Military Pics & Videos

[Schmidt Meister]

The Minigun - M134 7.62×51mm Six-barrel Rotary Machine Gun

The Bell UH1 Huey helicopters proved that the concept of air cavalry was feasible during the first days of the Vietnam War. However, their M60 machine guns were not powerful enough to defend the aircraft from the concentration of enemy fire when approaching a landing area or taking off from a hot evacuation zone. And what’s worse, they quickly overheated and were prone to failure.
General Electric then came in and introduced its M134 rotary machine gun, which quickly earned the nickname of ‘The Minigun.’
The gun proved so successful at its role that the Army and Air Force began to fit it into other aircraft, such as the Cobra, which had two Miniguns, and the AC130, which was armed with four and had an astonishing rate of fire of over 14,000 rounds per minute.
Chambered in a 7.62-millimeter cartridge and with no risk of overheating, the Minigun quickly became the ultimate weapon used to clear the Vietnamese jungles.

 

[Schmidt Meister]

The last surviving member of Easy Company, the World War II unit made famous by the “Band of Brothers” book and miniseries, has died. Bradford Freeman died July 3 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, in Caledonia, Miss. He was 97.
Freeman was a paratrooper and private first class with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division during the war. A mortarman, he parachuted into France at age 19 with a base plate attached to his chest on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
At a September 2020 event at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., Freeman said every moment of that jump into Normandy stays with him. “He was in every major engagement in Europe during World War II,” a Columbus, Miss., local historian, Rufus Ward, said during the event for Freeman’s 96th birthday, according to the Air Force. “He’s a true American hero and we need to honor those people … we owe them more than we could ever repay them.”
Freeman also parachuted into Operation Market Garden and was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. He recovered, rejoined his unit and participated in the occupations of Berchtesgaden in Germany and Austria, according to his obituary.
Freeman was portrayed in the 2001 HBO miniseries, “Band of Brothers,” by actor James Farmer, according to IMDb. The series was based on the bestselling 1992 book, “Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne: From Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest,” by Stephen E. Ambrose.
After the war, Freeman returned to Mississippi, married Willie Louise Gurley on June 29, 1947, and worked 32 years as a mail carrier. Born Sept. 4, 1924, in Artesia, Miss., Freeman graduated from Artesia High School in 1942. He was a freshman at Mississippi State when he volunteered for the paratroopers. He entered the service on Feb. 4, 1944, according to his obituary.
He is survived by a sister, two daughters, four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. “Our dad was always astounded that a country boy from Mississippi was able to see so many places and meet so many interesting people,” according to his obituary from Lowndes Funeral Home in Columbus.
Freeman was the last of a unit made famous by a series that brought to life the exploits of a generation that largely kept its accomplishments to itself. The “Band of Brothers” series made familiar names of Freeman’s comrades Maj. Richard Winters, played by Damian Lewis, Capt. Lewis Nixon, played by Ron Livingston, and many others.
Freeman was preceded in death by Edward Shames, the last surviving officer from Easy Company, who died Dec. 3, 2021, at his home in Virginia Beach, Va.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bradford-freeman-last-surviving-member-of-wwii-band-of-brothers-dies-at-97-180980373/

[Schmidt Meister]

A-6 Naval Intruder Bombers conducting bombing raid over North Vietnam during Operation Rolling Thunder - 12.20.1968

[Schmidt Meister]

The last US Navy ASW P-3 is gone… being retired.
First introduced in 1962, they participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, GWOT, and many other operations over the last 60 years.
The last active duty P-3 squadron transitioned in 2020, leaving two reserve squadrons as the only P-3 ASW component in the US Navy.
That ended last month, on June 10th, when the last reserve P-3 left Jacksonville for the boneyard.
Yes, there are still P-3s flying in other mission profiles, and with other countries, but 60 years of U.S. Naval service, with very few problems is to be respected.
Kudos to Lockheed for giving us a great airplane, and the thousands of folks that labored year after year to maintain them around the world. And to those who flew in them over all those years, they brought our guys home time and time again. Doesn’t get much better than that.

