The Mighty Ninth

Strive To Reach The Summit


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JCook79.JPGWater BuffaloLet me tell you....this water could get hot!!
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JCook80.JPGJeep DriverJeep Driver for the Battery Commander leading the convoy.
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JCook81.JPGThe L-19One of the US Army's last pieces of fixed-wing aircraft. Used as a spotter, carrying Air FOs who guided battery registrations and targets-of-opportunity. We had one crash on the runway narrowly missing an Ammo Truck.
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JCook82.JPGLaundry DayJoe notes that he'll never get these cleans. Not to worry; the mama-sans didn't do such a good job either. Some say that the Vietnamese translation for "laundry" was "less dirty".
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JCook83.JPGLZ 29AThis area was known as "LZ 29A". Here is the #5 Gun Section in the tall elephant grass.
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JCook84.JPGBomb CratersTaken at LZ Cat - you can see the bomb craters here. Photo taken from the back door of a Chinook.
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JCook85.JPGCSMO"Close Station, March Order" - get the hell out of Dodge. Ammo placed in the A-22 slings. The 3/4 ton is loaded up with the FDC gear.
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JCook86.JPGThe MarketPlace in PleikuThat ain't fresh bread you smell, either!
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JCook87.JPGGetting Started - no frills FDC, 1966I take the coordinates, plot Battery Center on the chart and then use the RDP (Range Deflection Protractor) or "the fan" to get ranges to target.
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JCook88.JPGSetting up the field FDCYou didn't get a diploma from Gunnery unless you could use an RDP fan (range deflection protractor). Deflection readings go to the guns while Quadrant Elevation (QE) must be calculated.
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JCook89.JPGHere...write this downSp4 James McBrayer, Jr is giving me the coordinates for Battery Center
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JCook90.JPGFresh from the StattesAt left is PFC Norma McLeod, Jr and PFC Gerald L. Yacavone. Took AIT with them at Base Camp. They are listed as members of Hqtrs Battery.
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