So o ut of date...

[muvinbird]

I'm almost 98, so I got in to the bolt action thread.
Thought I should have some combat insight here, boy I was wrong...
Time certainly did me a trick, never felt older, and I'm old enough right now...

 

[DIBBS]

Welcome to the Hide.

 

[muvinbird]

Thank you Dibbs, sorry for any doubles of this message, not to good on internet.

 

[muvinbird]

Dibbs, got feeling your old too.
Sorry for bad english...
But your old sniper too?

 

[muvinbird]

I volunteered at the age of 14, got handed a 6x55 mauser the next day.
Was good enough to be handed the mauser 98 sniper rifle.
If I knew then what it wold bee, I never would.

 

[muvinbird]

The Finns didn't give a damned if we where underage, as long as we had ammo for our own gun.
A dead russian was one less russian to worry a bout.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Welcome young man

 

[muvinbird]

Welcome young man

Ha ha, I wish, way back I could have taught you all something, but you are way ahead of me now.

 

[muvinbird]

In the early 90's I was included in a show/market and was invited to try the same rifle my grandson was given.
It was a ak5.
I was impressed by the accuracy it had on 100 and 300 meters.
With open sights.
I had open sights and a 3x1 sight on my 98.
And this short pipe ak5 was better.

 

[muvinbird]

On a short track I'd choose the ak5 any day.
But on a distance, I'd still rely on my M98 with scope.
Just because I put my life in it's hands when I was young as you.
And I'm still here...

 

[muvinbird]

And I still have my 1899 m98 with scope at hand.
It's actually older than me, but we're brothers in arms...

 

[Long Range 338]

Share as much as you wish. Plenty of us are happy to hear and learn from your generation. You did much more with much less…

 

[muvinbird]

Share as much as you wish. Plenty of us are happy to hear and learn from your generation. You did much more with much less…

We had much less food, but ammo was plenty.
I hated lard sandwiches, bread with fat on top.
But I'm impressed with the range where you shoot now.
We where at less than 300 meters.
Now you talking about 1000+yards

 

[Mrpike71]

Was there any training w the rifle they handed you? Did you have to zero the scope or figure it out by “Russian” windage?

 

[iceng]

What was required qualifying accuracy, or discipline positions ? Similar to 6 inch by 6 inch at 100 yards, 3 shots all on target ? Or did you have other standards ?

Were the shooting positions your own choice, or did you have to do some prone laying on the ground, some kneeling, etc ?

 

[muvinbird]

Was there any training w the rifle they handed you? Did you have to zero the scope or figure it out by “Russian” windage?

Of cause we had training!!
We more or less slept with our m98!
We trained with and without scope, we didn't give a f**k about the russians!

 

[muvinbird]

What was required qualifying accuracy, or discipline positions ? Similar to 6 inch by 6 inch at 100 yards, 3 shots all on target ? Or did you have other standards ?

Were the shooting positions your own choice, or did you have to do some prone laying on the ground, some kneeling, etc ?

 

[muvinbird]

If you did 6x6 inch on target, you'll get fired back to army...
At 3x3 you'll maybe invited

 

[DarinC]

Good to have you. As was said above, feel free to share as much as you’d like. And thank you for your service

 

[Mrpike71]

I’d be interested to know the specifics of your training. My dad was a WW2 historian of sorts and I remember him telling me how fierce the Finnish people were and how the Russians would probably never make that mistake again.

 

[muvinbird]

Good to have you. As was said above, feel free to share as much as you’d like. And thank you for your service.

I did my part as good as I could .
I live with the consequences.

 

[muvinbird]

I’d be interested to know the specifics of your training. My dad was a WW2 historian of sorts and I remember him telling me how fierce the Finnish people were and how the Russians would probably never make that mistake again.

 

[muvinbird]

You will never understand how motivated they were...

 

[Mrpike71]

And at 14, you were a brave soul! Your generation truly is the greatest!!

 

[newageroman]

oh wow - welcome good sir. Did you finns ever ski around and shoot like the biathalon stuff?

I have a 1903 Marine core rebuild. I love the old ladder sights. Its a cool piece if history. I've shot the garand out to 500 but it's a modified not scoped build.

Did you guys use a bayo or train with it much? did POI differ with it mounted?

 

[muvinbird]

And at 14, you were a brave soul! Your generation truly is the greatest!!

I was an idiot! no 14 year old should have seen what I got through!

 

[muvinbird]

I was an idiot! no 14 year old should have seen what I got through!

