Things I thought I'd never see ...

Well, it happened, and you're among the first to see a picture.
Today, at my local airport, the Japanese, American, German and Spanish naval air forces combined their efforts at maritime patrols in the Gulf of Aden. Yours truly was asked to take the pictures.
The first picture has all four countries' aircraft in it, along with their crews. The lineup was inspired by the Pumpkin Run photos Teresa composed last year. Funny, huh? I actually used a Pumpkin run photo to demonstrate how I wanted the planes lined up.
Odd how things work out. The Germans and the Japanese, working with the Americans and the Spanish ... Hmmmm. The Germans and the Spanish working together ... The Germans and the Americans, working with the Japanese. ...
I'm not sure, but I think my dear, departed Grandfather would have had a heart attack no matter how these pictures were cut up.

No Shit! Nice picture! Hot enough for ya?

Cory - you got SKILLZ, my f-stop-setting/aperture-adjusting/picture-composing/pirate-ass-kicking/too-cool-for-school BRUTHA!!

Stay safe and hurry home!!

Peace - Out!

Man, it is great to have an "Imbedded SOC Member" giving us the real scoop! Very cool pics, hope they have some A-10 "STUKAS" to Pulverize the Pirates!

Hey Will, IMBED THIS!

something else Cory never thought he'd see

... or eat. Yummy.
Somehow, it's different when you take your pick of lobsters in a tank at a nice restaurant. You know they take them in back and boil the little bastards, but you don't have to get in the pot with them.
'Round here, they'll pretty much eat anything on four legs, then burn the carcasses.
Man, but I'm gonna be happy to get back to the land of the Big PX.
I assume you got the other pictures, Vince?

Cory, you wrote "I'm not sure, but I think my dear, departed Grandfather would have had a heart attack no matter how these pictures were cut up."
I believe your grandfather would smile to know that all the sacrifices made were not in vain. There is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

Cory, yes I got others....very cool stuff, especially you kissing that big African Broad on the mouth.....
Oh did I spill the beans....Sorry....

Scott, I'd bet you're right. He was a reasonable man. There was one day though ... My uncle had decided that Grandfather's matching pair of Plymouth Valiants were done, and needed to be replaced with something more modern. He bought him a Honda.
Grandfather was a very proper man, and a retired engineer. He stayed calm most of the time, unless it was life-and-death; I had heard stories about him using a .45 automatic to shoot down a Stuka diving on the Remagen Bridge in the closing days of World War II. Calm as the day was long.
About two years after the purchase of the Honda, Grandfather finally opened the hood -- and then let out a blood-curdling yell for my uncle to get down to the carport immediately.
My uncle showed up on the bounce; "What's going on, Dad?"
Grandfather, shaking, is pointing at the engine.
"What in the HELL is THIS?"
"What, Dad? Why are you so upset?"
"This WRITING! It's in Go**amned JAPANESE!"

Vince -- Around here, "broad" is better described as "board." Very thin ...

Cory-My father (and my god-father + all the men in our neighborhood) all had stories-some incredible in-your-face, hand-to-hand-combat stories that widened my youthful eyes. That war should have been the last one, but many would follow. Love the story about the 45-Cal. These guys all appeared to stand about 6'4", if you know what I mean.

Hey, for those of you who have service time and drink anything that comes in a bottle or a can ... find one and hoist it.
I just now -- at 10:30 p.m. local -- found out that I've been promoted to Senior Chief.
Pictures to follow. Whenever they get around to it, I guess -- but WOW!

Senior Chief Drake - CONGRATS, my chevron-wearing/heat-stroked/Teresa-loving BRUTHA!!

Is that higher than Gerd's rank...he's a Master baiter....

WOOHOOO!!!!! Congrats! I'll go hoist one in your honor.

Cory wrote: "I just now -- at 10:30 p.m. local -- found out that I've been promoted to Senior Chief. "

Does that mean that you get a bigger headdress?? Or just bigger feathers in your existing headdress??

Sorry, couldn't resist.

I really DO know what this means (and I know you knew that, too) so I'll just say; "Congratulations, Big Chief!!"

Hoisting a Mojito for ya!

Gordon (and Kathy, too!)

We all salute you, congrats! ~Alan

In my case, it's a gin and tonic, but the sentiment is the same. Many kudos, Senior Chief.

Senior Chief Drake, Esq, MGM,

Congrats for convincing the You Ass Navy of what we all knew from the start. Well done!

Seen any pirates yet??

Good man, Cory. The cream always rises to the top. Too early to take a shot, but I'll get to it later. Congratulations. We're all proud of you and your well deserved recognition by USN.
Hoss

Kelly, we'll talk about that over beer sometime.
Hoss et al, thanks. They went and made it official for myself and two other guys -- both Seabees -- today at 3 p.m. Kinda felt odd, putting it on. I've been a chief since 2001. ... Feels a little like I'm wearing somebody else's shirt.
Gordon -- bigger headdress.

Hoo-YAH.

Headdress? That's funny! (tho I hope you get that Platinum Budweiser card as well; makes the "boards" look better too...)

Here's a pic of Cory in his new uniform

...gives the expression "a tall cool one" a whole new meaning.
ADD-I think this image was in Webster's under "sack lunch"...

Congratulations Cory, I celebrated "passover" so many times in 20 years I thought I was Jewish!

Good for you, Dude!

Topic: Things I thought I'd never see ...

Nuff said!

~WB

So Cory, what are you doing hanging around Orion P3 aircraft. The Japanese ones are usually Atsugi based, and U.S. planes were out of Moffett field. They are wonderful planes.

Do you fly in them? Best seat is on the radar box behind the PPC, next best is the seat just behind the head or the bunks in back.

Michael, I don't generally fly in Navy aircraft.
I don't generally float around in ships, either. Oddly, most of my deployments seem to involve dirt. Way early in my career, I had tours on Midway and Nimitz, but I've been a decoy in the Kuwaiti desert, done the Balkans a couple times, seen lots of ground in South America, been to Somalia ... once 17 years ago (and the present problem may yet yield fruit), and Iraq.
Funny how life works. I guess I'm just an expeditionary kind of guy.
(FWIW, I'm starting to really miss both my missus AND my fire engine.)

Cory, congrats on the promotion, and thanks for the grand pa stories. Tell us a little more about him.

Congratulations, Cory!! Good to hear they're promoting the right people.

It's official, yes indeedy.
Thanks for the nice words, guys!

Congrats on the promotion Cory.

Cory,congratulations & thanks for your dedication. did the time you spent in somalia include Oct '93.

Master Chief Drake;

It looks like your voluntary assignment on that last sortie paid off...

I'm pleased for you Cory.. Be careful and do Us proud..

This is all well and good, but when are you actually going to shoot somebody....

Nice ... Strapped to a launcher on an A10. Sweet.

Stephen, it was the spring of '93 -- off of Wasp -- on loan from Nimitz. I was voluntold.
Vince, I'm starting to think my job here involves less shooting and more listening. Makes for much less-exciting stories, but my troopers are getting in on all kinds of "fun."
Welcome to middle management, right? I guess it's the same anywhere.