Mids pull off daring prank in heart of wild blue yonder

The Capital ^ | 2005-10-06 | EARL KELLY

[Junior]

A dozen midshipmen earned the grudging respect of the Air Force Academy by repainting a jet fighter on the Colorado academy's grounds blue and gold, and labeling it with "Navy" and "Blue Angels."

[americafirst]

That's not a stunt. THIS is a stunt (from USAFA Checkpoints Magazine, July 2005, Rich Chanick - hope I scanned it ok):

In the fall of 1974, the Air Force Academy was preparing to play Army in what would turn out to be an average year in football. Fortunately, our commandant was Hoyt S. Vandenberg, a 1951 grad from Foxhole Tech, so there was a possibility for mischief in the air. As luck would have it, the firstclassmen of 31st squadron just happened to be in the market for mischief, so this was potentially a match made in heaven. Enter Otto Dieffenbach III, proud member of 31st squadron class of'75 and, an apprentice at a lock shop prior to entering the Academy. This was a combination of experience, oppor¬tunity (and probably boredom) that could not be passed up, so a plan was hatched for the entire class of '75 in the squadron to leave after Taps, pick all of the locks to the commandants office, leave a big poster saying "Once a Grunt, Always a Grunt," move all of his furniture to the terrazzo between the Wright brothers and reassemble the office (with working phone)—all without being caught. This was clearly a job for seniors—not freshmen. Simple, right?

Fortunately, we had a little time before the event because there were signs to make, and for the first time since I was a cadet we locked our doors ... so Otto could go from room to room in the dorm practicing picking locks. When the Sunday night of Army week arrived, an advance team went out just after the library doors were locked and Otto "pre-picked" the library doors. Our scouting had indicated that even though there were more locks to go through in the library, by going "the long way" and then over to the comm's office we would actually bypass a majority of the security. If the advance team succeeded with the first locked door, the main group would next encounter the comm's lock. The only unexpected glitch as the evening began was that the security police were occa¬sionally driving a jeep around the terrazzo to guard against any raucous behavior. This was not a giant problem, but we did figure that it probably doubled our chances of being caught. When the advance team reported back to the squadron that all of the library locks were open and everything was a go, we prepared to leave. In the end, all of us but three went. The squadron commander and die ops officer decided they did not want to go. I guess that's why they had the jobs in the first place. The third person really wanted to go, but we wouldn't let him. He was on most types of probation, and if we got caught we would be stuck doing tours and confinements. We were afraid he would find himself with airman stripes guarding an alert B-52 someplace cold. He was certainly there in spirit. (A quick sidelight: Yes, he did squeak through to graduate and went on to have probably the most distinguished military career of anybody in the squadron!)

The actual raid could not have been more perfect. Compared with the teamwork exercises we had to do in Jacks Valley, this was a piece of cake. All of the doors were open, and once we got to the comman¬dant's office, it took less than a minute to open the last door into the inner sanctum. Of note was the Form-10 on the commandant's desk addressing "whoever was reading it" for being out after taps. At first we panicked, thinking that somehow he knew we were coming, but after we thought about it, I guess he was just prepared in case somebody was coming. The desk and couches had to go down the steps because the freight elevators were locked, but we were young and full of adrenaline. Prior to leaving the office, we took a picture to remind ourselves we had really done it and left—locking all of the doors of course.
The last and clearly most dangerous phase of the mission was to set up the office between the Wright brothers. We were organized so that each of us had a specific job in setting up the office. I still remember one of my classmates (an EE major, of course) stringing wire for the phone. Nothing feels more exposed than being on the terrazzo at about 3 a.m. carrying the commandant's office. The entire set up took less than three minutes. We hereby officially apologize to the graveyard shift airman on security police patrol who had to call in and explain to his supervisor how the comman¬dant's office just "appeared." When we all landed in the SAR with no "hits or losses," it was all we could do to keep the laughing and whooping down. None of us could sleep.

The next day the commandant sat at his desk on the terrazzo for a few hours and made calls on his working phone in what I believe was a terrific show of sportsmanship. Our AOC said that the word he was getting was that it was a "very professional job" given the number of locks that had to be negotiated. He told us that there were a lot of questions that he had but he knew that they would all be "improper questions." In the end, all of us agreed that his current level of knowledge was probably the best for all and he left laughing.
The base paper took pictures of the office on the terrazzo, and all of us just held on to our "Once a Grunt" picture until we thought the statute of limitations had expired. Years later Otto sent the picture to General Vandenberg and once again he expressed his pleasure with the whole event.

[Phsstpok]

Pretty cool, but still not MIT level.

you mean like this, done on the MIT campus?

Of course, even the MIT folks are pikers next to the annual "stacking" competition at Caltech.

But the ultimate, for me, are the grand things the Stamford students do to the statue of Father Junipero Serra alongside Rt 280 on the SF peninsulla (the ugliest statue in the world). I personally saw both the propeller beanie on his head and the "yo yo" hanging from his finger.

here's Father Serra without his adornments. You can picture what he looked like during each of those episodes. Particularly rising out of an SF fog early in the morning. The yo yo was made from one of those big reels that the phone and cable companies use.

