finesse_r
Member
The best Navy personnel were those medics attached to Marine units and those Navy pilots that dropped napalm when and where ordered.
Branch of Service Differences
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El Biblioitecario
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I don't put down any service, but I have smile at their cultural differences.
The last time I visited MCAS Yuma, the sentry at the gate was wearing exquistly pressed class As. After checking my ID, he snapped to attention, saluted, and shouted, "Good afternoon, sir!"
The last time I visted D-M AFB, the sentry was wearing a baggy camouflage uinform. She smiled and said "hi." After checking my ID, she waved her hand in the vicinity of her forehead and wished me a nice day. But she had a very sincere smile.
The last time I visited MCAS Yuma, the sentry at the gate was wearing exquistly pressed class As. After checking my ID, he snapped to attention, saluted, and shouted, "Good afternoon, sir!"
The last time I visted D-M AFB, the sentry was wearing a baggy camouflage uinform. She smiled and said "hi." After checking my ID, she waved her hand in the vicinity of her forehead and wished me a nice day. But she had a very sincere smile.
Add Air Force A-10 drivers to that list. Pilot made a BRDM look a lot more appealing shortly after we ran across one on a leisurely Sunday drive in a soft back HMMWV.
zzzippper
Member
Service differences again
This story was told to us by our commander, a Navy Captain, at an all-hands meeting.
During the Vietnam war three pilots; one Navy, one Air Force, and one Marine Corps had been shot down. They were being held in a VC camp waiting transport to the Hanoi Hilton.
They secretly agreed that if they got their chance they would make a break for it. One day they saw their chance and took it, all three running together as fast as they could. The Air Force guy was the first to tire and they stopped under a tree. The others didn't want to leave him behind but he said he would climb the tree and pretend to be a bird. The others ran on and sure enough when the guards and dogs came to his tree, he cupped his hands and said "caw, caw." The guards and dogs assumed it was a bird and ran after the other two.
After about 10 more minutes of flat out running the Navy guy pulled up gasping for air under another tree. He said don't worry about me, I'll climb this tree and pretend to be a squirrel. The Marine ran on and sure enough when the guards and dogs got to the tree he made whatever sounds a squirrel makes and they ran on.
The Marine finally pulled up under a tree completely gassed. Like the others he saw his chance to hide and climbed the tree. When his pursuers circled the tree he cupped his hands and called out, "MOOOO!"
This story was told to us by our commander, a Navy Captain, at an all-hands meeting.
During the Vietnam war three pilots; one Navy, one Air Force, and one Marine Corps had been shot down. They were being held in a VC camp waiting transport to the Hanoi Hilton.
They secretly agreed that if they got their chance they would make a break for it. One day they saw their chance and took it, all three running together as fast as they could. The Air Force guy was the first to tire and they stopped under a tree. The others didn't want to leave him behind but he said he would climb the tree and pretend to be a bird. The others ran on and sure enough when the guards and dogs came to his tree, he cupped his hands and said "caw, caw." The guards and dogs assumed it was a bird and ran after the other two.
After about 10 more minutes of flat out running the Navy guy pulled up gasping for air under another tree. He said don't worry about me, I'll climb this tree and pretend to be a squirrel. The Marine ran on and sure enough when the guards and dogs got to the tree he made whatever sounds a squirrel makes and they ran on.
The Marine finally pulled up under a tree completely gassed. Like the others he saw his chance to hide and climbed the tree. When his pursuers circled the tree he cupped his hands and called out, "MOOOO!"
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Herknav
Member
I was at a base a couple of years ago that had been BRAC'd and absorbed into the neighboring Army post. One night we had an on-base shooting. The call went out as "active shooter." It turned out to be an Army dude shooting at his Army baby momma in (formerly AF) base housing. As we were still in transition, there were still two separate CPs. This was a significant emotional event for the AF, so they held an after-action meeting to discuss how we had handled it. When asked for input, the Deputy Provost Marshal from the Army post said something to the effect of, "I know this is new to you AF folks, but this kind of behavior is a weekly occurrence on an Army post."
UncaGrunny
US Veteran
I haven't thought thru the list for a while, but I'll give it a go:
-> Grandpa Ray was Army for WWI
-> Dad (also Ray, but NOT 'Junior!') was Army for WWII and USAF (Activated from reserves) for Korea
-> Uncle Glenn was Army Air Corps for WWII and USAF for Korea, stayed in for a career and made full-bird. Dad never really forgave him for having induced him to join the USAFR after WWII under the premise, "C'mon, what're the odds of another war in the next 50 years?"
-> Uncle Ed (Aunt V's second; liked a man who'd worn a uniform) was in the Navy for WWII, & a USS Indianapolis survivor
- > Cousins Ray & Stevewent AF; cousin Tony's a career Army man, in physical therapy.
I was the first and only thus far to join Uncle Sam's Misguided Children. I'm told that back a ways in our family tree we have sure-enough pirates in the bloodline, so maybe that explains it.
I can't really engage in inter-service harassment without offending some relative or their shade... But it was my Uncle Ed who told me that the only reason the Navy still existed was that God simply refused to allow Marines to walk on water.
It was a fact that among my cohort, we had a secret respect and envy for the Air Force enlisted folks, for their continued, inexplicable skill in duping their officers into doing most of their fighting and dying for them.
-> Grandpa Ray was Army for WWI
-> Dad (also Ray, but NOT 'Junior!') was Army for WWII and USAF (Activated from reserves) for Korea
-> Uncle Glenn was Army Air Corps for WWII and USAF for Korea, stayed in for a career and made full-bird. Dad never really forgave him for having induced him to join the USAFR after WWII under the premise, "C'mon, what're the odds of another war in the next 50 years?"
