Fort Riley, Kansas

[Kansas Boomer]

I recently had the privilege of going to Ft. Riley, Kansas, home of the Big Red One. I attented the Deployment Ceremony of the 1st Engineer Battalion. The Battalion will deploy to Iraq in the near future. My grandson David is in the 72nd Mobility Augmentation Company. One of the highlights of the ceremony was the firing of the battalion's 6 pounder. Manned by a crew of four soldiers in period dress, "Old Thunder" set off half the car alarms on the base when she was touched off. Spoke to the gunners after the ceremony, they load their own foil cartriges with 1 pound of ffg. Very impressive ceremony, please keep these fine men and women in your thoughts and prayers. Boomer

[Blaster]

Thanks for posting those pictues, KS Boomer.  I kinda recognize the stone buildings in the background.  I was stationed there at Fort Riley (actually the Camp Funston part of the Fort) back in 1955 and was in the 701st Ord. Bn of the Big Red One.  I'd like to get back there again sometime to see I could possibly recognize anything after being away from the place for 51 years.  Since the 911 attack, I believe it's more of a closed post and although I frequently travely from Colorado to Illinois and use I-70, I never seem to be passing by at the "right time" to even attempt to gain admission to do the sight seeing.Thanks again!