[GT4494]

And yet The B52 lives on....  Go figure.  LOL

[Schmidt Meister]

15 hours ago, Schmidt Meister said:

The last US Navy ASW P-3 is gone… being retired.
First introduced in 1962, they participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, GWOT, and many other operations over the last 60 years.
The last active duty P-3 squadron transitioned in 2020, leaving two reserve squadrons as the only P-3 ASW component in the US Navy.
That ended last month, on June 10th, when the last reserve P-3 left Jacksonville for the boneyard.
Yes, there are still P-3s flying in other mission profiles, and with other countries, but 60 years of U.S. Naval service, with very few problems is to be respected.
Kudos to Lockheed for giving us a great airplane, and the thousands of folks that labored year after year to maintain them around the world. And to those who flew in them over all those years, they brought our guys home time and time again. Doesn’t get much better than that.

The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is the US Navy's next generation long-range maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare, anti-shipping, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. In 2011 the US Navy awarded a contract for six initial production P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The first operational aircraft was delivered in 2012. The US Navy plans to purchase a total of 117 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to replace the previous Lockheed P-3 Orion fleet, that are approaching the end of their operational life. Australia and India also ordered this new aircraft.
The P-8A is a derivative of the ubiquitous commercial Boeing 737-800 and has a wings of the 737-900. It is larger than the previous Lockheed P-3. The Poseidon has additional fuel tanks in the aft for extended range. It is worth mentioning that its maximum fuel capacity is 34 t and gives it a flight endurance of 4 hours on station.
The Boeing P-8A Poseidon will carry lightweight Raytheon Mk.54 anti-submarine torpedoes. It may also carry other torpedoes, missiles, free-fall bombs, depth charges, mines, or sonabuoys in its rotary integral weapon bay, located beneath the forward section of the fuselage. Air-to-surface and air-to air missiles, such as Harpoon anti-ship missiles, SLAM or AGM-65 Maverick land attack missiles, and AIM-9 Sidewinders or AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles can be carried on underwing hardpoints.

Below: The Boeing P-8 Poseidon Vs Lockheed P-3 Orion

[Schmidt Meister]

[Schmidt Meister]

[pipedreams]

[pipedreams]

MH-60R Seahawk, US Navy Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 'Wolfpack'

[pipedreams]

1967 - Several UH-1H helicopters from

1st Cavalry Division lifting off of runway.

[pipedreams]

[pipedreams]

[pipedreams]

General Cosgrove was interviewed on TV by Leigh Sales from the ABC.
Read his reply to the lady who interviewed him concerning guns and children.
Regardless of how you feel about gun laws you have to love this!
This is one of the best comeback lines of all time.

This is a portion of an ABC interview between a female journalist Leigh Sales
and General Cosgrove who was about to sponsor a Boy Scout Troop visiting
his military Headquarters.


LEIGH SALES:

So, General Cosgrove, what things are you going to teach these
young boys when they visit your base?

GENERAL COSGROVE:

We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery and shooting.

LEIGH SALES:

Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?

GENERAL COSGROVE:

I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.

LEIGH SALES:

Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?

GENERAL COSGROVE:

I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they
even touch a firearm.

LEIGH SALES:

But you're equipping them to become violent killers.

GENERAL COSGROVE: (got to love this)…

Well, Ma'am, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you?


The broadcast went silent for 46 seconds and when it returned,

the interview was over.

[Schmidt Meister]

4 minutes ago, pipedreams said:

General Cosgrove was interviewed on TV by Leigh Sales from the ABC.
Read his reply to the lady who interviewed him concerning guns and children.
Regardless of how you feel about gun laws you have to love this!
This is one of the best comeback lines of all time.

This is a portion of an ABC interview between a female journalist Leigh Sales
and General Cosgrove who was about to sponsor a Boy Scout Troop visiting
his military Headquarters.


LEIGH SALES:

So, General Cosgrove, what things are you going to teach these
young boys when they visit your base?

GENERAL COSGROVE:

We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery and shooting.

LEIGH SALES:

Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?

GENERAL COSGROVE:

I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.

LEIGH SALES:

Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?

GENERAL COSGROVE:

I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they
even touch a firearm.

LEIGH SALES:

But you're equipping them to become violent killers.

GENERAL COSGROVE: (got to love this)…

Well, Ma'am, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you?


The broadcast went silent for 46 seconds and when it returned,

the interview was over.

This has been around for a while but it was funny then and it's funny now.

