News:

We need volunteers in sales, marketing, PR, IT, and general "running of an organization." 
Maximize your Appleseed energy to make this program grow, and help fill the empty spots
on the firing line!  An hour of time spent at this level can have the impact of ten or a
hundred hours on the firing line.  Want to help? Send a PM to Monkey!

Main Menu

Up Next! Firebase Ripcord! Aug 18th

Started by Fred, July 05, 2007, 07:31:13 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Fred

    Yes sir! It's an RWVA tradition!

     Pick the hotest, humidest day of the year, and turn the clock back to 1971, and travel to Viet-nam with the 101st, to occupy a firebase overlooking the dread A Shau valley.

     All in prep for a projected offensive into that valley, an offensive that was quashed in the 'reduce casualties' withdrawal/standdown.

     But Firebase Ripcord was still there, and the NVA decided they wanted it, and nothing - not rifles, machineguns, mortars, concentrated artillery, tons of napalm and 1000-lb bombs - not cluster bombs, not B-52 strikes - nothing! - was going to stop them.

    And nothing did. When the decision was made to evacuate the base, the NVA were overrunning it as the last choppers pulled out the last men.

     It was a beautiful location  - high on a ridge, you could look in one direction and see the South China Sea, and in the other, the successive ranges of green mountains fading back into Laos.

     But the industrious 'best light infantry in the world' surrounded the base and despite a constant wind across it, targeted it for thousands of mortar rounds, including the new 130mm Chinese heavy mortar, it's first appearance in-theatre.

     Clever people. One .51-cal was located to fire on the base so that its rounds would skim over the top of an interveening hill. From the base, it appeared the fire was coming from top of the nearer hill, which was pounded with arty and air.

     There's a good book out on Ripcord, with the name in the title. Be worth it to check it out of your lib and read up - it's a fascinating story, one calculated to make you glad you were NOT there.

     We'll capture the spirit of it on the RWVA range, with the popups fired up with unusual fanaticism.

     You'll be on the chow-line when the alarm is sounded, and must race to your bunker, grab your weapon, and open up rapid-fire to repel the enemy downrange, cutting thru the wire!

     You'll be dropped in the jungle, part of a suicide recon team, in the hope you'll be able to radio coordinates before being over-run.

     (In the Ripcord book, there's a description of a company, NDP'd on a hilltop down in the valley, awake at 3 AM, watching another company on a nearby hilltop get overrun by sappers, the flashes of the concussion charges lighting up the sky like multiple flash bulbs going off...)

     So, be there, with your gear (bayos recco'ed!) and 200+ rds of ammo (forget about needing it in the future - you'll need it simply to stay alive thru the day! ;D). That's 200, if you can hit the target - otherwise, better bring 300 - and learn to shoot better in the marksmanship brush-up that precedes the event.

    Cranks up at 8:30 AM! Be there! Be ready! Pray for War! (Just kiddin')

    This is the one RWVA shoot of the year that YOU  DO NOT WANT TO MISS!
"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...

Fred


    1. Working rifle with clean barrel, lubed action

    2. 20/30 rd mags, loaded and topped off (at least 10 of each - but you can get by with two, if you reload them pretty fast)

     3. Sweat band, dipped iin cold water, and half-squeezed out

     4. If you wear glasses, rub some bar soap on them, then rub them dry; anti-perspirent on forehead and cheeks; bandaid to cover eyebrow over shooting eye; foam earplug to elevate glasses at bridge for more room for air circulation...

     5. Tracers, just in case there's a thunderstorm

     6. Smoke grenades and flares are OK to bring, we will be shooting thru smoke.

     7. Web gear if you have it; bayos are nice, too.

     8. Like the New Year's Day Shoot, this shoot will primarily be rapid fire, and you will be on the line with many other shooters, all firing rapid fire - ear plugs AND ear muffs are a must.
"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...

Fred


     It's become clear to me that we need more women shooters at this event (and all future RWVA home events!), as the testosterone levels at the July 4 shoot were off the scale.

     First, there was wildman in his military outfit, M1903A3 knocking down every pop-up in sight - yes, some tried to surrender, but wildman was so hopped up he shot them all - regardless!

    It was not a sight you could easily stomach - all those helpless, harmless popups - and each with one more .30 cal hole in it!

    (I thought I heard him mutter "Try to surrender on me, will ya! Take THAT! BOOM!!! So, to all tyrants!!")

    Somewhere along the way during the day, someone had a stuck case, and wildman grabbed Fred's bayonet (without asking!) and proceeded to pry the case out (I believe this is when the testosterone level peaked!) and cleared the man's rifle, so he could get it back on the firing line, running...

     Tell you the truth: When we got home, it wasn't only sweat that we washed off!

     These events are not for everyone.

     But if we had more women there - or if even a few girly-men - they would be a more rational, balanced, calm set of activities.

     Who needs all that excitement - especially the off-the-wall, over-the-line stuff?

     You know, we do have benches down there, if wildman would only be amenable to some reason...and I'm sure we could use them to get some more girly-men to come, and then think how we could progress... ;D

     Maybe some of you guys can reason with him.

     But don't try to do it when he's got that 'A3 in his hands, and he's on the firing line, and there's popups downrange...

