SmallCaliberCentral

Just a quick Thankyou and a God bless to all Veterans here on this board and every where else in the world and in spirit.
Our safety here is because you were their!
Thankyou
Ray P

Ray and Hawkeye: Thanks to the both of you, and to my fellow Veterans here and around the world for your service. It's best that we all remember that freedom is NOT free, and I salute you all, but especially my fallen comrades in arms.

My service seems like yesterday, but looking at the calendar, it appears to be back in the Jurassic Period. Alot has happened in the years since. Below is a 19 year old, wondering what it was all about and trying his best to say alive.

Fellow Veterans, I salute you all.



(Cam Rhan Bay, Summer 1966)

Nice pic Rick, Is that you?? Brown Water Navy?? How about sharing more pictures.

Mike, yep, that's a young version of me alright. Young, dumb, and full of c....... well, you remember the old saying.

I was in Amphibious Assault, primary duty station was aboard the mother ship, the USS Tulare (AKA-112) as a radioman. We carried Marines and ordanance onto the beaches in assault boats, I was always in the lead boat (read: target) with the Wave Commander. Occasionaly, we had TAD or Temporary Assignment of Duty, hence the photo at the PBR & Swift Boat base in Cam Rhan.

Here's getting ready for a patrol up river:



Here's the best varmint rig I ever had the opportunity to operate....very, very effective:

I recognize ma deuce, what's the cannon below it?

THAT my friend, is a 82mm Git-Er-Done Tool. I used to just call the rig the "All Purpose F___ 'em Up Tool". And for good reason.

As we all like pictures, here's some more of that tour of duty. Here's one more of the Swift Base, with our "ski boat" tied up alongside a PCF:



"Fun at the Beach".....NOT! I think this was taken in Chu Lai:



A jungle mooring in Thailand:



Zipping from the Tulare going up river near Da Nang:



Air Ops with the USS Constellation in the background, with the destroyer USS Wilson off to the left:



Safe 'n sound back in Radio Central/CIC aboard the mother ship (USS Tulare)....nothing like three hots and a cot compared to some of my Marine buddies left "in the s___ " on the beach and inland. My hat is off to those warriors.



How about you other guys out there? How about sharing some of your photos on this Veterans Day? Anyone?......

Here I am at my first duty assignment.

That is an AIM-4F heading for where the sun don't shine (I'm holding the missile)!



This was an inert missile used for launcher adjustments on the F-106 Delta Dart.

The items on the rack directly behind and under the yellow covers are the centerline rack that the GENIE AIR-2A nuke would ride. These were removed if the plane was carrying the M61A1 (20mm Gatling gun). The yellow cover on the extreme right of the picture is where the guns were stored. I have some pictures of them here someplace. That blue missile on the ground is a WSEM (Weapons System Evaluation Missile), it would fly on the F-106 and record weapons control and launch system performance data.

I spent my first 7 years as an Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist, more affectionately known as "A Muzzle F---er"! Then I was offered a retraining option into Crypto and took it. Spent my remaining years in communications

That reminds me of Sadam Nice pics guys!! Thanks for sharing!

Happy VD to all you vets out there Hey Rick, I think we need that deck gun for our next go at Skippy Gary

Happy Veteran's Day indeed!
We live in an amazing country, and it's thanks to people like you guys.
Rick and Waldo, LOVE the pics. Very interesting to say the least.
Hat's off to you guys.

Thanks to all the vets!

I'm a day late but......
God bless the U.S. and God bless those who served.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for keeping me and my family safe and free.
All gave some and some gave all....I just wish everybody appreciated it as much as I do.
Thank you all very, very much.

I never served here in Canada but salute all from Canada and the States who have. My dad landed at Normandy (We all know that one....) and made it back.
He even had pics (which I inherited) captured from german soldiers.