Hello Guest

Author Topic: "There I was" the story thread  (Read 3099 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34018
    • View Profile
"There I was" the story thread
« on: January 20, 2019, 07:41:03 PM »
All great stories told by aviators, Army Aviators to be specific begin something like, There I was, almost out of fuel, attitude indicator all junked up, I was inverted, air medals dangling in my face... Like that!

Flying can create circumstances for some darned funny stuff to happen. Military flying can be stressful, dangerous, and really push your limits now and then. So when something unexpected happens, everyone blows off some steam and gets a good laugh.

We had been talking about telling stories on the "Chinook" picture thread, and I thought I'd just start a thread right here designed for nothing more than good stories. I hardly know where to start, so I guess I'll tell you about a crew chief who always seemed to get himself into trouble.

Following a long field training exercise the Chinooks were air lifting everything from PZ's (Pickup zones) and taking them to their destinations, LZ's (Landing Zones) The place was Korea, where I spent two one year tours, one in 87-88. You may recall that the olympics were held in Seoul that year and I guess I got to participate in the preparation for that event. So at the time I was flying CUWTF (Combined unconventional warfare task force) flying both US and South Korean Special Forces. Without getting into any detail, lets just say we were part of a 911 police force in the event anything bad happened.

The Chinooks were leaned on heavily to move construction stuff and folks around to the various venues, and guys like me were practicing responding to various emergencies. One of our Chinooks actually jumped the opening ceremony sky divers who jumped the five olympic rings which were done in smoke. If you look at the tape you will see one of our birds at 10,000 feet with the jumpers exiting.

So one day my crew and I were working with the "bubbas", jumping them into a stadium downtown Seoul from high altitude. Thing was, I picked the jumpers up from a LZ miles away and then climbed up and over the drop zone before releasing them. This time we had, let us say, some highly sensitive people on board and they called for extraction from the stadium.

I circled that thing a couple of times noting there was no good place to land. The crewchief said he thought I could land next to a building like thing that was erected to seat the judges for whatever event was going to happen there. I didn't like it, but a Korean police guy on the ground kept waving me in to land. So I did, started my approach to a point maybe a hundred feet from that structure. Everything was going OK until I flared a bit at the bottom and added a little power and all at once the grandstand plywood thing started to shake. I had nowhere to go, knowing if I added any power to go around I'd probably do some damage. Well as we came to a hover, the thing shook violently and then just like that broke up into a million pieces!

It was amazing, the thing turned into confetti and all that was left to show that anything had ever been there other than the debris raining down all over was this single pigtail of electrical cable sticking up out of the ground. As I lowered the thrust to the ground position and the big bird settled down on its struts, I looked out to see that cop standing in front of me with a classic WTF just happened look on his face. Poor guy, looked like he was just sentenced to life imprisionment.

So as the rotor blades coasted to a stop, the customers came walking up to climb onboard and this cop came over, note pad in hand and was writing something while cussing in Korean. My Korean customers were chuckling so I called over one that I knew well, Sergeant Kim. I asked him, "What's he saying, Sgt Kim?

HE said, "He say nothing good, Say you in big trouble, say you under arrest." So I thought I'd have a little fun with the guy before leaving, so I instructed sergeant Kim to have the guys come over, and they did. I asked Kim to tell him that he has angered me and I am considering having both his legs broken by you guys. Kim did and as he motioned the circular motion I watched the cops eyes scan around him, noting he was surrounded by special forces guys. The cop stopped talking then backed up until his back was resting on the aircraft fuel tank. He then slid down the length of the tank until he was clear of the last soldier, then turned and took off like a jack rabbit.

We cranked back up and went along our merry way, never to see that cop again.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline TexasRedNeck

  • punching bag for moderator humor
  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11314
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2019, 08:40:33 PM »
Since this was started with the idea that this could be Mil or civilian. I’ll take the first stab at the civilian part.

I had just bought the hide and was there one weekend doing some work. Real manly stuff like installing a washer and dryer.

Beautiful fall day. 70 degree and sunshine. Had three beers after I finished work and was about to head home. Decided that I’d have a small roadie of jack black since I was out of beer.

Piled into the LB7 and loaded the weapons I’d been playing with the day before. 5.56SBR with a can and NV. 22 ruger with a can and a glock or two.

