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Maggie’s Military Jeopardy
- Thread starter Gunfighter14e2
- Start date
No, good guess but has to do with radio operation.
Hint "I shackle current current the following---
Hint "I shackle current current the following---
AKAC-874 (or something like it) for reading/transmitting in code. (Former radio operator here, though not from the Vietnam era)
I am too OLD. They were small papers with codes for sending sensitive info like map coordinates[ friendly positions etc] usually each covered 12 hrs.
Good RTOs could do it fast. It took me longer.
Also refered to the Stars&Stripes newspapers.
Good RTOs could do it fast. It took me longer.
Also refered to the Stars&Stripes newspapers.
Yeah, that was what the AKAC 874 was (a coding paper, based on the current day/time). We also used to use (in a pinch) the code word "SCUBA DIVER" ("I call SCUBADIVER, and set "Delta"). "Delta" would be where you would start count (starting with zero) with the letter "D" and then ascend up along the word (and wrap around to the beginning of the word until "9" was reached). Any letter could be used as the set point. This way you could pass coordinates quickly, but in a way a non-english speaking eavesdropper couldn't easy figure out.
You are right. I knew they were called Kac codes or something like that but couldn't remember it. Just how it worked.
We got PRC77 with a Bravo 1 insert that gave what they called "clear air" It worked for a while but was easily compromised and we were back to square 1.
Commo has come a long ways since 1969. What I would not have given for a handheld GPS.as opposed to the fucked up maps and compass we used.
Don't get me wrong, Everyone should be able to go back to the compass and map, Few can.
We got PRC77 with a Bravo 1 insert that gave what they called "clear air" It worked for a while but was easily compromised and we were back to square 1.
Commo has come a long ways since 1969. What I would not have given for a handheld GPS.as opposed to the fucked up maps and compass we used.
Don't get me wrong, Everyone should be able to go back to the compass and map, Few can.
Yeah, when I was a radioman, we were in the transition phase. Carried a PRC77/KY-57(Crypto), and were promised the new SINCGARS gear (but never saw it until after I lat moved to another MOS). Also worked with the PLRS system (early version of GPS, but used terrestrial based time emitters, versus the satellite ones used for GPS).
The new PRC117G's seem to be pretty well made, and have had some exposure to them doing my day job. Mainly we've been using them for the data link aspect, but they seem to be a pretty nice (SWaP wise) piece of gear...
The new PRC117G's seem to be pretty well made, and have had some exposure to them doing my day job. Mainly we've been using them for the data link aspect, but they seem to be a pretty nice (SWaP wise) piece of gear...
Sorry, had family visit then that asshat in LV derailed me.
Yep, that's it! Da Vinci invented it for Cesare Borgia's campaigns.
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Shackling is alive and well. We still did it in '04 in Iraq because the damn Singars were always dropping their fills and having to transmit cordinates single channel clear text until we could get the crypto reloaded. Only difference was we used MOTHERFUCK instead of SCUBADIVER. Any 10 letter word without repeating letters works. I am enjoying this "game" as I am learning new and interesting tidbits I never picked up even after 21 years in the Army in Infantry and Medical Corp.
It has been a trip down Memory Lane that some things in Commo haven't changed much over the years but much has, for the better.
What is some of the slang you young troops used?
What is some of the slang you young troops used?
Probably not a whole hell of a lot different than what you used. Same ol shit, different pay period. More than likely you could be dropped into the middle of an infantry platoon today and speak fluent grunt without the need for an interpreter. Called the enemy Hajiis instead of charlie, IBAs = flak vests. ACH = K-pot/Kevlar. A M240b was still called the Pig, 50 cal still the ma-deuce. Handsets on our radios were the same ones you used on the PRC-77s and 126s. A track was a track, except now they are Bradley Fighting Vehicles but I still saw 113's running ammo resupply and CasEvac. Old skills still survive in big part to hip pocket training by the NCO's and Ranger handbooks. (at least they did in early 2000s) The kids (I use that term lightly, They just happened to be younger than me.) knew how to use map and compass, maneuver and signal with whistle and flare, encode on single channel plain text, do link ups at night, drop offs, OPs etc. Basic soldier skills that don't change. GPS, radios, battery operated gizmos make things quicker, easier, and the digital aspect they picked up insanely fast, but they understood that everything shits out on you when you need it most, 2=1 and 1= none, and that analog knowledge can save your life or lives of your squadmates.
