And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Saturday, May 4, 2024
MACV-SOG team in Vietnam being extracted by a CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter via SPIE, 1970.
Just finished reading Mark Moyar's Triumph Regained Vietnam War 1965-68 and before that Triumph Forsaken Vietnam 1956-65, two very good detailed accounts of the War, a third book is planned
I got to do a SPIE ride once, Recon was doing it on Onslow beach and our Master Gunnery Sgt knew somebody, he got us hooked up. Interesting, especially for us nerd Marines. Guy on one string literally turned green before he puked.
That looks to be a ladder extract not a S.P.I.E. A SPIE would be rigged to the cargo hook in the helo's "Hell Hole" using cargo straps. An extraction ladder is steel cable and aluminum rungs. The position of the grunts look spaced out as if they are on a ladder. The ladder is attached to the helo's deck via snap links and the grunts snap link onto the ladder. SPIE uses individual modified parachute harnesses with a central attaching back strap via snap link to a steel "D" ring threaded through the Purlon SPIE rope. The "D" rings start about 60 feet down the rope and are situated two at a time (6 - 8 inches apart) every eight feet or so for a total of ten attachment points.
they used to call it stadol training back in west berlin. don't eat a big meal before hand just in case. but once you got use to it, it was a blast to do. but that was a long time ago. like mid 1970's
You are correct, we used to call it a Jacobs Ladder, great way to extract a platoon especially during waterborne operations. I've done both, the best was a water extraction using SPIE along the silver strand. The pilot then flew us over a surfing competition in Imperial Beach on the way to OLF IB.
Know a guy who was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, never flew by the book and the big wigs didn’t like it, when he got out they chose him to teach the new recruits.
Un-fucking believable.
ReplyDeleteMuch respect.
A logging company has 2 CH-53's hauling pine logs out of the swamp in SE Georgia. They may be old but they are heavy haulers.
ReplyDeleteJust finished reading Mark Moyar's Triumph Regained Vietnam War 1965-68 and before that Triumph Forsaken Vietnam 1956-65, two very good detailed accounts of the War, a third book is planned
ReplyDeleteNow THAT'S a sphincter-tightening event!
ReplyDeleteBALLS. OF. STEEL.
ReplyDeleteForged and hardened by the choice between life or death.
Don't look down.
ReplyDeleteI got to do a SPIE ride once, Recon was doing it on Onslow beach and our Master Gunnery Sgt knew somebody, he got us hooked up. Interesting, especially for us nerd Marines. Guy on one string literally turned green before he puked.
ReplyDeleteThat looks to be a ladder extract not a S.P.I.E. A SPIE would be rigged to the cargo hook in the helo's "Hell Hole" using cargo straps. An extraction ladder is steel cable and aluminum rungs. The position of the grunts look spaced out as if they are on a ladder. The ladder is attached to the helo's deck via snap links and the grunts snap link onto the ladder. SPIE uses individual modified parachute harnesses with a central attaching back strap via snap link to a steel "D" ring threaded through the Purlon SPIE rope. The "D" rings start about 60 feet down the rope and are situated two at a time (6 - 8 inches apart) every eight feet or so for a total of ten attachment points.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPBQ5vnPBmU
they used to call it stadol training back in west berlin. don't eat a big meal before hand just in case. but once you got use to it, it was a blast to do.
Deletebut that was a long time ago. like mid 1970's
You are correct, we used to call it a Jacobs Ladder, great way to extract a platoon especially during waterborne operations. I've done both, the best was a water extraction using SPIE along the silver strand. The pilot then flew us over a surfing competition in Imperial Beach on the way to OLF IB.
DeleteKnow a guy who was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, never flew by the book and the big wigs didn’t like it, when he got out they chose him to teach the new recruits.
ReplyDelete