Tom made me remember sumthin

[Haytrader]

Was reading the turkey cookin thread and came upon Tom's post where he mentioned "a disc you can buy to save yer lawn". This reminded me of my service time in Alaska. I didn't want to ruin the turkey thread so.............. ;D

I was a grunt in Nam and they sent me to Alaska when I got back. Guess they thought I needed coolin off........ ;)
Anyways, we had to go do some things out in the elements and had to set up tents. Some on the frozen area they dozed off and some on the 157" of snow that was outside of Fairbanks in "71". They had these regular gas burnin stoves called "yukes" and the ones in the tents on the snow had these giant cookie sheet lookin peices of iron to put under the legs of these stoves. Even though the legs were close to a foot long, the heat still traveled down and heated the pads which melted the snow letting the whole thing sink and when the end of the stove pipe got close to the tent, we used two ski poles to lift the pad and stove and more snow was shoveled under the pad. First time I saw this I about cracked up. I was really enthused about this little camping trip too........not.    ;)  

Got a story about the tents that were on frozen gravel but don't want to bore ya.

[Tom]

Bore me!  Bore me!  

You should consider putting that story on the Funny Story thread. ;D :D

[Gus]

That is funny haytrader. Don't sound like you had any trouble running outa snow to shovel under the stove. :D :D

[Gus]

And THAT reminds me of the first trip I made up to the logging camp where my Dad and uncle worked. It was in the Arrowhead region of NE Minnesota.
I think I was about 13 or 14. I usually spent the day clearing limbs out of the old mans way or running the tape for him. One day he left me at camp to cut and split firewood for him and my uncle. I was to start a fire before dark in my Uncles shack so it was warm when he got back in.
 These shacks, if I recollect right, were about 8' X 8' or maybe 8 X 10 with an airtight trash burner in them. Now I don't know how many of youse guys are familiar with these stoves but they work real well, just don't hold the heat real good because they are made of tin and cool quickly. Being made of tin they are not very heavy either.
Well, I started a fire in the old uncles shack and went back and banked our stove too. All we had to burn was dead tamrack and spruce and I went outside to finish up what I was doing, clean up the mess and stack wood before it got plumb dark.
After dark I decided to go back to my uncles shack and take a look at the fire. As I rounded the corner around some brush I could see flames coming out the top of the chimney. Looked like the fire was doing fine  ??? I started running toward the shack and as I closed in on it i could here the DanGdest racket coming from inside. I threw open the door and the heat DanG near nocked me over. Musta been 150 degree's in that little shack already.
When I recovered from the surprise of the heat I went inside, the burner was a red- white color, the stack was red nearly to the ceiling and that little stove was dancing around on the floor like it was ready for lift off. Scared the gewillickers out of me.
I think I was 20 years old before I told the old man what happened.

Gus

[redpowerd]

 :D :D :D :D :D :D
that sounds all too familiar, i did the same at the huntin bus.
same senario, only not so extreme. the paint was peelin off the roof of the bus, and the flames out the chimney were lickin up a nearby red pine nature called me to the stove and the fire was under control :D the best part was tellin by buddy what i did in his stove ;D ;D

oh, howd you pick all that stuff up with two ski poles?
i just cant picture it!

[Haytrader]

red,
 
It took four guys. Had to do a little diggin to get the poles under each end of the "cookie sheet" and then lift in unison. The tents were almost round and had a liner like the feild jackets did. It was VERY heavy. Where the stove pipe went through the liner and tent, there was an insulated ring. We layed ponchos on the snow and crawled in sleeping bags with all clothes on. You quickly learned not to drink much as getting up during the night was not yer regular trip to the poddy......... :D  :D  :D

P.S.  I guess we did take off our snow shoes............. ;D

[redpowerd]

ahh, 2 poles APEICE!  :D now i see!
gittin late!

[Bibbyman]

These stories remind me of the third house we lived in when I was a kid.  The first two were built in the mid to late 1800's out of logs and I don't remember them being cold.  But the third was a saltbox frame house on rock pillars.  

