I'm curious to know what it takes to be qualified to drive a Jeep. Here's the steering wheel, the gas pedal, brake pedal, clutch pedal. Stick shift on the floor. Reverse is over and down. 4WD high and 4WD low. Keep your eyes on the road.

We're talking the Army here. EVERYTHING has to be documented I have an Army license for driving our all-purpose 4WD, which is the German (actually Austrian-built by Steyr) Geländewagen. Not like I couldn't drive before I got that license, but hey, it's the Army

lol, yeah, I know. I was just curious on what the criteria was.

You weren't that far off, I can tell you that

Panzer, the Jeep I drove was the M151A1, a Vietnam era Jeep.

The nice thing about them was that with a cross tip screw driver, a pair of pliers, some bailing wire, and an adjustable wrench one could fix just about anything on them.

It was light enough that four guys could usually get one out of a ditch, and two could flip one back on its wheels.

The Gamma Goat was cool in that many of them had all six wheels on the ground and working. But that was usually short lived and the kit that turned it into a four wheel drive was installed.

Ahhh yes. The old Gamma Goat cripple kit.

That brings back ...



























more old man memories.

Thanks

When I enlisted in the Army we were still wearing Ike jackets and brown shoes for the first few months. The only thing green was new fatigues.

The M-1 was the rifle along with the BAR, Grease Gun, model 1911 .45 pistol and M-1 Carbine.
The M-1 could fire a grenade with an adapter added to it. The jeep and the deuce-and-a-half were the main means of ground transport with an occasional 5 ton for hauling big stuff.

When we were told we were going to the new green class A uniform we were also told the cost of one uniform would be deducted from our pay over a period of time, we were also told to dye our boots and shoes black. History does make you feel old, and it's right.

Parts of the Norwegian army still use the M74 uniform, so called because it's from 1974. The trousers especially look like straight copies of German WWII uniforms. Baggy and ugly, and not camouflaged. Coupled with the fact that we used old web gear instead of combat vests until the early 21st century, and you begin to understand how far behind we are in some areas.

We're about to get new HK416 rifles for our Army. Just as the rest of the world has started to realise that 5.56 is too small a calibre (what's the point in higher muzzle velocity and more ammo carried when you still need more shots to bring down your enemy than with 7.62?), we're getting the "new" calibre..brilliant!

That said, a Norwegian SAM battery sits on Capitol Hill and protects the White House, so we're not hopelessly far behind in all areas

The Coast Guard 36footer and 44 footer motor life boats that I was a coxswain on have both been retired, the 180 foot bouy tender was sold to Ghana after moving from Duluth to Sitka, Alaska, and the dress blues were changed to the bus driver uniforms.
I did find a good article on the Woodrush for any interested parties, if any of us old farts can still see well enough to read it. http://www.uscg.mil/history/webcutters/Woodrush1944.pdf

Brace the butt against the ground and touch it off. But watch out if you want to keep your trigger finger.

Cheers!

Rick...