John Kerry told the world we were war criminals who raped, tortured and murdered in Vietnam. Now, thirty-three years later, we will tell America the truth.
Join us at the rally we call:
What: A peaceful remembrance of those with whom we served in Vietnam - those who lived and those who died.
We will tell the story of their virtues and how that contrasts with the lies told by John Kerry.
When: Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004 @ 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT
Where: The West Front of the U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, DC
All Vietnam veterans and their families and supporters are asked to attend. Other veterans are invited as honored guests. This will be a peaceful event--no shouting or contact with others with different opinions. We fought for their rights then, and we respect their rights now. This is NOT a Republican or a pro-Bush rally. Democrats, Republicans and independents alike are warmly invited.
Our gathering is to remember those with whom we served, thereby giving the lie to John Kerry's smear against a generation of fine young men. B.G. "Jug" Burkett, author of "Stolen Valor," will be one of our speakers. Jug has debunked countless impostors who falsely claimed to be Vietnam veterans or who falsely claimed awards for heroism. Jug recommends that we refrain from dragging fatigues out of mothballs. Dress like America, like you do every day. Dress code: business casual, nice slacks, and shirt and shoes. No uniform remnants, please. Unit hats OK.
Selected members will wear badges identifying them as authorized to speak to the media about our event. Others who speak to the media will speak only for themselves.
The program will be controlled in an attempt to stay on-message. Speakers are encouraged not to engage in speculative criticism of John Kerry but (1) to stick to known and undisputed facts about John Kerry’s lies while (2) reminding America of the true honor and courage of our brothers in battle in Vietnam.
Send this announcement to 10 or more of your brothers! Bring them by car, bus, train or plane! Make this event one of pride in America, an event you would be proud to have your mother or your children attend.
Contact: kerrylied.com
Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.
Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.
UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004
The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul
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K9 Thunder
K9 Thunder
This article is from Jane's International Defense Review
South Korean Army rolls out K9 Thunder self-propelled artillery system
CHRISTOPHER F.FOSS
In the late 1980s, the ROK Army drew up its requirements for a new 155mm/52-caliber SPH to meet the requirements of the 21st century based on the following missions: deep supporting fire of the corps, qualitatively superior to overcome numerical inferiority; and effective firing support in mountainous areas with its longer range.
For many years the mainstay of the Republic of Korea's (ROK's) self-propelled field artillery units has been the United Defense LP 155mm/39-caliber M109A2 self-propelled howitzer (SPH). Samsung Aerospace Industries Ltd (SSA), Defense Program Division, was the ROK prime contractor for the co-production of 1,040 M109A2 SPHs, deliveries of which were completed several years ago.
The Agency for Defense Development (ADD) began work on a new SPH in 1989. Key operational requirements included a higher rate of fire, longer range, more accurate fire, faster into and out of action times and greater mobility, all of which were intended to lead to a significant increase in the battlefield survivability of the weapon system.
Following a competition, Samsung was selected to be the prime contractor for the K9 Thunder 155mm/52-caliber SPH. The company is responsible for delivering the complete system to the ROK Army as well as being responsible for logistics support and associated testing equipment.
The ROK government has invested a total of US$170 million in the development of a new 155mm self-propelled howitzer since 1989. First prototypes were completed in 1994 under the designation XK9 and put through extensive development test/operational tests (DT/OT) by the ROK Army and the ADD.
VERIFIED RELIABILITY
These were followed by three pre-production vehicles manufactured during the full-scale development phase (Phase II), the last of which was completed in 1998.
The mobility and firing reliability of the K9 Thunder had been verified through the trial of the prototype vehicles in Korea and by the end of 1998 these had travelled 18,000km and fired 12,000 rounds.
The XK9 Thunder was type classified by the ROK Army in 1998 as the K9 with the first production vehicles being completed early last year. The first ROK field artillery battalion is now operational and has three batteries each of six K9s. Each battery is normally controlled by one battery fire direction center.
