Old Soldiers

[Grim_Legion]

http://swollencranium.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2748&d=1313998126

32bn get together, old soldiers.

[Josie]

which one are you?

[Grim_Legion]

2nd one from the left, personally i think the youngest looking of the bunch of decrepit geriatrics ..

[CrAnIuM]

Ironic ...

I served a year in combat (and 3 in 'peace' time) with the 1st Squadron 10th Cavalry Regiment.

We too had the unit designation of BUFFALO Soldiers.



http://swollencranium.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2749&d=1314011925


( The year I spent with 1-10 in combat ...)

In March 2003, the 1st Squadron, 10th United States Cavalry deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as the divisional cavalry squadron for 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized). The Squadron crossed the border into Iraq in the early dawn hours of 14 April 2004, leading the 4th Infantry Division north from Kuwait, its first combat operations since the Vietnam War. The Squadron led the 4th Infantry Division up Highway 1 through Baghdad, Taji, and on to Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, destroying resistance from Iraqi forces. The Squadron secured and held multiple airfields, and military complexes for later use by follow-on forces, including going as far north as K2 Airfield near Bayji.


In June 2003, the Squadron conducted a grueling forced march of nearly 200 kilometers from K2 airfield to the Iran-Iraq border to stop Iranian infiltration into Iraq, demonstrating remarkable endurance. Cavalry troopers occupied the border cities, destroyed enemy resistance and conducted civil military operations, assuming responsibility for 336.5 kilometers of border (A brigade-sized area, with a third of the equipment and personnel). Over the next 4 months the Squadron stood up, trained, and equipped Iraq Border Police and other security forces. In all 1,600 Iraqis were trained and equipped by the Squadron, operating first under 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, and then under 4th Brigade (Aviation), 4th Infantry Division. The 1-10th Cavalry troopers screened the inhospitable border region, providing medical care, food, and water to over 27,000 pilgrims in a massive humanitarian undertaking.


In October 2003, the Squadron conducted air combat operations across the 4th Infantry Division's area, launching Scout/Attack helicopter teams in support of divisional units during Operation Ivy Typhoon. In this operation, 1-10th Cavalry helicopters patrolled Highway 1 from Taji to outside Tikrit dramatically reducing IED emplacement along this major highway. The helicopters of Squadron flew more combat hours than any other unit in the Iraqi Theater of Operations.


In November 2003, the Commanding General of 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) ordered the Squadron to conduct strike force operations and moved the Squadron to the Tikrit area to stop guerrilla activity. The Squadron quickly captured the terrorist ring that had shot down 2 Blackhawk helicopters prior to the Squadron's arrival. In less than a month, the Squadron stopped all guerrilla activity in Eastern Tikrit. On the night of 13 December 2003, the Squadron along with the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, participated in a short-notice operation south of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Saber, near the town of Ad Dawr named Operation Red Dawn, the mission that captured Saddam Hussein.


In January 2004, the Commanding General of 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) ordered the Squadron to move to the Balad area to conduct further strike force operations securing the largest concentration of soldiers in Iraq: the Logistics Support Area. In operations throughout northern Iraq the Squadron conducted thousands of raids and patrols, and captured or killed nearly a thousand enemy combatants. No other unit in the 4th Infantry Division moved or fought in more locations than the 1st Squadron, 10th United States Cavalry.



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Hey Brother !!

[Grim_Legion]

ours was a very different type of war, all in the bush, mostly at very close range, one of the ex members wrote a brilliant book, worth a read of your into military history

http://32 Battalion: The Inside Story of South Africa's Elite Fighting Unit By Piet Nortje

[CrAnIuM]

all in the bush, mostly at very close range

I can imagine. I looked at some of the operational areas for your Bn. Your Bn is filled and was filled with good many bad ass mofos.


I spent 8 months in Panama and 13 in Honduras and cut my teeth on Jungle Warfare back when the Russkies were still the bad guys,

Still it was nothing as tough as Angola. Part Jungle AND part desert = crazy conditions. My hat is off to ya, sir.

[Zeabot]

*whimper*
My deployment is embarrassing, comparatively.

[SittinGrumpy]

*whimper*
My deployment is embarrassing, comparatively.

Never whimper.... at least you served.

My opinion.

[Zeabot]

Never whimper.... at least you served.
I appreciate that. I am proud of what I have done and I my deployment was not my doing, but still, nothing like these guys.

Tip of the cap to you both!

[CrAnIuM]

My deployment is embarrassing, comparatively.

I watched you guys get on that plane.... that day truly sucked.

To this day I still regret my decision to retire during a unit deployment.

And from your view point it may have seemed mundane and oft time filled with "WTF" moments but you did your piece in a VERY dangerous and ACTIVE combat theater.

[Grim_Legion]

My Respect to any man or woman that has served.

[surgicalstrike]

http://swollencranium.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2748&d=1313998126

32bn get together, old soldiers.




The guy in the back looks like 'Tinker' from "Roadhouse".


http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsY/68169.gif


Just sayin.

Bet you guys had a ton of stories to relive.

[Negativecool]

Respect to ya'll. Every one of you is fuckin nuts.

I value my life above all else so, naturally, I'd be the guy in the hole down the line frozen in the fetal position, crippled by fear, sobbing uncontrollably, whimpering incoherently, while the rest move forward despite the danger to complete the objective.

I know this because these are the things I think about at night after intense marathons of stimulating my genitals for pleasure.

[Firestorm]

My hat is off to ya, sir.

Yeah. What he said. Twice.

[Grim_Legion]

gave me goose bumps listening to it .. so many memories.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJpns2GNNhg

[proper stranger]

Old Soldiers...My not so old Soldier..
Gave his life for his country just a short time ago.................................i miss him so much. Brings me to tears...