Feeling kinda old when...

[Swampyankee]

I see the pics of todays grunts. To me the stuff hanging off their rifles and helmets are the stuff of Flash Gordon. I know the rifle somewhere under all that stuff is still basically an M16. The only thing we might of had on our helmets was a pack of Marlboro or Kools under the rubber band that held the cammy cover on. Recon carried a CAR, I don't know what difference makes it the M4 nowadays. If they recalled me I'd have to go back to boot to retrain. Our DI said that the tactics we learned were the same they used in WW2, like many of the support weapons. I suspect that with boobytraps being the choice weapon of the enemy the tactics had to change. Too bad Rummy didn't get the message. Politicans should keep up with the times of the battlefield.
Do they still use a compass?

[sparkie]

You feel old???? I did USMC electronics with a sliderule. No joke.

[sparkie]

WAit one bitty moment.... Could you please 'splane your profile? Boot in '77, Still in, E-1? Things can look stranger than they are, and I mean no disrespect, however I am looking at a little strangeness. If there are things needin fixing in your profile, I suggest you get to fixin. Oh, by the way,,,, Welcome Aboard.

[skyhawker]

Don't know what some of the things on the M-16 is either.
Cut my teeth on a M-1 and the only thing hanging on it was a bayonet

[Swampyankee]

My profile is askewed because I'm still trying to unfangle this here new fangled technology they call computers. My brain housing group is stuck on analog in a digital world. I'll see what I can do about the SNAFU.

BTW, I didn't know the Marine Corps had electronics.

[jrhd97]

I'm nowhere in the same league as you seasoned gentelmen, but this was a WTH? Was in the chat room and said something about listening to records when I was growing up. Had several POOLEE's ask what that was, or cool I've never seen those.

[Swampyankee]

So if I feel old looking at those new grunts and their shiney new fangled duece gear I can only imagine what a guy like skyhawker feels like. Me being all of 1 year old when he entered the Corps.

Ahhh vynle (forgot how to spell it) and the little needles that rode the grooves (forgot what they were called too, stylus? it's worse than I feared), that's a comforting thought. No need to translate 0's and 1's.

[SlingerDun]

Was in the chat room and said something about listening to records when I was growing up. Had several POOLEE's ask what that was, or cool I've never seen those.A few years back babysitting a niece(8)and nephew(10) i asked what time is it? They looked up from the cartoons on TV at the digital clock on the cable box and said: 8:51

Ok 9 minutes and its bedtime. Oh by the way what time does the analog clock on the wall read? The what clock? they said. 'The clock with hands on it. 'Oh, i dunno.

Next morning the 10 year old was watching me tie my boot laces and said he didn't know how to do that because his shoes always have sticky straps

[Osotogary]

Ahhh vynle (forgot how to spell it) and the little needles that rode the grooves (forgot what they were called too, stylus? it's worse than I feared), that's a comforting thought.

45's (usually one song) and 78's (long playing- several songs)

[bucksgted]

45's (usually one song) and 78's (long playing- several songs)
As I recall, the 78's only had one song per side just like the 45's. Twas the 33's that had multiple songs on each side.(We didn't have albums till the 33's came out.) The 45's didn't come out till the early 1950's as I recall. The 78's and 33's had the same size hole in the middle and the 45's had the big hole.

I also remember doing Marine electronics with a slide rule. I still remember the color codes for resistors and capicators - - -BBROYGBVGW - - black boys rape our young girls but violet gives willingly.

Go figure, you guys really bring back the memories and I DO APPRECIATE you indulging this old phart!!

[Swampyankee]

LOL, my mother had two of those square upright boxes full of 45's. Mostly Elvis, Buddy Holly and the old country singers when it was still country AND western. Merle Haggard SR, the guy who sang Hello Walls, stuff like that. Use to have to insert the little plastic disc in the hole to play them on the victrola hi fi.
The LP's were a more refined assortment, like Tiajuanna Brass, Nat King Cole, Sound of Music, etc.

