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Paint me surprised by this Real men Well I thought it was neat!

A 1963 – SCHLITZ BREWING BEER – TEDDY ROOSEVELT AD

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Real men Soldiering The Green Machine War

The Mules of Myitkyina by Peggy Durbin

New Delhi, India

If army mules ever get to swapping barnyard yarns after this war, the mules of Merrill’s Marauders should outbray all the rest. For early this year those long-eared veterans of the Burma jungle slogged their way for four months straight over 700 miles of muddy trail and precipitous mountain tracks on the march to Myitkyina. Without those heavy-laden pack animals from Missouri, Texas and Tennessee, Merrill’s fighting foot soldiers might never have captured that strategic Japanese airfield for General Stilwell’s forces.

The Marauder mules were activated at Fort Bliss, Texas. After two months at sea they arrived in Calcutta, slightly underweight but none the worse for having weathered a heavy seven-day storm and two unsuccesful torpedo attacks.

The mules had scarcely got their land legs back when they were sent on the trek to Myitkyina. On that long jungle march each carried, in addition to 96 pounds of saddle, 200 pounds of essential equipment – light and heavy mortars, 75-mm pack artillery, heavy and light machine guns, ammunition, radio equipment, food, medical supplies.

Among the Marauders only about 150 were trained mule skinners. Thus, on the eve of the march to Myitkyina, each of several hundred former clerks, salesmen, factory workers and garage hands suddenly found himself in charge of one of Nature’s strangest four-footed creatures – the sterile, stubborn but almost lovable mule.

Many of the Marauders possessed as little animal lore as the British officer who, on receiving a consihment of sleek, fat-bellied mules, wrote that the mules looked all right, except that half the damn things were in foal. Once, at the end of a long day, General Merrill said to a disheveled, weary mule skinner who was laboriously rubbing down his mule, “You seem to take good care of your mule. Had much experience in the States?”

“Well, sir,” said the soldier, “I saw a mule once, in Brooklyn, hitched to an ice wagon.”

To train a man to be a mule skinner is no easy task. It is so difficult, in fact, that General Merrill said after Myitkyina had been reached, “Next time give me mule skinners and I’ll make doughboys out of them instead of trying to turn doughboys into mule skinners.”

Many of Merrill’s men, however, became passable mule skinners. They learned how to pack a mule so that his load was evenly balanced.

IN THE BURMA JUNGLE, A MULE BECOMES
U.S. FOOT SOLDIER’S BEST FRIEND

And, camping at night, they always groomed, watered and fed their mules before finally bedding down near their charges.

The mules soon developed a fine instinct for jungle and mountain trails. But occasionally one would slip or fall exhausted from a precipitous path. Then the mule skinners would climb laboriously, often dangerously, down the mountainside and hack out steps by which the mule could climb up to regain the path.

Basic cavalry training had made them “bell-crazy,” for they had learned to drill by following a mare with a bell. It was, of course, necessary in the jungles for mules to disperse under attack and to act under the direction of each individual mule skinner. At first they insisted on following each other. If they were dispersed they balked and brayed. Later they showed excellent battle discipline, separating quickly and quietly.

At Walawbum, however, where a Marauder unit found itself greatly outnumbered by Japanese, the mules took it into their heads to bray lustily. Says General Merrill, “The Japanese were evidently fooled by the mules. They thought we had them greatly outnumbered and they didn’t dare attack, thanks to those mules.”

At Nphum Ga, where the Marauders were surrounded by a superior force for over two weeks, many mules were lost from starvation, thirst and artillery fire (a mule can’t get in a foxhole). The Japanese controlled the only water hole. Men were wounded trying to take animals to water. Eventually they had to send the mules to the water hole by themselves, unharnessed, since the Japanese could catch the harnessed mules. One mule was sent to the water hole at night to draw Japanese fire, so that Japanese positions could be located for a forthcoming attack. Later, when the action was succesful, the mule was found dead, with a huge steak cut away from one haunch. At Nphum Ga some of Merrill’s Marauders were killed while caring for and burying their mules.

Each mule skinner has his own mule whom he names Jake or Puss or Shorty but whom he usually calls “you ——” or “— — – —–.” These are terms of endearment for one’s own mule, but dangerous cursing when applied to another’s, Listening to this almost endless stream of profanity directed muleward, a novice is apt to inquire sympathetically, “What’s the matter with your mule?” The invariable answer is, “There’s not a damn thing the matter with it, it’s the best damn mule in the jungle.”

A mule always has a reason

Any good Marauder mule skinner defends mules vigorously against any of the usual charges made against them. A mule is not stubborn, he is practical. A mule doesn’t want to be disagreeable unless he has to. He just sensibly follows the line of least resistance. If he balks or kicks, he has a reason. Caught in a tight spot, a mule never kicks himself to death or flounders as a horse often does. He sensibly waits for help. A mule doesn’t fret and give way to nerves as men and horses do, he makes the beat of things. He is well-behaved under fire and bombing.

