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Military Pictures & Info
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Bump... this thread got buried somehow. We've got a few new members now who are vets... they might like to share some pics or a story or two.
The Mississippi Magnolia Medal Ribbon is officially hallmarked by the U.S. Institute of Heraldry. This award is for outstanding service or extraordinary achievement on behalf of the Mississippi National Guard by any member or former member of the Mississippi National Guard; the NG of any other US states, territories, or possessions; or any US Armed Forces. Awards should be restricted to the recognition of achievements and service clearly outstanding and unmistakably exceptional when compared to similar achievements of personnel of like rank and responsibilities. On March 24th, 1936 this award was proposed in SB 426, as recorded in Ch 217, and approved by the state legislature. The ribbon has red ends with a white middle and is ready to be worn. Mississippi Magnolia Medal Ribbons are made with the highest government standards and are US Military approved. All ribbons of the US Military are made in the USA by US Veterans. Ribbons are unmounted and do not come with a holding bar. To purchase this ribbon for yourself or a family member's shadow box, or display case, we require a DD-214 or other valid proof that this medal was honorably awarded.
Saw the movie 'Full Metal Jacket' last night. That movie always takes me back to boot camp. The barracks scenes are so familiar. I looked it up tonight, those movie scenes were shot at a sound studio in England. Yet boot camp in Orlando looked the same, I guess they all did, no matter where you went to boot.
I can definitely relate to the character ‘Joker’ in the movie. During boot camp he got promoted to squad leader, in navy parlance ‘section leader’. He was given ‘Leonard’, the guy who shot the Di then killed himself.
I was made a section leader on day 1! One of 6 section leaders, not only did I have to get myself through boot camp I had 20 guys to worry about also. I’m just glad I didn’t have a Leonard… but I had more than my share of idiots. Every time one of them screwed up I got punished with them!!!! It seemed every screw up in the company got assigned to me!!! I hated that job!!!!
True story, after boot I went to basic electronics school in Orlando. One night I saw one of my drill instructors at the club on base. I asked him about the guys they kept assigning me. He said “You had a knack for teaching idiots to tie their shoes”! (or make their bed or dress themselves). Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence!
I got the worst of the worst!!!! I’d finally get someone doing things correctly and they’d move them to another section and give me another idiot in exchange!!!!
I had 5 or 6 great guys the entire 8 weeks and recruited them to help me. But for them I wouldn’t have survived.
I’ll never forget two of my dummies. Everyone called them ‘Yogi and Boo boo’. They joined on the ‘buddy program’, childhood friends from an inner city, detriot I think. Where one went the other was right behind! The small one, ‘Boo Boo’ wasn’t very bright. The tall one ‘Yogi’ was even dumber!!! Neither of them could do anything right.
They didn’t get a true ‘blanket party’ but the last night before everyone shipped out each of the section leaders got our revenge!!! Every moron who’d made our lives hell for 8 weeks got some measure of recompense! More than just section leaders had to do push ups, half the company was up at 2 am in the dark!
The next morning Yogi was found tied up naked in about 1000yrds of dental floss to the Di’s office chair. Oh, his lips and cheeks were painted rosy red, painted with red dental dye used to check for cavities. The kind that doesn’t wash off. He had to get on a bus to california painted that way!
I voted for bars of soap in towels!!! Thankfully I was out voted by the other section leaders. They all had problem children too…. But they didn’t have yogi and boo boo!!!!
Online tonight I found a pic of RTC Orlando the year I was there... a walk down memory lane!
I can definitely relate to the character ‘Joker’ in the movie. During boot camp he got promoted to squad leader, in navy parlance ‘section leader’. He was given ‘Leonard’, the guy who shot the Di then killed himself.
I was made a section leader on day 1! One of 6 section leaders, not only did I have to get myself through boot camp I had 20 guys to worry about also. I’m just glad I didn’t have a Leonard… but I had more than my share of idiots. Every time one of them screwed up I got punished with them!!!! It seemed every screw up in the company got assigned to me!!! I hated that job!!!!
True story, after boot I went to basic electronics school in Orlando. One night I saw one of my drill instructors at the club on base. I asked him about the guys they kept assigning me. He said “You had a knack for teaching idiots to tie their shoes”! (or make their bed or dress themselves). Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence!
I got the worst of the worst!!!! I’d finally get someone doing things correctly and they’d move them to another section and give me another idiot in exchange!!!!
I had 5 or 6 great guys the entire 8 weeks and recruited them to help me. But for them I wouldn’t have survived.
