Live bombs to drop for more realistic training (Fort Sill, OK)

Army News Service ^ | May 4, 2004 | Sgt. 1st Class Marcia Triggs

[Sally'sConcerns]

Nope, you've never told me about the helicopters. What made you go ballistic?

[Darksheare]

LOL!
THULE?!
Ouch, that must've left singe marks.

The MP's went from grinning like cheshire cats to a deep purple-ish crimson in seconds at the painted pistol belt remarks.
I almost didn't make it out the back door of the place.

The next morning our Cap was asking about the 'two soldiers' who'd made a run from the MP's the night before, he evidently didn't know that one of the guilty party was his LT standing behind him snickering.
I'd been pretty much 'squeaky clean' up until then.
Afterwards, some of the guys would point and say, "If we want to get in trouble, let's go with him."
*sigh*

Still, in hindsight, it probably wasn't such a hot idea on my part.
;-)

[2Jedismom]

Well, it's a bit of a story, so I didn't want to type it all up if you'd already heard it! LOL

It all started on 9/11...that evening, when no one was supposed to be flying, a helicopter flew over our house. Loud. Low. Thunked right over our house. All the neighbors rushed out and we watched it fly over very low.

That's when I started noticing the helicopters. Never had before, although I suppose they'd always been there. They are green, military helicopter with a very distinct thunking sound, unlike the lighter sound of news or emergency helicopters. Started noticing them a lot! They were always flying either north to south, or south to north.

So I could hear these choppers coming from a long ways off and the jedis and I got in the habit of dashing outside into the front yard and waving at them! LOL We did it for a long time...a year at least. Then one day, one swerved our direction. It was flying North to South and it swerved way over toward out house! The jedis and I just stood there wondering what it was going to do, but then it just lined back up the way it was and flew on south.

The very next time we heard the chopper...we dashed out and this time it made a bee-line toward our house and circled our house! RIGHT OVER our house!! The jedis started jumping up and down shouting, I jerked our flag off the front of the house and started waving it! Very exciting!!!

They've done it twice. The second time I was alone, and I waved the flag a bit, but then just stood in the driveway waving and laughing...they had their side doors open that time. (I could see the door was open but couldn't tell if they were waving...I'd recently bonked myself in the eye with a electric plug.)

Tickled me no end! See, it's a long story.

[Darksheare]

Caissons!

[Darksheare]

Wish I could be there!

[2Jedismom]

Me too, my FRiend...

I always pray for the F16 pilots when they fly over...pray a hedge of protection around them. I'm sure they can't see me, but God can see them!

[Sally'sConcerns]

That is such a cool story! The helicopters that occasionally fly over us don't fly that low.

Kind of reminds me of the time when I lived in the flight path of Houston Intercontinental. I could stand out on the deck in the backyard and wave at the pilots. On occasion I swear I think I saw them wave back.

I know what you mean about the sound of those kind of helicopters. It's a low thwump-thwump-thwump sound, almost like the rotor (I started to say wings!) is beating a rug on the clothesline but louder and bigger.

[Darksheare]

Got to watch A-10 pilots strut their stuff up at Fort Drum a few times while my unit was doing live fire.
But that's somewhat different.
We weren't coordinating attacks on any targets in the impact zone or such.

They'd quit doing the combined training at Sill in 96 right before I got there.
(9Aug96, my training began on 13Aug96 -a Friday.)
When we were going through basic, they told us about 'the accident' and how our future profession in artillery was inherently dangerous.
One or two guys wimped at that point.

[MPJackal]

"The MP's at Sill when I was there had senses of humor.
Well, most of the time.
As long as we 'undisciplined 13bravos' didn't bust on them too much."

How can you not have a sense of humor with those wacky cannon cockers? I was there fron 94-98. I had heard all kinds of horror stories about Lawton, OK, but I really enjoyed my time there.

[MPJackal]

" have to say it was almost worth being up at 4:30am to hear my boss, and his boss (a mere 0-7) explain to the young, but self-assured, MP 0-3, that his concern for regulations with respect to alcohol consumption among the unwashed was impeding a major Operational Test, and that unless the troops in question were released to me tuit suit, said O-3 would find his pending reassignment to Thule, Greenland required his immediate departure by earliest available flight, which would be leaving at 0600."

Oh please. You know how many times I have heard this sort of story. MP's are taught very early that regulations are in writing for a reason. You might want to check whose signature is on EVERY Army regulation......The Army Chief of Staff. I believe that trumps your O-7. Oh, and that O-3 MP works for the Post Commanding General, and on Fort Sill that also happens to be the Commandant of the Field Artillery School. One more thing, Arty O-7 don't make assignments for MP's and NO MP Officer at DA gives a whip about some pissed off O-6 or O-7 in OK.

Also, how many times have you seen an MP go out of his way to help someone? Tell one of those stories next time.

[Darksheare]

Some of them didn't.
Like the one Captain they had.
He made all movement seem painful and 'stiff'.

I loved my time at Sill, except for the cactus I bellied down on during training.
Couldn't have done without that odd cactus.
Otherwise, it was a blast.

And hearing the 'old timers' talk about the 8 inch shell landing on Sheridan street, that was a hoot.

[CatoRenasci]

Sorry you don't like it, but the MPs were out of line in this instance in the view of my boss, his boss (the 0-7) and the Post Commander (O-8) who was personally very invested in the Operational Test II in question. Apparently the Provost Marshal agreed, because not only were the men released to me, all charges and specifications were dropped. The MP 0-3 had been the subject of many complaints from both the School Brigade and III Corps Artillery.

If I knew a story of an MP going out of his way to help someone, I would be happy to tell it. I never even heard a story like that at Sill. Other places, especially in Germany, yes, but we were talking about Sill.

[CatoRenasci]

And hearing the 'old timers' talk about the 8 inch shell landing on Sheridan street, that was a hoot.

I think you're referring to the time the 280mm (11") round from Atomic Annie landed at the intersection of Sheridan and Gore back in the 50s. The whole Army used to know the story: I had a high school history teacher in the '60s who'd been an ADA major when it happened, and he told me about it in '65. Some wags at Sill said it was done to remind the citizens of Lawton to keep their predatory behavior towards the troops in check.

I do remember when I was at Sill the time a National Guard battalion fired a battlion TOT 3200 mils out of safe. They were supposed to be firing on the East Range, but the rounds impacted (thank God!) just inside the impact area on the West Range, near where the firepower demonstrations were held.