[pipedreams]

New CMV-22B Osprey “A Game-Changer,” Says Navy Air Boss

The CMV-22B Osprey was lauded for it’s range, payload and mission flexibility following its first operational deployment.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/new-cmv-22b-osprey-a-game-changer-says-navy-air-boss

"The CMV-22B’s first aircraft carrier landing took place in 2020 aboard the flight deck of the Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson underway in the Pacific Ocean."

[Schmidt Meister]

B-17 Flying Fortress “Nine O Nine,” Consolidated B-24 Liberator “Witchcraft,” B-25 Mitchell “Tondelayo” bomber and P-51 Mustang “Betty Jane” -during Wings Of Freedom Tour 2019.

[Schmidt Meister]

Preparing the place from which Japan’s end will come. On July, 24, 1944, the crew of a Grumman Avenger of the United States Navy flies past the Japanese-held Ushi Point Airfield, which they have just attacked on the island of Tinian in the Marianas chain. The black plumes of smoke from burning Japanese aircraft signal the coming wreckage of the Japanese empire and homeland. The invasion of Tinian, which began July 24 and ended August 1, was very difficult, over 300 Americans and 6,000 Japanese lost their lives. As soon as the US Marines had secured the field, Navy Seabee construction battalions began work on constructing an airfield capable of B-29 Superfortress operations. A year after this photo was taken, on August 5, 1945, a B-29 was maneuvered over a bomb loading pit and then taxied to Runway Able at North Field. At 2:45am on August 6, the B-29, piloted by Lt. Col. Paul Tibbets of the 509th Composite Group, who had named the plane after his mother, Enola Gay, took off. On August 6 at 8:15 am Hiroshima time, the Little Boy bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. A minute later, the bomb exploded. Three days later, on August 9, the B-29 Bockscar and support planes took off from Tinian. The "Fat Man" atomic bomb exploded over the city of Nagasaki at 11:02 AM Nagasaki time.

https://www.atomicheritage.org/location/tinian-island

[Schmidt Meister]

12 U.S.A.F. F-16CM Falcons, 12 Koku-Jieitai F-35A Lightning II's, 2 U.S.N. EA-18G Growlers, U.S.N. C-12 Huron, 2 U.S.A.F. MC-130J Commando II's and a U.S.N. P-8 Poseidon - Elephant Walk - Misawa Air Base, Japan - 6.22.2020

[Schmidt Meister]

The U.S. Air Force has grounded most of its F-35 fighter jets because a faulty part could prevent a pilot from safely ejecting in an emergency.
The grounding is due to defects in some cartridge-actuated devices, which propel a pilot out of a plane in an emergency, according to Breaking Defense. The defects, identified by the company, are in Martin-Baker ejection seats.
Air Combat Command spokeswoman Alexi Worley confirmed the temporary grounding of its F-35s, a hyper-advanced fighter.
According to Air Force Times, Air Combat Command owns most of the 300 F-35As flown by the Air Force.
“ACC’s F-35s do have Martin-Baker ejection seats, and on July 19, began a Time Compliance Technical Directive to inspect all of the cartridges on the ejection seat within 90 days,” Worley stated, according to Breaking Defense.
“Out of an abundance of caution, ACC units will execute a stand-down on July 29 to expedite the inspection process. Based on data gathered from those inspections, ACC will make a determination to resume operations.”
Air Education and Training Command halted F-35 operations on Friday “to allow our logistics team to further analyze the issue and expedite the inspection process,” AETC spokeswoman Capt. Lauren Woods said.
The AETC oversees F-35 training squadrons at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The Air Force also has grounded its T-38 Talon and T-6 Texan II training aircraft because of the glitch, according to Air Force Times.
About 300 aircraft will be on the ground until they can have a new part installed.
Air Force Times reported that the Navy and Marine Corps have grounded their F-35B and F-35C jets.
The Times reported that all planes will be inspected before their next flight.

