War Stories

Mainsail

Mainsail

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On someone's last nerve..
During the Gulf war there were a lot of SCUD missiles being shot somewhat haphazardly into Saudi Arabia by the Iraqis. We were trained with and carried chemical warfare protective gear with us when we went downrange because the SCUDs were alleged to have WMD warheads. We DID NOT LIKE the gear though; it was hot and cumbersome, and hard to do anything once you managed to get it all donned.

We were taxiing out after a 2+15 ground time at one of the Saudi bases, and right about when we got on the parallel taxiway, at about mid-field, tower called us to warn us that SCUD missiles were inbound. I was the FE at the panel and the very first thing I think of is how much it's going to suck putting all that gear on in some hot dark bunker. The two minute conversation over the radio and interphone went something like this:

TOWER: Reach 40681 tower, SCUDS inbound; shut down in place and evacuate to the shelter ahead and abeam your right wing.

PILOT: Tower Reach 40681 is number one for takeoff (#1 for takeoff traditionally means you're in the hammerhead at the end of the taxiway and immediately ready to go. We were only midfield, about half way down the parallel…)

PILOT: Engineer, Line-up checklist. (pilot advances throttles….)

TOWER: Reach 40681 NEGATIVE. Shut down and evacuate- the shelter is abeam your right wing.

PILOT: Tower Reach 40681 is number one for takeoff runway XX.

FE: Line-up check, spoilers.

COPILOT: Closed and armed copilot

PILOT: Closed and armed pilot

TOWER: Reach; negative negative, SCUDS inbound, shut down and evacuate

FE: IFF

COPILOT: Set

FE: Continuous ignition

COPILOT: On

By now we are roaring down the taxiway so fast I begin to think the pilot is just going to throw my takeoff data out the window and do the takeoff right from the taxiway.

PILOT: (in the same deadpan voice he's been using since the beginning) Tower Reach 40681 is ready for takeoff, number one

FE: Engine anti-ice

COPILOT: Off

FE: Pitot heat & temp probe de-ice

COPILOT: On

FE: Angle of attack de-ice

COPILOT : On

FE: TAKEOFF light

PILOT: Check

FE: Line-up check complete

The end of the parallel is approaching fast, we're way past the shelter, I'm snugging down my straps….

TOWER: Reach 40681 QNH one-zero-zero-two, winds calm, cleared for takeoff, fly runway heading to seven thousand feet, turn right on course, contact departure, frequency change approved.

The tires must have been smoking as we made the left U-turn onto the runway and the pilot set takeoff power. We were told by ATC shortly after that a SCUD has passed over our aircraft during climb-out, on a path that put it well away from the base.

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My son was a Marine in Desert Storm to free Kuwait.

He was in a Hum VEE TOW missle company. He was the 1st SGT's driver.

Just before they lined up to cross into Kuwait, they had mail call, my Mom was super in sending him some of the best homemade cookies on the planet. He received a box, he knew what it was and did not open it. They were told to put the chem gear and masks on, line up, it's time. His SGT asked what was in the box, Grandma's homemade cookies Gunny. Ok if we get hit with chem or germs they will be ruined. What about us eating them now?

While we were watching the Air fellas demolish Bagdad and every thing they could see between Saudi and on into Kuwait my son and his sarge were shoving cookies up under the gas mask. Getting ready to go to war with Grandma's cookies.

I don't know haw many watched this 2 plus day thing but I had to watch, my only son was there. On the news there was a report of a Hum Vee hitting a mine and the driver losing a leg. God I prayed. When he got home he told me all, the fella that lost a leg was right in front of him. They put a tourniquet on the guys leg, and put him in my sons HumVee and said take him back to one of the Mash units that were set up, just in case we needed them. the Corpsman stayed with the unit. He drove the HumVee back as fast as he could, he was driving against the traffic and had to run off the road. Later he realized how lucky he was.

