Stupid GI Tricks

[rcaf_777]

Our Captain would come up on the radio net and ask the platoon their ETA and was assured by the Lieutenant that he was five minutes out. After almost an hour of watching this, the Captain comes up on the net and orders the platoon to halt. He then asks for the location of the platoon. After the Lieutenant gives a grid (32km off)

I have a similar "virtual" story. When I was in ROTC, one of my classmates was having a terrible time with learning map-grids. Our instructor pretty much had to repeat everything at least twice for him. A week or so later, that guy & I went to see "Platoon"* (that should give you an idea how long before GPS this was). During the scene in which the LT is fumbling with the map and radio under fire, I got to poke poor Steve in the ribs. A lot. He nearly punched me in the face!

I don't understand, I am a Boy Scout Leader and I teach my Scouts map and compass and all my Scout can get us from point A to B and find their spot on the map, and give me the grid. One of the gun-ho boys ask if I could show them how to call in Artillery, which I declined

[cavtroop]

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

I don't understand, I am a Boy Scout Leader and I teach my Scouts map and compass and all my Scout can get us from point A to B and find their spot on the map, and give me the grid. One of the gun-ho boys ask if I could show them how to call in Artillery, which I declined

Some people just have the damnedest time with orienteering - I am pretty good at it, but there are others to whom it just doesn't 'click' at all, that lightbulb never goes on.

[dragoon500ly]

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

I don't understand, I am a Boy Scout Leader and I teach my Scouts map and compass and all my Scout can get us from point A to B and find their spot on the map, and give me the grid. One of the gun-ho boys ask if I could show them how to call in Artillery, which I declined

Think of it this way...you are a green 2nd Lieutenant, riding a tank for your first field exercise. Now tank rides have to be experienced to be believed, they pitch and roll worse than any navy ship, (you have no seat belts and you might have a hand hold), you are wearing a poorly fitted CVC (crew communications helmet) trying to monitor the platoon and company freqs and direct your driver (gee isn't it strange how the command tank always has a new driver?), not to mention the stink and heat of the exhaust washing over you whenever you least expect it. You are trying to fold, unfold, refold your map case, trying to watch for landmarks. All too many times I have witnessed green lieutenants trying to use a compass while sitting on top of a tank (didn't learn about compasses and large masses of metal at West Point,
did we?).

And for added entertainment, your tank platoon is fresh off of gunnery, and the stink of ammonia-based propellent is lingering, and since its day 4 of the FX...the chance to bath, has not been recent...breakfast was an MRE and the lethal combination of BO, diesel exhaust, ammonia, poor food and the rough ride leaves you about to toss your cookies! Nothing gets the ole platoon going like watching the new lieutenant puking his guts out over the side of the ole turret!!!

And sitting right next to you, in his loader's hatch is your evil loader (satanic bastard!) With a mouth full of ole Redman and a plastic bottle that he is spitting in...strapped right there where you can watch it out of the corner of your eye, where you can enjoy the pleasure of watching his "residue", splash around the inside....

Sucks to be a green 2nd Lieutenant...

[dragoon500ly]

Got to thinking about bad designs and came across this journel entry.

During the Cold War, US tanks (M-60A1s) stationed close to the border carried a basic load of 50 rounds of main gun ammo, especially those units close to the Fulda Gap. At the time of this incident, the mix was 40 rounds of APDS and 10 rounds of HEAT.

Now the 105mm HEAT round looks sort of like a potato masher grenade right out of WWII, a flat nose clyinder with a pipe sticking out of the end. This pipe housed the point-detonating fuse and the fuse itself was protected with a screw on cap. Normally the round is loaded as is, since the inside of the cap has a small point designed to impact on the nose of the fuze and start the reaction. The screw cap had one flaw. Over time, the paint holding it in place starts to crack and the movement of the tank causes the cap to unscrew.

The main gun rounds were routinely downloaded for inspection as well as prior to any gunnery (being replaced with practice rounds). Part of the download process was for the loader to test the cap and if he found it loose, to pass it out to the tanker standing next to the turret, to be transported to a blast pit where an EOD specialist would refix the screwcap and paint it again.

A simple process, performed 2-3 times a year and always preceeded with a safety briefing so everyone is on the same track.

We had a brand new kid, straight out of Armor Basic. He was assigned to my tank as the loader, (I was a new PFC, driver), but due to his inexperience, I was inside the tank, removing the rounds, and passing them up to my tank commander to be handed down to the ground and moved to the ammo bay.

I found a HEAT round with a loose cap and passed it up to the TC, advising him, and he repeated back to me "Loose Cap!" He handed it down to our new man, and I heard the repeat "Loose Cap!" I was travesing the turret to get to a hull rack when my TC dove, head first through the loader's hatch, at almost the same moment, there was an explosion and the tank rocked sideways.

By the time I had helped my TC back up through the hatch, the rest of the platoon had gathered in stunned silence.

According to my TC, our new man had accepted the HEAT round and stepped back, as my TC started to turn back to the tank, he saw the new guy, take the round by the base and ram the projectile into the concrete to reset the screwcap, at this point my TC dove for cover. Since the screwcap only has to travel a quarter of an inch to impact the fuze....

Hell of a way to give your life for your country....