He never gets shell shock. He has much more endurance than a horse and, unlike the horse, he has too much sense to overeat and overdrink. A mule is in fact, say Merrill’s Marauders, a pretty savvy creature all round. As Colonel R.W. Mohri, the Burma mules’ vet, puts it, “A mule’s every bit as intelligent as a human being. Probably more so. So to get along with him you need to have, if possible, as much sense as the mule.”

A mule is as brave as he is intelligent, and the only thing that frightens him in the jungle is the elephant. The elephants fortunately are likewise terrified of mules. In encounters, both run away at top speed, filling the sir with their trumpeting and braying.

Marauder mules have proved themselves first-class “jungle wallahs.” After months of long, exhausting marches through mud, across rivers, up and down mountains, in thickest jungle growth, harassed by leeches and flies, shrapnel and bullets, most of them were put to work when they finally arrived at Myitkyina carrying supplies from the planes coming in to the airfield. Many are there now and eventually, instead of marching back out, they will be turned over to Chinese troops. Some days these mules from Missouri, Texas and Tennessee will undoubtedly find themselves marching to China over the Burma Road.

One out of all the numerous mule yarns has become a favorite with the Marauders, who are all volunteers. A mule skinner, exhausted by continual arguments with his mule, which consistently refused to climb mountains, cross rivers or otherwise overexert himself, finally lost his temper when the mule lay down and refused to budge. “Get up, you — — – —–,” snarled the driver. “You’re a volunteer for this mission, too.”

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Real men War

A Tsalagi/Cherokee Warrior. I would hate to have somebody as badass as him roaming around in my my neighborhood

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Leadership of the highest kind Real men Soldiering The Green Machine

ARCHIVE: A WARRIOR SPEAKS

Thanks to Skip –

From his text – “Senior officers and NCOs, I am telling you right now if things if don’t change you will have the blood of your soldiers on your hands.”

“There is an enemy out there who is determined, and he is not concerned about individual feelings, or time out. If you don’t train them hard now, and demand from them now what in the hell do you think the enemy is going to do to them. If they can’t take the heat in training how are they going to take it on the battlefield? Technology my ass, soldiers win wars.”

Before you read this…Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Purdy is quite possible one of the most legendary warriors in recent Army history. This guy redefines hard-ass, and I am sure that some of you have heard of him. He survived 3 tours in Vietnam in LRP / Ranger Units (on the wrong side of a few near ambushes and Purple Hearts), served as a Son Tay Raider, was at Desert One, ……

He retired after serving as the CSM of the 75th (after, most notably, serving as the CSM of the 187th (Rakkasans!) He is a fixture at Fort Benning, and as a recently retired CSM, was hazing students in my Ranger class when he decided to stop by the camp in Jan 1996 to make sure that standards hadn’t slipped.

TO: Whom it May Concern
FROM: CSM Don Purdy, Retired, USA
SUBJECT: WARRIORS

I would like to give an (Army) NCO perspective on this issue. I am a retired CSM with 27 years of service. Most of it in Ranger companies, and the Ranger Regiment. I am a Vietnam Veteran, and a veteran of special operations. I retired in 1995 but have done mostly contract work out of Fort Benning involving experimentation on MOUT Operations. I got to work around a lot of soldiers, and had to keep up with current trends and tactics. I am currently working in Saudi Arabia training Saudi paratroopers and Rangers.

1. Some senior NCOs are nothing more than boot lickers who sing the Army of One song to their superior officers every day. Commanders need to hear the good, bad and the ugly, and then be given good solid recommendations. They need their senior NCOs to be TRAINERS. LEAD BY EXAMPLE. DO as the troops do. LEAD FROM THE FRONT. GET IN THE DIRT.

This bullshit of “I have done that” is garbage. What you are doing now is what counts. Quit worrying about your next assignment. Focus on your mission now. Your mission is to train soldiers for war, and it’s damned hard work. If you do it right, you will leave the Army in worse shape physically than when you came in. BE HARD BUT BE FAIR. You must have MORAL COURAGE.

2. Training is a word they can’t spell. Chief trainer means chief boot licker. TICKET PUNCHERS.

3. “Moral courage” means telling your commander what he wants to hear these days. I was condemned by my peers and superiors for speaking up and telling it like it was. I was called a relic from the past that should be put in a glass case. I was focused on training for war, not peace. Discipline was my watchword, and the soldiers did not decide what punishment was right or wrong where I served as CSM. I was the Chief Trainer. The buck stopped with me. I participated in all training and lead by example. I was told by a Division CSM that I would never serve above BN level because I was too intrusive. That means I scared commanders with the truth. The next thing he asked was why do you train with your soldiers? The question was shocking, but the answer was simple. When I speak everyone listens. That went over his head like a tent. I carried a rifle, not a pistol, and I damned well knew how to use that weapon and my soldiers knew how to use their weapons as well.