Tooling down a 2 lane blacktop in the middle of nowhere through the woods, windows down and a little country music on the radio. Minding my own business at the speed limit with in my rear view Morrow I see a Tahoe roll up on me hot. Real hot. Must have been 90. Broke hard to my bumper at 55.

I’m thinking to myself “self. This guys an idiot and needs a sign”. So in the rear view I indicate that he is in the #1 position. At which point he decides he’s going to pass me in a double yellow.

I’m not having. Any of that. So I drop the hammer on the ol LB7 and begin to roll epic coal and pull away from him


He then slides back in behind me and......hits the red and blues. Oops.

This could go very badly.

I pull over. (Mind you at this time I had the 12 inch lift and 37s on it)

He exits the vehicle and that’s when my heart sank a little further. It was a black Sherrif and you all know my license plate.

So he come up to the window, which the top of his head comes to about the bottom of the window. He asks if I know why he pulled me over. I literally laugh out loud and say “yessir I have a pretty good idea” He then proceeds to tell me that he was special investigator Simpson and that he was on the way to a major call and i was interfering with police business. 

I told him that he rolled up on me hot and then tried to pass in a no passing zone and I wasn’t going to have any of that. He was not amused.

After some more exchanges I told him I didn’t see any lights.  He asked if I was on the job ( I have a decal on the back that very few people in Houston get). I told him “ no but I support a lot of LEOs. Sometimes through contributions from roadside encounters “

He took my license and went back to the car and I waited for the hammer to fall

He came back and said that he could arrest me for interfering but was going to let me off with a warning.

He knew I knew he wasn’t going anywhere except to the donut shop.

Rollin hot, no lights and had time to hang out on the side of the road. There was no major call.

Dodged a bullet.


Fast forward 2 years. I’m coming up after hours and he pulls me over for a blinking license plate light at 1 am.

We had a good laugh. He didn’t remember me at first but I reminded him.   Didn’t tell him about the weapons or booze....





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Kids today don't know how easy they have it. When I was young, I had to walk 9 feet through shag carpet to change the TV channel.

Joshua 6:20-24

Offline oklawall

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 1220
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2019, 10:37:34 AM »
Oh this could be fun! Back in the days of the cold war and I flew on the Airborne Command Post (basically Cheyenne Mountain in the air) just finished deployed alert (cold war days crew members got put in a semi underground building for 7 days so they could run out to the plane and take off with in so many minutes to go do bad things to the other team) and flying home on a KC 135 when a string of events proved to everyone on board the skill of our pilot. This aircraft had been having autopilot problem and maintenance hadn't been able to find the problem before flight. The problem was that the crazy thing would start doing a Dutch roll and the autopilot wouldn't disengage unless someone pulled circuit breaker. We get to 32,000 feet sit back for the 2 hour flight, well the front end crew missed the write up in the forms to not engage the autopilot so we start this slow rocking back and forth. The crew starts fighting the autopilot from left to right of straight and level. The pilot would correct and the autopilot would correct back to what it wanted to do with over correction each time. The roll got to around 85 degree and everyone putting their seat belts on except the boom operator who was going to put on his parachute but got pinned to the floor, side and roof of the aircraft but he ends up crawling back to his seat and buckles in. This is where it gets fun, one of the flight control cables breaks (at a splice that shouldn't  be there) the aircraft goes to 180 degrees  (or inverted ) and starts falling like a rock. The pilot was able to get the plane back to normal straight and level with 5,000 feet above the ground. Our base got the best pilots in the Air Force and Boeing on the radio and he was able to land that thing using engine thrust and the remaining flight controls.
« Last Edit: January 21, 2019, 03:04:50 PM by oklawall »

Offline cruizng

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1112
  • Happy to be here.
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2019, 01:05:24 PM »
Holy Cow...  :popcorn:
Mike
Sold the DMax in MN and am currently vehicle less.

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34018
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2019, 08:27:54 PM »
...And for those of you unfamiliar with a "Dutch Roll" in a swept wing jet you normally only get a couple of oscillations before the thing flips over on its back then starts to point the nose down toward sudden stoppage.

Lucky to have survived that one!
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline JR

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 13537
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2019, 12:27:18 AM »
Sounds more like a movie. But they say real life is better than a movie.