I'd concur with bigdaddydmd, though I probably fell somewhere between you both (at least when I was still a radio operator) timewise. We still had M-60E, and the 240's were just rolling out as I left, and also had M-249 SAWs (I hated that bitch). As Marines we tended to be a little late on the new stuff (Army almost always got he new stuff before us). As far as comms go, I fell in the era of the PRC-77/KY-57 as the primary radio, but humped PRC-113 (UHF) on occasion for CAS and HST ops, also used an LST-4 for early SATCOM. Even used to use the Packrat PROCOMM device for a short while (we were testing it), that was an early version of a modem that we could connect to our 77's and burst data out to avoid someome DF'ing our pos. Even still used PRC-104's (which saved our ass when we got jammed for three days) for HF comms. Nothing burns through jamming like a CW waveform (though being one of two guys that could actually key morse code, it was a shitty sleepless three days...especially since the other guy that could also code, was on the other end), at least the other guys didn't have artillery.
But as bigdaddydmd says, the basic stuff hadn't changed. 2=1, and 1=none. Always have a back up plan, even if its slash wire, MRE spoons and a crappy radio with half dead batteries...
But as bigdaddydmd says, the basic stuff hadn't changed. 2=1, and 1=none. Always have a back up plan, even if its slash wire, MRE spoons and a crappy radio with half dead batteries...
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Jody was the pussified hippie dude who was always sleeping with the girl that GI's left behind
Later became the slang term for the songs that got sung to cadence... because many of them featured Jody... and what he was doing to Mary Jane Rottencrotch back home.
Cheers,
Sirhr
Later became the slang term for the songs that got sung to cadence... because many of them featured Jody... and what he was doing to Mary Jane Rottencrotch back home.
Cheers,
Sirhr
Beehives, got to love them. I saw them shot twice. Stick em to the trees, or whatever they were around.
Jody, may be that pussified hippy, Bill, Bob, James, Rodney or was it that Bitch, Jodie, the cunt that had told you,"I will be here for you when you get back. My love for you will always be true." ??
That dude just wanted to get a little and you may have been in his shoes a time or two and didn't know it. He was probably from the Navy and never saw shit let alone slept in the mud, or a collage student that had won her over. with his shit about how wrong the war was and fuck those that are in it.
You were better off just thinking about Stella Lou Stoopentakeit or Rosie Palm.
Jody, may be that pussified hippy, Bill, Bob, James, Rodney or was it that Bitch, Jodie, the cunt that had told you,"I will be here for you when you get back. My love for you will always be true." ??
That dude just wanted to get a little and you may have been in his shoes a time or two and didn't know it. He was probably from the Navy and never saw shit let alone slept in the mud, or a collage student that had won her over. with his shit about how wrong the war was and fuck those that are in it.
You were better off just thinking about Stella Lou Stoopentakeit or Rosie Palm.
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Not entirely accurate, " Pinks" were mainly recon, read; go start some chit. If you start more than you can finish,key up and share the wealth with another pink, Red leg, ARA,Tac-air, The Jersey, who ever.
For fourteen cents what were purple teams?
For fourteen cents what were purple teams?
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Actually beehives is a good guess.... But wrong... Named after them... Not inspired by them.
Try again!!
Cheers, Sirhr
Try again!!
Cheers, Sirhr
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It is only a guess, but are Purples, A Cobra supporting 2 two Blue leg platoons on the ground?
I always thought of a Pink Team as a Red[Cobra] working with a White[Loach] out hunting and killin.
I always thought of a Pink Team as a Red[Cobra] working with a White[Loach] out hunting and killin.
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You're probably not talking about this one, but I know autonomous drone swarms (or more precisely, their control) is inspired by bees. It has to do with a decaying pheromone algorithm, based on bees, that lets them communicate with each other and determine when certain sectors need to be "hunted" again.
Nope... Didn't think this one was that hard, either. But the answer is the F117, which used research into how bees can fly when, physiologically they should not be able to fly, to design the computer systems and the control systems that let them fly. In fact, a lot of drive by wire, fly by wire software and vehicle handling software derives from some of that oddball university research.
Someone else ask a question while I go find something not so arcane!
Cheers,
Sirhr
Someone else ask a question while I go find something not so arcane!
Cheers,
Sirhr
A Snake (red) a Loach (white) A lift bird with a squad of Blues. Common usage was. a snatch and grab. You are absolutely correct on the pinks purpose.
Alex, Culinary Delights for $1.00
Many of you bitch about MREs and the Dicks of Death, you don't know how good you had it.
Let's talk about those fine Box Lunches known as C-Rations.
What was the worst and what was the best? Also, what were LRRP rations and how did you prepare them?
Many of you bitch about MREs and the Dicks of Death, you don't know how good you had it.
Let's talk about those fine Box Lunches known as C-Rations.
What was the worst and what was the best? Also, what were LRRP rations and how did you prepare them?
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I worked my way through the menu. Finally got down to ham and mothers or ham and scrambled......eggs?. The only one I could never stomach was "sgetti. Just wouldn't go down. Plenty of others liked it so it was certainly tradeable. Turkey loaf was an early favorite, maybe cause it also had canned pears. Peaches, pound cake a couple of packets of creamer = bliss. Instant coffee, cocoa,creamer,yup first rate.
