someone shot at a military helo

[Grandmother Sumac]

Years ago I was a writer at a newspaper near an Air Corps training base that taught eager youths to fly a new type of Noisy Cargo Plane. One day I received an envelope containing a whopping great stack of looseleaf onto which a lengthy manifesto had been written in awkward hand using one of those great old industrial chisel-tip permanent markers that smelled of ammonia and lye. The whole newsroom stank of the madness for hours.

The manifesto contained a lengthy introduction of its author, who lived I presume somewhere in the base’s pattern, and how their many infirmities were continually aggravated by the large aircraft passing overhead (Uncle Sam made sure there was at least one of his great birds overhead at all times and in any circumstance in those days); Then there was a pleasant middle bit about Loretta Lynn, for some reason; Then the manifesto ended with the author’s threat to unleash both deer rifle and turkey gun on each of his duralumin enemies.

I shared it with my fellow writers and even a few of the brighter printer’s devils for a merry giggle before giving it over to a representative of the base’s crack Goon Squad. Never did hear what happened after that (such trite bits of nonsense didn’t Used to make it into Sensible publications).

Like I always say, “... nothing new under the sun.”

 

[JohnAJohnson]

No disagreement there. But I think the "it's because of anti-american sentiment" is a load of BS.

When I lived in Loudon County, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo were busy shooting up the place, and it was because of anti-american sentiments. Tom's statement is not far fetched and not worthy of ridicule.

 

[Boone]

The cops have a good record of figuring out exactly where a laser is coming from, as it tends to go perfectly straight. They arrested a guy in Florida a few months ago for doing this.

I thought the Va Beach guy got caught as well. I never really understood the idea of shooting lasers at pilots. I don’t know what they expect the payoff to be.

 

[Boone]

Yeah this. When I was an Oceana/VA Beach guy, there was always some clown with a house under the pattern at Fentress with a high powered laser trying to blind us. Granted this isn't shooting a firearm, but there are yahoos everywhere. I'd guess the anti-gov conspiracy folks especially don't like helicopters (they all kinda look "black" in the right lighting). My cousin was an H-46 crew chief in Tustin in the late 80s/early 90s and had lots of stories about getting shot at near 29 palms. More than he was shot at in Somalia.

I had a house under the Fentress pattern, but I didn’t own a laser. There was a lot of hunting done in the swamps down there but they were all good ole boys in my experience. The neighborhood responsible for the dogleg pattern had most of the disgruntled residents. The long time locals were used to the noise.

 

[Tarheelpilot]

I thought the Va Beach guy got caught as well. I never really understood the idea of shooting lasers at pilots. I don’t know what they expect the payoff to be.

I think it’s mostly from ignorance. People are just messing around and don’t realize they could blind the occupants.

 

[donjohnston]

When I lived in Loudon County, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo were busy shooting up the place, and it was because of anti-american sentiments. Tom's statement is not far fetched and not worthy of ridicule.

I didn't ridicule anything. Just saying that jumping to the conclusion that shooting at the military helicopter was because of anti-american sentiment is BS.

 

[Boone]

When I lived in Loudon County, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo were busy shooting up the place, and it was because of anti-american sentiments. Tom's statement is not far fetched and not worthy of ridicule.

Any brief investigation of Sovereign Citizens will easily reveal that there is plenty of anti-authority sentiment, which easily translates to anti-American sentiment.

 

[35 AoA]

I had a house under the Fentress pattern, but I didn’t own a laser. There was a lot of hunting done in the swamps down there but they were all good ole boys in my experience. The neighborhood responsible for the dogleg pattern had most of the disgruntled residents. The long time locals were used to the noise.

Good point....never got lased flying the normal RWY 5 pattern. Always on 23/dogleg like you mention. Both perps I had a hand in locating/calling in were generally on the upwind/crosswind side of that area. I guess things never change right?