Sorry, I know what you want your praise to be.
But we old ones just wouldn't accept it...
The heroes is our friends, not coming home.
We'll keep them in our hearts to the day we die

 

[muvinbird]

oh wow - welcome good sir. Did you finns ever ski around and shoot like the biathalon stuff?

I have a 1903 Marine core rebuild. I love the old ladder sights. Its a cool piece if history. I've shot the garand out to 500 but it's a modified not scoped build.

Did you guys use a bayo or train with it much? did POI differ with it mounted?

? I had a mauser bayonet yes?
Did I have training to kill with it, yes!
Stab the enemy in the throat! Yes!

 

[muvinbird]

As old as I am, and how short time I have left.
I could at least be saved from the wannabees...

 

[Graywolf.260]

Did you ever meet Simo Häyhä?

 

[muvinbird]

I wount make it to 100(so says my pancreas), but it's ok.
My friends from yesterday are there already awaiting me where I'm going.
For brothers in arms, I'll always fight the good fight, always....

Did you ever meet Simo?

Häyhe?

 

[muvinbird]

No, but I understand why they called him white death ..

 

[muvinbird]

I only saw him at far.

 

[muvinbird]

Never seen a man so totally indifferent about life...

 

[Graywolf.260]

Tell us about the Winter War, did you fight?

 

[muvinbird]

Not in the way you want.
Make a demand to the finnish war minestary if you need More

 

[iceng]

I heard a story that Finn's invented bolt fluting. They would cut lines into their bolts so when they filled with ice and snow, when you pulled the bolt open, it would crush the ice. Did this happen ?

 

[muvinbird]

I heard a story that Finn's invented bolt fluting. They would cut lines into their bolts so when they filled with ice and snow, when you pulled the bolt open, it would crush the ice. Did this happen ?

No

 

[Foul Mike]

Hello and welcome @muvinbird . At 74 I am one of the Old Farts on here so it is good to see someone older.
I like hearing your stories, very interesting. Where are you located? I am in Sterling, CO.

 

[pmclaine]

You are a “Winter War” vet?

Well God bless you as you have experienced hard times.

I found myself in Finland on December 6 1989, taking R&R from a posting in Moscow.

I had no idea what December 6 meant in Finland.

I ended up drinking all night at the Hot Apple in Helsinki. I went home with some Finn kids after the bar closed and we celebrated Independence Day at their house.

The next day I found myself a naked American enjoying sauna and running out into the snow.

At breakfast I met the man of the house. He was wondering who the stranger was and his daughters explained I was an American Marine working in Moscow.

The “old man” was a Winter Warrior. I don’t think he was impressed with Marines.

Out came the fire extinguisher.

It was filled with vodka, or some white grain alcohol. I spent breakfast eating some fantastic smoked salmon and cheeses while having this real Warrior squirt grain alcohol down my throat from a fire extinguisher after every shot he gave himself.

Pictures sir, please. You live in a beautiful part of the world.

I think back how much those Finn kids envied America because they lived so close to Russia and with such close experience to Russian aggression they felt we truly had freedom but they only had precarious freedom.

Sadly I think things are reversed.

Keep Finland out of NATO.

We are leading you into another Winter War.

 

[Foul Mike]

@muvinbird I was in Vietnam at age 20-21 for 1 year. I was not a sniper but in a small light infantry unit.
Where you fought the cold, we fought the heat. Where I was in VN was 1-2 and 3 canopy jungle with millions of bugs and other things common to jungles, very hard to move around in that shit and be quiet but we learned to do it. The mosquitoes, leaches and other parasites were horrible as well as the rats and snakes.
I think I would rather fight in that enviroment than the cold and snow you went through.
I know all about living with your rifle and ammo. I had mine with me at all times, either slung, in hand at the ready or laying with me when I tried to sleep. I had Colt M-16A1 #866323. I will never forget that number. It served me well, I took care of it and it took care of me. The only failure I had with that rifle was during a large ground attack when I got it too hot and the bolt welded to the breach. I just grabbed another rifle that was no longer being used and used that. Our armourer put a new upper on it for me and I sighted it in and finished out my tour with it. I wish I still had that rifle or could even hold it for a while but our Army doesn't work that way. I had to turn it in when I left.
I had 4 years on you as to age and I agree, you were too young as I know I was too young to see and do the things I did.
I fully understand about losing friends and as hard as I try to forget, I am not able to do that. Parts of it stick with you forever.
I stay in close contact with quite a few of the guys I served with but our numbers grow fewer with each passing year.
At your age I don't imagine many of the guys you fought with are still around but I hope there are some.
Regards, FM

 

[Mrpike71]

