Tucking in the 5th Field Artillery

Hello, everyone!
Im a previously occasional pipe-smoker who has recently made the quantum leap to confirmed pipe-smoker as a means of introducing more of a contemplative bend to my day-to-day life, and also as a means of shedding a nasty cigarette habit I picked up in the past few years(something almost impossible not to do in the army). Im quite pleased with myself, as I have just about made the lil devil-sticks a thing of my past. I do believe I may have also won a couple of additional converts to the cause!
A pure-blood yankee hailing from Rochester, NY(the most beautiful city in the world, and trust me, Ive seen most of them); Im a member of the 2nd battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, stationed at Fort Sill, OK; the oldest unit of any kind in the history of the U.S. Military, originating in NYC in 1772 and founded by Alexander Hamilton.

Very happy to join the community, !!!!!!

Welcome aboard !
Your Units history is quite impressive ! proud you should be !

The transition from cigarettes to pipes can take some willpower, but it's well worth it: a nasty habit becomes a time to enjoy some time to yourself and contemplate the world. Good choice, and there's a good community here to help out.

Welcome to the forums! I hope you enjoy yourself here

"T"

Welcome to BOB!! Good to have another man serving our country on board here.


Not to start a war here (bad pun?),nor do I mean disrespect, but alexander hamilton didnt start his military service until 1775, in fact, he lived in the carribean until late 1772.

Welcome!

Welcome to the forum! It's great to have you here

Welcome aboard, William. Cigarettes and the Army? I've heard that before. My former brother-in-law (I'm divorced) was in Afghanistan about three years ago. He called me the day after they'd been hit by a mortar attack at dawn. Something that morning had made him late for his usual morning cigarette, and the first round had landed within 20 meters of the spot where he always smoked.
"Don't tell my wife I told you that," he warned me.
"Right." I said, "We wouldn't want her to worry even more than she does now."
"No, it's not that." he replied, "I don't want her to know I'm smoking again. I told her I quit last Christmas!"

George Kaplan wrote:

Welcome aboard, William. Cigarettes and the Army? I've heard that before. My former brother-in-law (I'm divorced) was in Afghanistan about three years ago. He called me the day after they'd been hit by a mortar attack at dawn. Something that morning had made him late for his usual morning cigarette, and the first round had landed within 20 meters of the spot where he always smoked.
"Don't tell my wife I told you that," he warned me.
"Right." I said, "We wouldn't want her to worry even more than she does now."
"No, it's not that." he replied, "I don't want her to know I'm smoking again. I told her I quit last Christmas!"

Ha! Thats hilarious! I have a few mortar stories from Iraq, and its really odd and almost funny, as they seem to have a knack for landing at the weirdest times and places. I once saw one destroy a cluster of porta-potties on an airfield in Basra. They were all vacant at the time, so it has become one of my fondest memories of that tour

jefe1037 wrote:

Welcome to BOB!! Good to have another man serving our country on board here.


Not to start a war here (bad pun?),nor do I mean disrespect, but alexander hamilton didnt start his military service until 1775, in fact, he lived in the carribean until late 1772.

Im sure youre not mistaken. Its either the fact that Im horrible with dates, or that its just what the bosses say, they absolutely love to fluff themselves up;) I know it began in NYC as a coastal artillery battery, and theyve always attributed it to him. The Hamilton family crest is our regimental crest, and they call us "Hamiltons Own". 75 sounds good enough to me

WilliamtheWorldEater wrote:

Im sure youre not mistaken. Its either the fact that Im horrible with dates, or that its just what the bosses say, they absolutely love to fluff themselves up;) I know it began in NYC as a coastal artillery battery, and theyve always attributed it to him. The Hamilton family crest is our regimental crest, and they call us "Hamiltons Own". 75 sounds good enough to me

He turned down commissions with Henry Knox and Nathanial Greene, but someone made him an offer he couldnt refuse: He was George Washington's number 2. He captured a british gun at the battery in 1775 which led to the Hearts of Oak becoming an artillary Unit and founded the New York Provinical Company of Artillary in 76... i'm sure one of these is the early foundations that became what you know today. Either way, good roots. He was a heck of a patriot, and a good man besides that. He helped elect Thomas Jefferson president, who he disagreed with on nearly every issue, because he thought his party's candidate Aaron Burr was dangerous for the united states.

jefe1037 wrote:

WilliamtheWorldEater wrote:

Im sure youre not mistaken. Its either the fact that Im horrible with dates, or that its just what the bosses say, they absolutely love to fluff themselves up;) I know it began in NYC as a coastal artillery battery, and theyve always attributed it to him. The Hamilton family crest is our regimental crest, and they call us "Hamiltons Own". 75 sounds good enough to me

He turned down commissions with Henry Knox and Nathanial Greene, but someone made him an offer he couldnt refuse: He was George Washington's number 2. He captured a british gun at the battery in 1775 which led to the Hearts of Oak becoming an artillary Unit and founded the New York Provinical Company of Artillary in 76... i'm sure one of these is the early foundations that became what you know today. Either way, good roots. He was a heck of a patriot, and a good man besides that. He helped elect Thomas Jefferson president, who he disagreed with on nearly every issue, because he thought his party's candidate Aaron Burr was dangerous for the united states.

Yeah, they dont make them like him anymore, do they? You'd never see something like that happen these days, on either side of the aisle. Thats awesome, though; I knew he was tight with Washington, but I wasnt aware of his association with Jefferson(my favorite statesman). Hearts of Oak, thats the principal part of our crest, 13 acorns-13 colonies-and 13 being the number of the series identifier of the FA branch, good stuff. Ill try and get a picture of the original crest and our modern version so you can check it out. Theres actually an old crest in our regimental room that(they say ) belonged to the man himself.

Welcome and it has been intresting to read the military history listed above!

Welcome William!

Welcome.

Welcome from a fellow upstate New Yorker !
I've enjoyed the unit history,as I am a reenactor myself. Thank You for your service to our country Sir !
Hope you enjoy yourself on the BoB !

Welcome!

Welcome, William. And I've been to Rochester (went to school in Syracuse) and it is a "nice" city, but most beautiful?!? Does your judgement by any chance include a particularly attractive lady from that city? (Which has been known to influence ones perspective!).

Natch

Natch wrote:

Welcome, William. And I've been to Rochester (went to school in Syracuse) and it is a "nice" city, but most beautiful?!? Does your judgement by any chance include a particularly attractive lady from that city? (Which has been known to influence ones perspective!).

Natch

Highland Park? The Mt. Hope area? But, ahem, yes. My judgement probably is biased a little bit, in that respect. Rochester does seem to produce a finer variety of the fairer sex....

Welcome to the site. I am also active duty, "Navy", and also from the North East "CT".
It's a great site with great folks, enjoy

Pat

Welcome soldier! We have your back and appreciate your service. I too am a New Yorker; both from downstate here in Setauket on Long Island in Suffolk County and also upstate in Granville, Washington County.

Welcome to BoB, pull up a chair and a pipe and jump on in.

Uhhhh, Battery D, 1st Battalion, Fifth Field Artillery, the senior unit in the United States Army, is assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, and currently stationed at Fort Riley, KS.

john-in-kc wrote:

Uhhhh, Battery D, 1st Battalion, Fifth Field Artillery, the senior unit in the United States Army, is assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, and currently stationed at Fort Riley, KS.

Uhhhh, Battery D has been deactivated for a very long time. 5th FA's 1st Battalion is located at Riley, and the 2nd Battalion, which Im in, and have been in for the past 6 years, is here at Sill. All current batteries are descended from Battery D.