12 Oct 2020 Garand Picture of the Day - Little Rock Nine

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When integration began in September 4, 1957, the Arkansas National Guard was called in to "preserve the peace". Originally at orders of the governor, they were meant to prevent the black students from entering due to claims that there was "imminent danger of tumult, riot and breach of peace" at the integration. However, President Eisenhower issued Executive order 10730, which federalized the Arkansas National Guard and ordered them to support the integration on September 23 of that year, after which they protected the African American students

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Nothin' like a buttstroke between the shoulder blades to keep your focus...

Jim-- Never so true! Been there done that!

Me too ;-D

But it was not funny...it was in Italy.
As I said earlier, that is nothing soldiers should be called to do.

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Originally Posted by Ovidio

it was not funny.

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I remember all of us discussing...Bear, you, me, couple others. Aid to the civil power, civil insurrection. We may be looking at it again sooner rather than later.

Yep...seems plausible at this point. Unfortunately. Maybe not over here (yet), but things may change quickly enough due to the current situation.

I have been retired from the military since 2005. It seems that at least with the US Army Guard has lost it focus of civil disturbance training. Probably as a result of the increased focus of the integration of the National Guard into Regular Army Command and Control structure. Looking at a number of videos of the recent incidents involving the call up of the National Guard, it seems that there are no troop deployment plans, riot control formations or training. It like they stand around a building looking like a bunch of troopers trying to figure out what to do next. The one thing I notice is the lack of bayonets. The lack of bayonets reduces the options available to the guardsmen. What do you do shoot? A prick of the bayonet or "soft buttstroke" of a rifle butt helps people rethink their ideas of not obeying orders to move along.

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Originally Posted by fjruple

The one thing I notice is the lack of bayonets.

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Bayonets was always the visual of the perceived threat. People doubt you'll shoot, but no one wants poked with that "Thing"...

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Bayonets was always the visual of the perceived threat. People doubt you'll shoot, but no one wants poked with that "Thing"...

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Yeah, I remember a discussion of the British army in the Revolutionary period. The idea of a battalion of British Regulars in full regalia marching down upon the Colonial Minutemen. The Brits would have their drummers banging the cadence and would stomp their feet on the right step. When carried at port arms, the Brown Bess placed the tip of the gleaming bayonet at approximately seven feet! Imagine that bearing down on you.

Bob

As we advanced in a wedge formation with bayonets, we would stomp our left foot as we advanced. Left foot was always forward and right foot never crossed in front, much like the "Airborne stomp" exiting the aircraft. Sounded impressive and was terrifying on the other end. We also used old flame throwers with dyed water. Not as powerful as water cannons but would momentarily stun them off balance and our shields and batons would do the rest. And those that escaped were dyed for later arrest.

BEAR

I was thinking about all that too Bear...

"stomp our left foot as we advanced"

We called it "The Berlin Shuffle" because evidently that's where it was first used. It's impressive with bayonets on M1 rifles! It would take grande gonads not to back up in front of it.

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Originally Posted by BEAR

As we advanced in a wedge formation with bayonets, we would stomp our left foot as we advanced. Left foot was always forward and right foot never crossed in front, much like the "Airborne stomp" exiting the aircraft. Sounded impressive and was terrifying on the other end. We also used old flame throwers with dyed water. Not as powerful as water cannons but would momentarily stun them off balance and our shields and batons would do the rest. And those that escaped were dyed for later arrest.

BEAR

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Bear-- That brings back a lot of old memories on how it was done, especially the wedge formations and the use of "red" dye for identification of the agitators in the crowd. They could never get the red dye off their clothes and skin.

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Originally Posted by fjruple

Bear-- That brings back a lot of old memories on how it was done, especially the wedge formations and the use of "red" dye for identification of the agitators in the crowd. They could never get the red dye off their clothes and skin.

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I wonder if that was rhodamine dye? We used it for stream pollution diffusion studies back in the '60s. Once you got it on you it was over.


Bob

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Originally Posted by Bob Womack

I wonder if that was rhodamine dye? We used it for stream pollution diffusion studies back in the '60s. Once you got it on you it was over.


Bob

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Bob-- I can't remember what the stuff was but the trooper that got stuck using it usually had to get rid of his uniform and the stuff would only wear off the skin over time. Additionally being stuck in the local jail being an "agititor" was not a good thing with you wearing a "Scarlett Letter" to let the jail population know that you were a political trouble maker and if an inmate got p*ssed off he would go down and "kick a commie for mommie". I am pretty sure among their own the marking of the red dye was a badge of honor.

Kick a commie for mommie...:bow:

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Originally Posted by fjruple

Bob-- I can't remember what the stuff was but the trooper that got stuck using it usually had to get rid of his uniform and the stuff would only wear off the skin over time. Additionally being stuck in the local jail being an "agititor" was not a good thing with you wearing a "Scarlett Letter" to let the jail population know that you were a political trouble maker and if an inmate got p*ssed off he would go down and "kick a commie for mommie". I am pretty sure among their own the marking of the red dye was a badge of honor.

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I bet it was rhodamine. :madsmile: The crew I was with took great joy in playfully wiping it on each other.



Bob