OK, mine is coming and has pictures, kinda juicy.
Retired LEO  Lifetime NRA+  Outcast in Calif

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants"

Thomas Jefferson

Offline JR

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 13537
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2019, 12:49:50 AM »
Not so much scary, but something I always remember and I have pics!

So around 15 years ago I was working grave shift. Just 2 on duty for 900sq miles. We roll into the office around 0545 and get call of possible suicide by train about 10 miles from the office. Jurisdiction was unknown, I was OIC so I took the call. Rolled up same time as a town detective arrived (my old partner in the SO) and he called jurisdiction. The Amtrac had slowed for the run through the city and was only doing 70 when they said some in a sleeping back had stood in front of the train. They were 2 miles away now and the route was closed. These were the old style tracks with spikes.

Since I was there I asked if I could take pictures, he said sure. (I later gave copies to SO for training) Not posting all though.

First thing see is you know what  :shocked: , then a pile here, a mound there and chunks ripped off by the spike heads. It was pretty hard to ID some parts plus it had that gammy smell.
Retired LEO  Lifetime NRA+  Outcast in Calif

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants"

Thomas Jefferson

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34018
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2019, 09:55:06 AM »
OK, so that was nasty...

What causes a human to do something like that?

I wonder if they had the chance to accept Jesus...

Because passing is only an instant, ya, maybe loads of suffering to that point, but separation from God for all eternity, that's a big price to pay.

The sign at the gates to hell reads, "surrender all hope."

Sobering
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Bigdave_185

  • Raising Boys into Real Men!
  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 7686
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2019, 01:40:18 PM »
That’s gross. No pictures needed


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline JR

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 13537
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2019, 03:21:18 PM »
Homeless guy in a sleeping bag. Those aren't the good ones,,,,,,,,,,,,
Retired LEO  Lifetime NRA+  Outcast in Calif

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants"

Thomas Jefferson

Offline cudakidd53

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 3142
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #10 on: January 24, 2019, 02:55:44 PM »
Similar story to Charles, on sunny day in the LML with heavy tint front window (match from factory tint on back ones) and a clown has been riding my posterior along this 2 lane (in summer, midday traffic with housewives with nothing better to do than lollygag around shopping in their cars).  Now, I don't drive slow in any sense of the word, but have learned through maturity and donations to Policeman's Dances that I never get to attend, that there's wisdom in patience until one can make a move.

Finally coming to a intersection that goes 3 lanes in each direction, I slide to the right where nobody ever seems to drive in said open lane, well the hemorrhoid is still there firmly affixed!  I leave the light with haste and this clown slides off my bumper passing me on the left where I signaled to him my status as his number one fan - NOW he's not in such a hurry!  Suddenly flips on the hidden gumballs lights and slides behind me as I turn into a strip mall parking lot.  Plain clothes Barney asks for the usual and proceeds to lecture ME about road rage etc. as i sit with the door open going nowhere.  I questioned him on his choice of following distance for the last several miles in a manner indicative of a compliant yet intelligent and knowledgeable witness in court.

Softening his posture, he inquires about my driving history etc. to which I reply only a warning out of state over a year ago and he returns to his car killing time while he figures a way out of the predicament he now finds himself in.   :police: Barney returned about 8 mins. later returning my license etc. wishing me a nice day........ :cool:
2012 Silverado LTZ - Duramax
Christian since 1975 - Field Trial Brittanys - NRA Lifetime Member

"When you're dead, you don't know you're dead. Hence, dealing with this fact is not difficult. It is only hard for those still living around you.....It's the same when you're stupid."

Offline oklawall

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 1220
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #11 on: January 28, 2019, 07:57:39 AM »
Another one from back from the days I was flying around on the Airborne Command Post airplane. Some of these aircraft had J-57 engines which didn't have enough thrust to get the aircraft off the ground with a heavy fuel load so they had water injection(and everyone thinks the Hot Roder came up with that), well the water would cause the jet to shake, a bunch of noise and black smoke out the tail pipe until the water ran out. I sat in a compartment with 2 other guys which radio operators and me maintenance with the junior Radio operator sitting in the center which was his first ever flight.
Sitting on the runway the pilot hits water the jet starts it shaking and noise and we start down the runway and get into the air at about 120-180 seconds the water runs out causing the jet to drop some because of the loss of thrust and the jet gets very quite. This in turn caused the new guy to start screaming that we are going to crash, we look at him and tell him to shut up. After we get to flight level the Aircraft Commander comes back to find out what was going on ended up chewing out the senior radio operator for not bringing his guy before flight. The front end crew could hear this guy from mid aircraft up to the front end. Good laugh by all after it was all said and done.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk


Offline cruizng

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1112
  • Happy to be here.
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2019, 10:57:55 AM »
Back in the '80's when I lived in Colorado we used to go 4 wheelin almost every weekend. This particular weekend we 4 wheeled up to James Peak and then hiked down to James peak lake to fish.

I started to get late in the afternoon so we were just about to hike back out to our trucks and we heard what we thought was a rock slide coming down the opposite canyon side. We turned around to look and we saw a pickup truck rolling down the canyon wall flipping people out like rag dolls. Holy cow! The truck rolled until it ended up in the bottom with three people laying up on the slope.

The elevation where they started their roll was around 12,000 feet. The truck ended up at around 10,800 feet. They were about half of that spread out over several hundred feet. The lake we were fishing at was around 11250 feet.

We started to hike up to them which took about 30 minutes. There were three of us so we each took a person to check out. Mine was a male and you could tell he broke his femur and and had a gash in his back. So you can imagine he was squealing up a storm. The slope was very steep and he kept sliding putting pressure on the break. The other male didn't seem to have any broken bones but was unconscious. He also had most of his right ear missing and was bleeding pretty bad. He finally woke up and just laid there moaning.  The female looked the worse. She was unconscious and and blue in the face. Scared the hell out of my buddy when he was looking close at her and she suddenly woke up, gasped for air and sat straight up. Then basically passed back out. I manipulated my guy off of his face and belly and sat him in an indentation that the truck had scooped out and supported his leg as best I could to take pressure off of the break.

My guy was the most awake of the three and keep asking to find their bags of POT and hide it! He said you can keep it just don't let the sheriff find it. LOL That was the least of my worries.

This before cell phones (which probably wouldn't have service anyway). We finally got someone at the top of the ridge to CB radio a distress call. It was relayed to other CB'rs down the valley and after about 2 hours we saw a Mountain Rescue team show up on the ridge above us. Tehy came down with some backboards and told us they helicopter out of Denver couldn't reach the top and would need to land in the valley. By now there were around 12 people on site so we packed the three on boards and carried them down into the valley. It snowed off and on while waiting for rescue and I had given my down jacket to my guy. So I was freezing until we packed them down. It was dark by the time the two Helicopters took off with them. No one grabbed my fishing equipment or vest up by the crash site so I had to hike all the way back up there and then back down and up the other side to get to our trucks.

It was solid dark by then. Quiet the deal for a couple of youngsters. I kept an eye out in the news to see if the gal made it or not but didn't here any news at all. I guess just run of the mill.

Here is a pic of the area and also where the truck started and ended. I looked all over Google Earth to see if I could spot the truck but wasn't able to. I highly doubt they were able to remove it unless they got a Chinook or something.

Beautiful country. I miss it.

Mike
Sold the DMax in MN and am currently vehicle less.