The first K9 production batch consisted of six units; these were fielded for fire support of a corps artillery but did not replace the existing towed and self-propelled 155mm artillery systems.
The ROK Army is the first in Asia to deploy a 155mm/ 52-caliber SPH and the second in the world. The German Army was the first to deploy such a system with the introduction into service of the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann PzH 2000 in 1998.
The hull and turret of the K9 are of all-welded steel armor construction with a maximum thickness of 19mm. This provides the occupants with protection from medium calibre small arms fire and 155mm high explosive shell fragments. The K9 has a crew of five people, a driver and four in the crew compartment, with the latter consisting of commander, gunner, assistant gunner, and ammunition loader.
In appearance and overall layout the K9 is similar to other systems of this type. The driver sits front left with the power pack to his right. The rest of the vehicle is taken up by the turret and crew compartment.
The driver enters the tank by a rear- opening roof hatch that can be locked in the horizontal position. He has three forward-facing day periscopes, the center one of which can be replaced by the driver's passive night vision.
Wherever possible, to reduce development time and costs, proven subsystems were used in the development of the K9. The power pack for example consists of the German-designed MTU MT 881 Ka 500 V8 water-cooled diesel developing 1,000hp coupled to an Allison Transmission Division X1100-5A3 fully automatic transmission with four forward and two reverse gears.
PROVEN ENGINE
The MTU MT 881 Ka 500 is a proven engine and is also installed in the German PzH 2000 SPH while the X1100-5A3 is a diesel version of the X1100-3B developed for the US M1 Abrams MBT.
The fuel tank is at the front right side of the hull with the battery compartment being front left. The air intake and outlet louvers are in the roof with the exhaust outlet on the right side. The indirect fire sight is mounted on the left side of the turret roof and is provided with a ballistic cover.
The commander and gunner sit on the right side of the turret. Mounted on the forward part of the commander's cupola is a 12.7mm M2 machine gun for air- defense/local-defense purposes and a single piece hatch cover is provided which opens to the rear. A door is provided in the left side of the turret and there is also a large door in the chassis rear for crew entry and ammunition resupply purposes.
The 155mm/52-caliber main armament has a chamber volume of 23 liters and is fitted with a muzzle brake and fume extractor. The large multiple slotted muzzle brake reduces the firing impulse applied to the recoil system and also provides a superior capability of attenuating the blast overpressure and flash. The vertically sliding breech mechanism automatically opens upward after firing and obturates the propellant gases with the high strength obturator ring in the barrel assembly.
The primer magazine automatically feeds, inserts and extracts the primers, and movement of the breech block allows for the continuous firing capability of 21 rounds.
The gun mount, which consists of two hydraulic recoil brakes with an internal buffer and a pneumatic recuperator, reduces the firing impulse to the chassis. The high rigidity cradle, fitted to the autoloader at the rear, has enhanced firing accuracy by minimizing the lateral motion of the barrel when firing.
When traveling the barrel is held in position by a travel lock installed on the forward part of the hull; this is operated by the driver via remote control so ensuring the NBC integrity of the vehicle.
Mounted over the rear part of the ordnance is a muzzle velocity measuring system that feeds information to the onboard computer. This Doppler type system has a muzzle velocity recording range of 202,000m/sec.
A burst rate of fire of three rounds can be fired in 15sec with a maximum rate of fire of 68rds/min for a period of 3min. Sustained rate of fire is 23rds/min for one hour. A thermal warning device is fitted as standard and this feeds the temperature of the barrel to the Automatic Fire Control System (AFCS).
Firing a standard M107 high explosive (HE)projectile a maximum range of 18km can be achieved. Maximum range firing a HE rocket-assisted projectile (RAP) with uni-charge of five zones is 30km; firing the new K307 projectile with a six zone charge a maximum range of 40km can be achieved with a chamber pressure of (3,655kg/cm2) and a muzzle velocity of 924m/sec.
