Notice To Veterans

[pdq67]

Harry,

I never had to go to the military because as a 15-1/2 y/o kid, I made a crude table saw and ended up cutting my left hand thumb end and index finger off. NO trigger finger since I am left-handed.

I listen to AND read guys that had to go in due to the draft back in the mid '60's when 'Nam was hot and I kinda feel like I missed something.

Some of the guys saw, "Oh, it was a hoot", others say, "not much", and still others tell me that, "I never missed a dammed thing!".

So I will never know?

Class of '65 here.

pdq67

[lefty o]

Harry,

I never had to go to the military because as a 15-1/2 y/o kid, I made a crude table saw and ended up cutting my left hand thumb end and index finger off. NO trigger finger since I am left-handed.

I listen to AND read guys that had to go in due to the draft back in the mid '60's when 'Nam was hot and I kinda feel like I missed something.

Some of the guys saw, "Oh, it was a hoot", others say, "not much", and still others tell me that, "I never missed a dammed thing!".

So I will never know?

Class of '65 here.

pdq67

the military experience is just like every other part of life. some folks love it, some hate it, and the vast majority are somewhere in the middle. the key word is it is an EXPERIENCE.

[1989TransAm]

That is how I would put it. An experience. Looking back I am glad I served.

[enigma57]

Harry,

I never had to go to the military because as a 15-1/2 y/o kid, I made a crude table saw and ended up cutting my left hand thumb end and index finger off. NO trigger finger since I am left-handed.

I listen to AND read guys that had to go in due to the draft back in the mid '60's when 'Nam was hot and I kinda feel like I missed something.

Some of the guys saw, "Oh, it was a hoot", others say, "not much", and still others tell me that, "I never missed a dammed thing!".

So I will never know?

Class of '65 here.

pdq67

Paul, just like everything else in life, the military isn't for everyone. If G-d had meant for you to go...... You'd have gone. You didn't miss much of what you'd like to remember and you definitely missed a whole hell of a lot you wouldn't care to remember.

What you have to remember is that how a person views their experiences in military service depends upon many factors. Chief amongst them are that person's personal life experiences and frames of reference priour to going into the service, their personality, how they relate to and react to things, and their experiences whilst in military service (which can vary greatly). Every one of us is different each in our own way. Each of us had different experiences and each of us react to those experiences in our own way.

In my case, I volunteered. Enlisted straight out of high school. Wanted to quit school and join up as soon as I turned 17, but my folks wouldn't sign for me until I graduated. My Dad had served in the Marine Corps during the 1st World War. He was nearly 50 when I came along and died in car crash when I was 3. Mom eventually remarried and my Step-Dad had served in the Navy in the early '30s and later from 1935 until the end of the 2nd World War, he served in the Merchant Marine.

We lived out in the boonies up in the Texas hill country when I was in high school and we didn't have much. Including much to eat. By the time I was 16 going on 17, I wanted to join the service and see the world. There was nothing there as far as jobs or a future where we lived...... Even in the closest town, unless your folks owned a ranch or a business in town and you were going to stay and work there and take over it when they retired one day. So if that was not your circumstances, you either left for military service, left for a larger town to find work or if your folks had money and you had the grades, you went to college before having to make those decisions. The other thing was that with me in the service, that would be one less mouth for my folks to feed.

I cannot tell you much about the draft. I got my 1st draft card in the mail after I returned to Texas following my 1st enlistment. It had a code that meant I had fulfilled my military obligation. My first enlistment, I served in the Marine Corps. Infantry. No fancy schools nor high tech MOS. Was an 0311 grunt until I mustered out. Was a fair shot with the M14 and occasionally filled in as AR man because they needed someone big to tote the M60 and bipod around. Mostly though, I was grenadier in my fire team because I had a natural feel for the M-79 grenade launcher and could drop rounds on target by 'feel' firing from the hip.

