Pic Of The Day

F-16I from the IAF, Syrian, Iranian and Hezbollah commanders have nightmares about these guys.

SEALS Court Martial Starts

I cannot belive the Navy is going through this sham court martial. Since the terrorist was and is dirt bag scum it’s shame they took him captive alive. The message this trail sends is a bad one and I can almost guarantee in the future these captives will not be taken care off and brought in for interrogation. My hope is the Navy wises up and dismisses all charges since the prosecution main witness is the scumbag terrorist

From the UPI
Prosecutors have dropped lying charges against two Navy SEALs implicated in an Iraqi detainee abuse case.
Petty Officer 1st Class Julio Huertas and Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Keefe still face courts-martial in Norfolk, Va., for allegedly not protecting a reputed terrorist after his capture in Fallujah, Iraq. Huertas also faces a second charge of impeding an investigation.
Charges that the men lied to an investigator were formally withdrawn Tuesday in response to earlier testimony that they were not read their rights.
The case against them and a third Navy SEAL stem from the 2004 detention of Ahmed Hashim Abed. Keefe’s trial is set for April 19, with the case against Huertas will follow. The third defendant, Petty Officer 2nd class Matthew McCabe, is to face a court-martial in May for allegedly hitting Abed in the stomach while Keefe and Huertas were in the room.

M60A1

I had a request to post a pic of the tanks I used to crew on while in the USMCR. Here is a decent pic of an M60A1 medium tank like I was a crewmember on. You know your getting old when the tanks you crewed on are either static displays or on the known distance ranges getting blown away.

SPECS
Weight- 60 tons
Length- 32'4"
Width- 13'6"
Height- 12'6"
Ground Clearance- 18in
Track Width- 28in
Forward speed- 30 mph
Reverse speed- 10 mph
Engine- 750 hp Continental AVDS-1790 V-12 diesel
Vertical- obstacle climb 49 in
Maximum width ditch- 108 in
Fording Depth- 48 in
Main Gun- 105mm/51cal M68 rifiled gun with 63 rounds
Coaxial machinegun- M240 - 7.62mm with 5,950 rounds
Commander's machinegun- M85 - .50 cal antiaircraft gun with 900 rounds

I've been slack

I've been slack over the last few months but I still have a lot to share so I'll be blocking a little time every day for some updates and pics.

A real first pitch

This is how a first pitch should be thrown, not the rainbow that the one threw, soon after he threw our Nuclear deterrent under the bus.

First USAF not Army Air Corps MOH Award

Major Benard Fisher the United States Air Force's first medal of honor recipient

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to

MAJOR

BERNARD FRANCIS FISHER

AIR FORCE

For service as set forth in the following:

CITATION:

For The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Major Bernard Francis Fisher, United States Air Force, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Pilot with the 1st Air Commando Squadron, 14th Air Commando Wing, in action near Bien Hoa and Pleiku, Republic of Vietnam. On 10 March 1966, the special forces camp at A Shau was under attack by 2,000 North Vietnamese Army regulars. Hostile troops had positioned themselves between the airstrip and the camp. Other hostile troops had surrounded the camp and were continuously raking it with automatic weapons fire from the surrounding hills. The tops of the 1,500-foot hills were obscured by an 800 foot ceiling, limiting aircraft maneuverability and forcing pilots to operate within range of hostile gun positions, which often were able to fire down on the attacking aircraft. During the battle, Major Fisher observed a fellow airman crash land on the battle-torn airstrip. In the belief that the downed pilot was seriously injured and in imminent danger of capture, Major Fisher announced his intention to land on the airstrip to effect a rescue. Although aware of the extreme danger and likely failure of such an attempt, he elected to continue. Directing his own air cover, he landed his aircraft and taxied almost the full length of the runway, which was littered with battle debris and parts of an exploded aircraft. While effecting a successful rescue of the downed pilot, heavy ground fire was observed, with 19 bullets striking his aircraft. In the face of the withering ground fire, he applied power and gained enough speed to lift-off at the overrun of the airstrip. Major Fisher’s profound concern for his fellow airman, and at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.


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In Case You Missed It

Earlier this week the USS Nicholas engaged and took down Somali prates on Thursday, sinking their boats and capturing pirates.
Hap Tip Black Five and Sniper for the poster

Apache 4 Terrorists Zero

ASSHAT of The Week Rep. John Boccieri (D) OH

Rep. John Boccieri (D)OH 16th district is this weeks ASSHAT of the week. He was quoted yesterday in saying
"“Having flown missions in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan, I know what it’s like to be in harm’s way. But I never imagined serving in Congress could feel the same. While Members of Congress, including myself, experience threats against our lives, our families, and our staff in the wake of the historic health care vote, I am calling on our leaders to be responsible with their remarks, especially those with a national microphone.

“We need to have a respectful conversation about contemporary issues, however once that discussion crosses into incendiary and dangerous remarks, it is time for Members of Congress to speak up.

“As passions run deep, violence will never solve our problems. I demand responsible leadership on both sides of the aisle because progress should not cower to the politics of fear.”

