First time posting and new to the site. I'm restoring a Cessna L19, and looking for the mounting system and white phosphorus rockets. It doesn't need to be absolutely correct, similar will do. Thoughts? Suggestions?   Zach from MN

Rakkasans—now that’s legendary! Huge respect. Must’ve been incredible (and intense) seeing that kind of firepower in action from the ground. The coordination between the Air Force and units like yours during live-fire must have been something to witness.

Ah yes—the “Tweet”! That high-pitched whine could really cut through everything. It might not have been the loudest in raw decibels, but it sure felt like it. I’ve heard people say it could give you a headache from across the ramp.

I have two CDVs of identified Union officers. I'm going to post them in two separate posts as I have done write ups on both. Born on April 24,1837, John Griswold was born into a wealthy family in Old Lyme Connecticut. John was an exceptional person, having graduated Yale University in 1857, at age 20. He spent the following year surveying Kansas, and then sailed to Hawaii in 1860. Upon learning of the outbreak of the American Civil War, Griswold returned home and was brought on as a lieutenant in I Company, of the 11th Connecticut Infantry. In the spring/early summer of 1862, Griswold was promoted to captain of Company A. In the book "The Military and Civil History of Connecticut During the War of 1861-65" by W.A Croffut and John M. Morris, Nathan Mayer, former surgeon of the 11th Connecticut Infantry, had the following to say of Griswold: "He was a great-hearted gentleman, well born, liberally educated, and his character was trained, and his heart disciplined". During the march to the eventual battle of Antietam, Mayer reminisced further: "We admired the mountain gorges through which we passed. We saw greenwoods fair and orchards gay, rich fields, and well to do farmhouses. We quoted Horace, and discussed questions of moral philosophy, and skipped over literature, from St. Augustine's De Civitate Dei to Hugo's Les Miserables; and all this time, day or night, rain or sunshine, fatigued or fresh, hungry or satiated, he(Griswold) would preserve the same cheerfulness of demeanor, and never forget the least of those courtesies which make life in refined circles run in such an even course. It was as if he was never out of the drawing room. Nor was this intended for equals alone. He was particular in extending the same courtesies to the soldiers under his command".Based on this it is easy to assume that Captain Griswold was a truly respected and loved commander.  On September 17, 1862, when the 11th Connecticut attacked the now infamous Burnside Bridge, Captain Griswold, rallying his company to him, attempted to ford the creek on the south side of the bridge, in an effort to gain a foothold on the opposite bank. He was shot through the chest mid-stream, and fell upon the far bank. Surgeon Mayer, along with four privates, risking their own death for their beloved comrade, jumped into Antietam creek, and under fire, recovered Griswold, bringing him to a nearby shed while the battle raged around them. Mayer did what he could for Griswold, providing morphine when Griswold said to him “let me die quickly, and without pain, if you can.” His last words, now forever etched on his monument in the Griswold family Cemetery in Old Lyme CT, were “Tell my mother that I died at the head of my company.” He was 25 years old.

That’s incredible—respect for your service, Chief. Being on the flight deck day in and day out with that kind of raw power around you must’ve been both exhilarating and exhausting. The kind of experience you just can’t get anywhere else.

Wow—every day and night at Kandahar? That must’ve been intense. I can only imagine how those takeoffs and landings felt up close, especially with all that activity going on constantly. Did you ever get used to the noise, or did it always feel like your bones were shaking?

I’ve heard stories about how brutal the EA-6B can be up close, and your description just confirms it! "Rattle the teeth right out of your mouth"—that says it all. I can only imagine the sheer force of that sound on the flight deck. Grabbing a padeye and cracking your mouth open sounds like survival 101 out there!

That sounds like an unforgettable experience—being right there for an arrested landing and takeoff like that must’ve been incredible. I can only imagine the sound and force when the Super Hornet went nose up in AB right in front of you! And the way you describe the F-35… “a living, breathing monster” is exactly how it feels. It’s wild how something that high up can still shake your entire body.

Pretty amazing. Thanks for sharing this.

Wow, that sounds like an incredible lineup—must’ve been a real treat for aviation fans! A C-5M doing a short-field takeoff with JATO? That’s not something you get to see every day. And pairing the F-35 with an F-5 is a cool contrast—old vs. new. Those WWII birds must’ve been a beautiful sight too.