4. Combatives are important. Boxing, wrestling and bayonet fighting are not antiquated. CQB is just what that means. Close Quarters Battle. MOUT, trench systems and bunkers must be cleared, and you had better be aggressive and prepared to do bayonet or hand to hand fighting. When others were laughing at my unit for doing this, my soldiers were prepared and understood what fix bayonets meant. They were aggressive and well disciplined. Sub standard performers were put out immediately. My First Sergeants were not mail men or chow deliverers, they were the Chief Trainers of their companies.

5. We trained for war, not peace. Live fires were a priority, and were not canned. Leaders, and soldiers had to react. Maneuver elements maneuvered, and had to rely on the SBF not to shoot them but only the enemy. Bayonets were fixed and there were dummy targets for the soldiers to engage with those bayonets. Resupply mission were planned and executed. The battlefield had to be policed of casualties, and equipment by any means available, even if it meant driving vehicle cross country or physically carrying the wounded. Reload drills, dead gunner drills, and crew drills were executed over and over and over again. These were executed night and day. NODS went on your face when the sun went down. They weren’t hanging around your neck. We executed live fires at night with NODS in the woods, and the live fires were not canned. Raids, ambushes, search and attack were all executed at night up to company size. This took us over one year to get to that level. Mortars could hit their targets. Units could move silently day or night and didn’t get lost. We did not rely on GPS. WE USED MAP AND COMPASSES. We lived out of our rucksacks, slept on the ground in all types of weather from the BN CDR on down. We did not look like bums. We shaved everyday, wore our equipment properly, camouflaged our face, and hands when necessary, soldiers knew how to maintain themselves and their equipment in the field and uniformity was important. Soldiers knew what a cat hole was, and that trash was carried in the rucks not thrown on the ground or buried for the hogs to dig up. Uniforms were worn properly. The companies received one hot meal a day and understood how to conduct tactical feeding. Our cooks knew how to function in the environment. The combat trains did not live in tents. Their perimeter was secure, weapons were clean, and noise and light discipline was maintained. Cooks, clerks and all other support personnel knew how to use their weapons and were trained in the basic infantry skills. Misfires were damned well rare, and punishment was swift when it did happen. We suffered no live fire deaths because we trained properly, and used good old-fashioned common sense. We never had the soldiers execute missions they were not properly trained for. The NCOs trained the soldiers, the officers commanded. Our motto was what ever you do, do it right. Rate of sick call in the field was almost zero. Moral was high because of good hard leadership from the front, and realistic tough training. We even executed a day of live fire training during support cycles. You need a strong CSM who understands discipline and training. He can talk it and walk it.

6. There is no such thing as a good field soldier. You are either a soldier or not a soldier. Everything from appearance to police call is important. This bull shit about my space and my rights is just that BULL SHIT. Barracks are not his or her home it’s a place for them to live. For saying this I was told I had a mess kit mentality. This individuality BS of “I need my own room” is garbage. We waste more money building these condos so soldiers can feel good, and not be part of a team is sickening. They should live in fire team bays. It builds cohesion. Key control alone is a nightmare. Of course don’t bother the poor soldier just let him live like a pig, and when he gets sick or you find out he or she is a drug dealer then blame it on the NCO Corps even though you the illustrious BN CDR, BDE CDR said leave the soldiers alone in their precious rooms. Soldiers are owed a place to sleep, their pay and the best leadership and training that can be provided.

7. DISCIPLINE is the key. DRILL AND CEREMONY is the foundation of discipline. When I say fall in I want to hear your heels coming together. When I speak you jump. All ceremonies should be executed with weapons so each unit can execute the 15-count manual of arms. Carrying a card around in your pocket does not develop good morals. Morals are developed through solid leadership not gimmicks and headgear.

8. You want to be politically correct stay on the block. You want to be different or an individual looking to be a victim stay on the block. If you’re a pervert and proud of it stay on the block. You want to be a soldier then become part of a disciplined team. This is not a job it’s a profession. You’re here to fight our countries war not be a gut eating self-serving individual. Senior officers and NCOs I am telling you right now if things don’t change you will have the blood of your soldiers on your hands. There is an enemy out there who is determined, and he is not concerned about individual feelings, or time out. If you don’t train them hard now, and demand from them now what in the hell do you think the enemy is going to do to them. If they can’t take the heat in training how are they going to take it on the battlefield? Technology my ass, soldiers win wars. Be hard on them now or watch them die, or worse break and run. BE HARD BUT BE FAIR! Being fair does not mean they dictate punishment or babying them. A Russian General said “Hard on the training field, easy on the battlefield.” General Patton said “Leading from the rear is like trying to push spaghetti uphill.” You want you soldiers to respect you not love you. When they look at you they should see a competent leader.

The best compliment I ever received was from a soldier who was PCSing. I was a PLT Sergeant in the First Ranger BN. He said “Sergeant Purdy I hated to hear you come in, in the morning, and sometimes I just hated you, but I would follow you to hell with gasoline drawers on.”

Signed,

CSM Don Purdy, Retired, USA

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All About Guns Real men The Green Machine War

Is the Chicom Type 56 SKS Rifle Worth the Investment?