A chief petty officer said this Mash is for chemical casualties. Take him somewhere else. A few here might have done the same, My boy unslung his M-4 and said start working on him now or you'll be needing help.

No problems later.

Once they were working on his buddy he and whomever was with him drove like crazy around vehicles to get back to their group, I think it was the gunny.

They were close to the front of the line. Right after getting back in line they stopped. He looked out his open window to the left, an Iraqi regular ran out of a waddy firing his AK at my son, Marine training, bless them for training my son, he shoved the M-4 out the window on burst, cut the guys arm off just below the shoulder. The Corpsman clamped off the arteries, and told my son not to worry, he will live.

They creep and stop, creep and stop. He said the Wart hogs were making bright lights out in front of them. When the lights flashed they would move up.

They could not fire the TOW's with out permission from fire control.

The A-10's had missed a valley, the Hum Vee company pulled over the hill, night vision showed a bunch of Iraqi's climbing into an APC. Sarge says call fire control to get permission to take out this target. Son said getting permission was like pulling teeth. They finally said OK, permission to fire. Son said Gunny we can fire. Gunny said call them back and tell them we are going to wait for a couple of minutes. Fire control went ballistic on my son, said why in the blue blazes stuff caused you to call and now want to wait? Son said Gunny they need a reason. Gunny said they are still loading up. Fire control went off again. Gunny said tell them I want it now. They had a saying, crispy kritters, well the ones in the APC did not go home.

More single events, no sleep, for him or me.

At the end, a news team was driving into the City, asleep on a Hum VEE hood was a gyrene that looked identical to my son.

I heard from him some time later, there was lots of cleaning up.



Then there was the amnesty box that allowed one to drop anything off with out penalty, there was a mix match of items dropped off, full auto AK's, dried soft tissue parts and mostly things that went boom.

He came home, a full grown man.

I watched the news every chance I got, wasn't hard it was on many channels.

Does anyone remember the missing vehicles from the Army depot? It was daily news. They feared terrorists had stolen the big trucks and Hum Vees were going to load them up with explosives and do damage.

Then one day they said the Army had found the missing vehicles.

My sons company did not get their allotment of trucks shipped, so they went shopping, said the Army guards never questioned them. They dropped a bunch of Marines off at the compound, a Gunny walked them in and they left with the goods. I guess the vehicles were left there or the Marines may still have them. This was a minor side story of what happens in war. I thought it was funny, told my son when he got home, he said the Gunny grabbed a bunch of drivers and put us in a truck. Told us to what to take when we were there. He said all of the drivers never knew they were stealing and might get shot at.

He said the A-10's and attack helio copters were totally awesome.

Constant light show.

I have a small friend who was a tunnel rat in Nam. He was the camera carrying guy also. His rookie trip into the bush was an eye opener, they found a tunnel door, gave him a 1911, grabbed him by his ankles and dropped him in head first. He grew to like this.

There are some old Nam vets who might remember the ear necklace. His was double loaded. All earned.

We went to work for the phone company with in 2 weeks of each other. They put me on the crew he was on. Day one we headed 25-30 miles out in the boonies to start a new pole line. My soon to be long time friend had not been back from Nam long, still had the military habit of sleeping in down times, he was fast asleep when the old muffler less truck backfired loud going down a hill. Charlie never woke, he hit the truck floor and was crawling up under the dash. When his eyes opened he looked around and got his bearings, he was in a phone company truck, not Nam. I gave him a hand up. He said well I feel a little foolish, I said don't my Dad still woke up at nights when I was very young yelling the Germans were coming. He liked that

No biggie, you'll get better and he did.

The fella is tough as hardened nails.
 
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Tom Young has written an excellent series of novels beginning with a pilot in Afghanistan and a female Army interpreter. The first is The Mullah's Storm. Interesting reading about recent wars.
 
Last edited:
model70hunter said:
My son was a Marine in Desert Storm to free Kuwait.

He was in a Hum VEE TOW missle company. He was the 1st SGT's driver.

