Darky
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- 29 Palms, CA
Especially if you take non-judicial punishment...no evidence against me except my signed statement for underage drinking. Shoulda fought it, but didn't think I had a case at the time...
The French
- Thread starter 8Mud
- Start date
8Mud
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Central Germany
We used to train with the French. They took over the local cantine (bar) and ran us out (we were outnumbered about 20 to 1) when we tried to get some (more) alchohol. So we decided to hot wire and steal a French (US surplus) half track, parked out in front of the cantine. We`d had run ins with them before. The French Commander directed them to always wear there bayonets on there belts, our Commnader directed us to always have our folding shovels with us. :wave:
We drove it around most nights in the manuver area, made a pretty good party wagon.
Decided to take it with us, when we returned to home station. So we put a tarp on it and towed it onto a railway flat car, for the ride home. After a fuss at the rail loading area (they couldn´t figure out why they were one flatcar short). We got it back to home base, then got worried about what we were gonna do with it. Finally decided to paint it yellow (Armored Cav. unit) and park it out front, of the Regimental Headquarters.
It´s still sitting out there, after 35 years. :us:
I´ve got to say the old Army was much more fun, a soldier wasn´t concidered to have any spirit, if he didn´t have at least a couple of artical 15`s. Being a "gentleman soldier" never was much fun. I wish I could have been there, when those guys tried to explain, where there half track went.
We drove it around most nights in the manuver area, made a pretty good party wagon.
Decided to take it with us, when we returned to home station. So we put a tarp on it and towed it onto a railway flat car, for the ride home. After a fuss at the rail loading area (they couldn´t figure out why they were one flatcar short). We got it back to home base, then got worried about what we were gonna do with it. Finally decided to paint it yellow (Armored Cav. unit) and park it out front, of the Regimental Headquarters.
It´s still sitting out there, after 35 years. :us:
I´ve got to say the old Army was much more fun, a soldier wasn´t concidered to have any spirit, if he didn´t have at least a couple of artical 15`s. Being a "gentleman soldier" never was much fun. I wish I could have been there, when those guys tried to explain, where there half track went.
Last edited:
JnJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- San Antonio TX
Hahaha that is a great story.
8Mud said:We used to train with the French. They took over the local cantine (bar) and ran us out (we were outnumbered about 20 to 1) when we tried to get some (more) alchohol. So we decided to hot wire and steal a French (US surplus) half track, parked out in front of the cantine. We`d had run ins with them before. The French Commander directed them to always wear there bayonets on there belts, our Commnader directed us to always have our folding shovels with us. :wave:
We drove it around most nights in the manuver area, made a pretty good party wagon.
Decided to take it with us, when we returned to home station. So we put a tarp on it and towed it onto a railway flat car, for the ride home. After a fuss at the rail loading area (they couldn´t figure out why they were one flatcar short). We got it back to home base, then got worried about what we were gonna do with it. Finally decided to paint it yellow (Armored Cav. unit) and park it out front, of the Regimental Headquarters.
It´s still sitting out there, after 35 years. :us:
I´ve got to say the old Army was much more fun, a soldier wasn´t concidered to have any spirit, if he didn´t have at least a couple of artical 15`s. Being a "gentleman soldier" never was much fun. I wish I could have been there, when those guys tried to explain, where there half track went.
red91
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- exact location unknown
GSequoia said:
anwsering phones at the "escort" service not interesting enough ?
Gil BullyKatz
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- 2003UB313 Planet ERIS
Oldie but Goodie....
What Rd
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Athens, IL
Aw, come on now. The French aren't ALL bad. They did build the mageneau line to give wheelers some interesting ramparts and traps to wheel on.
:wierd:
:wierd:
8Mud
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Central Germany
I think American tourists should boycott France. In about 9 months when they figure out just how much it´s costing them to be buttheads and they notice the birth rate has fallen to near zero. Then maybe they will learn, the true meaning of foriegn relations.
Sarge said:
Yup. One of the family's good friends is a French cultural attache, and he's basically said the same thing. According to him, the French military wanted to back us up in Iraq but were cut short by Paris.
This is the important thing to understand: Paris micromanages. To the French commanders, it was a matter of honour to join us - largely because they consider themselves to be desert fighters par excellence, but equally largely because they really do consider themselves to be our allies.
The problem is that before they can do squat on the battlefield (let alone mobilise), Paris has to approve. This is what I meant by micromanagement. Imagine if a lead sergeant in Fallujah had to phone DC to get approval to fire on enemy combatants; the situation is largely the same for the French commanders.
The problem isn't with the French, whom I really like (admittedly, a rather unpopular point of view, but I base it on both residency and holidays there). The problem is with the frogs, who are not the French.
8Mud
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Central Germany
In World War II, when Batan fell a whole group of soldiers (40) made a twelve hundred mile trip (in an open boat) from batan to near Hanoi. They presented themselves to the French officials, asking for asylam. They were promptly turned over to the Japanese and the ones who survived bayonet practice, spent four years in a concentration camp.
It´s gonna take many decades for the French to loose the reputation as back stabbers, that they have spent centuries earning.
Though I guess declaring themselves against our policies, is an improvement over changing sides, as the wind blows.
They sure make a lot of noise for a country with about the same population and GDP as the state of California (and maybe half of Oregon).
The main problem with the French military, is they refuse to commit there troops in most any confrontation, unless there generals can be in charge. This is the main reason they pulled out of Nato and mostly the reason they refuse to commit, to this day. Sorry, but the french General staff, along with there political controllers, don´t really have much of a record of victories and don´t really instill the feeling of trust, required to lead.
The first thing I´d do, if planning any joint ventures with the French, is make sure there are enough proctologist on staff, to deal with the consequences.
It´s gonna take many decades for the French to loose the reputation as back stabbers, that they have spent centuries earning.
Though I guess declaring themselves against our policies, is an improvement over changing sides, as the wind blows.
They sure make a lot of noise for a country with about the same population and GDP as the state of California (and maybe half of Oregon).
The main problem with the French military, is they refuse to commit there troops in most any confrontation, unless there generals can be in charge. This is the main reason they pulled out of Nato and mostly the reason they refuse to commit, to this day. Sorry, but the french General staff, along with there political controllers, don´t really have much of a record of victories and don´t really instill the feeling of trust, required to lead.
The first thing I´d do, if planning any joint ventures with the French, is make sure there are enough proctologist on staff, to deal with the consequences.