The SKS has a powerful history across the world, but especially in Vietnam. Take a look at its history on the infamous “Hamburger Hill” and its potential today.

Is the Chicom Type 56 SKS Rifle Worth the Investment?

In 1969, an American soldier named Mike captured this Chicom SKS rifle in Vietnam. (Firearms News photo)

On May 10, 1969, ten Allied Infantry battalions launched Operation Apache Snow into the A Shau Valley in Vietnam’s Thura Thien-Hue Province west of the city of Hue. Friendly combat elements included portions of the ARVN 1st Division, the 9th Marine Regiment, and the 187th, 501st, and 506th Infantry Regiments of the 101st Airborne Division.

The storied 101st Airborne Division has deep historical roots reaching all the way back to the Second World War. The 506th Infantry Regiment, as an example, was the unit depicted in the powerful miniseries Band of Brothers. In Vietnam, the VC and NVA referred to 101st sky troopers as the “Chicken Men” based upon their distinctive Screaming Eagle shoulder patch. Enemy commanders were said to have avoided combat with the “Chicken Men” whenever possible due to their legendary fierceness in battle.

Chinese Type 56 SKS Rifle

This Type 56 SKS rifle is a tangible connection to the war in Vietnam. The SKS was a proven combat rifle found in Cold War hotspots around the globe. (Firearms News photo)

The mission of Operation Apache Snow was cold and calculating. The A Shau Valley was a conduit for troops and supplies infiltrating into South Vietnam from Laos. American forces had little use for terrain. With hundreds of helicopters at their disposal American commanders could seize most any piece of dirt they wished. Apache Snow was about corpses. The overarching plan was to block escape routes into Laos as well as to find, fix, and destroy enemy combat units in the valley.

This operation involved some of the fiercest ground combat of the war. American artillery, helicopter gunships, and close air support worked synergistically with the ground elements to crush NVA units when and where they could be found. Over a ten-day period the 3d Battalion of the 187th Infantry Regiment made eleven assaults up Hill 937, destroying NVA fortifications and grappling with enemy units at close range.

The men involved in this grueling pitiless fight came to refer to this often hand-to-hand conflict as the Battle for Hamburger Hill. After roughly four weeks of bitter combat American forces withdrew and abandoned their hard-fought territorial gains. American forces lost 113 killed while the ARVN 1st Division lost another 31. On the other side of the balance sheet American forces recovered the bodies of 977 NVA regulars and took five prisoners.

Mike was a typical American teenager. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at age eighteen in search of adventure, camaraderie, and relief from the drudgery of rural Michigan.

In late 1968, as an Infantryman in Vietnam, he found all those things and more. Mike was a rifleman with the Screaming Eagles during Operation Apache Snow. He fought in the A Shau Valley and became intimately familiar with the rich black dirt of Hamburger Hill. Some of those 113 young, strong, brave Americans lost on that forgotten hillside were his dearest friends.

At one point while assaulting through a trench line Mike and his buddies came under intense small arms fire. The NVA were masterful jungle fighters, and rooting them out of fixed defensive works was a formidable task. The 101st Sky Soldiers had been fighting these particular NVA for days. Mike’s rifle platoon pinned the NVA defenders in place with murderous suppressive fire from their M60 machineguns supported by M61A1 rifles and M79 grenade launchers.

Chinese Type 56 SKS Rifle

A grenade fragment penetrated the magazine of this SKS (top left). The rifle remains nonetheless operational. The pivoting safety lever is easily manipulated by the trigger finger (top right). Later Chinese-made SKS rifles featured a pivoting cruciform bayonet (bottom). (Firearms News photo)

Their attention held by the platoon’s steady base of fire, Mike slipped around the periphery of the fight and crouched behind a heavy tree trunk. He retrieved an M61 frag grenade from alongside his magazine pouch, thumbed off the safety clip, pulled the pin, and tossed it over the edge of the trench. Mike ducked back behind the heavy tree and, for a pregnant moment, just waited. Four seconds is an eternity when you’re waiting on a grenade to go off. The little bomb detonated with a dirty crump and gray-black smoke billowed up from the NVA trench. Mike leapt up and vaulted over the edge, his M16 tracking for movement.

 

There were three figures lying jumbled on the floor of the trench, their black pajamas torn and wet with gore. Two were inert, but the third moved. Mike reflexively pivoted his M16 and triggered an eighteen-round burst on rock and roll. Suddenly everything was still. (Troops in Vietnam frequently loaded their 20-round box magazines with eighteen rounds to improve reliability.) Mike’s breath came in ragged gasps, his ears rang, and his hands shook. He swapped out his empty magazine for a fresh box containing another eighteen rounds and studied the area around the trench for any signs of enemy activity. Satisfied that the area was secure, his squad consolidated the position, took stock of the weapons, equipment, and intelligence material, and held in place while the rest of the company assaulted forward.

