Troops in Iraq allowed to drink beer on Super Bowl Sunday!

[Uboat509]

Baghdad, 2006: One of our units decided to mount claymores to the front of their Humvees. I think that fell in the good initiative, bad judgement category.

Please tell me that you are kidding. Nobody could be that stupid.

SFC W

[dusty]

Please tell me that you are kidding. Nobody could be that stupid.

SFC W

They seriously did it. I believe there were some individuals relieved over it, but it happened before I joined the unit, so my knowledge of the whole deal is extremely limited.

[Schmedlap]

I don't get it. Did the gunner have wire leading up to his turret, clacker in hand, waiting for the driver to run down enemy combatants and blast shrapnel at them? Were they going to throw a lighted rag over the hood and ram something? How does one attempt (successfully or otherwise) to employ a claymore mounted on the front of a vehicle? Were they trying to turn a HMMWV into a VBIED?

[Bullmoose Bailey]

I don't get it. Did the gunner have wire leading up to his turret, clacker in hand, waiting for the driver to run down enemy combatants and blast shrapnel at them? Were they going to throw a lighted rag over the hood and ram something? How does one attempt (successfully or otherwise) to employ a claymore mounted on the front of a vehicle? Were they trying to turn a HMMWV into a VBIED?

I too am stupefied by this action. However my mind immediately leapt to a similar experience. I personally do not discuss such things as might indicate friendly TTPs. End of that discussion.

FYI: look up M113 in wikipedia and look at the photo next to the paragraph headed: "Modifications for Iraq"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M113

It also refers thusly to my school of thought on the issue:
"Most of the M113s which are still in service have been upgraded. However, they are still lightly protected compared to modern APCs or IFVs such as the M2 Bradley or IDF Achzarit. Those larger vehicles cannot be transported in a C-130 plane so it may be argued that their capability to be air-deployed provides an advantage over more heavily armored vehicles. A fervent pro-M113 community has developed due to the versatility of the platform".

Quite agreed.

Coming back to the subject at hand; In my circle of acquintance here in OIF this "beer issue" is really taking off. GEN Odierno, who shares a hometown with my own unit, could have just won election to the presidency.

In any event he's now the most loved General of our time, based solely on my observations here.

[Jedburgh]

Please tell me that you are kidding. Nobody could be that stupid.

SFC W

...I seem to recall a do not do this-type safety bulletin that went out actually earlier than '06 that had photos of the vehicles with claymores mounted......