From: Frank Gilliland on Aug 21, 6:25 pm


On 21 Aug 2005 13:19:18 -0700, wrote in


Robeson couldn't even name the very common all-service small-unit
radio of his early time, the AN/PRC-25 or PRC-77.

I wouldn't call it "small" -- those puppies get mighty heavy on a
forced march. A "small" radio would be the PRC-68. But the RT-841 (the
RT used for the PRC-77) was the bread and butter of ground radio comm.

True, but "small" in weight depends on the era of use. The
PRC-8, -9, -10 that the PRC-25 replaced were fully backpack
carry while the -25 and -77 are not. The -25 was first and
had one vacuum tube in the final amplifier (everything else
solid state). The -77 was ALL solid-state plus some other
minor changes. For about a 1965 design start it was
state-of-the-art then.

BTW, the first REAL "walkie-talkie" of WW2 was the SCR-300
(with BC-1000 R/T) of WW2. The full-on assembly weighed in
about38 pounds and the handset was cobbled from a standard
telephone handset having a push-to-talk lever. Far from
the H-33 and its descendents still in the inventory. I've
got a little paper on that SCR-300 at Harold Hallikainen's
website for history. A plateau-jump in design in its time.

http://kauko.hallikainen.org/history/equipment/

Click on Motorola to get the TheFirstWalkieTalkie.pdf.
Appendix C is kind of interesting, a "horse mobile" transceiver
that Motorola produced in 1943 but didn't design...battery-powered
radio-on-a-guidon-pole that fit into a military cavalry
saddle guidon socket. Only problem was that, by 1943, there
was NO MORE horse cavalry in the U.S. Army! :-) Infantry and
others used this HF-only set, an addition of a vehicle mount
was done for Jeeps and trucks.


unspecified authority. Medical discharges are given for a
variety of reasons, not always due to physical disabilities.
[that's in Google archives]

A medical discharge is an administrative, or "general", discharge
"under honorable conditions". They are not changed to "honorable"
unless there were mitigating circumstances that led to the original
discharge being incorrect. But there is no way he would have been
granted retirement benefits without serving the full 20 years. (And
BTW, the rank of Gy.Sgt. is pretty low for retired enlisted.)

GySgt was an E-7 (same as SFC in Army)...USMC enlisted ratings
go to E-9, Sergeant Major. I don't think Stebie would con
anyone on saying he was that other E-9, Sergeant Major of the
Marine Corps! :-)

I was Honorably Discharged in April 1960 as an E-5. Curious
thing with Army insignia for about a decade: They dropped the
"buck sergeant" three chevrons, no rockers, insignia and began
all NCOs with rockers. They also dropped the "recruit" rank in
favor of Private-1 (no stripe), elevated to Private-2 on passing
Basic Training (Army and Air Force don't have "boot camp"), then
began PFC as E-3 with one chevron. Corporal was E-3, two
chevrons. The enlisted insignia changed once again around the
mid 1960s, restoring the "buck sergeant" sans rockers.

Hmmmm...the only time I have a medical discharge now is blood
work twice a year. I DO study for that test and pass it
each time. :-)

Robeson has consistently tried to make fun of others' military
assignments, claiming his (classic) been in "seven hostile
actions."

I can't find that post.

I've seen it, Brian Burke has seen it. I know he wrote it as
clearly as he wrote his classic "Sorry, Hans, MARS IS
amateur radio!" :-)

A classic "rebuke" in newsgroups is "show me where I said that!"
in terms of great outrage. :-) Anyone who falls for that has
to go back to archives (we used to have DejaNews but Google
bought them), search for the post, copy it out, paste it on
the return post...and find that the "outraged" will not respond,
say it is "false", or rationalize it saying "he meant something
'else.'" :-)


First of all servicemenbers don't have any choice
of what they do, they go and do whatever they are assigned,
wherever commanded.

Upon completion of MOS training, some are allowed to request a
particular duty station at first. Sometimes that request is granted.
After that it's a crap shoot.

Some of the military experts in here never served. They
think not being assigned to a combat area was somehow a
negative moral attribute, cowardice implied of course. :-(
They've read all the books, seen all the movies, watched all
the TV shows and KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE! :-)

This fierce warrior, self-promoted "seven hostile
action" implied hero can't even swear like a Marine among
other veterans? Highly unlikely. :-)

In all fairness, I knew quite a few Marines that didn't swear.

OK, we differ. :-)

Phrases and euphemisms identified with the USMC are easy to
get in literature and from TV and movies (tons of that
material).

Very easy. What's missing from his stories are unique experiences.

Them we ain't got yet. Not in six-plus years. :-(

What we get instead is a constant barrage of personal insults
directed at us...but no definite answers of his. He's got a
CON going and loves that too much. shrug

con gam