Well, post some military pics.

May have posted this before but…the rest of the story.

3-7 Cav and 3rd ID participated in REFORGER 84. At the end of the exercise, we were queued up in a field, waiting to roll home. Took German in school and spoke it pretty well.

A little kid came up to me and asked if we could run over the junk car. "We would need permission from the owner [Besitzer].

Guy in work clothes standing nearby. "I'm the owner."

"If we ran it over oil and gas would spill out and pollute your field."

"We removed the oil and the gas tank."

"Sergeant Messer! Want to run over a car?"

....Just as two M151's drove up....The First Sergeant and Troop Commander. They, of course, knew none of the back story. My explanation? “Sir, we will NEVER get a better chance to run over a car!”




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(Germany based units) USAREUR (U.S. Army Europe): 1st Infantry Division (Forward), Göppingen; 3rd Infantry Division (Mech), Würzburg; 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fulda. (U.S.-based units): 1st Infantry Division (Mech); 5th Infantry Division; 24th Infantry Division; 30th Armored Brigade (Sep); 2nd Armored Division (Mech): (TN-ARNG, Tennessee Army National Guard); 7th Infantry Division (Light): 3rd Brigade.
No shit, I was there! Sadly I didn't see or hear about the car crushing lol
 
No shit, I was there! Sadly I didn't see or hear about the car crushing lol
The year before was an umpire. An M60 came out of a trail just as an M113 was passing. The M60 started climbing the front slope before sliding off.

The corner weld was torn and the end connectors had gouged the aluminum armor right through. Did I mention it was on the driver’s side? He wasn’t hurt but, man, that’s nightmare stuff.
 
From a postcard sent home August 1981. The two 250’ towers were purchased from a World’s Fair exhibit. You were hoisted up to 244’ feet, a Black Hat would issue instructions, then you were pulled up the rest of the way and released.

The Swing Landing Trainer was invented by the Devil. It was designed to demonstrate your ability to execute five point PLF’s to the sides.IIRC you needed two “Go’s” in each direction.

If the guy operating the lines was a clod or the instructor had a case, you’d be unexpectedly dropped while swinging side-to-side around 6’ off the ground. The fun disappeared quickly. IMG_3048.jpegIMG_3049.jpegIMG_3047.jpeg
 
From a postcard sent home August 1981. The two 250’ towers were purchased from a World’s Fair exhibit. You were hoisted up to 244’ feet, a Black Hat would issue instructions, then you were pulled up the rest of the way and released.

The Swing Landing Trainer was invented by the Devil. It was designed to demonstrate your ability to execute five point PLF’s to the sides.IIRC you needed two “Go’s” in each direction.

If the guy operating the lines was a clod or the instructor had a case, you’d be unexpectedly dropped while swinging side-to-side around 6’ off the ground. The fun disappeared quickly. View attachment 836867View attachment 836868View attachment 836869

Swing-landing trainer sucked. But Suspended Harness was much worse: pointless while being painful.

I went through in the summer of 1996 and they told us the 250-foot towers had been "retired" some years before, but I've heard reports of people being put through them in the years since. No clue; I certainly never went up there. They did send a dummy up to show us a demonstration.
 
From a postcard sent home August 1981. The two 250’ towers were purchased from a World’s Fair exhibit. You were hoisted up to 244’ feet, a Black Hat would issue instructions, then you were pulled up the rest of the way and released.


We had a dude get raised up and he disconnected his safety line as he was supposed to do. But when doing so, it jolted the parts holding the chute open. The chute collapsed and the safety line was disconnected. The black hats were freaking out and trying to lower him as gently as possible without triggering the toggle that connected his parachute to the tower.


Thankfully he was dumb as a box of rocks and didn’t understand what was going on.
 
We had a dude get raised up and he disconnected his safety line as he was supposed to do. But when doing so, it jolted the parts holding the chute open. The chute collapsed and the safety line was disconnected. The black hats were freaking out and trying to lower him as gently as possible without triggering the toggle that connected his parachute to the tower.


Thankfully he was dumb as a box of rocks and didn’t understand what was going on.
... and? I'd assume it turned out okay, but we know what happens when, well you know.
 
... and? I'd assume it turned out okay, but we know what happens when, well you know.


😆 They got him down safely. He then proceeded to having to be kicked out of the plane because he sat down in the doorway. This happened multiple times and he admitted to being scared.

Sadly, he graduated and was off to the 82nd. No idea what happened to him. I’m sure they eventually straightened him out, but I felt for his team leader at the time.
 
I love seeing pictures of those WW2 guys when they were young. I see those guys from time to time now that I am back in xray - the older, tired, often decrepit version of those young men and women. They usually wear some kind of hat or jacket that gives a hint of their past. Caps with a ships name and number are most common. If I see an old dude with a BB-61 cap or a submarine cap, I know there might be an interesting story there. Their numbers grow fewer with each passing year.

If you post a pic of an older vet, tell a little more about them. What were their dreams? What did they do after the service? Where did they meet their spouse? Add a little more color to those black and white pics!
Welcome home 🦴


I have some extremely detailed history from my grandfather and great grandfather who both were military men. I’ll do some scanning of pics, documents, and memorabilia when I get a chance to.
 
And my Grandpa Ltc Willet John Baird Jr

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Willet John "Bill" Baird, Jr.
was born in Washington,DC
On 20 April 1929 and was appointed to West Point from North Dakota on a
Congressional Appointment. His West Point classmates recall: "From the Kansas plains Bill brought his cheerful laugh, a collection of photographs that would put the Power's Agency to shame, plus a story to go with each picture. Bill's four years sojourn on the Hudson found him near the top in academics, adding to his pictorial collection, and winning countless friends with his smiling, easygoing manner. Bill's good humor and many capabilities insure an outstanding career."

During his cadet days Bill went out for Football all four years and served as Manager earning a Major "A" in that activity, he was with the Weight Lifting Club yearling, cow, and first class years, and was a Cadet Sergeant his first class year.

On graduation Bill went in the Air Force and after pilot training reported to the Strategic Fighter Wing where he served from 1953 to 1956. Bill then went back to school and earned Master of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering from Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson, Ohio in 1958. His next assignment was to Headquarters, Air Force Systems Command, Andrews AFB, Maryland where he served until 1962 when he was ordered to Headquarters, Air Force Eastern Test Range, Patrick AFB, Florida and he served there until 1965. During 1966 Bill attended the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia and on completion was assigned to Office, Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development where he served until 1968. Bill's next assignment was to the Military Liaison Committee with the Atomic Energy Commission and served in that capacity until 1971 on completion of this assignment Bill was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for conspicuously meritorious performance of duty in a Noncombat Situation. Next he went to Headquarters, 7th Air Force in the RepublIc Of Vietnam during 1971 and in 1972 to the 432th Tactical Fighter Wing in Thailand. He was decorated with the Bronze Star Medal for distinguished heroism against an enemy on completion of this duty. Bill's last military assignment was as Chief of the technical Services Division of the Air Force Weapons Laboratory, Kirkland AFB, New Mexico where he served six years and from where he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1979. Bill was awarded a second Meritorious service Medal for noncombat conspicuously meritorious performance of duty in a situation on retirement. After his retirement Bill took up teaching Mathematics at the High School level and continues to the present time.

Incidentally, his father's (Class of '26) obituary was in Jan 91
Assembly. Also his son is a "front line grunt" with the 101st Airborne in Saudi. (My Uncle served in Desert Storm)
 
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