I’ll never forget two of my dummies. Everyone called them ‘Yogi and Boo boo’. They joined on the ‘buddy program’, childhood friends from an inner city, detriot I think. Where one went the other was right behind! The small one, ‘Boo Boo’ wasn’t very bright. The tall one ‘Yogi’ was even dumber!!! Neither of them could do anything right.
They didn’t get a true ‘blanket party’ but the last night before everyone shipped out each of the section leaders got our revenge!!! Every moron who’d made our lives hell for 8 weeks got some measure of recompense! More than just section leaders had to do push ups, half the company was up at 2 am in the dark!
The next morning Yogi was found tied up naked in about 1000yrds of dental floss to the Di’s office chair. Oh, his lips and cheeks were painted rosy red, painted with red dental dye used to check for cavities. The kind that doesn’t wash off. He had to get on a bus to california painted that way!
I voted for bars of soap in towels!!! Thankfully I was out voted by the other section leaders. They all had problem children too…. But they didn’t have yogi and boo boo!!!!
Online tonight I found a pic of RTC Orlando the year I was there... a walk down memory lane!
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How many remember this?
And either of those corp men giving shots to soldiers could have been my Dad. That's what he did in Korea, incoming and outgoing troops.
I remember getting 5 or 6 shots in about 30seconds. Didn't feel the last few. Besides I was busy laughing at the guy in the other line who fainted! There were several of those!
I also remember getting in line like that.
Yes, some did pass out from fright.
Yes, some did pass out from fright.
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Most of the Navy adventures are less than exciting. A few days ago I ran across the Command History Report for the USS Detroit for 1978.
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/FOIA/CHRs-CORs/1978 CHR for USS DETROIT_FINAL.pdf
Of interest is the update for September. See the pdf.
I was assigned the responsibility of checking adjusting and tuning all of the systems from the search radar through the Missile Fire Control system. We were given 3 telemetry missiles (warhead replaced by radio measurement gear which was used to judge if the missile got close enough) to be used to register kills against drones simulating cruise missiles. To pass the requirements we had to intercept 2 with as many as 3 missiles.
The missiles we used NATO Sea Sparrow missile (upgraded missiles are now ESSM). The warheads were large hard grenades that would take out out a target within 50' when triggered. So we only had get closer than 50'. After each attempt the missile and drones were retrieved to be used again.
So the day came for our trials. I manned the search radar to find the drones. I designated the target and the Fire Control radar and computer system locked on to the target and computed an intercept. The fire control officer launched the missile and seconds later I heard cheers from crew watching from the weather deck that witnessed the fire ball. No warhead mind you. A direct hit.
Second drone was destroyed like the first in a fire ball. I was hunkering down looking for the next drone when we were ordered to stand down. We never fired the third missile. We were told "You guys are costing us too much destroying two telemetry birds and drones.
I never saw the fireballs. The division did earn the nick name "fireballs" . And as reflected in the linked we beat all of the other ships in the task force and was awarded a Missile E award for excellence. About as good ad it gets for a Missile Fire Control petty officer in peace time.
So that is my Sea Story and I am sticking with it.
Ben
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/FOIA/CHRs-CORs/1978 CHR for USS DETROIT_FINAL.pdf
Of interest is the update for September. See the pdf.
I was assigned the responsibility of checking adjusting and tuning all of the systems from the search radar through the Missile Fire Control system. We were given 3 telemetry missiles (warhead replaced by radio measurement gear which was used to judge if the missile got close enough) to be used to register kills against drones simulating cruise missiles. To pass the requirements we had to intercept 2 with as many as 3 missiles.
The missiles we used NATO Sea Sparrow missile (upgraded missiles are now ESSM). The warheads were large hard grenades that would take out out a target within 50' when triggered. So we only had get closer than 50'. After each attempt the missile and drones were retrieved to be used again.
So the day came for our trials. I manned the search radar to find the drones. I designated the target and the Fire Control radar and computer system locked on to the target and computed an intercept. The fire control officer launched the missile and seconds later I heard cheers from crew watching from the weather deck that witnessed the fire ball. No warhead mind you. A direct hit.
Second drone was destroyed like the first in a fire ball. I was hunkering down looking for the next drone when we were ordered to stand down. We never fired the third missile. We were told "You guys are costing us too much destroying two telemetry birds and drones.
I never saw the fireballs. The division did earn the nick name "fireballs" . And as reflected in the linked we beat all of the other ships in the task force and was awarded a Missile E award for excellence. About as good ad it gets for a Missile Fire Control petty officer in peace time.
So that is my Sea Story and I am sticking with it.
Ben