@muvinbird I was in Vietnam at age 20-21 for 1 year. I was not a sniper but in a small light infantry unit.
Where you fought the cold, we fought the heat. Where I was in VN was 1-2 and 3 canopy jungle with millions of bugs and other things common to jungles, very hard to move around in that shit and be quiet but we learned to do it. The mosquitoes, leaches and other parasites were horrible as well as the rats and snakes.
I think I would rather fight in that enviroment than the cold and snow you went through.
I know all about living with your rifle and ammo. I had mine with me at all times, either slung, in hand at the ready or laying with me when I tried to sleep. I had Colt M-16A1 #866323. I will never forget that number. It served me well, I took care of it and it took care of me. The only failure I had with that rifle was during a large ground attack when I got it too hot and the bolt welded to the breach. I just grabbed another rifle that was no longer being used and used that. Our armourer put a new upper on it for me and I sighted it in and finished out my tour with it. I wish I still had that rifle or could even hold it for a while but our Army doesn't work that way. I had to turn it in when I left.
I had 4 years on you as to age and I agree, you were too young as I know I was too young to see and do the things I did.
I fully understand about losing friends and as hard as I try to forget, I am not able to do that. Parts of it stick with you forever.
I stay in close contact with quite a few of the guys I served with but our numbers grow fewer with each passing year.
At your age I don't imagine many of the guys you fought with are still around but I hope there are some.
Regards, FM

Thank you for your service sir! BS that you couldn’t take that rifle with you but pretty damn cool you still remember the serial number.

 

[Quarter Horse]

I'm thinking that we have made presumptions about @muvinbird that may be incorrect. When he refers to the Finns as them and refers us to the Finnish Ministry of Defense regarding his service there is a disconnect. His current home and his reference to his grandsons AK5 would indicate that he lives in the northern reaches of Sweden.

This area of Sweden is the traditional home of the Laplanders or mountain Sami. Their historic homeland stretches across the Nordic nations. Their historic way of life revolves around the reindeer. There are also Sami identified with coastal areas who were principally fisherman. Their history and treatment by the nation states closely resembles the treatment of native Americans in North America. What better recruit to have than a Sami. Even as a fourteen year old, he could be turned loose with a haversack with bread, lard, ammunition and a rifle. He would find his way to his destination, execute his mission and find his way home with the least possible support. Whether a Sami or one of the Swedes that closely identified with the Finns his story is fascinating.

Before I get to the obvious question a shoutout to @Foul Mike . Mike, we probably missed each other by less than a year. My unit was assigned to geographic areas. What ever tactical unit was there we supported and when it became the AO of another unit we supported the FNGs. When I got to my team it was the 173rd's AO. Prior to the 173rd it had been the "Cavs" AO. I arrived in November of '68 and departed one-year-six-months and twelve days later. Do English, Uplift, Pony and the AnLao sound familiar?

So now back to our new friend @muvinbird. Welcome to SH. Whatever your story is and what you choose to share with us your longevity is amazing in and of itself. I have some questions? What is the origin of your screen name muvinbird? It is so unusual that it seems carefully chosen. Are you Sami or are you one of many Swedes' who chose to support your Finnish brethren. I look forward to your future posts.

 

[Lapuapalooza]

Ha ha, I wish, way back I could have taught you all something, but you are way ahead of me now.

Welcome sir. It’s an honor to have you.

 

[Foul Mike]

@Quarter Horse Hi, I was in E.Co 5/7 Cav. 1st. Cav. 68-69 11 months, 26 days, and first came in-country at Ahn Khe but the Div. was moving S to III Corp. Phouc Vinh, Tay Ninh, Quan Loi.
LZ English and the others are familiar but I was never on them, I think they are up N in the old AO II Corps?
I was on LZs Andy-Quan Loi, Button-Song Be, Joe, Mary, Wood, xSF camp Chi Lin and a couple others I don't remember the names of as we were on them for such a short time. Some were just a number when we were on what they called Hip Shoots. We did on occasion run with 25th. Div. for short times.
We did jump the fence for a couple of short sneak and peeks just prior to the incursion. 5/7 Cav. went in around the Parrots Beak/Fish Hook area about 10 days after I came home so I missed that. There is a YouTube, Bravo Co. 5/7th Cav. that is good and correct I think, but has a short scene of me shooting my 16 at a dink that took a poke at us when that camera man was around that was dubbed in there and is not in Cam. I do remember that being taken. I think that camera man was just testing the waters when he shot that.
Am I correct in my guess that you wear a beanie?
I hope @muvinbird comes back, I was really enjoying him. FM