-> Uncle Ed (Aunt V's second; liked a man who'd worn a uniform) was in the Navy for WWII, & a USS Indianapolis survivor
- > Cousins Ray & Stevewent AF; cousin Tony's a career Army man, in physical therapy.
I was the first and only thus far to join Uncle Sam's Misguided Children. I'm told that back a ways in our family tree we have sure-enough pirates in the bloodline, so maybe that explains it.
I can't really engage in inter-service harassment without offending some relative or their shade... But it was my Uncle Ed who told me that the only reason the Navy still existed was that God simply refused to allow Marines to walk on water.
It was a fact that among my cohort, we had a secret respect and envy for the Air Force enlisted folks, for their continued, inexplicable skill in duping their officers into doing most of their fighting and dying for them.
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finesse_r
Member
Would be funny except for one thing, no navy personnel could ever run full out for ten minutes. LOL
Two airmen were driving across country on leave. They come to a Marine Corps base and decide to visit. They approach the gate and the Marine Guard walks up to the driver's window, and taps on it with his nightstick.
The driver rolls down the window, and the Marine smacks him in the head with
the stick. The driver says, Why'd you do that?
The Marine says, You're on a United States Marine Corps Base, son. When I come up to your car, you'll have your ID card ready.
Driver says, I'm sorry, We're in the Air Force, and we didn't know.
The Marine examines the I.D. card and gives it back to the driver.
The Marine walks around to the passenger side and taps on the window. The passenger rolls his window down, and the Marine smacks him with the nightstick.
The passenger says, What'd you do that for?
The Marine says, Just making your wishes come true.
The passenger says, Huh?
The Marine says, I know that as soon as you pull away you're gonna say, 'I wish that sucker would've tried that **** with me!'
The driver rolls down the window, and the Marine smacks him in the head with
the stick. The driver says, Why'd you do that?
The Marine says, You're on a United States Marine Corps Base, son. When I come up to your car, you'll have your ID card ready.
Driver says, I'm sorry, We're in the Air Force, and we didn't know.
The Marine examines the I.D. card and gives it back to the driver.
The Marine walks around to the passenger side and taps on the window. The passenger rolls his window down, and the Marine smacks him with the nightstick.
The passenger says, What'd you do that for?
The Marine says, Just making your wishes come true.
The passenger says, Huh?
The Marine says, I know that as soon as you pull away you're gonna say, 'I wish that sucker would've tried that **** with me!'
UncaGrunny
US Veteran
Somewhere I have a photo my girlfriend snapped of me taking the enlistment oath at my swearing in day.
It was administered to me by an abundantly pregnant Air Force captain.
The difference between Air Force and Navy/Marine close air support? One you can almost see and the other you can almost touch.
During WWII my Dad busted out of the Border Patrol after being told he couldn't, and went back into the Army at the ripe old age of 32 (He was also in the Old (prewar) Army during the Depression, so this was old stuff to him.)
My stepbrother was getting to draft age. My Dad wrote to him from Europe and told him that if he joined the navy he would get decent chow and have a clean bunk right up until the ship sank. That was probably the only time my stepbrother ever took advice from anyone, and went from being a problem to my mother to a problem for the Navy.
My stepbrother was getting to draft age. My Dad wrote to him from Europe and told him that if he joined the navy he would get decent chow and have a clean bunk right up until the ship sank. That was probably the only time my stepbrother ever took advice from anyone, and went from being a problem to my mother to a problem for the Navy.
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Had a guy in our college dorm who'd done a stint in the Navy at the start of the SEA war games. Served on a helo (escort?) carrier. He commented that you could ID the Navy and Marine pilots running re-supply missions by their landings.
The Navy pilots were extremely careful about gently landing in exactly the correct spot on the deck.
The Marine pilots smacked the helo on the deck in the correct spot to reduce the times between flights.
He also noted that the Marine gunships had shubbery in the skids when they came back to re-arm.
The Navy pilots were extremely careful about gently landing in exactly the correct spot on the deck.
The Marine pilots smacked the helo on the deck in the correct spot to reduce the times between flights.
He also noted that the Marine gunships had shubbery in the skids when they came back to re-arm.
"Sea Bees are Marines that get out with a actual job skill ".......
and learn to go to the Air Force Base, for the best food around.........
and maybe get lucky enough to catch a Bob Hope show.
Uh, did I just give my age away ?? !!
and learn to go to the Air Force Base, for the best food around.........
and maybe get lucky enough to catch a Bob Hope show.
Uh, did I just give my age away ?? !!
vito
US Veteran
One real world difference between the Army and the Air Force became clear to me in Vietnam. We (Army) lived in canvas and chicken wire hooches, while the Air Force (at Danang air base) lived in wooden buildings, with carpeting and air conditioning! The one thing we had access to (being a medical unit that brought in wounded G.I.'s, and had to take their weapons from them) was captured AK's that the fighter pilots really wanted as a war trophy. We would trade 2 AK's for one air conditioner and used them to set up a little club in the battalion area and have at least this one little place where you could escape the sweltering heat for awhile. The AF guys didn't mind giving away their window A/C unit because they would just report it stolen and have a new one installed the same day!
I also fondly remember visiting the officer's club (I was a Captain at the time) at the Danang naval base, where lunch was served on white tablecloths and with fine china, while watching some of the Navy officers water skiing in Danang bay while we sat there in our dirty jungle fatigues. I often wondered why I stayed in the Army and didn't request a service transfer!
I also fondly remember visiting the officer's club (I was a Captain at the time) at the Danang naval base, where lunch was served on white tablecloths and with fine china, while watching some of the Navy officers water skiing in Danang bay while we sat there in our dirty jungle fatigues. I often wondered why I stayed in the Army and didn't request a service transfer!
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