Don't Be Picking Up 40 MM
During my second tour of Vietnam I flew some missions out of some of the same places I had flown my first tour. One of those areas or bases was at Tay Nihn West. There were two airstrips at Tay Nihn that we had used first tour. Tay Nihn West was the larger strip and where most of the US military was stationed my first tour. When I was there second tour it had been turned over to the South Vietnamese Army and was in poor condition and had only a small group of people there. When operating in that area it was the only place close by to get fuel and ammunition. So we landed there for fuel and ammunition quite often.
On one occasion we landed there and shut down our aircraft to wait for another group. We were on standby in case they needed our help. While we were waiting a few of the pilots were walking around and looking the place over. It was interesting to see what had happened to a once very busy and active Army base.
As we walked along we noticed how poorly things were maintained and how much trash there was around. Suddenly one of the pilots noticed a 40 Millimeter grenade lying on the ground. It was ammunition that we shot from our Cobra helicopters and we were all familiar with it. It has a “killing radius” of 5 meters! We were trained that it has to accelerate through so many “G” forces and spin so many times before it is armed and can “go off”. One of the pilots picked up the unfired round and gave it a toss like you would a stone you pick up when walking down a dirt path.
When the round landed it went off!! There was the explosion and of course the shrapnel flew. It was probably 20 to 30 meters away and no one was injured!! We all looked at each other knowing that the throw should not have been enough to “arm” the round. We didn’t know why it went off so easily. It shouldn’t have but it did!! We all agreed that no one is picking anything else up! Don’t kick anything or do anything else stupid!
On another occasion I saw two soldiers trying to take apart a 2-¾ inch rocket by trying to “knock” the warhead off. These rockets are about 45 inches long and 2 ¾ inches in diameter. They have a killing radius of 10 meters. They were trying to take the warhead off so they could keep it as a souvenir. An armed warhead is a poor souvenir and they are screwed on. Beating on it is not the way to take it off!!
There are things in life we shouldn’t be picking up. There are things that are dangerous to us, no matter who we are. Ammunition can kill “good guys,” “ bad guys,” or innocent people. Things can blow up in our faces. I have seen people pick up habits that destroyed their lives. Picking up drugs, alcohol, pornography, and immorality have been about as devastating to lives as that 40MM could have been to us. If it is dangerous it is best to leave it alone!! There are things when used properly do good but when misused can destroy. Be careful!!
On one occasion we landed there and shut down our aircraft to wait for another group. We were on standby in case they needed our help. While we were waiting a few of the pilots were walking around and looking the place over. It was interesting to see what had happened to a once very busy and active Army base.
As we walked along we noticed how poorly things were maintained and how much trash there was around. Suddenly one of the pilots noticed a 40 Millimeter grenade lying on the ground. It was ammunition that we shot from our Cobra helicopters and we were all familiar with it. It has a “killing radius” of 5 meters! We were trained that it has to accelerate through so many “G” forces and spin so many times before it is armed and can “go off”. One of the pilots picked up the unfired round and gave it a toss like you would a stone you pick up when walking down a dirt path.
When the round landed it went off!! There was the explosion and of course the shrapnel flew. It was probably 20 to 30 meters away and no one was injured!! We all looked at each other knowing that the throw should not have been enough to “arm” the round. We didn’t know why it went off so easily. It shouldn’t have but it did!! We all agreed that no one is picking anything else up! Don’t kick anything or do anything else stupid!
On another occasion I saw two soldiers trying to take apart a 2-¾ inch rocket by trying to “knock” the warhead off. These rockets are about 45 inches long and 2 ¾ inches in diameter. They have a killing radius of 10 meters. They were trying to take the warhead off so they could keep it as a souvenir. An armed warhead is a poor souvenir and they are screwed on. Beating on it is not the way to take it off!!
There are things in life we shouldn’t be picking up. There are things that are dangerous to us, no matter who we are. Ammunition can kill “good guys,” “ bad guys,” or innocent people. Things can blow up in our faces. I have seen people pick up habits that destroyed their lives. Picking up drugs, alcohol, pornography, and immorality have been about as devastating to lives as that 40MM could have been to us. If it is dangerous it is best to leave it alone!! There are things when used properly do good but when misused can destroy. Be careful!!
posted by Bruce | 12:50 PM
1 Comments:
I was stationed at Kadena AB, Okinawa for four years. (I took a follow on extension.) Unexploded rounds were all over that island, left overs from WWII. Every now and then, someone would be digging in their garden and boom...bad news.
Post a Comment
<< Home