Gun Shops and Former Snipers

[Spyke05]

I was in the Army and always hear battles telling embelished stories. All I know is that my cousin did multiple tours in Nam as a GB and to this bay he will really say no more than he served. That being said thank you to all my brothers and sisters in arms may all make it home safely.

 

[Hammerhead]

Former Marine pog here. I've noticed a lot of military personnel who come home on leave to a place like Indiana which doesn't have much of a military presence tell a lot of stories about black ops. It's amazing how black ops operators come home to Indiana.

According to a Navy recruiter that I made friends with back in high school, James "Patches" Watson, author of Point Man and a former SEAL actually lives (lived?) in Columbus and would visit the recruiter's office occasionally.

 

[Cerberus]

Personally, I'm a battle hardened, lean green 1 man killin machine. I've survived some seriously harsh campaigns, such as Operations Olongapo Storm, Skeeter Bait & Popsicle Feet.

In all seriousness, just an average Grunt, Scout and Intel geek for 20 years. Yeah, like many that have served in the past couple of decades I did a couple of mostly boring tours in the sandbox. My stories ain't so cool, especially since the highest speed thing I did was never ending convoy security.

 

[phylodog]

I served just short of 6 years on active duty. I fixed radios. I was really good at it. I learned how to hold my liquor and run miles on end while highly intoxicated or hung over. I didn't shoot anything but an M16/M9/M60/M2 while I was in and only on the square range.

Never thought much about snipering till I got out.

 

[nicajack]

I was an 0844 in the Corps. We sniped at things with 100 plus pound projectiles from 155mm self propelled guns all over Camp Pendleton and Stumps. We were an artillery battalion with one firing battery stateside, another on Okinawa and our third on a hill in Nam. Headquarters battery was also with us, stateside. Sort of screwed up for the other 2 batteries, but not too bad for us. Put on a lot of fire displays for visitors and dignitaries from around the world. Were also nuclear capable and the only nuclear 155 battery in the Corps west of the mississippi. I think that got us more time in the field. Had some good times out there....

 

[Mad Macs]

My paternal grandfather server in WWII as a mechanic in Africa and up into Italy. He was an old-timer then, around 28-30 years old and working with guys 10 years younger than him. He died a few years back without ever telling anybody about anything he did in the war. He got rid of all of his gear and anything that would remind him.

Want to know what's sad? At the cemetery he was buried in, in AZ, there is a color guard and 7-8 pavilions for ceremonies and the color guard goes around to the pavilions ALL DAY LONG doing funerals. The cemetery is so full that the residents have to be cremated in order to fit. What's even sadder is that my grandfather was buried next to guys younger than myself, and I'm in my mid 30's.

 

[Titanium Man]

Man!! I never thought this thread would take off, but it is sure fun to read.

 

[Win52C]

You forgot the court house and the white house.

Indeed! I stand corrected..

 

[sepe]

Yesterday at Midwest Gun and Range, I got to meet a Vietnam Vet that tried convincing me that Mattel was the inventor of the M16 and that Marines used the AR15 (said that Armalite had nothing to do with evil black rifles until the mid 80s). I believe he said he was in the Army AND the Marines at the same time. Had to help him break down his magazines because he forced .40 into his 9mm magazine and wondered why it wouldn't strip a round from the "clip".

 

[Mosinowner]

I know exactly what you mean. One time I met a supposed ex-sniper at the gun range he wasn't older then 20 and he couldnt hit the broad side of a barn at 25 yards

 

[Ryninger]

I know exactly what you mean. One time I met a supposed ex-sniper at the gun range he wasn't older then 20 and he couldnt hit the broad side of a barn at 25 yards

He is while playing Call Of Duty and stayed at a Holiday Inn Express!

 

[U.S. Patriot]

The BS people will come up with for conversation.

 

[11B20]

I retired after 23 years in the Army & National Guard. I was in the infantry, scouts, aero rifle platoon ( anyone remember that old unit type) and finishing my career in intelligence. When people ask me about my service I tell them I didn't do anything but wait for the Russians to come across the border. The only combat I saw where bar fights in Germany. I'm truely in awe of our young men and women who serve today. They are the ones doing all the heavy lifting. Every time I meet one I tahnk them for my service.

 

[Lucas156]

Guy I used to work with in a factory went around telling everybody he is ex-military and killed very important people. After spouting off to several coworkers how he could see the date on a dime at the factory from his house miles away with his sniper rifle-he was fired. Everyone used to call him Rambo because he would tell you stories about his military experience the first day you met him. People like this make me sick. Their own lives are so boring and lame they have to make up crap and make other good people look bad in the process.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

One M28 Training Rocket (The conventional munitions are replaced by smoke in these) costs upwards of $25K...
There are 6 to a Pod, and it takes 2 pods to load the Launcher...
So 12x$25K= $300,000...
How much would you like to donate to the cause?!


Not to mention the $200 Dollar Tax Stamp on each to the BATF&E...

Errr, ummm... *cough*

 

[steif]

sniper

I was a sniper, but it was secret because I used a phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.

And, by the way, has anyone seen this kid?

 

[Titanium Man]

Yesterday at Midwest Gun and Range, I got to meet a Vietnam Vet that tried convincing me that Mattel was the inventor of the M16 and that Marines used the AR15 (said that Armalite had nothing to do with evil black rifles until the mid 80s). I believe he said he was in the Army AND the Marines at the same time. Had to help him break down his magazines because he forced .40 into his 9mm magazine and wondered why it wouldn't strip a round from the "clip".

LOL-----I think the Mattel thing came from the plastic stocks, which someone told me long ago they made. Don't know the truth to the rumor, but I'm sure I was in a gunshop when I heard that too. Maybe another urban legend. I guess it's good they didn't get them mixed up with a batch of big wheels. Look kinda screwy shooting org/yel/blk rifles.

 

[jeremy]

LOL-----I think the Mattel thing came from the plastic stocks, which someone told me long ago they made. Don't know the truth to the rumor, but I'm sure I was in a gunshop when I heard that too. Maybe another urban legend. I guess it's good they didn't get them mixed up with a batch of big wheels. Look kinda screwy shooting org/yel/blk rifles.

Blame this on Hollywood...
Ever seen the Movie Green Berets...
Remember when John Wayne busted the M-16 on a tree?!
That was a Mattel M-16 Marauder...

Mattel made the M-16 Marauder back when Toy Guns could look like Toy Guns...

 

[lowriderjim]

Go to any VFW or Legion and youu can find many "snipers". I think if you qualified in basic as a sharpshooter or above. it must must make you a sniper.

I want to obtain a sniper pin and cut off the "r" and explain I was the only one to catch a snipe in AIT. GI Joe's in Ft Wayne always seems to be out of the pins. When I visited the Wall in DC the vendor there said he could not keep sniper pins in stock.

This post does not mean any disrespect to those few that have served as snipers and thank all veterans for their service.

 

[CVMA544]

The "war heroes" always seem to find me.

I guess it is my fault, I have a few tats, and a Disabled Hoosier Veteran handicapped plate on my truck, and I wear a ratty old Combat Vets Assoc (Motorcycle riding group) baseball type hat. Seems they seek me out to seek some sort of validation.

One that comes to mind is a one old guy at the morning coffee shop with stories of mulitple PH's BSM's w/V, medically retired from the Army medically at 100%, former Ranger, secret missions, classified personal records, the whole gambit. (This is repeatedly, every morning, every conversation no matter what had something to do with his war experiences)

Asked him since he had handicapped plates on his truck, and he was 100% from being shot up so many times why he didn't get his Disabled Hoosier Vet plates instead of a regular handicapped plate, or a PH plate for his truck, his excuse was his records are still classified so he couldn't. (Yeah right)

Well after having enough his stories I searched the internet (there is more to the reason I looked him up) and I found pictures of him, and the ships logs showing him assigned to a Navy ship for 4 years he claims he was in the jungle as an Army Ranger. (He was a Seaman then a 3rd Class Petty Officer)

The just to be sure, I sent to the National Archives and requested a public release of info on him, sure enough, Navy 4 years.

Now by all rights he had a good Navy record and should have been proud to have been awarded the Navy stuff for his ship supporting combat ops and providing indirect fire support for ground units in Vietnam, the ship he was on was even fired upon by the North Viets. I mean he volunteered and did 4 years when it wasn't popular and did his job, he did it pretty good by the looks of his archive report, nothing to be ashamed of by any stretch.

For the life of me I don't understand why people do this.

When I got back from Iraq in 06 the local paper wanted to do an article on my family. My Son (Iraq x2), Daughter (Iraq x1), Son-in-Law (Iraq x2), Grandson's Father (Iraq x2 and KIA on his second tour), myself (Gulf War, and Iraq 05-06), and sorry we will take a pass on the newspaper stuff, not interested, just leave us all alone.

I post on here a little now and then about it, but its the internet and there is a certain amount of anonymity and it doesn't directly relate to my daily interaction with people around me, and it is on my terms.

By the way I drove a truck and delivered ammo and maint parts out of KKMC in the first Gulf War, after ground ops were done I got sent back to Dharan and was the NCOIC of ground transportation for re-deploying (HOME) troops coming thru Kobar Towers. (Anyone here in that AO? Hit me up maybe we know each other)

I was an Artilleryman in the 80's in Giessen, Germany. (Anyone here in that AO? Hit me up maybe we know each other)

I was a PSD Squad SGT, then trained Iraqi Police and was an Operations SGT in 05-06.

No heroics, just took a squad to Iraq and brought them all back alive with a couple wounded (Nothing requiring MEDEVAC) with the Grace of God and alot of luck.

Sorry, got a little long