[ex-snook]

I know they exchange guys with Army for a year. Maybe these mids were 'imbedded'? This should get interesting. Conceived and executed - a well done.

[kabar]

It is supposed to be rainy so the ceiling will be low. I hope we get something. They always do something special for this game. A few years ago they had the game in Redskin stadium and had a stealth bomber (B-2) fly-by.

[jettester]

Yeah, that was the key selling point on the project - I believe the redesign/retrofit had to result in no more than 4-5 hours in differences training. All in all, the project was a good deal for FedEx in terms of costs.

[Domangart]

Thats what we called it in the early 70's. Before we got rid of the junk and got real planes and bombs.

[thackney]

navy ping

[Night Hides Not]

BTW at NTC I got lite up by a Vulcan crew was that you?

Nope, wasn't me. I never made it to NTC. I got out in '84 after 8 years. It came down to knowing my next PCS was Korea (from Fort Bliss), and I had other plans, like courting my future bride.

A-10 pilots had nothing to fear from us either. Truth be told, anything that flew faster than 250 mph had nothing to fear from a Vulcan, at least back before Reagan, when there was no money for live-fire training.

I went to Todendorf (German AA range on the Baltic) for ASP twice. Spring ASP was worthless, because it was so cold (I'm talking about bullets bouncing off the Baltic cold!). Summer ASP was much better, but a Vulcan gunner needed constant training, not just one good week out of the year.

[Dixiekraut]

Reminds me of an Army / Navy game my dad took my brother and I to many many years ago.There was a rumor the President would show up.At the east gate a very large black limo pulled into the stadium...and circled the running track ..starting at the Army side of the field.As it passed the Army stands everyone smartly saluted. Then it rounded the end zone and stopped in front of the Navy stands...and the door popped open and out stepped...the Navy Goat.. on a leash with his handler.The Navy side of the stadium erupted in cheers...much to our chagrin.

At halftime of the game they introduced the members of the ill-fated POW rescue team that went into Son Tay prison camp to try to get our guys out of NVA hands.I think Charlie Beckwith was one of them...who years later went into Tehran on another mission.

When they introduced them on the field the sound of the crowd..both sides..was so loud I thought it could've been heard all the way back in Annapolis and West Point.

[rabidralph]

Woo-hoo! Beat Army, and everybody else!

[Chode]

BRAVO ZULU MIDS!!!

[tet68]

Go Navy!

However having said that, the Navy and the Airforce can
thank their lucky stars that there's no such thing as

The United States Marine Academy!

[Vortex]

This is one of my favorites.

It seems like SMU left behind more than a goose egg last November when the Frogs spanked them, 21-0. The SMU band during halftime dropped strategic mounds of rye grass seed, leaving behind the band's trademark "Diamond M" formation on TCU's now-dormant football field.

[Chode]

but that's part of what makes Navy so GOOD!!!

[vetvetdoug]

Something tells me that the Navy is going to find some significant item painted USAF blue.

[RunningWolf]

when you prang a FedEx heavy onto the runway you don't have to listen to the passengers and a bunch of gay flight attendants give you grief.

Do the Kobe Beef Cattle get restless ;)

Wolf

[JLO]

Well, glad to see you didn't leave, Pukin Dog! I stuck my head in FR for a little bit this morning and was surprised somewhat. I just happened on your 'parting shots' post. Must have been at the top of the browse list at the time.

Someone had added a keyword OPUS to that particular thread. Others may search on that keyword, I don't know. But, I think that's why some thought you were leaving.

Anyway - I didn't want to believe you were leaving, after the post from last weekend (see below link). I haven't been too active this week, myself, so I wasn't sure what was up.

Have a good weekend, Pukin Dog! See you around FR!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1493537/posts

[Pukin Dog]

Actually, I did leave. However, I felt it necessary to give props to the Academy boys. I will not be posting at all in the future, and will be only lurking. I am only responding to you to set the record straight. Pukin is gone.

[XJarhead]

Those are both great stories.

Something similar to the goat story happened at the 1984 Army-Navy game in the Rose Bowl. Inside the stadium, all our plebes lined up making a tunnel for the Navy team as they ran onto the field. They came running out through the tunnel, the plebes were going wild...a really good scene.

They came back in the stands, and then the Army plebes lined up to do the same thing. They start cheering wildly, roaring for their team to come running out of the tunnel. Unfortunately, Army's team came running out of a different entrance, and all those plebes just stood there lined up at the wrong place. We were howling at that one. We then scored 21 pts in the first 4 minutes or so. We had some great teams in the early 80's.

But the worm always turns, and we started getting the crud kicked out of us regularly for a lot of years after that. But now, its turned again....

Go Navy, Beat Army!

[Rokke]

"Do the Kobe Beef Cattle get restless ;)"

Nope. Just a little more tender!