Milsurp After Hours

That was odd how the 101st called gunship groups "batteries". Down in the Delta they were grouped in "squadrons" and weren't thought of as substitute artillery, at least by those of us at the bottom of the food chain.

When I was transferred to the 101st for a short time at the end of 1970, after the last Brigade of the 9th pulled out, I was promoted from enlisted grade FO to a job clearing grids for fire in the 3/506 AO from their LNO section. One loh pilot in particular would come around now and then to give the LNO captain in charge of artillery a lift to see and do various things. That pilot used to carry around a chromed M1 Carbine. Don't know why he took a shine to it or how he got it. He may have had a pistol too but I can't remember. It was the first, and last chromed M1 carbine I'd ever seen.

Niner wrote:That was odd how the 101st called gunship groups "batteries". Down in the Delta they were grouped in "squadrons" and weren't thought of as substitute artillery, at least by those of us at the bottom of the food chain.

When I was transferred to the 101st for a short time at the end of 1970, after the last Brigade of the 9th pulled out, I was promoted from enlisted grade FO to a job clearing grids for fire in the 3/506 AO from their LNO section. One loh pilot in particular would come around now and then to give the LNO captain in charge of artillery a lift to see and do various things. That pilot used to carry around a chromed M1 Carbine. Don't know why he took a shine to it or how he got it. He may have had a pistol too but I can't remember. It was the first, and last chromed M1 carbine I'd ever seen.

The gunship groups were not called batteries.... The the Division Artillery had a Bn (3 btrys) A, B and C, 12 cobras each. In addition the division had two Atk Helo Bns 12 Cobras each, and each of the three air cav troops had 9 Cobras and 12 OH-6 scouts for a total of 87 Cobras in the Division. Missions for the ARA included direct fire support, CCN direct support and LZ preps. The Division Cobras were primarily assigned escort duty on combat assaults and Convoy security while the Cav birds were used for armed recon and direct support to Cavalry ground units. The First Cav division's force structure was identical. The First Cav's ARA unit 2/20 FA was called Blue Max and the 101st 4/77 ARA motto was En Garde. Regards, Rick.

only US militay trainer i have in my collection is this winchester windermusket , but it is marked with the proper markings ,





martin , i envey your polish trainer , its on my list - hope i find one half that nice