[ecfree]

Hi tech M16,Hi tech Marines.
Any body use the M14 in Nam,how about that gawky infrared scope,as big as one of todays portable dvd players.What was it called? Starlite or moonlite?
Hi tech Nam Marines.:marine:

[Swampyankee]

Star light scope, I had the privledge of humping that mother's son and, of course, using it. Must of added 3 inches of height to sighting and 3 or 4 lbs to the rifle. Had to be careful not to allow sunlight into the optics and had a small suitcase for totting. It's really amazing how far they've come, even the civilian models are 100x better.

[Osotogary]

Twas the 33's that had multiple songs on each side.
Forgot about the 33's. Thanks for the correction.

[RLeon]

33's, 45's, M14...man you guys are old.

:D

[davblay]

Well I know all of you have heard the expression "what goes around , comes around", these days I hear the teenage kids (13-15) playing songs I heard on AFNV in 1970, and they loved it! They tell me man you guys had the best music in those days man! They all know who mick Jagger is, the beatles and other bands of the day. They actually sang along with "under the boardwalk" with me! Kids......they never stop amazing me,I gotta love em!

My kids(in the 80s) found my stash of albums, (33 1/3 rpm) and went crazy wanting to know if they could copy them to thier tape players. Ah the good old days........ try buying a record player today, BTW!


Semper Fi,

Dave

[davblay]

33's, 45's, M14...man you guys are old.

:D
Letters (snail mail) took 3 to 6 weeks to be delivered to the world from the Nam! Unles you could get hooked up at the MARs station in Red Beach or DaNang, then that call coould take 18 hours to get thru to your home in the world!

No Emails, PMs, or chat room then! These Fine Marines have it made, I am glad to say! Semper Fi my younger Marines!

So I guess we are OLD!

Dave

[RLeon]

Well, I'm not that young m'self. My computer class in junior high consisted of typing numbers on a black screen, with the highlight of our curriculum being the ability to change the color of the font from white to green.
Commodore 64 was king at the time.
Cells phones were either in their infancy or some years away, with the initial ones the size of those BC radios they used in WWII. lol.

....Dang, I'm getting old.

[darkgreen0311]

When i was in high school a cell phone ........what was that, and what was a computer. Being in the Corps the S.A.W(squad automatic weapon) and kevlar was just coming in about my last 7 months in the Marines.







:marine: :flag: Semper Fi 4 Life
Yours is not to question why but to do or die!!!

[sparkie]

Shelter half,,,, still use them? And, yes, I have taken my vaccuum tubes to the drug store for testing. Had to keep the tv working, ya know.

[sparkie]

The "Big Thing" for us teens was the new fangeled transistor radio. What a status symbol.The more transistors youre's had the higher your status.
Anyone remember that? Mine only had 7.

[DWG]

I also remember doing Marine electronics with a slide rule. I still remember the color codes for resistors and capicators - - -BBROYGBVGW - - black boys rape our young girls but violet gives willingly.

Go figure, you guys really bring back the memories and I DO APPRECIATE you indulging this old phart!!

If you had BAMs in your class it was ;bad boys ROB our young girls, etc! Only place I ever used a slide rule; USMCRDSD, BES right next to the airport. Still swear there was rubber marks on the roof from landing jets!:D

Used the M-14 through PI and Geiger; did orientation with the 16 at Geiger; 4 cases brought out for use; 3 weapons DID NOT have feeding or firing malfunctions!:scared: Not very reassuring!

[Finger]

Been through the whole list since '66, including M3 Greese Guns. I just recently retired as a contractor. (at 60 it's time right?) Some of the new gizmos are great, some are trash. R&D is really important these days.

Swampyankee, You are right. Folks would not believe the advances in night vision today, if ther last thing they looked through was a AN/PVS1 Starlight scope.


S/F
Finger

[ecfree]

Anybody want to buy a record player,plays all sizes,has a new needel.........HEHEHEHE:D

[Swampyankee]

Letters (snail mail) took 3 to 6 weeks to be delivered to the world from the Nam! Unles you could get hooked up at the MARs station in Red Beach or DaNang, then that call coould take 18 hours to get thru to your home in the world!



Dave you forgot to mention you could pay extra to make the snail mail go a little faster. I just received some personal effects from my uncle who had been in VN. When I pulled his corospondence out of the package there were the envelopes with the red stripes around their borders. Does snail mail go by way of anything besides air these days?