Anyway, we had two of those old blue sheet metal stoves to heat the house – the kind you use one winter and then throw away in the spring.  I remember getting up to frozen water.  Not frozen water pipes mind you because we had no running water.  The side of the stove would be glowing orange and the water in the wash pan no more than ten feet away would be frozen solid.  

We'd pile everything we had on the bed to keep warm – even throw rugs from the floor and heavy coats.  I remember waking up to find a light coat of snow on the bed that had sifted around the loose glass in the windows.

Sure made it tough to swing your bare feet out of bed and onto the linoleum.

You know what?  I didn't mind winter back then like I do now.  

[Norm]

Leave it to the military to send a poor guy from heat and humidity to just colder than.... well I guess it's not cold there either. What was your assignment in Nam Haytrader?

When we moved to our first farm the upstairs had two rooms. One was for my sisters and the other where we boys slept. One of the windows had a broken pane in it that was fixed with a piece of cardboard. During the winter when it got cold a glass of water would freeze if you left it. We did like Bibby and would put old coats and anything else we could find for covers. I never realized how poor we were at the time but I sure appreciate a good furnace now. Funny thing is I still sleep with the window open a bit and lots of covers on the bed.

[Haytrader]

SDSaw,    No, we didn't lack for snow to put under the stove. Although we had 157 inches, it does compress, and you could see soot like rings in a tree.

Norm,    I was in the 1st Cavalry, Air Mobile as an infantryman. We got to fly around in DanG hueys and they would sit us down in a new place so we could go for a hike and look for little people who were lookin for us.    ;)

Tom,    If you insist. I figure the reason we got to put up tents with different circumstances, was to teach us both ways. We, and the tents, were hauled to the site in the back of duece and a halfs. (they also had insulated liners and gas stoves like the tents) To hold the tents up in the deep snow, we used extra tent poles and just stuck them approximately four to five feet in the snow. As we layed out the tents on the frozen ground they had cleared, I wondered how in the world we would be able to drive a tent stake in the ground. (I should add that we were in lots of clothing including bunny boots and very big mittens) I grabbed a sledge and was gonna try to drive the stakes. Another guy called me a dumb sunny beach and told me to get a can out of the back of one of the trucks. He instructed me to hold the stake at a slight angle and he poured a small amount of water from the can at the base of the tent stake. It froze immediately. He repeated this till the ice had built up about six inches on the stake and was about eighteen inches in diameter. It didn't take long to erect the tent and get the stove going. This old kid from the country was glad when that was all over.

[Norm]

I used to fly with a gentleman that flew Hueys for the 1st Cavalry. It was hard to get him to talk about his time over there. He mentioned how much respect he had for the grunts that he flew for and how little respect he had for the local soldiers they flew. He was a great guy and taught me more about flying in a month than the previous guy did in six.

Glad to have you home and thanks.

[Tom]

I got a taste of grunt work at Benning and when the time came, had to put up with a warm rack 'cause I joined up with the Navy. :D

While in the States we had some really tough times too. Here is salt-water ice on the lines in Norfolk Virginia and a shot of the parking lot at the D&S Piers (Destroyer and Submarine).


 Then we would "get tired of it  :D" and end up in the BWI's where the locals would dive for coins.  Kinda like being on a cruise. :D :D  "Course the reason for  heading south was the canal and you know why the Eaton would go to the Pacific :-/


Link to USS Eaton DD-510 web page

[DanG]

I don't got no wintertime war stories, 'cause I did the "Southern Tour."  South Louisiana, South Texas, South Alabama, South Vietnam, and back to South Alabama.

Here's a link to my outfit:

www.geocities.com/pentagon/quarters/1517

[Tom]

 :D The navy seemed to know when the weather was the worst and that is when I went. Chicago, Feb 3rd, for instance. :D

Visited your groups site but wasn't able to find much but the guestbook. Left a note.

