4 ms·

There was a story, I think back in the '60s or '70s, about some cantankerous old 1-star general who used to personally conduct unscheduled inspections. One day

There was a story, I think back in the '60s or '70s, about some cantankerous old 1-star general who used to personally conduct unscheduled inspections. One day he requisitioned a deuce-and-a-half (one of those Army trucks with two axles in the back and a green canvas covering for the bed, like you've seen in the movies) and just crashes it right through the front gate at some base. The private who was manning the guard post at the gate came running along behind, probably worried that somebody had been hurt in the crash. The general hops out of the cab and unloads on the poor kid with both barrels of choice insults about the private's parentage, IQ, social standing and hygiene, finishing it off with "and why the hell didn't you shoot me?!" According to legend, that was what the private was punished for -- dereliction of duty, failing to shoot the threat to base security. (Obviously, this story is most likely complete BS.)

rationalist 7mo ago
The version I heard was a general trying to access a nuclear area, with the private having shoot-on-sight orders.
- i_think_so 7mo ago
  I wonder if perhaps that's the kernel of truth that started the legend. I can certainly imagine that kind of attitude during the Cold War, particularly since in many sectors attitudes were quite different from today.
  - Animats 7mo ago
    Ah. The rumor is probably from this scene in Strategic Air Command, with Jimmie Stewart.[1] Stewart had been a USAF officer, and the movie was filmed with the full cooperation of the USAF. That's a classic SAC no-notice inspection. (The movie is worth seeing just to see how much stuff the USAF had when the DoD got 40% of the US government budget. The whole takeoff sequence for the B-36 bomber is shown. The last of the huge propeller planes, just at the transition from props to jets. Six propellers, four jets, and 10,000 mile range. It looks like a scaled-up B-29, tail guns and all. Although this was a transition aircraft just before the jet age, there were 336 built. None still fly. Also in the movie is the B-47 bomber. This was another intermediate step. It looks like a jet fighter scaled up to heavy bomber size. Six jets plus rocket-assisted takeoff. Worked, but not a great aircraft. Over 2000 were built. None still fly. Then the USAF finally tried an an adventurous new design, the B-52, which was the first really good large jet airplane. About seventy still flying, three quarters of a century after first flight.) [1] https://archive.org/embed/strategic.-air.-command.-1955.?start=1002.3 https://archive.org/embed/strategic.-air.-command.-1955.?sta...
Animats 7mo ago
Probably. Most US military installations, since 9/11, have a remotely raiseable crash barrier some distance past the checkpoint. Standard procedure is to hit the button to raise that if anybody doesn't stop at the the checkpoint. This solves the "do I shoot, or not" problem. Then guards can go after the vehicle. This is a normal part of military life now. "“When you see a car hit the barriers it’s an intense moment because you think you might get in trouble,” the anonymous airman said. “But the overall feeling would still be ‘crap that’s even more paperwork.’”"[1] [1] https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-security-forces-barrier/ https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-security-forces-ba...

rationalist 7mo ago

The version I heard was a general trying to access a nuclear area, with the private having shoot-on-sight orders.

i_think_so 7mo ago
I wonder if perhaps that's the kernel of truth that started the legend. I can certainly imagine that kind of attitude during the Cold War, particularly since in many sectors attitudes were quite different from today.
- Animats 7mo ago
  Ah. The rumor is probably from this scene in Strategic Air Command, with Jimmie Stewart.[1] Stewart had been a USAF officer, and the movie was filmed with the full cooperation of the USAF. That's a classic SAC no-notice inspection. (The movie is worth seeing just to see how much stuff the USAF had when the DoD got 40% of the US government budget. The whole takeoff sequence for the B-36 bomber is shown. The last of the huge propeller planes, just at the transition from props to jets. Six propellers, four jets, and 10,000 mile range. It looks like a scaled-up B-29, tail guns and all. Although this was a transition aircraft just before the jet age, there were 336 built. None still fly. Also in the movie is the B-47 bomber. This was another intermediate step. It looks like a jet fighter scaled up to heavy bomber size. Six jets plus rocket-assisted takeoff. Worked, but not a great aircraft. Over 2000 were built. None still fly. Then the USAF finally tried an an adventurous new design, the B-52, which was the first really good large jet airplane. About seventy still flying, three quarters of a century after first flight.) [1] https://archive.org/embed/strategic.-air.-command.-1955.?start=1002.3 https://archive.org/embed/strategic.-air.-command.-1955.?sta...

Animats 7mo ago

Probably. Most US military installations, since 9/11, have a remotely raiseable crash barrier some distance past the checkpoint. Standard procedure is to hit the button to raise that if anybody doesn't stop at the the checkpoint. This solves the "do I shoot, or not" problem. Then guards can go after the vehicle. This is a normal part of military life now. "“When you see a car hit the barriers it’s an intense moment because you think you might get in trouble,” the anonymous airman said. “But the overall feeling would still be ‘crap that’s even more paperwork.’”"[1] [1] https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-security-forces-barrier/ https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-security-forces-ba...