On my last ODA, the Team Sergeant had been on the drop zone with 10th Group when the 173rd jumped in. The Junior Engineer was in the 173rd at the time and made the jump. Needless to say there was a lot of smack talk but eventually the Engineer did admit that the hardest thing about the jump was that the hot coffee was gone by the time that he got to his link-up point. I would submit that the 173rd jump was unnecessary.
SFC W
I concur. It was Kurdistan, for God sakes!Originally Posted by Uboat509
Sir, what the hell are we doing?
Of course! So was Suart's ride around McClellan.
But a good time was had by all.....both times!
"Pick up a rifle and you change instantly from a subject to a citizen." - Jeff Cooper
Something I'd like to point out:
We often talk about this airborne operation or that one as being unnecessary. Okay, doubtless that's true. Yet, consider this: might some of history's unnecessary airborne operations still have been the best way to achieve the objecitves?
We might find many things that are unnecessary for the success of a particular operation; yet, said things are still the best option for success.
And how come it's usually the unnecessary airborne operation that seems to receive the most criticism? Have we never conducted an operation involving an air assault, amphibious operation, armored thrust, artillery barrage, air strike, convoy, etc., when the operation stood a good chance of success with out it?
"Pick up a rifle and you change instantly from a subject to a citizen." - Jeff Cooper
Heh. It's an envy thing --
it's all about jump pay...
I joke. Well, sort of. That's part of it. It's just that the drops generally -- all of them, necessary or not -- do get truly excessive publicity (that always annoys those who get less) and add in the generally high casualty rate (which is why there is jump pay) plus the likelihood of a partial success and there's plenty of things for picking. Still sort of irrelevant, parachute troopies are for Armies like a gun is for a civilian here in the States, you don't usually need one but when you do you need it really bad.
For example, consider reinforcing Georgia (the Republic, not the State).
NOTE: I am NOT suggesting we do that, merely saying look at the map and consider what you can get there and how. Oh -- and add in the complication that the airfield for any airland would become an immediate target for Frogfoots (Frogfeet?) or worse...
I reckon that's true; yet, the MIKE Force operations in Vietnam got hardly any puplicity at all.
Incidently, one of my favorite (and one of the more obscure) jump stories comes from one of the MIKE Force jumps. Supposedly, some SF NCOs had to hook up some of the 'Yards. The little fellers just weren't tall enough to reach the anchor line cable! But when the green light came on they went out the door like big men! Nary a jump refusal.
Airborne!
Last edited by Rifleman; 08-10-2008 at 05:04 AM.
"Pick up a rifle and you change instantly from a subject to a citizen." - Jeff Cooper
Either that or they were exceedingly happy
to be leaving a VNAF C-123.
Not that I'd blame them for that...
Friend of mine made that 173d jump in VN as JM, Catherine Leroy LINK was on his bird. He always smiled when he said she was short and he had to hook her up...
Last edited by Ken White; 08-10-2008 at 05:14 AM. Reason: Added link
The JM inspection would have to be thorough...to be leaving a VNAF C-123.
Not that I'd blame them for that...
Friend of mine made that 173d jump in VN as JM, Catherine Leroy LINK was on his bird. He always smiled when he said she was short and he had to hook her up...
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