Offline cj7ox

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1269
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #13 on: January 29, 2019, 08:46:38 AM »
I'll start this off in the traditional Army way: No crap, there I was, on my first mission in Iraq in 2005. We were tasked with linking up with several bus loads of Iraqi Police officers, who had just graduated from the Police Academy in Jordan, in the vicinity of Baghdad International Airport. Our mission was to provide escort back to Karbala and Najaf, where they were being assigned. Now, since we had only been on the ground in Iraq (Najaf) for less than 48 hours, we had no idea where we were going. The S-2 section did not have any maps, and the S-3 did not have much in the way of link-up information, aside from we were supposed to link-up with an LNO named MAJ Tentpeg (not his real name) at BIA. The best they could offer me was a Google Maps printout, with turn by turn satellite pictures. Being the good Scout Platoon Leader I was, I voiced my reservations, then saluted the flag, and proceeded to move out. We find our way to Baghdad, find the airport, and proceed to drive around looking for what may be our assigned group of escortees. God, his Angels, and a good bit of luck caused me to find them. Unfortunately, we were on a limited access, divided overpass at the time. I radioed to my guys, told them I thought we'd found our target, and instructed my lead vehicle to take the next exit so we could flip a U. In those days, we pretty much did everything at full throttle. I see my lead victor take the exit, then lose sight as I was in the middle of an 8 truck element. Then I see a large splash of brownish water ahead, immediately followed by my Senior Scout (lead vehicle) yelling, "crap!", across the net. I radio back asking for a SITREP, and he says, "Slow the f*** down! That puddle isn't water, it's crap!" We comply, amid the beginnings of gut-busting chuckle fest. Apparently, the Iraq sewage pumping trucks that service the local portajohns had been dumping their load under that overpass, and my lead Scout hit the 2 foot deep puddle at about 50mph. When we got to our link-up site, those poor guys came rolling out of their truck like it was on fire. The gunner was covered from head to toe in poop water (luckily he's been wearing goggles), and the driver and Vehicle Commander were liberally doused. Needless to say, that truck reeked! Took them about 2 hours to wash it down enough for them to move out. All I could think was, welcome to Iraq! LOL
~Sean M. Davis

“The citizens of a free state ought to consist of those only who bear arms.” ~Aristotle

Μολων Λαβε

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34018
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #14 on: January 29, 2019, 02:14:06 PM »
The divided highway, Was that "Route Irish"?

When in 05?

I was flying the littlebirds out of Washington LZ (US Embassy) in late 05 in Baghdad...

So many times, coming off my escort, I'd pick up cover over some Big Armee convoy just to make sure they got to where they were going.

From what I remember the enemy seldom if ever engaged any convoy we covered...They knew what would happen to them when we came back...
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline cj7ox

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1269
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #15 on: January 30, 2019, 02:53:38 AM »
The divided highway, Was that "Route Irish"?

When in 05?

I was flying the littlebirds out of Washington LZ (US Embassy) in late 05 in Baghdad...

So many times, coming off my escort, I'd pick up cover over some Big Armee convoy just to make sure they got to where they were going.

From what I remember the enemy seldom if ever engaged any convoy we covered...They knew what would happen to them when we came back...

Timeframe was late January/early February 05. I believe it was Irish. It's been a minute, LOL! We never had any littlebirds form up on us, but several times we had Kiowa Warriors give us escort. Nothing like seeing a 58 flying alongside you, 10 feet off the deck!
~Sean M. Davis

“The citizens of a free state ought to consist of those only who bear arms.” ~Aristotle

Μολων Λαβε

Offline cj7ox

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1269
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #16 on: January 30, 2019, 05:51:29 AM »
Timeframe was late January/early February 05.

It's a small Army (especially nowadays!).
« Last Edit: January 30, 2019, 08:28:34 AM by BobbyB »
~Sean M. Davis

“The citizens of a free state ought to consist of those only who bear arms.” ~Aristotle

Μολων Λαβε

Offline BobbyB

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 3030
  • "You are not LaBeouf"
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #17 on: January 30, 2019, 08:28:06 AM »
It's a small Army (especially nowadays!).

Well even worse is I typed the wrong info in. Ugh coffee is needed bad. So I removed the erroneous info. Early part of 05 I was actually back at Bragg, getting ready for deployment, that we were stood down for "because we didn't need another infantry bn in the area" so to make up for it they sent us to be instructors at West Point for the summer, only to find out that we were in fact needed. So then they sent us to Iraq instead of Afg.
« Last Edit: January 30, 2019, 08:30:50 AM by BobbyB »
So, Bobby...being the calculating trained warrior NCO that you are.  Take the appropriate action, Execute!
your standard grunt level CQB is just putting rounds and rounds on scary stuff till it stops scaring you!

Offline TexasRedNeck

  • punching bag for moderator humor
  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11314
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #18 on: January 30, 2019, 08:46:08 AM »
Thought about you guys as i listened to Ballad of Balad by Toby Keith. Pretty humorous.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Kids today don't know how easy they have it. When I was young, I had to walk 9 feet through shag carpet to change the TV channel.

Joshua 6:20-24

Offline cj7ox

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1269
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #19 on: January 30, 2019, 08:50:58 AM »
It's a small Army (especially nowadays!).