     He won't even hear you...

      ;D      ;D      ;D      ;D
"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...

wildman

I am certainly have no problem with females on the firing line. In fact I welcome it.
If you have ever spent the day looking at Fred you will too.

Focus on the firing line is a good thing. Let's get the job done with fewest number of rounds that my motto.

You all can tell Fred got got his fire lit on the 4th. Excitement is one of the things that happens at an action shoot. Freds been running around the country doing the Appleseed thing and neglecting his own shooting. It was good to watch him having fun. We'll get him back up to speed in no time.

It's my hope you will stop by and get your fire lit!
This is my rifle. There are many like it but this one is mine.... "My Rifle" the creed of a US Marine by MG WH Rupertus,USMC

wildman

#4
Join us to commemorate FB Ripcord August 18th. 

In early 1970, the Vietnam War was quickly reaching its end. On March 12, 1970, as the United States began to withdraw from the conflict, the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division began rebuilding an abandoned firebase (formerly FSB Carrol)[1] which relied on a helicopter lifeline to get supplies in and the personnel out. The firebase was to be used for a planned offensive by the 101st to destroy NVA supply bases in the mountains overlooking the A Shau Valley. Located on the eastern edge of the A Shau Valley, and taking place at the same time as the Cambodian Incursion, the operation was considered covert. The participants were bound to secrecy for fifteen years, so little was known about the battle until 1985, when the FSB Ripcord Association was founded. Three Medals of Honor and five Distinguished Service Crosses were earned during the operations.As the 101st Airborne Division planned the attack on the NVA supply bases, the North Vietnamese Army was secretly observing their activities. After weeks of reconnaissance by the NVA, on the morning of July 1, 1970 the North Vietnamese Army launched a surprise mortar attack on the firebase. During the 23 day battle, 250 U.S. servicemen were killed in action including Colonel Andre Lucas, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, and First Lt. Bob Kalsu, the only recently active pro athlete to be killed during the Vietnam War. Fighting from four hilltops, surrounded, and outnumbered nearly ten to one, U.S. forces virtually destroyed eight of nine NVA battalions before an aerial withdrawal under heavy mortar, anti-aircraft, and small arms fire. NVA losses at Ripcord delayed the ability of North Vietnam to overrun South Vietnam for at least one year.

United States

    * 2nd Battalion (Currahees), 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile).

The main US infantry unit involved.
    * 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
    * 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
    * Battery A, 1st Battalion 39th Artillery, self-propelled 8in Howitzers, and 175mm Self-Propelled Guns.
    * Battery A, 2nd Battalion 94th Artillery, XXIVth Corps, self-propelled 8in Howitzers, and 175mm Self-Propelled Guns.
    * 2nd Battalion, 319th Artillery. 105mm Howitzers.
    * 2nd Battalion, 11th Artillery. 155mm Howitzers.
    * 4th Battalion, 77th Artillery. Aerial Rocket Artillery.
    * 2/17th Cavalry.
    * 158th Aviation Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). Assault and Gunship companies.
    * 159th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion. Medium Lift companies (CH-47) and Heavy Lift company (CH-54)
    * 58th Scout Dog Platoon, 101st Airborne Division.
    * G Battery, 65th Artillery Quad 50
    * Elements of the 326th Engineering Battalion
    * 2nd and 3rd platoons of the 220th Reconnaissance Airplane Company "Catkillers" flying O-1G Bird Dogs

North Vietnam

    * 324B Division. The main PAVN division involved.
    * 304B Division. Supporting role.
    * Four artillery battalions.
    * Four 120mm mortar companies.
    * One anti-aircraft battalion.
    * One sapper battalion (reinforced)

NVA Casualties   US Casualties

2400+ KIA    250~ KIA, 1,000+ WIA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is my rifle. There are many like it but this one is mine.... "My Rifle" the creed of a US Marine by MG WH Rupertus,USMC

Fred


     Lucas was killed just moments before stepping on the last chopper out of the base.

     As the last choppers lifted off, NVA were charging the air strip. They threw smoke grenades in an attempt to lure rescue choppers into setting back down...

     At least one GI was left behind, alive, on the base.

    Some little-known, and interesting facts, related to Ripcord.

    There's a book out, entitled "Ripcord" by Nolan (I think).

     May be at your local libray.

     It's a heck of an interesting read.

     And should make you feel good that you weren't there.
"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...

Fred

    OK, guys, we missed the 100-degree temp by ONE stinkin' day, but we can still put the "Rip" into "Ripcord".

     Bring as many mags as you can, loaded in advance, and be ready to stay busy reloading them all day!

     A celebration of rifle marksmanship like you seldom see it celebrated: rapid-fire, all the time; pop-up targets that fall when hit; fire and movement; targets out to 500 yards - does it get any better?

     Yes, it does - but only if YOU come. ;D

     PS: If allergic to smoke grenades, bring a air-filtering breathing mask... ;D ;D
"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...

Muddogg

That sounds like nothing BUT fun! Seriously, why do I miss all the fun stuff? Can't wait to get out of school and back in NC where I belong. ;D

And I can't have any fun by myself this weekend either because they shut the range down...  :'(
-The Muddogg

Fred

"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...