Now then Lurps, Better than the troop mess by a country mile. A canteen cup of water, a small ball of c4 (lit)and twenty seconds later dump the boiling water into the lurp ration, ( don't forget to smack it first to loosen it up) mush it around a bit, let it sit just long enough so it didn't scauld your mouth and enjoy. The squad bottle of tobasco sure helped the chili. About twice someone got Ritz's from home,a touch soggy but made that chili outstanding! Also lurps were good to eat dry on the go but brother you better survey your water supply before you go there.
Now then Lurps, Better than the troop mess by a country mile. A canteen cup of water, a small ball of c4 (lit)and twenty seconds later dump the boiling water into the lurp ration, ( don't forget to smack it first to loosen it up) mush it around a bit, let it sit just long enough so it didn't scauld your mouth and enjoy. The squad bottle of tobasco sure helped the chili. About twice someone got Ritz's from home,a touch soggy but made that chili outstanding! Also lurps were good to eat dry on the go but brother you better survey your water supply before you go there.
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We used to get these by the ton as kids... cub scouts and the like. We ate that stuff up like... kids playing army.
But for those who 'had' to live on C-Rats... the Tabasco Company and grunt Marine officer Walter McIlhenny... had your back. He hired some of America's best chef's to come up with ways to make C-Rats palatable. Naturally, Tabasco was involved.
McIlhenny's Marine call sign on Guadalcanal, New Britain and Peleliu -- his three campaigns -- was "Tabasco Mac." His messenger sheets were all signed that way.
Cheers,
Sirhr
P.S. No matter how eager a Cub Scout I was... I could not STAND the sight of ham and lima beans. Much less eat any of that cr**. And in remembering our getting C-rats boxes, they didn't take the cigarettes away from us, either. Not that we smoked them. But imagine giving cigarettes to cub scouts today! People would have been crucified!
Coincidentally, they made the same book for MRE's during the first Gulf War. Wish I still had a copy of it, if just for collector's sake...
PMI... that reminds me of a good question. At the Tabasco HQ on Avery Island, La., there is a shrine of sorts made out of Tabasco bottles. What is in those bottles and where did they come from?
Cheers,
Sirhr
Cheers,
Sirhr
I'd imagine there's probably names on paper in the bottles, and they came from everywhere in the world they were used. I've never been there, but have wanted to visit since reading the book "Salt", as it was mentioned that McIihenny's was originally a salt producer (as the island sits on a huge salt dome).
Curious to hear what the answer is...
Curious to hear what the answer is...
What you talkin bout sghetti? that was good shit as long as you poked a stick down along the side to vent it and not have the contents of the can flop out on the ground when you put a heat tab in your B52 Use a good stick like a small piece of bamboo that is hollow to do it with.
Do you remember the finer things in life? such as a coconut disc out of some B unit and chocolate fudge discs, and the good jelly and jams and peanut butter in other B units?
All with John Wayne crackers. Pork slices, ham and eggs, Beef with shrapnel,, Beefsteak slices, beans and meatballs, beans and wienies, Ham and motherfuckers, beef w/spiced sauce, too many and I forget some of the finer ones. Oh cinnamon nut rolls and date pudding and fruitcake.
Then they sent out a SP, we called them Sugar Pops with cigarettes, chewing tobacco, all sorts of shaving cream and toothpaste and most important, new boot laces.and the best thing was Hersheys Tropical chocolate bars. kind of like chewing on a candle.I think they all went to the rats. I am forgetting some. Help me out as that was some fine eating.
12 meals, take your pick.
My recollection of LRRP rations was no matter how hot you got the water and how long you let it sit that anything that had beans or peas they were like biting down on a rock. FM
Turkey Loaf was my favorite.
Do you remember the finer things in life? such as a coconut disc out of some B unit and chocolate fudge discs, and the good jelly and jams and peanut butter in other B units?
All with John Wayne crackers. Pork slices, ham and eggs, Beef with shrapnel,, Beefsteak slices, beans and meatballs, beans and wienies, Ham and motherfuckers, beef w/spiced sauce, too many and I forget some of the finer ones. Oh cinnamon nut rolls and date pudding and fruitcake.
Then they sent out a SP, we called them Sugar Pops with cigarettes, chewing tobacco, all sorts of shaving cream and toothpaste and most important, new boot laces.and the best thing was Hersheys Tropical chocolate bars. kind of like chewing on a candle.I think they all went to the rats. I am forgetting some. Help me out as that was some fine eating.
12 meals, take your pick.
My recollection of LRRP rations was no matter how hot you got the water and how long you let it sit that anything that had beans or peas they were like biting down on a rock. FM
Turkey Loaf was my favorite.
