"A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit." - Army's magazine of preventive maintenance.
"Aim towards the Enemy." - Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher
"When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend." - Marine Corps
"Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. The bombs are guaranteed to always hit the ground." - USAF Ammo Troop
"If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal
"It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed." - Air Force Manual
"Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons." - Gen. Macarthur
"Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo." - Infantry Journal
"You, you, and you . . . Panic. The rest of you, come with me." - U.S. Marine Corp Gunnery Sgt.
"Tracers work both ways."- Army Ordnance
"Five second fuses only last three seconds." - Infantry Journal
"Don't ever be the first, don't ever be the last, and don't ever volunteer to do anything." - U. S Navy Swabbie
"Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid." - David Hackworth
"If your attack is going too well, you are walking into an ambush." - Infantry Journal
"No combat-ready unit has ever passed inspection." - Joe Gay
"Any ship can be a minesweeper... once." - Anon
"Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do." - Unknown Marine Recruit
"Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you." - Your Buddies
"If you see a bomb technician running, follow him." - USAF Ammo Troop
At the entrance to the old SR-71 operating base , : 'Though I Fly Through the Valley of Death .. I Shall Fear No Evil. For I am at 80,000 Feet and Climbing.
You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3. - (Paul F. Crickmore -test pilot)
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.
Blue water Navy truism: There are more planes in the ocean than submarines in the sky. - (From an old carrier sailor)
If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage, it's probably a helicopter -- and therefore, unsafe.
When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane you always have enough power left to get you to the scene of the crash.
Without ammunition, the USAF would be just another expensive flying club.
What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies; If ATC screws up, ... the pilot dies.
Never trade luck for skill.
The three most common expressions (or famous last words) in aviation are: "Why is it doing that?", "Where are we?" and "Oh S...!"
Weather forecasts are horoscopes with numbers.
Progress in airline flying; now a flight attendant can get a pilot pregnant.
Airspeed, altitude and brains. Two are always needed to successfully complete the flight.
I remember when sex was safe and flying was dangerous.
Mankind has a perfect record in aviation; we never left one up there!
Flashlights are tubular metal containers kept in a flight bag for the purpose of storing dead batteries.
Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground. They are incapable of understanding or doing anything about it.
When a flight is proceeding incredibly well, something was forgotten.
Just remember, if you crash because of weather, your funeral will be held on a sunny day.
Advice given to RAF pilots during WWII: When a crash seems inevitable, endeavor to strike the softest, cheapest object in the vicinity as slow and gently as possible.
The Piper Cub is the safest airplane in the world; it can just barely kill you. (Attributed to Max Stanley, Northrop test pilot)
A pilot who doesn't have any fear probably isn't flying his plane to its maximum. (Jon McBride, astronaut)
If you're faced with a forced landing, fly the thing as far into the crash as possible. Bob Hoover - renowned aerobatic and test pilot
Never fly in the same cockpit with someone braver than you.
There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime. Sign over squadron ops desk at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1970).
If something hasn't broken on your helicopter, it's about to.
Basic Flying Rules: Try to stay in the middle of the air. Do not go near the edges of it. The edges of the air can be recognized by the appearance of ground, buildings, sea, trees and interstellar space. It is much more difficult to fly there.
You know that your landing gear is up and locked when it takes full power to taxi to the terminal.
As the test pilot climbs out of the experimental aircraft, having torn off the wings and tail in the crash landing, the crash truck arrives, the rescuer sees a bloodied pilot and asks, "What happened?" The pilot's reply, "I don't know, I just got here myself!" [Attributed to Ray Crandell Lockheed Test Pilot]
True story: In my 20's I made my living as a musician and played a lot of enlisted men's clubs. We're setting up at a club on a Navy base in the south and there's a seaman mopping the floor (this is before KBR took over everything).
He looks at me says "Man I wish I was in a band. You get to have fun, meet people, travel to places..."
I'm thinking "WTF? Isn't that the Navy recruiting commercial?"
US Army's Rules 1. Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one. 2. Decide to be aggressive enough quickly enough. 3. Have a plan. 4. Have a back-up plan, because the first plan will probably get fouled up. 5. Be polite and professional. But have a plan to kill everyone you meet. 6. Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun whose caliber does not start with a 4. 7. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive. 8. Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend. (Lateral and diagonal preferred.) 9. Use cover or concealment as much as possible. 10. Flank your adversary when possible. Protect yours. 11. Always cheat; always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose. 12. In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived. 13. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating or reloading. 14. Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they damn well should have to beat you to death with it because it's empty. 15. And above all ... don't drop your guard.
Navy SEALS Rules For Gun Fighting 1. Look very cool in sunglasses. 2. Kill every living thing within view. 3. Return quickly to looking cool in latest beachwear. 4. Check hair in mirror.
USMC Rules For Gun Fighting 1. Walk in 50 miles wearing 75-pound rucksack while starving. 2. Locate individuals requiring killing. 3. Request permission via radio from "Higher" to perform killing. 4. Curse bitterly when mission is aborted. 5. Walk out 50 miles wearing a 75-pound rucksack while starving.
US Army Rangers Rules For Gun Fighting 1. Select a new beret to wear. 2. Sew combat patch on right shoulder. 3. Change the color of beret you decide to wear.
US Air Force Rules For Gun Fighting 1. Have a cocktail. 2. Adjust temperature on air conditioner. 3. See what's on HBO. 4. Determine "what a gunfight is." 5. Request more funding from Congress with a killer Power Point presentation. 6. Wine and dine key Congressmen, invite DOD and defense industry executives. 7. Receive funding, set up new command and assemble assets. 8. Declare the assets "strategic" and never deploy them operationally. 9. Tell the Navy to send the Marines.
Navy Rules For Gun Fighting 1. Go to Sea. 2.. Drink coffee. 3. Watch movies. 4. Send in the Marines.