After coming home, couldn't seem to fit into civilian life very well. So 8 years later, did 4 years active duty in the Navy. Welding, brazing and fitting pipe aboard an LPD at first. Then was assigned to a sub tender and spent the remainder of my enlistment working aboard the subs. Eventually worked my way into NDT (welding inspection, mainly).

What I can tell you is that both of those enlistments were as different as to experiences as you can imagine. Both were pretty demanding, each in their own way. And life in the infantry in Viet Nam was a lot different than working on piping in hot engine rooms and nuclear reactor compartments aboard skimmers and submarines. Or fighting engine room fires at sea. Each experience was much different from the other. Right down to the difference in eating cold C-rats in 1966 and 1967 with date stamps from the Korean War era...... To eating on the mess decks aboard a ship that had the lousiest food you could possibly imagine. Which is why I made a point of testing and inspecting our handiwork aboard the subs when chow was being served. Those guys ate like kings. All hands ate 'officer chow'. And though we weren't always invited to eat with the sub crews...... I timed our visits accordingly and as we got to know them...... And they, us...... More often than not, we'd manage at least 1 good meal a day whilst we were in port.

When I was in my 40s, eldest son had just made me a grandpa. 2nd born son was serving in the Corps and youngest son was about to graduate high school and enlist in the Navy. That was our situation when Hussein invaded Kuwait. After the better part of a year screwing around at the UN, it became clear that Pres. Bush was finally going to take military action and I couldn't in good conscience stay Stateside whilst I had 2 sons going in harms way...... So I went down to the Naval Reserve Center and called in some favours from some guys I knew. BS'd my way through a physical I never should have passed and signed up. SeaBees that time. I had construction experience and experience in the infantry, so was a good fit. Took a military leave of absence from my civilian job and came in as a drilling reservist. Kept priour rank (E-6). Called our detailer in Washington and found out which SeaBee Detachments would soon be activated and ship out. Managed a transfer to one such unit and when it was activated, was called to active duty for the duration of Desert Shield and for the first several months of Desert Storm. 5 of us old grunt retreads did that and I can tell you...... That experience was quite a bit different than the first 2. Late in 1991 after returning home, rec'd discharge papers in the mail. Put out to pasture. Just looked at them for a moment and put them in my old suitcase with all the others. Put it in the closet and that was that. I'd done my part and it was time to let the young guys do theirs.

The short version is...... Be grateful for what you have. And be careful what you wish for..... You might just get it.

Best regards,

Harry

[Dave Koehler]

Thanks for that Harry,
My Uncle was a cook on a ww2 sub in the pacific. Went on to be an in demand butcher in the area. Had some interesting stories.
Dinner at his house was always an event. Dad said it was a good thing as his sister, my aunt could burn water.

[pdq67]

Harry,

I never had to go to the military because as a 15-1/2 y/o kid, I made a crude table saw and ended up cutting my left hand thumb end and index finger off. NO trigger finger since I am left-handed.

I listen to AND read guys that had to go in due to the draft back in the mid '60's when 'Nam was hot and I kinda feel like I missed something.

Some of the guys saw, "Oh, it was a hoot", others say, "not much", and still others tell me that, "I never missed a dammed thing!".

So I will never know?

Class of '65 here.

pdq67

Paul, just like everything else in life, the military isn't for everyone. If G-d had meant for you to go...... You'd have gone. You didn't miss much of what you'd like to remember and you definitely missed a whole hell of a lot you wouldn't care to remember.

What you have to remember is that how a person views their experiences in military service depends upon many factors. Chief amongst them are that person's personal life experiences and frames of reference priour to going into the service, their personality, how they relate to and react to things, and their experiences whilst in military service (which can vary greatly). Every one of us is different each in our own way. Each of us had different experiences and each of us react to those experiences in our own way.