Well even worse is I typed the wrong info in. Ugh coffee is needed bad. So I removed the erroneous info. Early part of 05 I was actually back at Bragg, getting ready for deployment, that we were stood down for "because we didn't need another infantry bn in the area" so to make up for it they sent us to be instructors at West Point for the summer, only to find out that we were in fact needed. So then they sent us to Iraq instead of Afg.

No worries! LOL!
~Sean M. Davis

“The citizens of a free state ought to consist of those only who bear arms.” ~Aristotle

Μολων Λαβε

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34018
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #20 on: January 30, 2019, 09:36:05 PM »
The divided highway, Was that "Route Irish"?

When in 05?

I was flying the littlebirds out of Washington LZ (US Embassy) in late 05 in Baghdad...

So many times, coming off my escort, I'd pick up cover over some Big Armee convoy just to make sure they got to where they were going.

From what I remember the enemy seldom if ever engaged any convoy we covered...They knew what would happen to them when we came back...

Timeframe was late January/early February 05. I believe it was Irish. It's been a minute, LOL! We never had any littlebirds form up on us, but several times we had Kiowa Warriors give us escort. Nothing like seeing a 58 flying alongside you, 10 feet off the deck!
I've done that! HA!
Right on the deck right beside someone like you say. Did it to hajii to get their attention when we'd see them approaching one of our convoys a bit too fast. If that didn't get their attention, it was a water bottle into the windshield, then rounds into the hood and tires.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline JR

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 13537
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #21 on: January 30, 2019, 09:46:58 PM »
Was a water bottle an approved signaling device?
Retired LEO  Lifetime NRA+  Outcast in Calif

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants"

Thomas Jefferson

Offline cj7ox

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1269
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #22 on: January 31, 2019, 01:45:50 AM »
Was a water bottle an approved signaling device?

Most Iraqis during that time didn't really have any driver training, or rules of the road training. Under Saddam, it was almost impossible to get a DL. After the fall of the government in '03, anyone with the funds could buy a car. That resulted in a lot of folks on the road who were just idiots (or maybe ignoramuses is a better term). They thought rearview mirrors were a decoration, and really had no clue as to "rules of the road". Most drivers had no malicious intent, but acted just like the folks driving SVBIEDs. Rather than risking killing/injuring an innocent, a lot of us tried to use improvised non-lethal means to get a driver's attention. Our TTP was for the gunner to hurl a .50 shell at the window. We always had a small pile left from the test fire pit. That was almost always enough to get the driver's attention, and get them to back off.
~Sean M. Davis

“The citizens of a free state ought to consist of those only who bear arms.” ~Aristotle

Μολων Λαβε

Offline KensAuto

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 7684
  • My abuser is named Nate
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #23 on: January 31, 2019, 10:15:12 AM »
I assume that it was an empty shell? lol
Underpaid and misunderstood since 2014

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34018
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #24 on: January 31, 2019, 11:28:02 AM »
Was a water bottle an approved signaling device?
We didn't ask permission, only asked for forgiveness when someone questioned. But, yea, I think it was a generally accepted practice
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline wilsonphil

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1045
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #25 on: January 31, 2019, 11:31:05 AM »
OH this could become dangerous thread!

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34018
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #26 on: January 31, 2019, 11:33:51 AM »
Many times the Iraqis in Baghdad just didn't get the whole "Yield" to the military thing, so we had to ram tham and shove them off of the road. It was funny to watch from overhead, although in the end I never liked being a part of damaging stuff that normal people owned.

That was a different time, and getting stuck in traffic could turn deadly. Almost always, hajii would figure out a gringo was stuck and go get an RPG or his buddies and fire you up. That's why we used the Helos. Hajii knew if he shot, we would shoot him, so they learned manners. That did not work for the hardened killers though. They were out to get our guys no matter what. Only thing that cured them was a bullet. Same holds true today, I would suspect.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline cj7ox

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1269
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #27 on: February 02, 2019, 06:57:36 AM »
Many times the Iraqis in Baghdad just didn't get the whole "Yield" to the military thing, so we had to ram tham and shove them off of the road. It was funny to watch from overhead, although in the end I never liked being a part of damaging stuff that normal people owned.

