviewing the posts and elaborated on spooky. I also feel it is necessary to bring up the real information on the NVA and Viet Cong when given a chance to do so. So much disinformation leftover from our fab 60's is kicking around and there is a need to set the record straight.

I will correct one thing you said though, no GI in his right mind would swap his M16 for an Ak unless he had a deathwish to be shot by his own troops in combat The photos that everyone sees with US soldiers with AK's or foreign weapons are of very specialized units IE SOG recon teams, going in dressed as NVA to gain a few seconds of an edge on the enemy.

Interesting note (excuse the history lesson) SOG teams had 3 Americans and the rest were Montagards, Nungs or South Vietnames. Sometimes a "Kit Carson" scout (North Vietnamese converted to our side) would tag along. Kit Carsons were kept in check or loyal because if captured certain torture and death awaited them from their former buddies and if they ran or sabotaged the mission they'd be killed immediately by the SOG team (Yards hated all ethnic Vietnamese) Since the majority of the team would be indigenous personnel--it was not unusual to run a mission dressed in captured NVA uniforms and gear and /or black pajamas with sun helmets or floppy hats. This was usually if they were definately going to be on the trail and the idea was when Victor Charles came diddy bopping down the bend in the Ho Chi Minh Trail and saw a little brownish dude dressed like him, it would throw him off just long enough for the other team members to eliminate the threat. CISO had a lot of sterile and NVA copy gear and uniforms made for SOG too.

Here's a good pic of RT Idaho:



Brave

detrius

Hence the "allegedly".

Brave Republic

Good caption: "Sin Loi Victor Charles"

Sometimes just "the little people" would be dressed this way.