The three NVA soldiers looked pitifully small. Most dead men seem small, but these were also young. The man Mike had killed with his last long burst had been carrying a Chicom SKS rifle. Mike lifted the weapon up from the chaos and filth of the trench and held it aloft. The weapon was mechanically intact, and the barrel was still uncomfortably hot to the touch. A fragment from his grenade had penetrated the side of the box magazine, and a portion of the stock was shattered. Despite this damage the weapon remained functional, a sour testament to the resilience of their foes and the firearms they wielded.

The upper handguard was literally burnt to a crisp, and the bottom of the trench was dirty with shell casings. There was no telling how many rounds this NVA soldier had fired through his weapon in the preceding few days. Mike laid claim to the gun and tagged it with the cooks for safe keeping. When his year-long tour was finally up he filled out the obligatory paperwork, begged his Company Commander for a signature, and brought the beat-up Chinese rifle home in his duffle bag, a poignant memento of the most horrible and exciting time of his young life.

The Rest of the Story

Chinese Type 56 SKS Rifle

The upper handguard on this particular SKS rifle has been badly burned. There is no telling how many rounds it fired in combat. The buttstock on the SKS is a wee bit short for many large-framed Americans (bottom left). This is the original sling captured with the weapon. (Firearms News photo)

Like so many combat veterans of that generation, Mike had a rocky return to the World. In 1969, America was sick of war in Southeast Asia, and misguided activists stupidly vented their frustrations on the young men who served there. After three years on active duty Mike married and transferred to the Michigan National Guard as the NBC NCO of an Infantry unit. Military service is nothing if not a brotherhood, and Mike made new friends in his Guard unit. Over time they grew close. Eventually in the late eighties Mike’s marriage went sour, and he fell on hard financial times.

Desperate for cash during the divorce, in 1987 Mike offered the beat-up Chinese rifle to a buddy in the Guard for $200. The friend accepted with the caveat that Mike could buy it back any time he wanted for its purchase price. Two years later Mike developed cancer from his exposure to Agent Orange during the war. In 1991, Vietnam ultimately killed Mike at age 41, a continent and a lifetime away from his tour in-country.

The Phone Call

Last year, my friend and editor here at Firearms News, Vince DeNiro, let me work up an article about a Japanese Type 99 rifle damaged during the island campaigns of the Pacific War in WWII. A gentleman read that article and tracked me down at the medical clinic where I work. This man, himself a Vietnam combat veteran, was the Michigan National Guardsman who bought the SKS rifle from Mike.

As is so often the case among gun guys, what began as a transaction ended as a friendship. He related the story behind the gun and explained that there wasn’t anyone in his life with a sufficiently deep interest in the weapon to venerate it with the respect it deserved. As such, we struck a deal, and I assumed stewardship of this most remarkable treasure.

The Gun

Chinese Type 56 SKS Rifle

The SKS loads from the top via ten-round stripper clips. (Firearms News photo)

The SKS was designed in 1943 by Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov and formally entered service in 1949. A rugged and maneuverable carbine, the SKS was actually obsolete at the time of its introduction. The AK47 that entered service around the same time offered everything the SKS did and more. The Soviets still ultimately produced some 2.7 million SKS Carbines. Variations were manufactured in China, Yugoslavia, Romania, Albania, North Vietnam, North Korea, and East Germany. More than fifteen million total copies were produced.

The SKS is a self-loading, semiautomatic rifle with a tilting bolt and a short-stroke gas piston action. The weapon features an integral 10-round box magazine, and the bolt locks to the rear automatically on the last round fired. To load the piece the operator opens the bolt, sets a 10-round stripper clip into the stripper clip guide on the top of the weapon, and presses the rounds into the magazine. With a little practice reloading the weapon is quick and intuitive.

The safety is a pivoting lever on the right side just behind the trigger. Forward is safe. Back is fire. It’s easy to manipulate the safety with your trigger finger. The charging handle is an integral part of the bolt carrier and reciprocates with the action. The magazine is fixed to the chassis of the weapon but can be readily pivoted forward for service via a sliding latch just ahead of the trigger guard.

The SKS is as much a cartridge as a rifle. Early in WWII it became obvious that the full-sized rifle rounds of the day were grossly overpowered for most Infantry combat engagements. Most soldiers in the field packed bolt-action rifles capable of delivering accurate fire out to two kilometers. However, typical infantry engagements were found to be executed at three hundred meters or less. This observation sparked a sea change in military weapons design. The Germans responded with the 7.92×33 kurz round and the StG44 rifle to fire it. Every modern Infantry weapon draws inspiration from this remarkable gun. Meanwhile, the Soviets developed the M43 7.62x39mm intermediate round.

A committee of experienced gun designers came together to craft this new round in 1943. From a possible 314 cartridge designs they winnowed the field down to the 7.62x39mm. This radical new intermediate round was originally intended to feed a semiautomatic carbine, a selective-fire assault rifle, and a belt-fed light machinegun. In the SKS, AK47, and RPD the Soviets filled those requirements.