Just before they lined up to cross into Kuwait, they had mail call, my Mom was super in sending him some of the best homemade cookies on the planet. He received a box, he knew what it was and did not open it. They were told to put the chem gear and masks on, line up, it's time. His SGT asked what was in the box, Grandma's homemade cookies Gunny. Ok if we get hit with chem or germs they will be ruined. What about us eating them now?

While we were watching the Air fellas demolish Bagdad and every thing they could see between Saudi and on into Kuwait my son and his sarge were shoving cookies up under the gas mask. Getting ready to go to war with Grandma's cookies.

I don't know haw many watched this 2 plus day thing but I had to watch, my only son was there. On the news there was a report of a Hum Vee hitting a mine and the driver losing a leg. God I prayed. When he got home he told me all, the fella that lost a leg was right in front of him. They put a tourniquet on the guys leg, and put him in my sons HumVee and said take him back to one of the Mash units that were set up, just in case we needed them. the Corpsman stayed with the unit. He drove the HumVee back as fast as he could, he was driving against the traffic and had to run off the road. Later he realized how lucky he was.

A chief petty officer said this Mash is for chemical casualties. Take him somewhere else. A few here might have done the same, My boy unslung his M-4 and said start working on him now or you'll be needing help.

No problems later.

Once they were working on his buddy he and whomever was with him drove like crazy around vehicles to get back to their group, I think it was the gunny.

They were close to the front of the line. Right after getting back in line they stopped. He looked out his open window to the left, an Iraqi regular ran out of a waddy firing his AK at my son, Marine training, bless them for training my son, he shoved the M-4 out the window on burst, cut the guys arm off just below the shoulder. The Corpsman clamped off the arteries, and told my son not to worry, he will live.

They creep and stop, creep and stop. He said the Wart hogs were making bright lights out in front of them. When the lights flashed they would move up.

They could not fire the TOW's with out permission from fire control.

The A-10's had missed a valley, the Hum Vee company pulled over the hill, night vision showed a bunch of Iraqi's climbing into an APC. Sarge says call fire control to get permission to take out this target. Son said getting permission was like pulling teeth. They finally said OK, permission to fire. Son said Gunny we can fire. Gunny said call them back and tell them we are going to wait for a couple of minutes. Fire control went ballistic on my son, said why in the blue blazes stuff caused you to call and now want to wait? Son said Gunny they need a reason. Gunny said they are still loading up. Fire control went off again. Gunny said tell them I want it now. They had a saying, crispy kritters, well the ones in the APC did not go home.

More single events, no sleep, for him or me.

At the end, a news team was driving into the City, asleep on a Hum VEE hood was a gyrene that looked identical to my son.

I heard from him some time later, there was lots of cleaning up.



Then there was the amnesty box that allowed one to drop anything off with out penalty, there was a mix match of items dropped off, full auto AK's, dried soft tissue parts and mostly things that went boom.

He came home, a full grown man.

I watched the news every chance I got, wasn't hard it was on many channels.

Does anyone remember the missing vehicles from the Army depot? It was daily news. They feared terrorists had stolen the big trucks and Hum Vees were going to load them up with explosives and do damage.

Then one day they said the Army had found the missing vehicles.

My sons company did not get their allotment of trucks shipped, so they went shopping, said the Army guards never questioned them. They dropped a bunch of Marines off at the compound, a Gunny walked them in and they left with the goods. I guess the vehicles were left there or the Marines may still have them. This was a minor side story of what happens in war. I thought it was funny, told my son when he got home, he said the Gunny grabbed a bunch of drivers and put us in a truck. Told us to what to take when we were there. He said all of the drivers never knew they were stealing and might get shot at.

He said the A-10's and attack helio copters were totally awesome.

Constant light show.

I have a small friend who was a tunnel rat in Nam. He was the camera carrying guy also. His rookie trip into the bush was an eye opener, they found a tunnel door, gave him a 1911, grabbed him by his ankles and dropped him in head first. He grew to like this.

