[Bazooka_Joe]

Finally!. . .the Joe. . .has come BACK to AA.COM!!! heh (The Rock's funny)

Ok, so anyways, as you know (or may not have known), I was away for 2 weeks at lovely (GAK!) Fort Knox, Kentucky. Why, you ask? Well, I'm in the Army Nat'l Guard, and our contract reads that we must attend drill dates at least a) 1 weekend a month, and 2) two weeks during the summer. This was my two weeks.

Now usually, we will just go upstate at Fort Drum to fire live rounds, and just do revised training, and all that junk. But, because of 9/11, and our involvement in it, we were forced to do MOUT training this summer. So, the best site to use was Zussman Village @ Fort Knox.

What is MOUT? MOUT stands for Military Operations in Urban Terrain. Basically, we do what SWAT teams do; breach a building, clear it of danger/terrorists, rescue hostages. Reason being, like I said, because of 9/11. Now, if you have played America's Army, you have a SMALL idea of what MOUT is like. The real thing is alot more dangerous.

So here we are, a platoon of 40 men @ Fort Knox armmed to the teeth with M-16's, SAW's (Soldier Assault Weapon, I think), and 203 Grenade launchers. (the little tube under the M-16) I got a SAW, baby! heh I didn't know they used 5.56 rounds either. . .Thought they used 7.62 like the M249B MG. Our object is to sneak into this city, and take control of the elementary schoolhouse.

I really wish I had better pictures. There wasn't much time to take snapshots, since we were being shot at, and had to be as fast as possible. So hopefully, our unit should be sent a VHS tape of our mission, and maybe I can get a copy of that and make some SS's. If not, we are going to be on TV in the spring! biggrin: Ill explain that more in a bit.

Now our terrorist team was (get this) a squad of 20 Navy SEALS. Equipped with 16's, SAW's, 50-Cal MG's, Mines, booby-traps, and Anti-Tank weapons like LAW's (Light Anti-Tank Weapon), ATA-4's (Big Missile Launchers) and RPG's. Not only did we have to deal with them and their snipers, but also 50 civilians whom some COULD be hostile. Teriffic.

So, how did we do? WE WHOOPED. D00d, a National Guard unit did better than the 101st Screamin' Eagles (That's Rangers!). They named the school we took after our Platoon SGT, so now it's the Zussman-Faggiano Elementary School! lol They also are going to add our LT's (Lieutenant's) stragety plan to the TM (Training Manual) for the Zussman MOUT site, so everyone who comes there can analyze our attack. How cool is that?

Well, basically, I had alot of fun. We trained for about 5 days, and had a 48 hour mission, in which we had to secure the school, then keep it safe, and capture additional buildings in the village. We also got a chance to visit the Patton Meseum when we were done, so I got some great pics of WWII memorbilia! (however that's spelt, heh)

Like I said, we're going to be on the Travel Channel (Break-off of the History & Discovery channel) sometime this spring. They rigged two of our SGT's up with cams on their helmets and followed them into the buildings, so you can see what we see. Hopefully, I'll be able to get an advanced copy or sumthing! Anyways, here's the pics:

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-boomcar.jpg[/img]
This whole city was built by Disney Corp., so buildings catch fire, cars explode, walls collapse, etc. The sounds are unbelieveable, too. Here, this car rolls down the street, then bursts into flames, then explodes.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-flamehouse.jpg[/img]
A house exploding, then catching flame.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-flamehouse1.jpg[/img]
Another home burning.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-napalm.jpg[/img]
Shortly before this pic, you hear the sounds of a plane flying overhead, then a fireball erupted on this roof, to simulate Napalm.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-m113hit.jpg[/img]
Don't mind the big girl, she works there, heh. Anyways, this shows a 113 that tried to attack a tank, and got blasted in the side by the tank's main gun. You can see the big black mark on it. See Ivan on the roof? heh

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-zussmanmodel.jpg[/img]
Here's the model of the city. I labeled the bigger features of the town. The whole Wilson thing is if you've ever seen Cast Away, Tom Hanks lugs around his best friend, Wilson. We had to carry Wilson if we commited fratricide (killing of another friendly.)

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-me.jpg[/img]
Ready for battle baby, hooah! All I need is my SAW, heh

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-c130.jpg[/img]
This is the C-130 we flew in on.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-insideofc130.jpg[/img]
Here's a glimpse of what the inside looks like.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-203range1.jpg[/img]
Here's us practicing at the 203 range. The orange is chalk from practice rounds.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-50cala.jpg[/img]
Getting the 50-cal's ready. Muah hahaha!

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-blackhawk.jpg[/img]
A blackhawk flying overhead.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-fireb.jpg[/img]
Firing the M81 Mortar round.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-kaboomc.jpg[/img]
And here's the mortar's impact! heh

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-misfirea.jpg[/img]
Sucks being the low-rank guy. You have to clear the tube of the duds! heh

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-burnthecheese.jpg[/img]
This is what we do with leftover charges that we don't use from Mortar rounds; put em in a pile, and set em ablaze! This is known as "burning the cheese", AKA as "lose your eyebrows if your within 15 ft. of the flames! heh Look how bright it is.

OK, now onto the museum!

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-bazooka.jpg[/img]
This is a bazooka from the Vietnam War, I think.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-bazooka1.jpg[/img]
TOY! Muah hahaha! zooka: zooka: zooka:

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-panzerschreck.jpg[/img]
TOY-STEIN! Muah hahaha! zooka: zooka: zooka:

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-closearms.jpg[/img]
The "Grease-gun" (Not sure of the nomenclature), a Colt 45, and a Thompson.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-flak88.jpg[/img]
A Flak-88 cannon. Notice how the nazis sat the reverse way. ed:

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-kingtiger.jpg[/img]
A King-Tiger Tank, with one of my SGT's in front of it.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-insideofkingtiger.jpg[/img]
Here's the cutaway of the tank, just to show how much room you really didn't have.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-panzer.jpg[/img]
Panzer Tank.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-tiger.jpg[/img]
Tiger Tank.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-rifles.jpg[/img]
A Springfield, a Gerand, and a M1 Carbine.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-trenches.jpg[/img]
A demonstration of early WWI trench warfare.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-wingfootelement.jpg[/img]
Our unit's stone, hooah!

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-memorial.jpg[/img]
A look at it up close.

[img]http://mohaa.cact-sd.org/aasigs/joe-smoker.jpg[/img]
And last but not least, I "Aquired" myself a nolvety item from the Fort Knox MOUT range, 1 Un-used yellow smoke nade! muah hahaha!