In my case, I volunteered. Enlisted straight out of high school. Wanted to quit school and join up as soon as I turned 17, but my folks wouldn't sign for me until I graduated. My Dad had served in the Marine Corps during the 1st World War. He was nearly 50 when I came along and died in car crash when I was 3. Mom eventually remarried and my Step-Dad had served in the Navy in the early '30s and later from 1935 until the end of the 2nd World War, he served in the Merchant Marine.

We lived out in the boonies up in the Texas hill country when I was in high school and we didn't have much. Including much to eat. By the time I was 16 going on 17, I wanted to join the service and see the world. There was nothing there as far as jobs or a future where we lived...... Even in the closest town, unless your folks owned a ranch or a business in town and you were going to stay and work there and take over it when they retired one day. So if that was not your circumstances, you either left for military service, left for a larger town to find work or if your folks had money and you had the grades, you went to college before having to make those decisions. The other thing was that with me in the service, that would be one less mouth for my folks to feed.

I cannot tell you much about the draft. I got my 1st draft card in the mail after I returned to Texas following my 1st enlistment. It had a code that meant I had fulfilled my military obligation. My first enlistment, I served in the Marine Corps. Infantry. No fancy schools nor high tech MOS. Was an 0311 grunt until I mustered out. Was a fair shot with the M14 and occasionally filled in as AR man because they needed someone big to tote the M60 and bipod around. Mostly though, I was grenadier in my fire team because I had a natural feel for the M-79 grenade launcher and could drop rounds on target by 'feel' firing from the hip.

After coming home, couldn't seem to fit into civilian life very well. So 8 years later, did 4 years active duty in the Navy. Welding, brazing and fitting pipe aboard an LPD at first. Then was assigned to a sub tender and spent the remainder of my enlistment working aboard the subs. Eventually worked my way into NDT (welding inspection, mainly).

What I can tell you is that both of those enlistments were as different as to experiences as you can imagine. Both were pretty demanding, each in their own way. And life in the infantry in Viet Nam was a lot different than working on piping in hot engine rooms and nuclear reactor compartments aboard skimmers and submarines. Or fighting engine room fires at sea. Each experience was much different from the other. Right down to the difference in eating cold C-rats in 1966 and 1967 with date stamps from the Korean War era...... To eating on the mess decks aboard a ship that had the lousiest food you could possibly imagine. Which is why I made a point of testing and inspecting our handiwork aboard the subs when chow was being served. Those guys ate like kings. All hands ate 'officer chow'. And though we weren't always invited to eat with the sub crews...... I timed our visits accordingly and as we got to know them...... And they, us...... More often than not, we'd manage at least 1 good meal a day whilst we were in port.

When I was in my 40s, eldest son had just made me a grandpa. 2nd born son was serving in the Corps and youngest son was about to graduate high school and enlist in the Navy. That was our situation when Hussein invaded Kuwait. After the better part of a year screwing around at the UN, it became clear that Pres. Bush was finally going to take military action and I couldn't in good conscience stay Stateside whilst I had 2 sons going in harms way...... So I went down to the Naval Reserve Center and called in some favours from some guys I knew. BS'd my way through a physical I never should have passed and signed up. SeaBees that time. I had construction experience and experience in the infantry, so was a good fit. Took a military leave of absence from my civilian job and came in as a drilling reservist. Kept priour rank (E-6). Called our detailer in Washington and found out which SeaBee Detachments would soon be activated and ship out. Managed a transfer to one such unit and when it was activated, was called to active duty for the duration of Desert Shield and for the first several months of Desert Storm. 5 of us old grunt retreads did that and I can tell you...... That experience was quite a bit different than the first 2. Late in 1991 after returning home, rec'd discharge papers in the mail. Put out to pasture. Just looked at them for a moment and put them in my old suitcase with all the others. Put it in the closet and that was that. I'd done my part and it was time to let the young guys do theirs.

The short version is...... Be grateful for what you have. And be careful what you wish for..... You might just get it.

