Nebraska National Guard

[Max Caliber]

Here is a neat picture of the Nebraska National Guard using 3-inch U. S. Ordnance rifles in 1904. It was common for the national guard units to use Civil War artillery into the 20th century. The Ordnance rifle and the 12-pounder Napoleon were apparently the most common types used by guard units.

[Cannoneer]

That's an interesting photo, Max; it would seem like it's an historical constant that the mind-set of government authorities in peacetime sometimes shows a tendency to lean towards "cost-effectiveness," rather than following the more logical, and also more expensive concept of giving military trainees the best equipment possible to practice with. I did know that CW ordnance was being used to train troops even into the last decade of the 19th century, but I wasn't aware that it was used all the way up until 1904.
At least these Guardsman weren't being trained with the apparenly abundant Parrott rifles left over from the Civil War.

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9505E5D7163BE033A25753C2A9629C94689FD7CF

[KABAR2]

I remember reading an article written by a WWII vet who was in the Quartermaster's in the late 1930's

he stated they still had Civil war gear stored waiting for use......... there was a time when the Federal Government

actually believed in THRIFT.......

No need for high tec. artillery for guard units I would say being pre airplane era

the attitude of the U.S. Government was we were surrounded by oceans on two sides

who would invades us? Mexico ? Canada?  that couldn't happen could it?.......

[Cannoneer]

I remember reading an article written by a WWII vet who was in the Quartermaster's in the late 1930's

he stated they still had Civil war gear stored waiting for use......... there was a time when the Federal Government

actually believed in THRIFT.......

No need for high tec. artillery for guard units I would say being pre airplane era

the attitude of the U.S. Government was we were surrounded by oceans on two sides

who would invades us? Mexico ? Canada?  that couldn't happen could it?.......

KABAR2, in your post I think that you have expressed some truly fascinating, and (at least to my understanding) highly idiosyncratic opinions about international history, U.S. military history in general, our National Guard’s history in particular, U.S. coastal defense strategies, and the (it would appear, to your way of thinking, admirable) THRIFTY tendencies that past federal legislators did on many occasions (and now once again, it seems like we are in the process of repeating history instead of learning from it) display, in their voting to steer our country’s military forces down a path of creative frugality. It should be evident that I disagree with almost everything stated in your post, but I’ll be the first to admit that it was an extremely interesting read. Thanks

[KABAR2]

I remember reading an article written by a WWII vet who was in the Quartermaster's in the late 1930's

he stated they still had Civil war gear stored waiting for use......... there was a time when the Federal Government

actually believed in THRIFT.......

No need for high tec. artillery for guard units I would say being pre airplane era

the attitude of the U.S. Government was we were surrounded by oceans on two sides

who would invades us? Mexico ? Canada?  that couldn't happen could it?.......

KABAR2, in your post I think that you have expressed some truly fascinating, and (at least to my understanding) highly idiosyncratic opinions about international history, U.S. military history in general, our National Guard’s history in particular, U.S. coastal defense strategies, and the (it would appear, to your way of thinking, admirable) THRIFTY tendencies that past federal legislators did on many occasions (and now once again, it seems like we are in the process of repeating history instead of learning from it) display, in their voting to steer our country’s military forces down a path of creative frugality. It should be evident that I disagree with almost everything stated in your post, but I’ll be the first to admit that it was an extremely interesting read. Thanks

My comment is based on some of my readings of the era, this was pre airplane pre submarine, a time when America
thought she was protected by the vast oceans on two of her borders, Mexico was in turmoil and no threat Canada was
not a threat so why spend large sums on a military? all our armed services were small compaired to some of the
European powers at the time, We didn't need a large army until WW I when the world grew smaller Submarines destroyed American shipping, the airplane came into it's own, Germany tried to get Mexico to invade the United States
the U.S. seized several acres of German owned property in Sayville NY that was used as a radio relay station by the
German consulate to relay shipping movements. America lost it's innocence in that war and became a world player.
But America fell back into the same routine after the war thinking its shores safe from foreign attack.......then Pearl Harbor................. It's sad to say but we are still dealing with the sins from the end of WWI the punitive action taken
by the Allies on Germany left fertile ground for the rise of the Nazi party, the breakup of the Ottoman Empire and control of much of the middle east by England & France set the stage for much of what we are now dealing with
we are paying for the sins of the past.

I myself believe in a strong military and a proper budget especially when at war to equip our services with the best
possible equipment they can have. What I do not believe in is the current spending that our government has on social modification , roads to no where ,green projects & bailouts, 

By the way I work for a government contractor we manufacture sewn goods for military & Law enforcement so you can believe I want a strong military. 


Sorry for getting so far of topic,

I'll get of my soapbox now.......


Allen <><

[cannonmn]

government contractor we manufacture sewn goods for military & Law enforcement

Allen, a long-time friend and cannoneer named Doug McDougal runs a company in yr area that does that kind of work-any chance it is where you work?

[KABAR2]

 

[seacoastartillery]

 

[KABAR2]

If anyone is curious M&T visited us last year at the factory & had lunch with the CEO & myself after I gave them the nickel tour, we had a nice lunch discussing artillery & the like. M&T gave each of us one of their
Projo's for the treble banded gun, mine has a place of honor on a shelf in my office.

 Cannonmn,
the operation has grown some, we moved into a new facility in 2006, 70,000 sq ft, on almost 10 acres.

[Cannoneer]

I myself believe in a strong military and a proper budget especially when at war to equip our services with the best possible equipment they can have. What I do not believe in is the current spending that our government has on social modification , roads to no where ,green projects & bailouts, 
By the way I work for a government contractor we manufacture sewn goods for military & Law enforcement so you can believe I want a strong military. Sorry for getting so far of topic, I'll get of my soapbox now.......

I agree that we are veering off topic, but I’m glad to say that because of your second post I’m now aware that I evidently misunderstood your first post, and in reality we are on the same page when it comes to wanting all branches of our armed forces to be trained to the utmost practical degree possible, and outfitted with the finest materiel that we as a nation can supply them with.