Being an earth dart...

**hillbilly** · 29-03-2009, 11:40 PM

Well, I was never in the CIA, Special Forces or the SAS. But I was an earth dart many moons ago.

Never was a tough guy just going through a stage in life I guess.

This is probably one of the most accurate videos I have seen that captures what I saw and felt.

I can remember the jumpmaster telling us that the only people who wanted to be paratroopers were either hicks, spics or niggers.

Keep in mind that this was just a hillbilly experience as I have crawled through life.

This second video shows airborne school. Yea, it was a lot tougher WHEN I went through...

Try not to turn this thread into a nationality debate as that is not my intentions.

**chitown** · 29-03-2009, 11:49 PM

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 12:05 AM

They use to play this song everyday right before PT!

**Texpat** · 30-03-2009, 12:16 AM

Parachutist explaining to a loadmaster how he gets paid more if he maintains his jump status.

"They give me $200 a month if I jump at least once a quarter."

Loadmaster replies, "They pay me $500 a month to stay in the plane."

**blackgang** · 30-03-2009, 01:17 AM

Have to be a fool to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.
That shit is for younger dudes, I wouldn't even jump out of a huey if the skids were not in a foot of the fucking ground.
Had some friends in the 173 in Nam said come on we gonna jump today go with us,, fuck you..I ride in your tracks but fuck your airplanes.
shit ain't for me, and my wife wears jump badges too, shit, coarse all thai govt employees wear em, pobly cause they fell off a Honda 50 scooter.
she says she had tower training but I think she shitting me, I jump her bones and she don't go down right.

**barbaro** · 30-03-2009, 01:25 AM

OP, can you tell us what you are trying to say? Thanks in advance.

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 01:27 AM

My Sgt. Major was in the 173rd in Nam. Tough son of a bitch. He was the one that made me go to Ranger school. If I could have kicked his ass I would have said no...

**SnotGoblin** · 30-03-2009, 01:27 AM

Oh Blackgang you are funny, must buy you a drink someday. !!!! don't change, the world needs characters !!! Hugs !!!!!!!

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 01:28 AM

Originally Posted by Milkman

OP, can you tell us what you are trying to say? Thanks in advance.

Nothing really, just talking about an experience in my life.

**barbaro** · 30-03-2009, 01:34 AM

Originally Posted by hillbilly

Originally Posted by Milkman

OP, can you tell us what you are trying to say? Thanks in advance.

Nothing really, just talking about an experience in my life.

Can you tell us? I am interested. Thanks if you can.

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 01:40 AM

Sometimes Milkman just doesn't make much sense.

**Jet Gorgon** · 30-03-2009, 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by hillbilly

My Sgt. Major was in the 173rd in Nam. Tough son of a bitch. He was the one that made me go to Ranger school. If I could have kicked his ass I would have said no...

Were you a Ranger (ie, Darby's)? Wow. My 2nd coz was a 3rd Battalion Ranger in WWII under Darby. I love to read about them.

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 03:55 AM

I had a Ranger tab but was stationed with the 82nd Airborne. The Rangers of old were some tough bastards, now going through Ranger school is usually necessary for advancement.

Just remember this was a few years ago...

Still my slim self (cough) but my muscles seemed to have gone elsewhere.

**Jet Gorgon** · 30-03-2009, 04:02 AM

^ Ya, he was with the Fifth Army in Italy when he died. I think the Rangers were always stationed with other troops and they went out first to scout the area, right? He died just before the US took Mt Cassino (I thought he died at Cassino, but just found my book).

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 04:24 AM

Here is some history of the Rangers. First I will lay out the facts and then offer my take...

At the time the U.S. became involved in WWII, most of Europe was engulfed and occupied by Nazi German troops. The First Ranger Battalion was formed at the onset of U.S. involvement in this conflict as an elite unit modeled after the British Commandos. They were highly and rigorously trained to attack in the dead of night from the least likely route.

The Rangers were trained in cliff climbing and speed marches enabling them to infiltrate deep behind enemy lines on foot. Their surprise night attacks often followed 30 mile treks deep into enemy territory. They were also trained in amphibious landings where they would infiltrate from the sea.

