The Men and Women from our military have accumulated some hard won knowledge
of the world around them. I'd like to share a few I've heard . I hope you enjoy this and the many other freedoms granted to us all by their service and bravery.
Infantry
"A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit." - Army's magazine of preventive maintenance.
"Aim towards the Enemy." - Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher
"When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend. - U.S. Marine Corps Drill Sergeant.
"Five second fuses only last three seconds." - Same drill Sergeant
"If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Same drill sergeant.
"Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you." - Another drill sergeant
"Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo." - Infantry Journal
"You, you, and you . Panic. The rest of you, come with me." - U.S. Marine Corp
Gunnery Sgt.
"Tracers work both ways" - U.S. Army Ordnance Officer
"If your attack is going too well, you're walking into an ambush." - Infantry Journal
"Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do." - Marine Recruit
Air Force
"Cluster bombing from B-52s are very, very accurate. The bombs are guaranteed to always hit the ground." - USAF Ammo Troop
"It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed." - U.S. Air Force Manual
"If you see a bomb technician running, follow him." - USAF Ammo Troop
"Though I Fly Through the Valley of Death, I Shall Fear No Evil. For I am at 80,000 Feet and Climbing." - At the entrance to the old SR-71 operating base Kadena, Japan
"You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3." - Paul F. Crickmore (test pilot)
"The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire." - Unknown
"If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage, it's probably a helicopter -- and therefore, unsafe." - Fighter Pilot at Top Gun
"If something hasn't broken on your helicopter, it's about to."
The three most common expressions (or famous last words) in aviation are: "Why is it doing that?", "Where are we?" And "Oh S...!"
"Airspeed, altitude and brains. Two are always needed to successfully complete the flight."
"Mankind has a perfect record in aviation; we never left one up there!"- Air Force Academy Instructor
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
"There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime." - Sign over squadron ops desk at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1970
"You know that your landing gear is up and locked when it takes full power to taxi to the terminal." - Fighter Pilot friend of Mine
"The Airforce is the only service that makes sense. We send our Officers out to get shot at, while we enlisted folks stay in the rear." - Air Force Line Maintenance Tech.
Navy
"Don't ever be the first, don't ever be the last, and don't ever volunteer to do anything." - U.S. Navy Swabbie
"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once."
"Blue water Navy truism: There are more planes in the ocean than submarines in the sky." - From an old carrier sailor
General
"Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid." - David Hackworth
"When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane you always have enough power left to get you to the scene of the crash."
"Without ammunition, the USAF would be just another expensive flying club."
"What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies; If ATC screws up, .... The pilot dies."
"Never trade luck for skill."
and finally . . . .
As the test pilot climbs out of the experimental aircraft, having torn off the wings and tail in the crash landing, the crash truck arrives, the rescuer sees a bloodied pilot
and asks "What happened?".
The pilot's reply: "I don't know, I just got here myself!" - Attributed to Ray Crandell (Lockheed test pilot)
of the world around them. I'd like to share a few I've heard . I hope you enjoy this and the many other freedoms granted to us all by their service and bravery.
Infantry
"A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit." - Army's magazine of preventive maintenance.
"Aim towards the Enemy." - Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher
"When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend. - U.S. Marine Corps Drill Sergeant.
"Five second fuses only last three seconds." - Same drill Sergeant
"If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Same drill sergeant.
"Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you." - Another drill sergeant
"Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo." - Infantry Journal
"You, you, and you . Panic. The rest of you, come with me." - U.S. Marine Corp
Gunnery Sgt.
"Tracers work both ways" - U.S. Army Ordnance Officer
"If your attack is going too well, you're walking into an ambush." - Infantry Journal
"Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do." - Marine Recruit
Air Force
"Cluster bombing from B-52s are very, very accurate. The bombs are guaranteed to always hit the ground." - USAF Ammo Troop
"It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed." - U.S. Air Force Manual
"If you see a bomb technician running, follow him." - USAF Ammo Troop
"Though I Fly Through the Valley of Death, I Shall Fear No Evil. For I am at 80,000 Feet and Climbing." - At the entrance to the old SR-71 operating base Kadena, Japan
"You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3." - Paul F. Crickmore (test pilot)
"The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire." - Unknown
"If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage, it's probably a helicopter -- and therefore, unsafe." - Fighter Pilot at Top Gun
"If something hasn't broken on your helicopter, it's about to."
The three most common expressions (or famous last words) in aviation are: "Why is it doing that?", "Where are we?" And "Oh S...!"
"Airspeed, altitude and brains. Two are always needed to successfully complete the flight."
"Mankind has a perfect record in aviation; we never left one up there!"- Air Force Academy Instructor
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
"There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime." - Sign over squadron ops desk at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1970
"You know that your landing gear is up and locked when it takes full power to taxi to the terminal." - Fighter Pilot friend of Mine
"The Airforce is the only service that makes sense. We send our Officers out to get shot at, while we enlisted folks stay in the rear." - Air Force Line Maintenance Tech.
Navy
"Don't ever be the first, don't ever be the last, and don't ever volunteer to do anything." - U.S. Navy Swabbie
"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once."
"Blue water Navy truism: There are more planes in the ocean than submarines in the sky." - From an old carrier sailor
General
"Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid." - David Hackworth
"When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane you always have enough power left to get you to the scene of the crash."
"Without ammunition, the USAF would be just another expensive flying club."
"What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies; If ATC screws up, .... The pilot dies."
"Never trade luck for skill."
and finally . . . .
As the test pilot climbs out of the experimental aircraft, having torn off the wings and tail in the crash landing, the crash truck arrives, the rescuer sees a bloodied pilot
and asks "What happened?".
The pilot's reply: "I don't know, I just got here myself!" - Attributed to Ray Crandell (Lockheed test pilot)
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