We were disparaging when last we spoke of our elder brothers-in-arms (the Sea Service bein' SO much older than us Air Pups), so we shall attempt to make amends today by posting a photo of airmen giving a lift to some deserving sea-sojers Marines and a big-ass piece of their kit, said photo taken by a U.S. Navy Mass Communications Specialist, Second Class.
Marines unload a Marine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter from an Air Force Reserve Command C-5B Galaxy transport at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, July 14, 2011. (Navy photo by Mass Comm. Spc. 2nd Class Timothy Wilson)
I remember being a second class airman once upon a time in the way-back, which was a step up from being third class but not as good as first class, of course. I was pretty happy once I became a first class airman and that was a good thing... coz it took me for-frickin'-ever to make Staff Sergeant. Or so it seemed. But we digress.
The pic is from the (other) usual source.
Really cool.
ReplyDeleteOff topic, but did you see this "ad"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBoYYc1APr8&feature=player_embedded
Heh. That ad is GREAT. You really don't have to be of either party to appreciate the sentiment. I HOPE some Democrats are gettin' just as sick of this shit as the Republicans.
ReplyDeleteDang. Had no idea that you could get a CH-53 to fold up like a drunken Transformer. That is pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I had the opportunity to engrave on the FIRST shaving of titanium milled off the FIRST C-17. Then it got embedded in clear Lucite.
That's a pretty impressive claim to fame, Inno.
ReplyDeletePretty impressive.
ReplyDeleteThe Galaxy is impressive, rode back in one from Spain once (change in duty station from Sea to Shore duty) and rode in the "Troop Compartment" which is like being in an airliner. Smooth ride all the way to Norfolk.
ReplyDeleteBT: Jimmy T sends.
Moogie: Yep.
ReplyDeleteJimmy: The AF laid on a moratorium for pax on C-5s during most of my career, so I never had the opportunity to ride on one... and more's the pity. We had a lot of those things transiting thru Yokota back when I was there... and I always took the opportunity to hang out on the ramp when one was in town.
Hopped an empty C-5 Galaxy from Diego Garcia to P.I. ca. 1986 upon change in duty station from one sea duty (on a cruiser) to another sea duty (on a tender-- no I'm serious-- deployed as soon as I got there back to the Gulf of Oman). No "troop compartment." It was rigid seats up front in the hold bolted to the floor with a portapotty bolted down over in the "corner." They gave us box lunches, though. Which was nice.
ReplyDeleteWeird looking behind you and seeing that cavern! You could park a couple semis in there! "Are you SURE this thing can fly?"
I have some pix around here that they told me not to take, not being a Mass Communications Specialist and all.
BT (whatever that means): Bobby sends.
Uh, that was me.
ReplyDeleteKind of looks like it is giving birth.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - I rode a C-141 between Rota and Sig once that was all cargo nets, same for a C-130 from Vienna to Rota. Long cold rides. I did a bunch up and down the east coast here in CONUS the JAX to Norfolk run for boat onload/offload a bunch of them were C-9 flights but too many were the old C-130.
ReplyDeleteOh and that "BT" - "Break Transmission"
BT: Jimmy T sends.
Bob: Those in-flight box lunches were the BEST... I don't think I ever had a bad one. And I was always amazed those things could actually fly.
ReplyDeleteLou: You have a point.
Jimmy (II): I posted once upon a time about riding C-130s in Thailand... sweatin' my ass off on the ramp and freezin' to death once we got up to altitude. NOT fun.
And all the "fog" that comes out of the ventilation is more than a little disquieting!
ReplyDelete