B Company range pictures

[crazydave68]

As I said in the Night Stalker Dark Beasts in LA thread I'm posting the best of some photos I have from my time in the 160th SOAG(A) back in the mid and late 80's.
This set is B Company AH-6 on gunnery practice at Ft. Cambell's famous Range 29.

AH-6 "little Bird" gunship.

Note the ammo cans and rockets set up by the crewmember on the left.

AH-6 refueled by a Duece and Half manned by HHC "Airborne" platoon which were the refueling specialist for the helos in the group.

AH-6 straffing with it's 7.62mm Minigun

Impact of 2.75 rocket on the ground of Range 29.

A night shot of rocket being fired from a AH-6

A photo of your poster, in younger days, recovering a spent 2.75 inch rocket from Range 29, used for trading with the 101st for weapon parts.

 

[Boon]

Did you guys police your own brass? If so, I would never want to fire the miniguns

 

[Gypsy]

Did you guys police your own brass? If so, I would never want to fire the miniguns

LOL that would be quite a job right there.

 

[TheSiatonist]

Awesome thread.

Ravage would love to have a long chat with you about those birds.

.....used for trading with the 101st for weapon parts.

Spent rockets for weapon parts. Is this true or is it a joke? I have no clue. :)

 

[crazydave68]

No they would hang them up for decorations. I had a POW .45 but the unit had the M9 pistol, the 101st still had the 1911A1 so I would trade for parts and more importantly magazines.
And no we did not police up our brass.

 

[crazydave68]

Here is me with said .45, when I was a young paratrooper with the 160th.

Note the old 1st SOCOM patch, which is what we worn in the 80's, along with a maroon beret.

 

[Ravage]

I understand that the Beret was fielded imidietly as the unit was formed?

 

[crazydave68]

That I do not know, when I joined in late '86, the beret was issued to a members of the unit airborne qualified or not. At first our beret flash was that of 1st SOCOM

After that we had our own 160th beret flash, which there is an example on my C company picture thread.

 

[Ricochet17]

If pilots are not airborne qualified when they volunteer for the 160th, are they sent for the qualification? or is it only for support MOS's?

 

[crazydave68]

If pilots are not airborne qualified when they volunteer for the 160th, are they sent for the qualification? or is it only for support MOS's?

As I recall when I was in, mid to late 80's, the unit had slots to Airborne school available to anyone (pilots, support personnel, ect.) who wanted to go. I came to the unit straight from Airborne school to the 160th. For flight crews (pilots and crew chiefs) the only manditory school was SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) which was at the JFK special warfare center at Camp Mackall. Also the crews went through dunker training at a Navy base at Pensacola Florida, I don't recall the dunker at Ft Rucker was around back then. Of course career courses, A NCO and B NCO that were manditory for advancement.
Being part of SOCOM the 160th had alot of slots to schools, the trouble was the crews did not have alot of time to go to schools there were missions, TDY, and training missions to keep everyone busy. So the slots of the school were used up by support people who had the time to go to. I remember most of the motor pool guys were all Airborne, Air Assault, hell even a few Pathfinders qualified.
As for today they have Green Platoon for training.

 

[Ricochet17]

As I recall when I was in, mid to late 80's, the unit had slots to Airborne school available to anyone (pilots, support personnel, ect.) who wanted to go. I came to the unit straight from Airborne school to the 160th. .

Ah okay. I wanted to go Ranger first before going to flight school and eventually the 160. I figured to get my airborne qual. and combat experience on the ground before moving up. I read that several schools are open to the unit, but I wasn't sure if it was to pilots.

 

[crazydave68]

Ah okay. I wanted to go Ranger first before going to flight school and eventually the 160. I figured to get my airborne qual. and combat experience on the ground before moving up. I read that several schools are open to the unit, but I wasn't sure if it was to pilots.

That is one way to go, I remember a pilot Mr. Spikerman who was enlisted Ranger tabbed 82nd Airborne infantry before going to flight school. My info is 20 plus years old, so you might want to talk to someone with more current info.

 

[Ricochet17]

That is one way to go, I remember a pilot Mr. Spikerman who was enlisted Ranger tabbed 82nd Airborne infantry before going to flight school. .

I've read all I could on the 160th and I read several pilots have taken that route. During my four years I want to get my 2 year degree while on active duty because I know its recommended for WOFT applicants...and the reason I'm not applying out of H.S.

 

[Grimfury160]

I remember when my father was extremely proud of me at GP graduation 2004, He about went into tears when I put the maroon beret on.

 

[nightsta1ker]

View attachment 6590

I remember when my father was extremely proud of me at GP graduation 2004, He about went into tears when I put the maroon beret on.

It's a rewarding moment. Fo sho.

 

[Grimfury160]

Range photo high tail end shot MH60 at Range 29, FTCKY. Picture is public domain accessible.

 

[Grimfury160]

The GAU will always put the RSO in Awe.............