Best regards,

Harry

Harry,

You posted just the kind of stuff I think that I may have missed.

Great going guy!!

Harry is gone and so are Rick, Scrounge, and my old RR/CO Buddy, Bob. Bob never was in though like me.

How I miss them................

pdq67

[Dave Koehler]

Home defense just got cooler.
Do I need one? nah
Do I want one? Ohhhh yeah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSzKU0v6roc&t=629s

[enigma57]

Yes, very important to find the correct ammunition that will run (cycle) well in a semi-auto of any type, but especially a shotgun. Also...... Some semi-auto shotguns are sensitive to the point that what runs well when fired with the butt plate or pad firmly seated against your shoulder...... Will jam if you fire them without seating them against your shoulder, because you (the shooter) being there to absorb the recoil...... You become a part of the cycling mechanism in that regard. And of course, not all semi-auto shotguns have adjustable cycling mechanisms as the one in the video has.

Me...... I'd love to have an AK based magazine fed semi-auto shotgun in 12 gauge. The extended banana clips and drum mags for these look entirely bulky and not at all what you would need in close quarters (dark house) at night, though. So I may go with multiple double barreled sawed off shotguns stationed in certain places throughout our home as primary weapons and use a large calibre revolver as backup. That way, operation is simple, less likely to jam and my wife will be able to use them as well if need be.

Best regards to you Dave and to Paul,

Harry

P.S. >>> Wife sent me this (I don't do twitter and facebook and all that stuff)...... Coolest political ad ever and no political content, really...... Enjoy......

https://twitter.com/CalebJHull/status/1 ... 6404275201

[1989TransAm]

Harry, it is good that you live in Texas. I saw this on another forum about Kyle Rittenhouse.

“Apparently one is not allowed to defend themselves against Democrat government sanctioned violence.
We’ve seen many examples of it now in blue areas.”

[Dave Koehler]

Can you spare a twenty?
https://fightback.law/

[enigma57]

That young man is clearly being railroaded. I sincerely hope President Trump steps in and puts and end to this nonsense before long.

Best regards,

Harry

[pdq67]

Home defense just got cooler.
Do I need one? nah
Do I want one? Ohhhh yeah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSzKU0v6roc&t=629s

My good Buddy Doc recently sent it to me.. Like two days ago!

Oh, and btw!! If you aren't willing to die for your freedom, then you don't deserve it!!

pdq67

[Kevin Johnson]

Home defense just got cooler.
Do I need one? nah
Do I want one? Ohhhh yeah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSzKU0v6roc&t=629s

My good Buddy Doc recently sent it to me.. Like two days ago!

Oh, and btw!! If you aren't willing to die for your freedom, then you don't deserve it!!

pdq67

As is common, the comments section is pretty funny.

[pdq67]

I was just thinking about preserving myself when the SHTF.

I figure that a, "reach out and touch somebody", rifle will be needed.

Maybe no more than a .22-250 or a .220 Swift will be needed or else step up to a 30-06...

Then be able to lay behind a heavy metal plate so that a, "sniper", can't get at me.

This is for distant work here.

Close in, no more than a pump 12!!

A Maverick 88 should do nicely in the high capacity configuration.

Less than a 20" barrel and say like 8 or 9 shell capacity.

pdq67

[enigma57]

Paul, if you are out in the open and have a clear field of fire for some distance, say 500 yards or more...... The 30.06 for 03 Springfield or M1 Garand and the 7.62mm NATO round used in M14s have similar ballistics and either would work for you. There is a new 650 Creedmoor round that is said to be very accurate at longer ranges as well.

We don't have that luxury here (distance/clear field of fire) so we must be ready for things to happen quickly and at close range. Yes, a 12 gauge shotgun as primary with a pistol as backup. I don't like pump action shotguns though. Too noisy, too slow rate of fire. So I'm deciding between semi-auto and double barrel sawed off's for the house.

Best regards,

Harry