Specifics

Chinese Type 56 SKS Rifle

The SKS was produced and employed by communist bloc countries around the world (left). (Wikipedia photo) This is a picture of my new buddy during his time in Vietnam (bottom right). (Firearms News photo)

Built in the Jianshe Arsenal in 1966, this particular SKS has had a fascinating life. The Chinese began production in 1956 and referred to the gun as the Type 56 as a result. This can be confusing as the Chicom AK47 is also referred to as the Type 56 as well. The Chicom Type 56 SKS went through a variety of tweaks between 1956 and the present. Sometimes you will find two examples from the same factory that differ significantly in their details. Milled versus stamped receivers, variations in safety levers, and sundry different stocks differentiate the various strata. Most military weapons feature stocks cut from a dark wood, while the civilian counterparts are built around stocks made from a blonde material called Qiu wood.

The buttstock on this rifle appears to be a locally made replacement for the factory original. The fit is good but not perfect, and the buttstock trap for the cleaning kit was never bored out. The wood is heavily varnished but relatively soft. Chicom Type 56 rifles with serial numbers less than 9 million typically sported the Soviet-style folding blade bayonet.

Most guns above that serial number cutoff were fitted with the spike-style cruciform bayonet. I’d sooner not get poked with either. The buttstock on the SKS is a bit short for many corn-fed Americans, but the gun remains nonetheless comfortable and pleasant on the range. Recoil is mild, and the trigger is good enough. The sights are optimistically graduated out to 1,000 meters.

While SKS rifles have appreciated markedly in value in the past couple of decades, they were once absolutely dirt cheap. I recall a time back in the eighties when you could walk out of an American gun show with a case of Chinese 7.62x39mm ammo and the dealer would throw in a brand-new Chicom SKS for free like a Happy Meal. In its heyday the SKS was the poor man’s Kalashnikov.

Chinese Type 56 SKS Rifle

The cleaning kit compartment was never bored out on this jungle-produced replacement buttstock (top left). The fit on this handmade stock is just a wee bit sloppy (top right). Soviet SKS rifles and early Chinese copies sported a pivoting blade bayonet like this one. Back in the eighties you could pick up a beautiful Chicom Type 56 SKS for around seventy-five bucks. (Firearms News photo)

There are scads of accessories all designed to enhance and upgrade the SKS. However, I like the original milspec ambience myself. At the time of this writing, J&G Sales had a supply of early Jianshe Chicom Type 56 SKS rifles in serviceable condition at a sweet price.

These guns are high mileage combat weapons with scads of character still awash in cosmoline. It is one thing to read about history from a safe, comfortable distance. Cold facts and dispassionate numbers conspire to excise the passion and emotion from some of history’s most significant episodes. However, hefting the guns that were actually there brings home the power of these events in a much more moving way.

A young man died clutching this battered old rifle. His lifeblood spilled out on the side of Hamburger Hill as he gave his last full measure of devotion for a cause he felt was just. Similarly, the young man who took his life was fighting for a cause of his own. At a certain level both men fought for their comrades alongside them. That one lived and the other died was a function of the cruel vagaries of Fate.

This rifle was fired in anger so profusely as to char the handguard. Through the fog of history there is literally no telling the mayhem it wreaked. Now it sits quietly with me, a mute testament to a most remarkable time. Want a surplus Chicom SKS rifle of your own? J&G Sales has them in stock at a reasonable price. They’re also C&R eligible. These veteran rifles show the cool stigmata of hard use and are slathered in cosmoline.

Chinese Type 56 SKS Rifle

This Soviet SKS rifle was built in 1953. (Firearms News photo)

About the Author

Will is a mechanical engineer who flew UH1H, OH58A/C, CH47D and AH1S aircraft as an Army Aviator. He is airborne and scuba qualified and summited Mount McKinley, Alaska, six times…at the controls of an Army helicopter. After eight years in the Regular Army, Major Dabbs attended medical school. He works in his urgent care clinic, shares a business building precision rifles and sound suppressors, and has written for the gun press since 1989.

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Our Great Kids Real men Soldiering The Green Machine The Horror! War

Next time somebody goes rah rah for another stupid war, remember Guckenberger

Pfc George A Guckenberger, D Company, 2nd Battalion, 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division in his foxhole near Bastogne. Circa January 1945, He was killed in action on January 14th 1945, aged 22

Pfc George A Guckenberger, D Company, 2nd Battalion, 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division in his foxhole near Bastogne. Circa January 1945, He was killed in action on January 14th 1945, aged 22

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Leadership of the highest kind One Hell of a Good Fight Our Great Kids Real men This great Nation & Its People War Well I thought it was neat! You have to be kidding, right!?!