[DanG]

Thanks for looking, Tom. If you look to the left of the guestbook entrance, there is a dropdown menu. Lots of stuff there.

[Norm]

That's a well done site Dan, sounds like a good tour except for the South Viet Nam part. What was your assignment there?

[Gus]

Nice site Dan,
Thanks for the look!
Gus

[DanG]

I was a Huey pilot. Flew lots of "ass & trash" missions. Did lots of night work, dropping flares for the gunships, and a little "starlight" work. Carried a big searchlight and a .50 cal mounted inside the aircraft to do low-level night patrol. Very effective set-up, but SKEERY!

[Wes]

 I remember using those stoves, they used to catch on fire alot. used to mix gas and diesel for fuel.
  One time during training in graf. the one in my tent caught fire, we just returned from stand two. the stove was red and white hot.one of the guys tried to turn down the regulator and somehow knocked it over,and it erupted into flames. About the same time someone set off a fire extinguisher, what a mess that was to clean up.

DanG,I also enjoyed that site.

 How about a military service related poll??

[Haytrader]

DanG,

When yer gunner pulled the trigger on the 50, did yer ride go sideways?
  :D  :D  :D
Rode many times in a Huey. First trip as a newbie in the middle seat. Pilot couldn't touch down cuz the little people had cut some small trees into big pungy sticks so we had to jump. When the last man went (me) the bird was considerably farther from the ground. I'll never forget that landing.......ha. From then on I rode in the door with my feet hanging out. Was a Marlboro Man but they wouldn't stay lit so went to Swisher Sweets for the ride. Got some nice pics of the tree tops with my boots in the pic.  ;D  ;D

[Patty]

You guys are my heros. 8)

[DanG]

Hay, I always hated the LZ's where we couldn't set down. It's hard to hold a hover with folks bailing out of both sides. ??? Sometimes we'd come back with the next load and have to evac the ones that were injured in the fall from the previous load. :'(  Sounds like you were a quick study. Being first out is usually a safer bet, for several reasons. The guys still inside were sitting ducks until they could get out and into some cover.

Used ta love tree toppin'! ;D We did a lot of it because you're harder to hit down there. Had to do a quick post-flight inspection, sometimes, to check for leaves in the skid shoes. Maintenence Officer and CO didn't like to see that AT ALL!  :D :D

[Haytrader]

DanG,

Roger the quick study, and I didn't have to point my 16 at the floor either where I was sittin.  ;)

In 1970, when we went to Cambodia, I was in the first bird of a 19 bird CA (combat assualt). The birds were in two rows and staggered. I have some pics of this somewhere. As we got to the LZ, I noticed we were going to land in a huge open area next to the tree line. There were several irrigation canals leading into the trees. I didn't like the odds of landing that many birds in the open and with 6 grunts to a bird, that was a lot of targets for the little people. I got the door gunners attention and borrowed his helmet and had a quick chat with the pilot. I had them land along the canal and we quickly unloaded and got in the canal. The water was about waist deep but we were able to get to the cover of the trees Turned out it was not a hot LZ but you never knew. I had a lot of respect for you guys that gave us a ride to work. ;)

[Haytrader]

  ?????????????????????????????
Is this puter playing twix on me?

 :D  :D  :D

[Fla._Deadheader]

Yeah, Haytrader. Them guys that dropped in for dust-offs to get the wounded out, no matter what, or into a hot LZ, coming OR going, will be forever in my heart.

[DanG]

Thanks, Hay, but I wouldn't have traded places with you guys for nuthin! You guys took every risk along with us, but we got to leave! ;D

[Norm]

It's always amazed me how someone can fly a helicoptor. Now an airplane is easy (except for the landing part) you can take your hands off the controls and the darn thing will for the most part just fly along. I'll bet you can't do that in a huey. The National Guard does touch and gos at the local airport here. You can always tell on the radio it's them cause their voice sounds so chopped up from the vibration. Always a pleasure to sit in the runup area and watch.

I never would have thought that being up to your armpits in a canal would be the safe spot but I'll bet being bit is better than being shot.