[awbrown1462]

ask a new Marine if he wants a C-Rat and see what he says or if from WWII ask about K-Rats also give him a heat tab to get warm lol

[DWG]

ask a new Marine if he wants a C-Rat and see what he says or if from WWII ask about K-Rats also give him a heat tab to get warm lol

And smokes were included!

[Finger]

Rough side out leather boots before the ones they have now, and hada spit shine those six 12 monsters.

:mad:

S/F
Finger

[davblay]

Letters (snail mail) took 3 to 6 weeks to be delivered to the world from the Nam! Unles you could get hooked up at the MARs station in Red Beach or DaNang, then that call coould take 18 hours to get thru to your home in the world!



Dave you forgot to mention you could pay extra to make the snail mail go a little faster. I just received some personal effects from my uncle who had been in VN. When I pulled his corospondence out of the package there were the envelopes with the red stripes around their borders. Does snail mail go by way of anything besides air these days?

Most all envelopes from the Nam had those stripes around the edges. That's was how we knew it was a letter from my brother when he was over there and when I was there as well. But my point was, No Emails, PMs, or chat room then! These Fine Marines today have it made, I am glad to say! Semper Fi my younger Marines!

Dave

[jrhd97]

Lets move from record players, wich I have in a Magnavox cabinet stereo, to something more modern....8 tracks. Who still has one of those? I had one in an old pick up.

[vmfn513]

Shelter half,,,, still use them? And, yes, I have taken my vaccuum tubes to the drug store for testing. Had to keep the tv working, ya know.
We used to sit and listen to the RADIO.catch all the main fights ( Joe Louis, et al)( remember him) No TV . and no portable radios. The boys cottage had a console in the lobby( lights out at 10pm) we would sneak down after lites out and listen to the fights.
Also, in my early days in the Corps, our electronics were Radar. I can still remember one Tech who had a holster for his Slide Rule( a 24" wooden monster) No Pickets in those days.
On my 2nd tour to Japan( 56) I called my wife through MARS Radio Sta,
KA2MA (King Arthurs 2 Marine Aviators ) to a MARS Sta. in Buffalo,NY with relay to Edenton. At least it was a call, noisy, but a call.
We lived in the dark ages of communicatiins in those days (30's - 50's):)
We each have our time on the STAGE of LIFE and put-up with its short comings. FUN

[Swampyankee]

Heat tabs were nasty if you didn't sprinkle them with salt.

I got rid of the last of my 8 tracks in 88. I remember how it would change tracks right in the middle of a song. I think Wango Tango (Ted Nugent, yeah I klnow, to have the testasterone of youth to spend on getting wound up on music alone) was one such song (IIRC), right as you're all worked up and bouncing off the walls the music stops, and, wait for it, click, it re-starts abrubtly. Kind of throws your groove off.
When I go antiquing for WW2 duece gear I'm always seeing 8 tracks lying all over the place.

[SlingerDun]

Commodore 64 was king at the timeIf your feeling nostalgic i've got an Apple IIe somewhere in the attic i'd be willing to let go for a song:cool:

[sparkie]

We used to sit and listen to the RADIO.catch all the main fights ( Joe Louis, et al)( remember him) No TV . and no portable radios. The boys cottage had a console in the lobby( lights out at 10pm) we would sneak down after lites out and listen to the fights.
Also, in my early days in the Corps, our electronics were Radar. I can still remember one Tech who had a holster for his Slide Rule( a 24" wooden monster) No Pickets in those days.
On my 2nd tour to Japan( 56) I called my wife through MARS Radio Sta,
KA2MA (King Arthurs 2 Marine Aviators ) to a MARS Sta. in Buffalo,NY with relay to Edenton. At least it was a call, noisy, but a call.
We lived in the dark ages of communicatiins in those days (30's - 50's):)
We each have our time on the STAGE of LIFE and put-up with its short comings. FUN

I wish you would post so much more. Some younguns could stand to hear from you. You gonna write that book i requested? I'd buy 100 copies. :iwo:

P.S. I used MARS outta Okanawa.

[sparkie]

AH,,,, the Commodore64,,,, I wrote a tic tac toe on that one,,,,GO, No Go.

