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  #11  
Old 02-26-2006, 04:29 AM
39mto39g 39mto39g is offline
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Default MK

You can pop smoke for extraction.
Ron
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  #12  
Old 02-26-2006, 07:08 AM
exlrrp exlrrp is offline
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Default Good to see ya back Ron

As I recall, we used decimals to fill in the gaps between gridlines, using the basis of reading right and up. the decimals were eyeballed.
By that way, , on your map,. "Culvert" for example, would have been at: 33.6 46.2
LZ "Selluger (sp?) would have been at: 36.3 45.7
Thats the way they taught it in Recondo School

But we had a better way than just giving it in the clear:
There were designated reference points that had been decided on before the unit went to the field. These were arbitrary and had names like: Beer, Cars, football tems etc. That way you could use different names for the same thing: Budweiser, Coors, Michelob for beer, Ford Chevy or buick for cars, Fortyniners, Packers or Cowboy for football tems. This means you never used the same name twice for the checkpoint, ideally to foil detection.
We never thought that maybve there was some Vietnamese familiar with our country but we were wrong--Ho spent a year here and was addicted to Camels for example
Lets say the reference point is the grid crossing atL 35 44, we'll call it "cigarettes."
So the locaation of LZ Selluger would be given as : "From Marlboro, up 1.8 right 1.4"
or "Culvert:" "from Pall Mall up 2.2 left .8"

Seems like a much easier way than you describe
Good to see you back Ron'
Stay good
James
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  #13  
Old 02-26-2006, 07:26 AM
39mto39g 39mto39g is offline
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Default James

At the start of this I said its just the way we did it and it was most likely not how other units or the Army did it.
If you said 36-point-3 over the radio would that be easy to follow on a map?
Wher you been anyway?

Ron
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  #14  
Old 02-26-2006, 07:44 AM
exlrrp exlrrp is offline
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Default Its all in what youre used to

Quote:
Originally posted by 39mto39g At the start of this I said its just the way we did it and it was most likely not how other units or the Army did it.
If you said 36-point-3 over the radio would that be easy to follow on a map?
Wher you been anyway?

Ron
Ron
Its all about what you were taught--I was taught one way and it worked for me. Other units had different ways--well thats why we were always the best
Whatever way worked for you was the best. The way I said above was also what I was taught in Boy Scouts. (not the beer and cigarettes part)
If 36 point 3 didn't work for you some guys used quarters, halves, etc ans in : 36 and three quarters for 3.7.
It was all eyeballing anyway on maps that had been made before we were born. You just did the best you could.
If we got REAL lost---I mean: HELLA lost--( it did happen) you could have the artillery fire a round close to where you thought you were and then tel you where they fired it. If you could see it you knew where you were, shoot an azimuth to it and figure it out. If you couldn't se it you were in some deep shit.They never taught me that one in the Boy Scouts.
Geez with GPS this would be a snap nowadays, you'd know where you were to the inch.
Been all around Ron, to the Bay Area again and Chico, then to Newport OR and Portland. Fixing on my house again. Next week its off to the bay area again and then off on 3/7 to--wait for it--COSTA RICA!! (honeymoon) But I always come back got too many friends here.
Stay good
James
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  #15  
Old 02-26-2006, 08:32 AM
39mto39g 39mto39g is offline
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Default JAMES

Hears something to get you started to Costa Rica
Ron
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  #16  
Old 02-26-2006, 08:33 AM
39mto39g 39mto39g is offline
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Default and one more

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  #17  
Old 02-26-2006, 08:39 AM
SL Bronco SL Bronco is offline
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"Both right" would make me pretty nervous on the original question. I say about 250 meters north of the asterisk to the left of the 556.
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  #18  
Old 02-26-2006, 09:55 AM
39mto39g 39mto39g is offline
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What is it that would make you pretty nervous?
The grid for the original question was to be hill 556. all you would have to be was close enough for a slick to call you and get you to pop smoke.
250 meters is a little to far off. But still within a choppers sight from where you were to be.
If I were that far off from a grid given me, MY Lt. would be pissed, (for all the good that would have done him).
I offered that radio many times to anyone that wanted it, never got any takers. The only thing good about being the RTO was that I also called for resupply and I always called for an extra case of C-sss for me to pick from.
Ron
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  #19  
Old 02-27-2006, 09:24 AM
SL Bronco SL Bronco is offline
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39mto39g,

I guess I misunderstood the question!
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  #20  
Old 02-28-2006, 05:43 AM
exlrrp exlrrp is offline
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Default thanks Ron

Thanks for the pictures. Looks a little more strenuous than I had in mind, self being the lay arouind tha beach and ogle the women type (its why I love Hawaii)

I was just thinking how much radio technology has improved since our day. Seems like you could do it all with a cell phone, stead of lugging that big heavy hunk of iron.. Do grunts carry cell phones nowadays??
Stay good
James
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