[karl]

Hats off to to you gentlemen!
I turned 18 in ' 70- #362 in the lottery. knew then that Somebody was looking out for me. Had not a clue as to how much at the time!
Worked with a number of homecoming Vets over the years-Many are my personal heros-learned a lot about what is really important and how much a soul can stand from them. Kinda makes my problems look petty.
Several have passed on now- most as a result of having served in the "conflict", some from physical, some from emotional trama.
I could get pretty wound up and go on for hours/pages, but the real reason I am posting at all is to say thanks to all Vets from the bottom of my heart.

[Gus]

couldn't have said it better myself Karl. What I have is  a direct result of what many gave up. I am forever greatful. It's a good thread.
Gus

[Buzz-sawyer]

This is an exerpt of a post made to another vet on this forum...I hope its content isnt offensive but I post it as a tribute to Jerry and many others like him.....

About comming home...My buddy Jerry was over ther and (just to let you know) saw some tough times there ...like when he was drivin along with his pal in a truck and a 7.62 hit his buddy in the neck real hard ...... he said he remembered so much blood in the cab that he poured it out of his own boots..
Latter on .when he came home from Nam,  he visited our local watering hole, ..... a bunch of hippies started calling him a babby killer and a pig....Jerry said he had a bayonet in his boot razor sharp (probably since he was still in kill or be killed mode ...right outta da bush)
Any way, he said he was pretty sure he coulda killed em (he could of !! ) but he just let em beat him ,one had a bat....He said he didnt have it in him to even fight back ...now Jerry is and was no kinda wimp what so ever....I asked him why and he said since he had seen to much killin already....He didnt have it in him any more to kill
 
this story has affected my life more than I can say
Don

[Haytrader]

One story leads to another... ;)

I hesitate to continue this thread as it doesn't have much to do with sawing or trees and I wonder how many are really interested.  
Buzz, your story reminded me of when I came home. I was sitting in the airport in LA in the wee hours of the mornin. I had a couple hours to wait and there weren't many people around. I had the rifle I acquired in Cambodia wrapped in a canvas scabbard laying on the airlines counter as was required. I was sitting with my back against the outside wall (this is somthing I still do) when some 5 or 6 young hippies came in the terminal. They were just out havin fun and one grabbed a wheel chair and another got in it and here they came. Although they didn't call me names, they made some gestures, pointed at me, and snickered. The hair on my neck was standing up but remember, I had been gone for a year and didn't really know what to expect. I was gonna let it slide till one of them noticed my rifle laying on the counter. Like I said, they were just out havin fun. Well, I waited till the last minute as they got closer to the counter where my souvenir lay. I had gone through to much to get that rifle, even the offer of $600 from the MP that had to sign papers for me to get it out of country (guess he wanted to be able to tell war stories.........grrrrr). I didn't have a bayonet strapped to my leg which is probably a good thing. I will say this, a couple of them was kinda needin a wheel chair when security got there. The security guys apologized for what happened and asked if I needed anything.
I appreciated that.

[Wes]

 When a  friend of mine got off the plane in LA he got his bags and went outside for a cab,once outside he met up with some members of a certain well known motorcycle club,they welcomed the marine home and offered him a ride anywhere he wanted to go. He declined and got a cab, to this day it makes him smile thinking about the warm welcome he recieved by them.

[Fla._Deadheader]

One of those very same club members was one of my best friends during training. We talked a lot and they were not as bad as made out to be. Of course, there are exceptions.

[Wes]

 Ive met alot of good people like that also, no BS

[Gus]

Ours was not a military family but very patriotic. We were raised to have nothing but respect for our military men and women. Was now different during Nam. I remember watching the news and Dad would be just livid when he would see anti war demonstrations. In his eyes it showed no respect for the names that would be seen at the end of the newscast; those of the region that perished in Nam that day.
I was 17 when they quit the draft. I never did have to sign up. I was always kinds nervous watching the news back then. Always anticipating my turn. It never materialized.