[janice6]

29 minutes ago, Schmidt Meister said:

The U.S. Air Force has grounded most of its F-35 fighter jets because a faulty part could prevent a pilot from safely ejecting in an emergency.
The grounding is due to defects in some cartridge-actuated devices, which propel a pilot out of a plane in an emergency, according to Breaking Defense. The defects, identified by the company, are in Martin-Baker ejection seats.
Air Combat Command spokeswoman Alexi Worley confirmed the temporary grounding of its F-35s, a hyper-advanced fighter.
According to Air Force Times, Air Combat Command owns most of the 300 F-35As flown by the Air Force.
“ACC’s F-35s do have Martin-Baker ejection seats, and on July 19, began a Time Compliance Technical Directive to inspect all of the cartridges on the ejection seat within 90 days,” Worley stated, according to Breaking Defense.
“Out of an abundance of caution, ACC units will execute a stand-down on July 29 to expedite the inspection process. Based on data gathered from those inspections, ACC will make a determination to resume operations.”
Air Education and Training Command halted F-35 operations on Friday “to allow our logistics team to further analyze the issue and expedite the inspection process,” AETC spokeswoman Capt. Lauren Woods said.
The AETC oversees F-35 training squadrons at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The Air Force also has grounded its T-38 Talon and T-6 Texan II training aircraft because of the glitch, according to Air Force Times.
About 300 aircraft will be on the ground until they can have a new part installed.
Air Force Times reported that the Navy and Marine Corps have grounded their F-35B and F-35C jets.
The Times reported that all planes will be inspected before their next flight.

Grounded?  What about Pelosi's ill fated flight to Taiwan....  Does this mean she will survive? 

[Schmidt Meister]

Well, she wasn't flying on a F-35 and they don't use F-35's to protect US Congressional or Presidential flights, I imagine that it won't effect her one way or the other.

[janice6]

3 minutes ago, Schmidt Meister said:

Well, she wasn't flying on a F-35 and they don't use F-35's to protect US Congressional or Presidential flights, I imagine that it won't effect her one way or the other.

[Schmidt Meister]

I was raised in Suwannee county FL. so when I came across the USS Suwannee I researched her entire history, too much to post here, but I love that so many ships and other parts of history are named after the Suwannee River. (The river was named Guasaca Esqui (“River of Reeds”) by early Native American inhabitants, and its present name is thought to be a corruption of San Juanee ("Little St. John").

USS Suwannee (CVE-27) (originally an oiler AO-33, converted to an escort carrier AVG/ACV/CVE-27) was laid down on 3 June 1938 at Kearny, New Jersey, by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, under a Maritime Commission contract as Markay (MC hull 5); launched on 4 March 1939, sponsored by Mrs. Marguerite Vickery (née Blanchard), wife of Howard L. Vickery; delivered to the Keystone Tankship Corporation and operated by that company until acquired by the United States Navy on 26 June 1941; renamed Suwannee (AO-33); and commissioned on 16 July 1941, Commander Joseph R. Lannom in command.

[Schmidt Meister]

Navajo Code Talker Samuel Sandoval dies; only three remain from group.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — One of the last remaining Navajo Code Talkers has died on July 29, 2022.
Samuel Sandoval’s wife, Malula, says he died late Friday at a hospital in Shiprock, New Mexico. He was 98.
On March 26, 1943, Sandoval enlisted in the United State Marine Corps at a recruitment office in Farmington, New Mexico at the age of 18.
"The Marine Corps was my choice, to begin with," he told The Arizona Republic in a 2019 article, and it was thanks to the influence of Marines he encountered while working in Hawthorne, Nevada, with his father in November 1942.
Sandoval was one of the first 29 Code Talkers, recruited by the United States Marines in 1942.
Sandoval was on Okinawa when he got word from another Navajo Code Talker that the Japanese had surrendered and relayed the message to higher-ups, AP reported. He had a close call on the island, which brought back painful memories that he kept to himself, Malula Sandoval said.
He was discharged from the military on Jan. 26, 1946.
Stories about Sandoval's experience as a Navajo Code Talker in the Marines are told in his book and a documentary about his life. Both are titled "Naz Bah Ei Bijei: The Heart of a Warrior."
Hundreds of Navajos were recruited from the vast Navajo Nation to serve as Code Talkers during World War II. Sandoval’s death leaves three still alive today.
The code that was based on the then-unwritten Navajo language confounded Japanese military cryptologists and helped the U.S. win the war.
The Code Talkers are celebrated annually on Aug. 14, the date the Japanese surrendered.
Malula Sandoval said her husband had been looking forward to the celebration.
Only three Navajo Code Talkers are still alive today: Peter MacDonald, John Kinsel Sr. and Thomas H. Begay.