The Marines are on the attack tonight!

[jinman]

Back in 1968 & '69, I was stationed in Bainbridge, Md at the Naval Training Center about 10 miles from Aberdeen Proving Grounds. They tested ordnance of several types there and it seemed like we had a front row seat when they were firing the big guns. Some said they had 16" guns there, but I don't know if that was fact or just a sea story.

 

[mjarrels]

Went to a graduation at Quanico MCB a few years ago. Marines were launching mortors next to the graduation using compressed air/gas. No noise at all.

mark

 

[buickanddeere]

I live about 20 mies from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, the largest live fire base in the US. I don't know exactly where the big gun ranges are, but tonight it sounds like World War III out there. They have been firing the 155's constantly for the last hour or so. You can hear them over the TV and occasionally feel them.

I hope they are firing in the right direction, because I THINK I'M IN RANGE!

Hope they are pointed the proper direction. You are within their 26 miles range and 200yard accuracy. The newest steerable rounds are probably accurate enough to hit a house door.

 

[orezok]

Back in the 60's when I was in college in El Paso, we lived about 2 miles directly off the end of the main runway at Biggs Air Force Base, now Fort Bliss. At that time it was a SAC base for B-52's. About 2 or 3 times a year, they would have a practice scramble and launch a couple of KC-135's and a half a dozen B-52's spaced about 15 seconds apart.

You could hear them winding up the engines at the end of the runway and because of the altitude, about 3,500 MSL and the summer heat 100+ they were at full power plus because I'm sure that they were at maximum weight.

There was this god awful screaming from the intake side of the engines that lasted for a couple of minutes and they would pass over the house at less than 1,000'.

Something you never forget.

 

[Barton]

Boise City, located in the Oklahoma panhandle, is the only town in the United States that was bombed during World War II./QUOTE]

Frostproof, Fl was bombed twice in Aug 1944.

 

[J35]

My teen years I lived 1/2 mile from a Army Guard bombing range in S AZ, it was 4th of July one weekend a month all year long.

One time I was able to complete a stalk on a Desert Mule deer thanks to Four A-7's that came screaming down the canyon, their noise covered mine as I crossed a shale slide.

In later years I had A -10's do gun runs on my off road buggy many times, and then come back by and wag their wings at me.

In the mid 90's a desert camo'ed C-130 would fly at tree top height and the tree's were Mesquite and five F-16's would hunt him and then dive on him when spotted, I used to watch them often.
Then one day I was fishing at a dirt tank called Bear Grass just East of the old town of Arivaca, it was this time of year because the water level was way down and I was down about 30 ft from the top, when all of sudden a big shadow came over me and it was that C-130, it blew my hat off, i seen it before I heard it and at the same time here came the F-16's and there I was holding my fishing pole, I am sure they had a good laugh.

===J

 

[JakeBrake]

In the 1960's I was in the USMC stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC. They can't fire the 155's at Camp Lejeune. So back then (usually in the dead of winter) we would load up on amphibious ships and cruise down to Vieques, Puerto Rico. We would make an amphibious landing on the lovely beach, set up base and fire ALL the big guns for a couple of weeks. At the same time Navy ships would lie off shore and fire all of their big guns at the island. Marine jets would do their bombing practice with real bombs.

In my opinion you could not ask for a better place for training Marines who are supposed to make amphibious landings and coordinate with the Navy.

Several years ago this was stopped because of protests by the Puerto Ricans. Personally, I don't understand why Vieques was any different from the places mentioned in previous posts.

 

[QRTRHRS]

When I was in Germany, my unit used to go to the "Graph" to fire our M109's. After a round or two or even several all would be quiet for just a second then it would start. Coo Coo, Coo Coo. The Cuckoo Birds would call back and forth. Guess they were trying to tell us something, lol!

 

[Gunny]

The sounds of freedom! Boy, I miss those big live fire events and there's just nothing like the smell that comes off that burning powder! Most of you may not believe it, but after you've been around those big guns for awhile, you can get to the point where you can lay down beside one and go to sleep! It was always fun to watch the newbies try to get some rest, some flinched so hard they'd get a muscle spasm!

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Boise City, located in the Oklahoma panhandle, is the only town in the United States that was bombed during World War II./QUOTE]

Frostproof, Fl was bombed twice in Aug 1944.

I guess the news was not as universally available back then. Next time I'm in Boise City I'll inquire as to the basis of their claims.