This highly trained soldier was strictly volunteer. Each was chosen not only on his merits of physical strength and endurance, but also for his intelligence and ability to think on his feet. The Ranger was expected to act independently and also survive on nothing more than his wits, while accomplishing operations miles behind enemy lines.

http://www.rangerfamily.org/

As I stated earlier the original Rangers were some tough bastards and I have been lucky enough to meet a few. Nowadays Ranger school is seen as a leadership school. No one in the infantry ranks is going to advance without the Ranger tab. Those with the tab are usually farmed out to other US Army outfits. The school ain't that hard. All it takes is determination and luck. When I got out of the service the school was 72 days long. Doesn't really sound like much. And it is not as long as a person is willingly to be cold, hot, wet, hungry and tired for days on end.

I actually tried out for Special Forces, but I flunked out about 3 weeks into the course...

**Jet Gorgon** · 30-03-2009, 06:15 AM

^ Here's a quote from the main man:
Onward we stagger, and if the tanks come, may God help the tanks.
Colonel William O. Darby
Assigned to lead the newly organised Ranger unit in June 1942. Darby's Rangers.

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 06:18 AM

**Jet Gorgon** · 30-03-2009, 06:21 AM

^ Love it.

I got this book you may enjoy: We Led the Way, William O. Darby, Presidio Press, 1993

**November Rain** · 30-03-2009, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by blackgang

she says she had tower training

Love it, BG! The tower is a 33ft high tower from which they do a flying fox or zipline. When we used to bring the tourists in to the airborne (Paru) division of the police, the tower was what we used to stick the kids on to have fun. They'd do 10 or 20 'jumps' from it & think it was great fun. In fact the Thais used to bring kiddies from school or scouts in to do it, too.

So, that's how the Govt officials get their wings? Thought it was weird that they'd all done parachute training.

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 07:18 AM

Speaking of the 33ft tower, I screwed up my first 50 or so times. Why? I kept yelling 'Gerinamo'. I guess I kept thinking about all the movies that I had grown up with.

Memories and whiskey are kicking in. I went though Ranger school with a really tough guy for about 2 months. He got a pretty serious scrape and while in school they would not let a person go to the doc. If that person did, they would have to be recycled and start all over again.

Anyway, my buddy was finally forced to go to the docs as he had pus draining out of his calf. Can't remember his name, but one tough bastard.

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 07:22 AM

Couldn't smoke in Ranger school but most of us had tobaccy anyway. Why? Strip away the paper, put the baccy between the lip and gum, add some instant coffee and there was another way to stay awake.

Probably not approved in today's world...

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 07:25 AM

Once while in jump school some fool asked a question about a parachute malfunction and how much time he would have to solve the problem.

The Black Hat's (instructor) reply? "The rest of your life."

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 07:46 AM

To anyone that thinks Ranger school is a joke, let me tell a story that happened about 15 years ago.

Another Ranger buddy of mine was assigned to Florida as an instructor for the jungle phase. Their job was to send out patrols in the swamps and practice for real life missions.

One day while my buddy E-7** was in the barracks relaxing his fellow teachers were not paying attention. Four soldiers died from exposure. Everyone of the command team was either dismissed or flagged for re-enlistment.

4 Army Ranger Candidates Die in Chilly Florida Swamp - The New York Times

**kingwilly** · 30-03-2009, 07:56 AM

great thread HB.

one of my prized possessions is my uncles 'wings' - just a cloth badge, but it means something.

its like this one, but dark green.

http://www.diggerhistory.info/images.../4rar-para.jpg

**hillbilly** · 30-03-2009, 08:09 AM

The first day of Ranger school we all had to wear sterile uniforms. Only the US Army tag and the last name could be showing.

Right off the bat, us peons could tell who the officers and senior NCO's were. Didn't make a hill of beans later on.

Then the run came. Imagine running with full combat gear (about 45lbs) except your LCE (load carrying equipment) which was filled full of concrete. Tack on about 6 miles and there your go, a start to your first day.

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