[pigman]

When I was on taxpayer payed vacation in south east Asia in 1969, I was a pick and shovel  with the 101st. On one occasion I was told to cut a 50in tree with an 18in chainsaw. I told the sargent I didn't think I could  :(, but I could blow it down with some C4  .I placed 60lb against the tree and set it off with an electric blasting cap and a very long wire.After the limbs stopped falling and the dust settled I could see the tree was still standing  >:(. In training we were taught to use these complicated formulas on how much c4 to use to blow things up; C4= P where P means plenty. Being a stupid hillbilly  ;D, I must have messed up on the math. Put another 60lb in the hole made by the first blast and set it off. Tree came down and the chunks of wood went in all directions  8) 8). I don't recomend c4 for splitting large logs,it is so high velocity that it would make spinters instead of splitting the log.
Bob the ex pig farmer

[DanG]

Playing with BIG firecrackers, and other socially unacceptable pastimes, made the whole trip worthwhile. ;D I signed up for the adventure, and was not disappointed in the least.

Hey Bob!  What do you feed those ex-pigs, anyway?  ???

[ADfields]

Well boys I was under age for all that fun in Asia by a couple of years.   When I was 18 I wanted to join the the corp and be like my Dad was in WW2.   When I told this to my Dad he was madder at me then I ever saw the man before and told me I was NOT to join up as he had paid enough for us both when he was on Okinawa.   I stayed out for him but to this day I wish I had went in any way.   It was not the draft or nothing but I feel like I shirked a duty in my life by not joining nun the less. :(   I have the greatest respect for all y'all that served and thank you with all my hart!!!
Andy

[pigman]

DanG, I feed the ex pigs ex feed of course ;D. Since you were a chopper pilot in RVN ,I want to know why you pilots wanted the L Z,s to be so large. We would clear a spot in the woods at least 20ft by 20ft and the pilots always said they were not big enough to land in .  We figured the big saw on top could just cut a path to land. ;D  That sound of whomp whomp of the rotors off in the distance sure sounded good after several days out hiking in the woods.  8) 8)
Bob the sawyer

[DanG]

Do ya buy yer ex-feed at a ex-store? ??? :D :D

We didn't p'tickly care for them 20x20 PZ's, 'cause the rotor span of a Huey is 48'. Most of the ships we had, except for the brand new ones, had grooves in the ends of the blades from cutting limbs. It makes a helluva weedwhacker, with a 48' disc and a 1300hp turbine engine, but it don't come with inserted teeth. :-/

It's always better to be appreciated when you're coming in, than when you're going out.

[pigman]

DanG. Come to think of it, I think they wanted the LZs at least 50ft wide and 60ft long to allow for the tail rotor. That would give you 2ft to spare. 8)
Adfields,  I did not do any joining up. The President of the United States sent me a personal invitation to serve in his Army  I was 23 and still in school. Some people were calling me a draft dodger, but I was just a little slow in getting my edumacation. ;) The draft board said I had all the edumacation I needed to serve in the army. >:( But after 19 months and 1day in the  army,14mo and 2 days in  RVN, they decided I was right and let me out.  8) 8) 8)   Would not have missed all the fun for any thing, but I don't want to do it over. ;D
Bob the builder of fine furniture

[etat]

I've got a cousin who's birthday is only a couple of months from mine.  We went to sign up for the draft on the same day.  They turned us away and said the draft had been stopped. Kind of scared us because we didn't know for sure that they were on the up and up or not.  So we checked around and yep, they'd just quit makin folks sign up.  I wanted to join  and dad had a fit.  So I too changed my mind and still get a feeling of regret for not serving sometimes.  I had been telling my parents for a long time I would NOT join the National Guard to keep from going, and there was a fight every time but I did mean what I said about that.I have the utmost respect for those who are and have served.

[Norm]

The same year they stopped the draft I turned 18, my oldest brother enlisted in the Navy and another one joined the NG. My dad served during WWII so I always felt like I didn't do my part.