Article

2005-05-12 Iraq-Jordan

`Floor it!' GI shouts amid hail of gunfire

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Unavigum Ebbimp2047 2005-05-12 10:49|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Even though Lance Cpl. Adolfo Castro's infrared scope was blinded by smoke,..

Err, I thought that IR equipment was supposed to be immune to the effects of smoke between itself and whatever is being observed...?

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2005-05-12 12:22|| 2005-05-12 12:22|| Front Page Top

#2 the column of armored vehicles...took a wrong turn in the darkness and unfamiliar terrain...

Dammit--further incidents like this could be avoided with some decent GPS receivers and maps. I would expect having detailed electronic street maps is the real obstacle here, but the sooner they can get these out (and in multiple formats to support the many civilian Magellan and Garmin units many troops buy and use on their own initiative), the sooner they can avoid more of these mishaps.

Posted by Dar">Dar 2005-05-12 12:25|| 2005-05-12 12:25|| Front Page Top

#3 Quite a contrast. My son was in Al Qaim this winter and the most boring day he had in his whole deployment was New Year's Day working to bring back a truck damaged by a mine.

In the truck, however, was a Marine sitting on a box of MRE's when the mine went off under him. Box disappeared; Marine O.K. SOMEBODY has to have the good luck!

Posted by Bobby 2005-05-12 12:26|| 2005-05-12 12:26|| Front Page Top

#4 This guy writes another article today that discusses an entire squad getting KIAed over the past couple of days, part of a platoon that has "lost its ability to fight" due to 60% casualties.
Nowhere in the article does it portray whats going on as a good old ass kicking of jihadi's, just more of the "odometer of dead and wounded" that my daily rag seems to ponder over.
I have to come here for real reporting.

Posted by Capsu78 2005-05-12 12:42|| 2005-05-12 12:42|| Front Page Top

#5 typical male, doesn't ask for directions.

Posted by anonymous2u 2005-05-12 13:34|| 2005-05-12 13:34|| Front Page Top

#6 It's a genetic thing, Anon. From the hundreds of thousands of years when asking directions of strangers would most likely get you killed. And possibly eaten.

Posted by mojo">mojo 2005-05-12 14:07|| 2005-05-12 14:07|| Front Page Top

#7 Mmmmmm... strangers... I likes to eat strangers!

Posted by Chuck Simmins">Chuck Simmins 2005-05-12 14:11|| http://blog.simmins.org]">[http://blog.simmins.org] 2005-05-12 14:11|| Front Page Top

#8 Depends if its a FLIR sight expensive and heavy it cant be messed by normal smoke but if it's an Image intensifier it can, note that image intensifiers detect IR scopes that M-16 or other weapons have in specific wavelenght -journalists by definition are ignorants creatures so the guy can be making a mess too.

Posted by Hupomoque Spoluter7949 2005-05-12 15:43|| 2005-05-12 15:43|| Front Page Top

#9 Smoke does hinder IR, but not thermal.

Posted by Spoluper Hupenter1939 2005-05-12 17:10|| 2005-05-12 17:10|| Front Page Top

#10 journalists by definition are ignorants creatures...

What? You mean IR doesn't slow down time so you can see bullets like the writer says? [/sarcasm]

Posted by Dar">Dar 2005-05-12 17:52|| 2005-05-12 17:52|| Front Page Top

#11 I saw the Matrix... the sunglasses do it

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2005-05-12 18:12|| 2005-05-12 18:12|| Front Page Top

23:56 Old Patriot
23:21 SC88
22:47 ed
22:45 ed
22:43 mmurray821
22:36 Bevis
22:36 mmurray821
22:34 trailing wife
22:34 mmurray821
22:32 ;-)
22:31 trailing wife
21:55 Atomic Conspiracy
21:52 Deacon Blues
21:37 Frank G
21:35 Frank G
21:21 Dave D.
21:04 Shipman
21:03 Shipman
20:58 twobyfour
20:49 Raj
20:46 anonymous2u
20:46 Raj
20:45 AJackson
20:43 Tom