Personally knowing many Marines who have served as lost men in thier Conpanies in Iraq, his staement is absurd at any level. Of course this is the lefts mantra now, the same people who openly appluded the talks and films on the killing of President Bush now think that poeple who oppose the government takeover of our lives are dangerous and not patroti. Maybe the reprasenative should start looking for a real job since his yes vote on healthcare should have hom on the street this Novenmber.

ARM Leader Killed in South Africa

Afrikaner Resistance Movement Leader Eugene Terre’blanche was beaten and hacked too death at his farm adding to the total of white farmers killed in recent years throughout South Africa. While I may not agree totally with his politics to think that a opposing party leader is assassinated such a way in a supposed democracy should concern everyone in the stability on not only South Africa bout southern Africa as a whole
This is what happens when communists gain control and anarchy rules. South Africa is on its way to Zimbabwe status. This is to bad considering all of the scenic beauty and natural resources it has. Where is Executive Outcomes when you need it?

Venezuela K-8 Deliveries

The first six of eighteen K-8 training/light attack aircraft have been delivered to the Venezuelan Air Force. This is what you end up with when you have a communist thug in power. The VAF was at one time equipped with two squadrons of F-16’s none of which are airworthy because of the, U.S. embargo in place since 2006.

Bad Day at Fallon NAS

Two pilots based out of Lemoore are safe today after their jets collided above Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada.

The mid-air collision happened around 10:00 p.m. Monday night during what the Navy is calling a routine training mission.

Both pilots were flying F/A 18 E Super Hornet aircraft.

One pilots landed safely, with damage to his aircraft; the other was forced to eject and was found by rescue crews about an hour after the crash.

Both pilots are okay following the crash.

The pilots were based out of NAS Lemoore and are part of Strike Fighter Squadron 137.

The cause of the collision is under investigation.

No US flag flying in Hati

The latest BS from the Obama administration. As a vet this just blows my mind, this needs to be spread around.

Via Waeseal Zippers


The many nations helping Haiti recover from the devastating earthquake that struck there have set up their own military compounds and fly their flags at the entrances. France's tricolor, Britain's Union Jack and even Croatia's coat of arms flap in the breeze.


But the country whose contributions dwarf the rest of the world's — the United States — has no flag at its main installation near the Port-au-Prince airport.

The lack of the Stars and Stripes does not sit well with some veterans and servicemembers who say the U.S. government should be proud to fly the flag in Haiti, given the amount of money and manpower the U.S. is donating to help the country recover from the Jan. 12 quake.

The Obama administration says flying the flag could give Haiti the wrong idea.

"We are not here as an occupation force, but as an international partner committed to supporting the government of Haiti on the road to recovery," the U.S. government's Haiti Joint Information Center said in response to a query about the flag.

The absence of the American flag bothers Navy veteran Arthur Herriford, national president of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.

"It's very improper," Herriford said. "Our military people always engage and function under the American colors — always have and always will."

Brit Hertitage Flight

Nice shot of a Spitfire and a Typhoon making a Heritage flight pass.

CH-53K

With the ongoing dilemma in the USAF for a replacement helicopter for Special Operations, you have to ask yourself why don’t they just piggyback on the USMC/Sikorsky CH-53K program. According to a recent press release from Sikorsky y
“The CH-53K helicopter will maintain virtually the same footprint as the CH-53E aircraft, but will nearly triple the payload to 27,000 pounds over 110 nautical miles under “hot high” ambient conditions. The CH-53K helicopter’s maximum gross weight (MGW) with internal loads is 74,000 pounds compared to 69,750 pounds for the CH-53E aircraft. The CH-53K’s MGW with external loads is 88,000 pounds as compared to 73,500 for the CH-53E helicopter.
Features of the CH-53K helicopter include: a joint interoperable glass cockpit; fly-by-wire flight controls; fourth generation rotor blades with anhedral tips; a low-maintenance elastomeric rotor head; upgraded engines; a locking cargo rail system; external cargo handling improvements; survivability enhancements; and reduced operation and support costs.
The CH-53K helicopter team has successfully completed several risk reduction initiatives on two critical technologies, the split torque main gear box and the advanced main rotor blade, and is preparing for Technology Readiness Assessment in early 2010. The program conducted a successful Preliminary Design Review in September 2008, and is tracking toward a Critical Design Review in 2010 with an Initial Operational Capability milestone scheduled in early 2016.”With these advancements in the primary systems how hard would it be for Sikorsky and the USAF to install upgraded PAVE LOW avionics in the bird and presto you have a new long range SAR and Special Operations helicopter Sort of a Super PAVE LOW, without all the drawbacks that were pointed out with the MC-47. But since a but of USAF airframes could reduce everyone’s costs and Sikorsky know how to integrate the avionics to make a new PAVE LOW and we know how to maintain and support a 53 series helicopter and still have the basic infrastructure to make it happen it probably won’t as the Air Staff is seemingly blind to common sense.

Artwork photo Sikorsky