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It's dirt from every battlefield that U.S. troops have fought on dating back to WW2.... some earlier.
The 'shrine' used to be in a private part of the factory. But may have been moved into the impressive new public museum.
It's worth the visit!
Cheers,
Sirhr
P.S. Salt is an excellent book. Part of a whole genre of books from that era on 'stuff.' Cod was another good one.
Alex for $200 What were the fine meals that I missed in my above post?
C-rations were the most horrible rations ever foisted upon the American troops, yet they gave us what we needed.
No need for different menus and suck it up Buttercup, you will never ever say "I don't like that and will not eat it." I will eat anything and be glad to have it.
There were other rations that were put out to change our intake but I don't remember them. What are your memories?
FM
C-rations were the most horrible rations ever foisted upon the American troops, yet they gave us what we needed.
No need for different menus and suck it up Buttercup, you will never ever say "I don't like that and will not eat it." I will eat anything and be glad to have it.
There were other rations that were put out to change our intake but I don't remember them. What are your memories?
FM
I don't know, those first generation MRE's were pretty bad (ham and chicken choke, beef slice ("processed, chunked, and formed") in gravy, ground beef in spicy tomato sauce...ugh, never mind the dehydrated beef or pork patty). In fact, we opt'ed for the C-rations when we had a choice (during the turn over phase from c-rats to MRE's). I had MRE's in bootcamp, but my first deployment, there were still c-rations around.
MRE's have come a LOOOONG way. Some of the shit was plain disgusting, some was just --uh, bad. The absolute BEST MRE when I was in was the chicken cacciatore IIRC. Not only was it the best MRE, it also came with M&M's AND fucking cookies! Not to mention crackers and jalapeno cheese. If you got that one in the field, you were good to go. The "hamburger" was such a let down I saw people actually get pissed the first time they opened it.
Cookbook no longer needed. By 2001 most line troops knew how or were experimenting with recipes, including a birthday cake a la "Monty Python" (the WW1 skit where they saved all the components to make a cake?).
There were still C rations on the shelve at surplus stores, and I can swear I saw 'em in stock at Ft. Lewis when I got there in '01. Never seen one open outside the museum though.
They have field rats now, not sure of the nomenclature, but they have the BEST goddamn fake eggs I've ever had! Couldn't get enough of 'em. Didn't taste like regular eggs, they were better. Came in a big ass box and there was enough to feed a company? Certainly better than MRE's.
Cookbook no longer needed. By 2001 most line troops knew how or were experimenting with recipes, including a birthday cake a la "Monty Python" (the WW1 skit where they saved all the components to make a cake?).
There were still C rations on the shelve at surplus stores, and I can swear I saw 'em in stock at Ft. Lewis when I got there in '01. Never seen one open outside the museum though.
They have field rats now, not sure of the nomenclature, but they have the BEST goddamn fake eggs I've ever had! Couldn't get enough of 'em. Didn't taste like regular eggs, they were better. Came in a big ass box and there was enough to feed a company? Certainly better than MRE's.
So not a question I am posing... but one I am looking for an answer on...
Why don't people "Eat the charms" on deployment. I've heard several explanations from superstition that it will rain. To "The DI's wanted them because they were tasty and made recruits hand them over" to eating "Charms" was bad luck in the field.
So what is the real reason? Inquiring minds want to know!
Cheers,
Sirhr
Why don't people "Eat the charms" on deployment. I've heard several explanations from superstition that it will rain. To "The DI's wanted them because they were tasty and made recruits hand them over" to eating "Charms" was bad luck in the field.
So what is the real reason? Inquiring minds want to know!
Cheers,
Sirhr
It was a "bad luck" thing with Charms when I was in, but people ate 'em anyway. As to where it came from, or what bad luck it was supposed to bestow, I have no idea. The yellow skittles were supposed to be sacrificed to the sun, also known as "BOB" so we'd have no rain. This was army, don't know what they say in the marines.
Some people actually did it. This one guy, he was religious about it.
With Charms, it could be because they suck, you suck on them, ergo, it increases the suck. A shitty, sucky candy named a "Charm" is also ripe for a bad luck superstition amongst grunts.
All MRE's used to come with the same packet that had all the same stuff in it including Charms.
Some people actually did it. This one guy, he was religious about it.
With Charms, it could be because they suck, you suck on them, ergo, it increases the suck. A shitty, sucky candy named a "Charm" is also ripe for a bad luck superstition amongst grunts.
All MRE's used to come with the same packet that had all the same stuff in it including Charms.
Cause they are nasty! No superstition or weird voodoo. They just plain sucked. Even the Hajii kids would look disappointed and pissed off when you threw them out the window of a Humvee at them.
Norden bombsight is correct. I got to play with one in the UK last month. Never actually handled one before! Pretty cool.
Cheers,
Sirhr
Cheers,
Sirhr
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