Using its onboard fire-control system it can carry out time-on-target (TOT) procedures and put three rounds on to the target at once. The bustle rack of the turret has been designed to load four types of 155mm projectile and is fitted with four independently operated electrical drives which can be operated manually in an emergency. A total of 48 projectiles and their associated charges are carried for ready use.
Internally an automatic-loading system takes projectiles from the storage position and places them onto the ammunition tray ready for ramming. The charges are loaded manually. Although it can use a conventional bag type charge system (M3A1, M4A2, M119A1 and M203), the K9 has been optimized for use with a locally developed modular charge system.
The new modular charge system comprises two charges. One is a uni-charge used for up to five zones (five increments) and another is a module type charge for zone six only (two increments).
The new K307 projectile is a high-explosive extended-range full-bore base-bleed (HE ER FB BB) type which features an aerodynamic body and base bleed to achieve its enhanced range.
Standard equipment includes a Honeywell Modular Azimuth Position System, Automatic Fire Control System, powered gun elevation/depression and turret traverse system. The K9 Thunder can open fire within 30sec if it is already stationary or within 60sec if it is moving.
Information to lay the weapon on to the target can be transmitted from the battery command post to the K9 Thunder via a data digital radio link or voice communications and the system can also calculate laying data using its onboard fire-control equipment.
The suspension system is of the hydropneumatic type with each side having six dual rubberized road wheels and with the drive sprocket at the front, idler at the rear and three track return rollers. The track is of the double pin type with replaceable rubber pads.
SUPPLYING SUSPENSION
Subcontractor for the suspension is Tong Myung Heavy Industries which signed a contract with Air Log of the UK in 1995 for the supply of an undisclosed quantity of 'Hydrogas' suspension units and license production of these in South Korea. This is similar to that used on the Marconi Land & Naval Systems 155mm AS90 self-propelled artillery in service with the Royal Artillery.
The K9 Thunder is also fitted with an NBC system, heater, internal and external communications system and a manual fire-suppression system.
Using the same basic chassis as the K9 Thunder an ammunition resupply version is under development and funding permitting, this could enter service around 2005.
SPECIFICATIONS
Crew: 5
Combat weight: 46,300kg
Power-to-weight ratio: 21.6hp/tonne
Length gun forwards: 12m
Length hull: 7.44m
Width: 3.40m
Height: (turret roof) 2.73m (including 12.7mm M2 MG) 3.5m
Ground clearance: 0.41m
Track: double pin with replaceable rubber pads (GS(c)2)
Track width: 548mm
Length of track on ground: 4.72m
Maximum road speed: 67km/h
Maximum towing speed: 27km/h
Acceleration: 12 sec (0 to 32km/h)
Braking distance: 12m (from 32km/h)
Fuel capacity: 850 litres
Range (cruising): 360km
Fording: 1.5m
Gradient: 60%
Side slope: 30%
Vertical obstacle: 0.75m
Trench: 2.8m
Engine: MTU MT 881 Ka-500 V-8 water-cooled diesel
developing 1,000hp at 2,700rpm
Transmission: Allison Transmission Division X1100-5A3 automatic with four forward and two reverse gears
Suspension: hydropneumatic
Electrical system: Generator voltage: 28V DC Battery voltage: 24V DC
Armament: (main) 1×155mm/52-cal (anti-aircraft) 1×12.7mm M2 machine gun
Ammunition: (155mm) 48 (12.7mm MG) 500
Gun control equipment: Turret power control:
hydraulic/manual
Turret traverse: 360
Gun elevation/depression: +70/2.5
Armour: 19mm max
Armour type: steel
NBC system: yes
Night-vision equipment: yes
~~~
In other military/defense news, France's aggressive marketing campaign to woo the Pentagon with its "Kerry" Self-Propelled Kibitzer has been shelved.
The "Kerry" was designed to fire three different opinions at any given issue, a yes, a no, a maybe, with the intention of at least confusing the opponent if not silencing him.
Initial field tests showed an embarrassing tendency of the "Kerry" to self-destruct, shooting itself in the foot as it were.
Kerry with CIA "lucky" hat