This U.S. Sub Launched an Attack on a Japanese Train

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Allies Real men Soldiering

Englands might during Victoria

Armed Forces
In many ways it is surprising that the British armed forces were so small considering how much of the world they would have to cover in order to acquire, police and defend its Empire. Discipline, professionalism and the bravery of her personnel usually (but not always) allowed Britain to punch above its military weight. When it came to fighting indigenous peoples, technology would invariably prove to be the decisive element. It was a different matter when it came to fighting their fellow Europeans – although leadership and bravado seemed to offer surprisingly consistent advantages. But in the case of major, prolonged wars against European rivals, systematic advantages such as industrial and financial muscle would generally allow Britain to stay the course and deal with multiple adversaries. Over time, the Empire itself would become a source of strength as more personnel and resources would come on stream from the colonies as they developed and matured economically. By the time of the First World War, the Empire would supply a major proportion of the fighting capability of the British forces.
Royal Navy
Being an island nation, the Royal Navy was (and still is) the Senior Service for a very real reason. Control of the seas would be crucial in defending Britain and in allowing Britain to secure such a vast Empire. Domination of the seas was not definitively achieved until the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, although Britain had been challenging for supremacy since the Seven Years War. During the Nineteenth Century, the Royal Navy was supreme and could deliver soldiers or marines pretty much anywhere on the planet and also deny rivals the ability to do so themselves. The floating gun vessels could be equally intimidating to indigenous leaders who might have contemplated resisting British encroachment or denying access to commercial opportunities. The Royal Navy would ensure the flow of trade vessels and goods to supply Britain’s factories or deliver her products overseas. The Laissez Faire economic model that would enrich Britain could not have existed without the power of the Royal Navy. They controlled the communications and supply lines that made the Empire viable in any meaningful way.
Army
By European standards, the British Army was a tiny army. But what it lacked in numbers it made up for in professionalism and confidence. There was an odd combination of a public school educated officer corps bred to lead and a pool of hardy labourers forced off their land and/or workers attempting to avoid the harsh conditions of the new industrial cities. It is interesting that the Scots and Irish supplied such a high proportion of the British armed forces. This was probably due to the lack of economic opportunities in their respective home countries. Whatever the reason, they served the British army extremely ably.It should be remembered that the army was never given the title ‘Royal’ unlike the other two services. This was due to its perceived unreliability by the monarch – with very good reason to assume so. It dates back to the time of the English Civil War and the defeat of King Charles by the ‘New Model Army’ of Oliver Cromwell. Subsequent British monarchs never forgot this and so have never bestowed the ‘Royal’ sobriquet. This is despite the fact that it was the army that allowed the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. The element of trust (or lack of it) was also why so many members of the Royal Family were made in to the Colonels in Chief of so many regiments. It was a way of ensuring loyalty.

It should be noted that the army has always been a constitutionally interesting organisation. Ever since the Seventeenth Century troubles, Britain has never really appreciated having a large standing army on its soil. Most of the barracks were either overseas in the colonies or closer to home in Ireland – but not so often in England itself. Another hangover of the Seventeenth Century problems is still evident in the constitutional division of responsibilites of the army even to today. All soldiers must pledge allegiance to the monarch, who is the Commander in Chief and yet the purse strings for pay and equipment are firmly in the hands of parliament. It was hoped that this constitutional arrangement would keep the army out of political squabbles and prevent future coups – which it has done remarkably successfully for over 300 years.

Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force grew out of the Royal Flying Corps of World War One. It was formed in 1918 and so is very much the ‘baby’ of the military establishment. However, the projection of power provided by its weapons allowed it to grow rapidly from the 1920s onwards. Initially hopes were high that air power would be a ‘cheap’ military option that would tie the empire together and police its wide, open spaces. Operations in Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq would, however, show its limitations. It was one thing flying the flag by buzzing the locals on the ground – but once the plane had disappeared, power and influence often went with it. Soldiers or police on the ground would prove far more durable in sustaining a presence over a period of time. Air power would complement but not replace land and sea forces.
Imperial War Graves and Cemeteries
Over the years, countless thousands have died fighting for or on behalf of Britain and its empire. The way that the soldiers were treated have changed dramatically over the years – for the living, for the wounded but also for the dead. I have added a section which details this changing relationship between the British Empire and those who have died on active service.
Sections to Visit
British Empire: Naval Forces or Royal Navy
Royal Navy
British Empire: Land Forces or Army
Army
British Empire: Air Forces or RAF
Royal Air Force
Imperial War Graves and Cemeteries
Audio
The Army Saul David discusses the role of the Army in the extension of British power up until 1815The Navy Sam Willis discusses the role of the Navy in the extension of British power up until 1815.
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Jeremy Clarkson Gets Stuck In a Window During SAS Training | The Grand Tour | Prime Video

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Lt. Col. Evan B. Quiros By Bart Skelton

The author with Col. Quiros on a Shipp-ranch hunt in the mid-1970s. From left: Col. Quiros, the author, Walter Gleason (then-president of Colt), Bill Blankenship, and Skeeter Skelton.

My suspicions are that it doesn’t happen to many people in their lifetimes, and if so, perhaps only once. In my case good fortune has permitted me to know more than one hero during my life, and I’m particularly fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend quality time with them.