[sparkie]

Lets move from record players, wich I have in a Magnavox cabinet stereo, to something more modern....8 tracks. Who still has one of those? I had one in an old pick up.
You skipped the 4-track. How many times have you had to buy the White Ablum????

[Swampyankee]

LOL sparkie, I didn't take you for a hippy. Question; what the one Beatle song least done by other artists? In fact, I've never heard it done by anyone else since they did it. I believe it was on the White Album.

[sparkie]

Now, Somewhere in the black minin hills of the Dakotas there lived a young boy............Name of?,,, I know EVERY word.

[Swampyankee]

Rockie Racoon. If this is your answer to my question, I'd say you are right, I've never heard anyone else do a version of this one. But the one I was thinking of is Revolution no. 9.

I mess around with a guitar and I have a couple of Beatle books. No no.9 in any of them. To tell the truth, I'm more fond of the ones they did in their pre-trippin days. First song I remember hearing on the radio, besides Ray Charles' hit the road jack, and rambling rose, is twist and shout.
My father loathed the Beatles when they made their appearance on this side of the pond. He was in the old Seabees. :)

[sparkie]

I watched their firsr appearance,,,,, On the Ed Sullivan show,,,,, You missed alot. No, 9 was their own remake. Have you ever heard a remake of 'Piggies?'. or, Blackbird?

[Quinbo]

I still have a pluto from the Mickey Mouse Club record player. The arm is a bone and on the back is pluto slobbering at the bone. It has 3 settings; 33, 45, and 78. When you played a 45 you had to put this little disk in the record because the hole was big enough to put your thumb in and the player just had a pin point to set the record on. It's stashed away somewhere but has an original mamas and papas 45 stored with it. I showed it to my kids a while ago and my son asked where the USB port was.... LOL

[Swampyankee]

Man I bet that would fetch a fair price on antiques road show. Antiques bringing their antiques, JK.

I just had another I feel old moment. I'm feeling kinda old sitting here on a Fri. night and the best I can do for entertainment is sit in the basement and post mssges on a forum. :nerd: The desire to go out has, gone out.

[bucksgted]

If you had BAMs in your class it was ;bad boys ROB our young girls, etc! Only place I ever used a slide rule; USMCRDSD, BES right next to the airport. Still swear there was rubber marks on the roof from landing jets!:D

Used the M-14 through PI and Geiger; did orientation with the 16 at Geiger; 4 cases brought out for use; 3 weapons DID NOT have feeding or firing malfunctions!:scared: Not very reassuring!
In my 4 years active duty, I NEVER even saw a Woman Marine. My loss I suppose. If there were WM's at any of my duty stations, I never saw them.

My slide rule was a "pocket" type, approx 6 inches long. Had it's own leather sheath with the clip to keep it in the pocket. I used it in high school, so I took it with me when I went to school.

[bucksgted]

When we were in Rosie Roads, we used to pick up radio station "XERF in Del Rio, Texas", for night time entertainment. Good country/western and R&B. My memory is a little dim, but I seem to recall we could tune the ADF to pick up stations all over the globe, especially if the "skip" was working good that night.

[Swampyankee]

Sparkie you'd have to hum a few bars of Piggies. It's there, in the cobwebs, I think.

I think Balckbird was done in the 80's by a band that used that song as their one hit wonder. During the time that it seemed there was a relapse of discoesque proportions, who can forget Ebony and Ivory. Or A Flock of Seagulls, (I only remember the name and that their music sucked eggs).
I always thought Blackbird and Mother Natures Only Son should have had their own album jacket. The seem to share the same easy flow, like the band was chilling out on the same wave length. Sort of easy listening from a band that ussualy put out other stuff.
A couple of years ago a 70's band redid I am the Walrus and did a pretty good job of it. They didn't try to "translate" the song into something that didn't resemble the original. I think it was one of the bands like Styx or Kansas. They were doing the Ohio concert circuit at the time.
Now that Jocko owns the music I wonder if they had to ask him permission to do the song. I know my book containing the first 4 albums doesn't have Roll Over Beethoven and a couple of others because of copy right infringements. Can't find Dear Prudence on sheet either, only in tab form on the internet.

I stand corrected and in awe in the pressence of a true Beatles afficiado, quite a few Beatle songs haven't been molested.