May 2012 - Argghhh!

Here we are at Memorial Day again. The ninth since these ramparts were erected here in cyberspace. Per the Governor's directive, the flags will fly at half-staff until noon, when they will head back up the pole. It was another mixed year here at the Castle. . We did fewer memorial posts this year than past years at the Castle. But my god, we weren't ready to say goodbye to Lex... They're gathered here, In Memoriam . There is always Mom and Dad . It's in living memory of my mother...

Shocking, I know.Monday will Memorial Day. It is the day of the dead. It is the Auld Soldier's day. His father's day. Uncle Bill's day. Cousin Tom twice removed's day. Great-Granddad Pappy Hay's (a veteran of the Orphan Brigade) day. Even the day of that Meriwether who was one of Roger's Rangers... It is not, however, my day. My day comes in November. The still serving veteran gets two days - November 11 and the third Monday in May, Armed Forces Day (though that's a workin'...

Damn Seza, spoiling my fun. That's it - no more going easy on you guys. It worked by mounting it on the rifle, pushing the rifle forward so that it caught a wire, and continuing to push it forward with it rotated down, and the internal camming closed the blades of the wire cutter, snapping the wire....

The Sergeant Major of the Army is zeroing in on fat soldiers and untidy hair, and the Vice Chief also wants to get back to the "basics of soldiering." (It's a little unfair a swipe at both of them, but it really does indicate the leadership is pushing us back to a peacetime garrison environment. It won't be long before the whitewash hits the rocks...)

(presuming you saw Boq's post above) -- it's the natal anniversary of that doughty Denizen and fellow Joisey Boy, FishMugger!And he *almost* wasn't around to celebrate it this time around. But he *is*, and he's celebrating by terrorizing half the fish off the Florida coast.There is no truth to the rumor that dessert tonight will be codfish cakes and shrimp bisque ice cream.At least, I hope not...Happy Birthday, FM!...

...a bigger hole in a big heart. JTG (Just This Guy), who has been a Denizen of this Castle since the beginning, lost his guardian kitteh this week. When I enquired as to the departed's name, I got a very JTG reply: The complete accolade was: Mr. Uziel Dexron Peaches Felix Dzerzhinsky Kittycat. Dexron, beause he was about that color and often had some on him from being under a car. Peaches, because he was about that color and was a real sweety-pie. Felix Dzerzhinsky, because he never failed to...

But first - go buy BCR's book ! (see post below this one -it's actually free at the moment). Now that you've done that, let's sit back and enjoy a classic movie! H/t, Kevin!

In the post on the Dutch Marines playing with their mortars, Heath answered a question posed by Rivrdog thusly: Gas Rings (obturating ring ) are what you see just making it out of the tube. They expand into the tube upon firing, but when the mortar leaves the tube they fall off. Most mortars rely on being not-quite-as-tight-fitting to the bore as regular artillery, in order to facilitate faster loading at the expense of range and greater dispersion (dispersion not always a bad thing when attacking...