There are some old Nam vets who might remember the ear necklace. His was double loaded. All earned.

We went to work for the phone company with in 2 weeks of each other. They put me on the crew he was on. Day one we headed 25-30 miles out in the boonies to start a new pole line. My soon to be long time friend had not been back from Nam long, still had the military habit of sleeping in down times, he was fast asleep when the old muffler less truck backfired loud going down a hill. Charlie never woke, he hit the truck floor and was crawling up under the dash. When his eyes opened he looked around and got his bearings, he was in a phone company truck, not Nam. I gave him a hand up. He said well I feel a little foolish, I said don't my Dad still woke up at nights when I was very young yelling the Germans were coming. He liked that

No biggie, you'll get better and he did.

The fella is tough as hardened nails.
Click to expand...


My congrats to your son for a job well done.
Glad he made it home OK!
 
Why did the Air Force retire the C-141? Seemed like they put a lot of effort into upgrading the C version.

the C-141 air frame while very good but had a LOT of hours on them. even after they were upgraded with the extensions in the cargo area and added inflight refueling they still got a LOT of hours on them. the C-141 was a good airplane

the C-5 air frame even with upgrades are getting a LOT of hours on them.

I don't know how many C-17's were made but they are racking up a LOT of hours also.
 
Kernel Crittenden said:
Why did the Air Force retire the C-141? Seemed like they put a lot of effort into upgrading the C version.
Click to expand...
Those of us familiar with the plane believe it was about 75% politics and 25% economy.

I could start a whole series of threads on the questionable behaviors I witnessed when the C-17s came. The C-141Bs and C-141Cs had a lot of flight hours on them, and age was starting to take its toll, but it was a perfectly serviceable airplane with a reliability rate that was somewhat awkward or inconvenient at a time when congress was looking to cut programs, especially new planes that weren't meeting the design specifications.

The B-52s have been in the air a lot longer then the Starlifters, so they can do things to extend the life of an airplane. When the AF was requesting bids on the next airlifter, Lockheed offered to re-engine the C-141s. New engines and pylons would reset the flight hours on the airplane. It would have saved the AF a ton of money, but require fewer C-17s; and the AF didn't want fewer of anything new.

The C-141s were very expensive to maintain however, so in the end I guess the decision makers figured it was better to go out like Seinfeld than Happy days. The squadron I was assigned to had crews trained for Special Operations Low Level I & II (SOLL I & II) and worked very closely with USSOCOM. The planes did NOT get rolled into SOCOM (like the gunship 130s) primarily because of the expense of maintaining them. AFSOC dumped a lot of money into adding chaff and flares as well as FLIR to a handful of C-141s (SOFI) and those planes are easily recognized by the FLIR ball under the nose.

8115141185_7cc6c018aa_z.jpg


It seems that mere retirement wasn't 'safe' enough for the C-17 program though, as they almost immediately began cutting the Starlifters up for scrap.

AMARC Experience - AMARC Experience

EDIT to add: There was a new digital fuel quantity indicator system that was in the works for the planes for many years. The old analog system had only the replacement parts that were in the supply system and after that....nothing. So the AF bought enough of the new digital systems to upgrade the entire fleet, however they never got installed. The plane retired with the analog system and the new ones are likely sitting boxed up in a warehouse somewhere. That tells me the decision to axe the fleet of 141s came on suddenly.
 
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My mothers uncle was a Dough Boy in WWI. He moved back to the area when I was in my 30's. I took Mom over to visit him a few times before he passed, I think he was about 94.

I did ask him about his service time. He said Lots of mud, they would take turns shooting over the trench but the war was pretty much over by the time he arrived. His most vivid memory was an American soldier was hung for raping a French woman. The troops were lined up to watch.

I would have liked to get more information on training, sailing over, marching to battle and his thoughts but he passed too soon after moving back.
 
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