That was a different time, and getting stuck in traffic could turn deadly. Almost always, hajii would figure out a gringo was stuck and go get an RPG or his buddies and fire you up. That's why we used the Helos. Hajii knew if he shot, we would shoot him, so they learned manners. That did not work for the hardened killers though. They were out to get our guys no matter what. Only thing that cured them was a bullet. Same holds true today, I would suspect.

Our TTP, if it was a single vehicle that wouldn't yield to our front, we'd use a siren (installed one on our lead vehicle). If that didn't get their attention we'd "pit" them in the ditch. If there was a lot of traffic, we'd jump the median and "play chicken". Most of the time, the Iraqi's didn't yield because they had no idea we were there. No nefarious intent, just clueless drivers. I got called on the carpet one time for one of my gunners pitching an empty .50 shell casing through the back glass of a bus full of school children that was merging into our convoy element. My Bn CO was pissed because the owner of the bus was seeking recompense. My CO wanted to know why I didn't shoot a pen flare at the bus. I told him, "If a .50 shell went through the glass (which was obviously not safety glass), what do think a flare would do? Sir, I'd rather not have a burning bus of school girls on my conscience!"
~Sean M. Davis

“The citizens of a free state ought to consist of those only who bear arms.” ~Aristotle

Μολων Λαβε

Offline Farmer Jon

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 2346
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #28 on: February 02, 2019, 08:21:34 AM »
So there I was last Wednesday after work. Having a drink in the office with the guys. Neighbor lady stops over and said there was some weird guy broke down a mile from the farm. So 3 of us went to investigate. There was a pickup in the middle of the intersection just like she said. I asked th driver what happened. He talked very quietly with a foreign accent.  Broke down. I asked him if he wanted a tow truck. He said no. I asked again whats wrong? He said it died. I asked again do you want a tow? He said no. The whole while my hair is standing up on the back of my neck and I am having a very bad feeling. I said fine then let us push you off the road so someone don't fly over the hill and hit you. He agreed to that. We wet to push him thats when we seen both tail lights freshly broken out and smashed tailgate. The guy couldn't get his vehicle out of park. I looked at my boss and said very quietly, Go call the sheriff. Why? Just do it. Whats wrong? Just go call the sheriff. Whats the matter with him? Dang it just go call the cops! I don't have the number. At this point I ignored the boss man and got in our vehicle and called them myself. In the mean time the weird guy got his vehicle in neutral and rolled it down the hill pointed straight for the ditch. Whatever. Its off the road. Sort of.

We leave him there and go park on the hill so the cops see us. I told dispatch there is a really weird guy broke down. He is really putting off a bad vibe. I need an officer out here. Something is wrong with him. It just don't feel right. 15-20 minutes go by. No cops. Weird guy starts waking up to our vehicle. I call dispatch back. Whats the ETA on Lyle? ( I know most of the deputies by first name) Oh, he wasn't on duty yet he had to get dressed. I told her he needed to hurry up because weird guy was waking up to our truck. She asked are you keeping him warm? NO! I don't want that guy near us! There is something wrong with him hes speaks a foreign language cant understand him hes not right! Is he a Mexican? Nope.

The temperature is around 0. We take pity on him and decide to let him in the truck. My boss is drilling his yelling Where are you from what are you dong here. I'm sitting there wanting to tell him to shut up and leave the guy alone. Don't agitate him. Finally got out of him he was from the Ukraine. He didn't know where he was going. When asked what he was doing here he said, That's a tough question. Then he fell asleep or pretended to.

Cops finally show up. State patrol. I give them a run down of whats going on and we leave.  Later that night the sheriff called. I guess the guy got violent with them. The tow truck driver said the vehicle was not broke down. It started right up and he drove it on the roll back. I don't know what happened to the guy. I'm waiting for the paper to come out so I can read the arrest reports.

Father, husband, farmer, trucker, mechanic, equipment operator, ect

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34018
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #29 on: February 02, 2019, 10:06:07 AM »
Drugs? Insane? Ukraine, not so bad folks, just not like us
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34018
    • View Profile
Re: "There I was" the story thread
« Reply #30 on: February 02, 2019, 10:07:45 AM »
OH this could become dangerous thread!
There I was, Rocket all fuelled up. Elon yellin' to get this thing flyin', someone forgot the ignition key...
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

 

SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal