Maggie’s Military Jeopardy
- Thread starter Gunfighter14e2
- Start date
Battle of Stalingrad, Mamayev Kurgan or The Hill of Blood
When the battle ended, the soil on the hill had been so thoroughly churned by shellfire and mixed with metal fragments that it contained between 500 and 1,250 splinters of metal per square meter. The earth on the hill had remained black in the winter, as the snow kept melting in the many fires and explosions. In the following spring the hill would still remain black, as no grass grew on its scorched soil. The hill's formerly steep slopes had become flattened in months of intense shelling and bombardment. Even today, it is possible to find fragments of bone and metal still buried deep throughout the hill.
http://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/10...ev-kurgan.html
Where would you find Vikings and Apaches fighting together?
When the battle ended, the soil on the hill had been so thoroughly churned by shellfire and mixed with metal fragments that it contained between 500 and 1,250 splinters of metal per square meter. The earth on the hill had remained black in the winter, as the snow kept melting in the many fires and explosions. In the following spring the hill would still remain black, as no grass grew on its scorched soil. The hill's formerly steep slopes had become flattened in months of intense shelling and bombardment. Even today, it is possible to find fragments of bone and metal still buried deep throughout the hill.
http://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/10...ev-kurgan.html
Where would you find Vikings and Apaches fighting together?
Last edited:
For the win! The Mamayev Kurgan:
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/i1.trekearth.com\/photos\/36256\/dsc08814.jpg"}[/IMG2]
Bits of shrapnel, buttons, and bones all still there.
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/wernerpriller.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/10\/blog-25-10-12-5.jpg?w=960"}[/IMG2]
Last edited:
I would say in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, if you are referring to Viking armored vehicles and Apache helicopters - best guess.
Correct, I posted earlier today about it here https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...ggie-s-drawers-bar-grill/6838731-good-reading
Next question then: This one pertains to old school defensive positions. If your enemy is coming at you en masse, or with siege engines or cannon what improvement can you make to your position that will keep his men under fire and reduce the effectiveness of siege engines and cannon?
Well, trenches/moats for one, defensive spikes for another...anything to delay an advance, and increase the time the enemy is left exposed to fire. The mideval equivalent to "tangle foot" barbed wire or concertina (single stack or "widowmaker" deployment).
Because it is vegetable tanned with higher amounts of tallow and wax, rather than US leather that can be stiff and more dry (leading to cracking and dry rot)?
Reading my question, you certainly answered correctly. However, it was a poorly worded question and your response was not the answer I was looking for. My question pertained to ancient (soldiers en mass), medieval (siege engines), and modern (cannon) castle/fort construction theory. It concerns how the walls were constructed. Over time, castles and forts changed shape. One of the ways they changed was the glacis - a sloping of the outer wall. In the ancient times when the enemy would come up to your walls, if they got all the way to the base of the wall, they were shielded from your archers and the glacis acted to prevent this an offer a clear field of fire. At least one ancient glacis looked like this:
In medieval times, siege engines would elevate your enemies to the same height as the defenders. If you could keep the base of the siege engine away from the wall, it severely curtailed the effectiveness of the device. The glacis during these times extended further out than previously. This is a pretty good picture of that:
In more modern times, with cannon at issue, the glacis extended the front angle out to 45 degrees to deflect the cannon balls. More like this:
So, the glacis extended over time... Sorry about the poor question.
ADA,
No worries, I wasm't entirely sure what specifically you were alluding to, and just took a shot at it.
Interesting that the glacis of a fort is now extended to the design of tanks (hence the name "glacis plate" used to describe the sloping front plate of a modern tank), and for the same purpose; deflecting incoming cannon rounds to avoid receiving the full brunt of the KE.
No worries, I wasm't entirely sure what specifically you were alluding to, and just took a shot at it.
Interesting that the glacis of a fort is now extended to the design of tanks (hence the name "glacis plate" used to describe the sloping front plate of a modern tank), and for the same purpose; deflecting incoming cannon rounds to avoid receiving the full brunt of the KE.
Last edited:
The fort design you provided in the last picture reminds me of the one in St Augustine, FL.
IIRC, the layout was designed by the French, hence the French sounding terminology.
I guess they were pretty good at designing things that eliminated the need for actual fighting.
IIRC, the layout was designed by the French, hence the French sounding terminology.
I guess they were pretty good at designing things that eliminated the need for actual fighting.
One of these?
Interesting reading https://www.americanrifleman.org/ar...power-in-the-pacific-the-stinger-machine-gun/
Interesting reading https://www.americanrifleman.org/ar...power-in-the-pacific-the-stinger-machine-gun/
C'mon guys, we can't let this thread die off. There's way too much interesting and eclectic information out there, and so many of you old farts have seen it, experienced it, or at least stood there watching whilst others were DOING it.
(that oughta get some feathers ruffled, HA )
Release The Answers!
(that oughta get some feathers ruffled, HA )
Release The Answers!
they don't use barbed wire in England so the leather is not scratched up.............
After the declaration of war on German during WW1, this was the location of the first 'exchange' of fire between Germany and the US. Bonus points: what makes this exact location so interesting for maritime history?
I just saw something on that this past weekend. Wasn't it at Wake Island or Guam or something like that in the Pacific? Cheers Sirhr
Interesting because in World War II a Japanese ship sunk on top of the Cormoran. And it's the only place where two ships one from each War, lie next to each other? Cheers, Sirhr.
Only once in U.S. military history has the Congress presented rifles to a group of Soldiers as awards for their meritorious service in battle. What were the rifles? And what was the battle? Cheers, sirhr
Last edited:
New question... Long before Dirty Harry made it famous as a San Fran Inspectors gun, ... and was keeping the big screen safe... the .44 magnum pistol killed its first person in a military engagement... not on the streets.
What conflict, what circumstances... and in whose hands?
Cheers,
Sirhr
What conflict, what circumstances... and in whose hands?
Cheers,
Sirhr
Vietnam? Found this while looking for the correct answer, http://www.military.com/video/guns/pistols/guy-takes-44-magnum-to-the-face/1481193471001
It'd have to be Vietnam or later I'd wager. Perhaps an Automag made it's way somewhere? (Always loved the concept of that pistol). Then again, perhaps is was the Israeli's and the Desert Eagle...
Poland and Portugal Special Forces use the Desert Eagle .44 Mag. Not sure where it was used though...
Pops says; The answer is Charles Askins, Vietnam, 1956-57. VC sniper sneaking down the trail after sniping at Charles Askins.
Wasn't it when this US sniper, forget the name, in Vietnam was walking down a trail and faced a handful of VC. Before they could get their AK's up, he drew two handguns, a 1911 was one and the other may have been a .44mag, I recall it was a revolver but I'm not solid on it being .44mag.
Then during Vietnam Smith made a .44mag suppressed revolver, the QSPR, a modified Model 29 (that I WISH they'd bring back) for use by tunnel rats in clearing tunnels. I didn't think they ever went into production, but maybe some ended up over there as samples?
And glad to be back, missed you guys! Thanks for keeping the game going!
Then during Vietnam Smith made a .44mag suppressed revolver, the QSPR, a modified Model 29 (that I WISH they'd bring back) for use by tunnel rats in clearing tunnels. I didn't think they ever went into production, but maybe some ended up over there as samples?
And glad to be back, missed you guys! Thanks for keeping the game going!
Last edited:
Years later, in the late ‘50s, Askins hired himself to Vietnam as a military advisor to the South Vietnamese. Askins had one of the then-new Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum revolvers and was determined to kill the first man with the big magnum.
His opportunity came when he was out on patrol with a few South Vietnamese soldiers, set to ambush some communist infiltrators. Askins gave the word that no one was to fire until he did and he waited patiently until the small column of men had passed. At the right moment, he stepped out into the trail and shot the last man in line. Askins was delighted by the huge revolver’s performance, lifting the body off his feet. He was equally pleased to proclaim that he was the first to kill a man with a Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum.
His opportunity came when he was out on patrol with a few South Vietnamese soldiers, set to ambush some communist infiltrators. Askins gave the word that no one was to fire until he did and he waited patiently until the small column of men had passed. At the right moment, he stepped out into the trail and shot the last man in line. Askins was delighted by the huge revolver’s performance, lifting the body off his feet. He was equally pleased to proclaim that he was the first to kill a man with a Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum.
The QSPR turns out was more of a cap gun that fired pellets and had a smooth bore less than 2". I did not know that. Maybe they shouldn't bring it back, but a suppressed revolver would be nice.
It sounds like timesublime got this one to me. I looked it up, Colonel Askins is taking the credit for it in the situation described above.
You ought to pose a question. The thing with this game is it's better to have a couple questions going at once because of traffic, etc. The rules aren't too strict on it. If you know you got it, go ahead and pose a good question. I answered wrong but if I come up with a good question, I'll put it on here anyway. Makes it more fun. This is one of my favorite threads on here right now, has been for a while.
It sounds like timesublime got this one to me. I looked it up, Colonel Askins is taking the credit for it in the situation described above.
You ought to pose a question. The thing with this game is it's better to have a couple questions going at once because of traffic, etc. The rules aren't too strict on it. If you know you got it, go ahead and pose a good question. I answered wrong but if I come up with a good question, I'll put it on here anyway. Makes it more fun. This is one of my favorite threads on here right now, has been for a while.
What is a backsheek? What is it's origin, and in what context did it find it's use in WWI trench warfare?
I have that book...
"something that could be spared, or which could be used in a manner not foreseen by the issuing authorities, or something left over after the regular distribution was made, or an odd article that came in too small quantities to be issued and thus, not being expected, found its way, ordinarily into the haversacks of the quartermaster’s staff."
~McBride: A Rifleman Went to War
"something that could be spared, or which could be used in a manner not foreseen by the issuing authorities, or something left over after the regular distribution was made, or an odd article that came in too small quantities to be issued and thus, not being expected, found its way, ordinarily into the haversacks of the quartermaster’s staff."
~McBride: A Rifleman Went to War
I have that book...
"something that could be spared, or which could be used in a manner not foreseen by the issuing authorities, or something left over after the regular distribution was made, or an odd article that came in too small quantities to be issued and thus, not being expected, found its way, ordinarily into the haversacks of the quartermaster’s staff."
~McBride: A Rifleman Went to War
Yep, that was the origin of the question!
Spiff had it right first... Time sublime has the story right.
Askins... who many have thought was a serial killer hiding behind a badge and a uniform. Killed a lot of men. Dozens in the 'recorded' column, but he claimed he never counted blacks, Mexicans or Asians. So may have been a lot more! He was, just for the record, not exactly politically-correct.
But I think the guy knew how to shoot... and put his gift to use in support of our flag and democracy. On the border and overseas. Apparently, he one shot a German Sergeant off his latrine at 800 yards... planned the shot for days. Cold-blooded. But war sucks. Never be a German Sergeant taking a dump at the same time, at the same place, every day.... when an American Rifleman is on the horizon! Not sure the story is true... but I heard it somewhere.
Of note, Askins worked as an acceptance inspector for a while for the Army.... OGEK was his cartouche. If you ever find a rifle with that acceptance stamp... it was personally accepted and handled... by Askins. I've been looking for one for decades.
Cheers,
Sirhr
Askins... who many have thought was a serial killer hiding behind a badge and a uniform. Killed a lot of men. Dozens in the 'recorded' column, but he claimed he never counted blacks, Mexicans or Asians. So may have been a lot more! He was, just for the record, not exactly politically-correct.
But I think the guy knew how to shoot... and put his gift to use in support of our flag and democracy. On the border and overseas. Apparently, he one shot a German Sergeant off his latrine at 800 yards... planned the shot for days. Cold-blooded. But war sucks. Never be a German Sergeant taking a dump at the same time, at the same place, every day.... when an American Rifleman is on the horizon! Not sure the story is true... but I heard it somewhere.
Of note, Askins worked as an acceptance inspector for a while for the Army.... OGEK was his cartouche. If you ever find a rifle with that acceptance stamp... it was personally accepted and handled... by Askins. I've been looking for one for decades.
Cheers,
Sirhr
I am sorry,,, you are absolutely right! Elmer Keith was the inspector OEGK... I an confusing my gun guys here! Thanks for the correction!!!
Same applies.. I've looked for an OEGK gun for decades!
Cheers,
Sirhr
If you want the origin of the word... it is from "Baksheesh" which is Persian for "alms or a tip" but became common in British military parlance for a bribe or a kickback. So when you wanted something from the QM corps and could pay a bit of Baksheesh... you usually got what you wanted.
Plenty of quartermasters retired very rich... in all armies!
Cheers,
Sirhr
Similar threads