The first time I met Colonel Evan B. Quiros, I was engulfed by several different feelings — admiration and vast respect for him, appreciation for his warm South Texas humor, and maybe a little fear. None of those feelings ever dissipated in me, even after 40 years. It was during the latter part of the 1960s that my dad met Col. Quiros. My dad was a special agent narcotics investigator for the U.S. Customs Service in Laredo, Texas. He’d met the Colonel someplace in Laredo — a gunshop as I recall — and they immediately took a liking to each other.

Col. Quiros and his family ranched in Webb County, Texas, and his outfit was rich with game. The Colonel was also a firearms aficionado to the maximum degree. He loved all sorts of guns, handloading, and hunting, which was one of the many reasons he and my old man got along so well. On top of the firearms and hunting thing, they both also had an astute ability to spot charismatic characteristics in a person, and they both took advantage of it.

I’m not sure how long Dad and Col. Quiros were friends before I was allowed on the Shipp, Quiros’s beautiful Webb County ranch, but when it finally happened I was surely taken by it. We spent a lot of time on the Shipp, shooting, hunting, and generally knocking around. Col. Quiros hosted numerous get-togethers at the Shipp, which included several fascinating characters Dad had known and introduced to the Colonel.

Among them were Colonel Charles Askins, master gunsmith Jimmy Clark, U.S. Customs Agent Jack Compton, and champion pistol shot Bill Blankenship, along with many other gun writers and gun industry bigwigs. Fortunately, I was invited to many of these pachangas. The stories told during them would fill volumes. Nights in front of the Shipp’s mighty fireplace were more educational than any university. The tales flowed freely. After my dad passed on in 1988, the pachangas continued with the old gang.

As I grew older, my informal education continued at the Shipp, and over the years I learned more about the captivating Col. Quiros. I had always had many questions about the Colonel’s life, but was too shy to ask him directly. As time passed it became evident to me that much of Col. Quiros’s personality had been created through the intriguing events of his life.

Born in New York, New York, on the 5th of May, 1918 (the Colonel and all of Mexico celebrated his birthday every year), Evan Belisario Quiros was destined to live a long, fulfilling life. At the age of 14, his mother and father moved the family to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. It was during the Great Depression, and Evan was given many responsibilities during this time, including moving the family’s belongings to Mexico.

Once in Mexico, Evan’s father, Jose Belisario Antonio Quiros, from Spain, wanted Evan to perfect his skills in the Spanish language. Evan was sent to live with a priest who traveled to multiple villages around Monterrey. Part of Evan’s responsibilities while with the priest was to harvest game using an old 1917 Enfield rifle his dad had set him up with. He took to the task with great reverence. Not only did he perfect his Spanish, he also developed an insatiable and lifelong interest in guns and hunting.

The Quiros family later left Monterrey, moving to the Texas bordertown of Laredo, in Webb County. Evan joined the United States Army in August of 1941, completed officer candidate’s school, and quickly earned his officer’s rank. He was deployed to Africa, where he participated in the campaign raging there.

He was later reassigned to Puerto Rico, where he was second in command of training for the infantry force scheduled to make an invasion of Japan. He was enroute to Japan when the war ended. Quiros retired from the Army in 1947 as a Lt. Colonel, after receiving a number of decorations. He was just 27 years old.

After entering the Army in 1941, Evan had met and married the beautiful Mary Elizabeth Walker, whose family ranched in Webb County. After leaving the Army, the Quiroses moved back to Laredo, and Evan was asked to work for his father-in-law, J.O. Walker. This was a move that none of the family would ever regret. The Colonel was to oversee the accounting and oil and gas leasing for the ranches. Along with his two brothers-in-law, he was able to establish the esteemed ranching operation known as Vaquillas Cattle Company.

It is widely known among ranchers who are also involved in the oil and gas business that large oil companies can have a tendency to take advantage of their ranching “partners.” Not the case with Col. Quiros, however. It turned out that the Colonel possessed an uncanny skill when it came to negotiating with big oil. It was a skill that he practiced and perfected, resulting in mammoth gains for the family business and a great deal of heartache for big oil companies. When the Colonel was at the negotiating table, oil companies quivered.

During his hard work with the family ranching business, the Colonel also found time for his passions, guns and hunting. He assembled a fabulous collection of firearms of all kinds, along with a vast supply of reloading dies and equipment. He made many hunting expeditions to various places in the world, including many African safaris, during which he harvested a fine collection of species.

I was very fortunate to have hunted with Col. Quiros on the Shipp over the years. I shot my first buck there, along with javelina, quail, and varmints of all sorts. I’ll always remember the Colonel and his constant companion, an 8-inch S&W Model 29 .44 Magnum in a fine belt and holster outfit–he could shoot it, too.

Our last hunt on the Shipp was a few years ago. It was a fine time, and it brought back many old memories of my younger days running around the Shipp.

The Colonel passed away on December 13, 2009. He was buried with full military honors in his beloved Laredo. It was a cool, misty morning, and after the service the clouds burned off and the day turned into one of those glorious South Texas winter days.

I wish I’d had the chance to hear the Colonel’s booming voice and great humor just once more. Webb County lost a legend, and many people lost a hero.

Adios, Colonel.