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

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:

Quote:

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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