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OP
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I don’t see the author’s name.
DF The first two pages of the article: ![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/nOiNXPA.png) ![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/NAA7Ys4.png)
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
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I met Warren Page at the NRA convention in SanDiego. He was not kind. Actually he was pretty dismissive of me. Not a nice man. Have heard the same thing from one of the editors of Field & Stream, when I was a staff writer in the 1990s. I started corresponding with both Keith and O'Connor soon after I started publishing magazine articles, and both were very generous and cordial. Still have letters from both on my office walls. One thing that always impressed me about Keith is that his wife always seemed to be a very happy woman--which counts for a lot. Eventually became a good friend of Brad O'Connor, Jack's son--who is a very nice guy--and excellent shot, as is his wife Anne. (We've hunted prairie dogs a couple times together here in Montana.) Also have a good friend, a retired U.S. Army officer who served in various places, including in Kenya many years ago. He knew Askins pretty well, to the point of going on a safari with him in Angola. He has some very interesting things to say about him....
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Ok, didn’t connect them.
DF
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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John,
There’s so much negative stuff out there about Col Askins, I’m curious about your Army bud’s opinion.
Love him or hate him. Doesn’t seem to be a lot in between.
DF
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
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Don't remember all the exact details, but will ask him--though he's obviously getting along in years. Do remember they got along on the safari....
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Joined: Nov 2010
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
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Don't remember all the exact details, but will ask him--though he's obviously getting along in years. Do remember they got along on the safari.... Musta got along pretty good if they did a safari together. Just looking for a general idea of his take on ole Charley. DF
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2002
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I'd love to hear about the Angola Safari...
It was a lively place for a lot of the 20th century. If those guys were active into the mid-late 80s they may have been right at home in Cuito Cuanavale
"Chances Will Be Taken"
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Joined: Nov 2010
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,116 |
Frim the Colonel's book
"Based on his autobiography, the last man he killed was in 1957. Charlie was a U.S. military advisor in Vietnam. While hunting in the jungle one day, he ran across a Viet Minh soldier. Askins was carrying a Savage .358 lever action rifle (with which he had blown away a couple of other Viet Minh who interrupted his hunting on another occasion) but chose to draw his new Smith & Wesson Model 29 and fire it left hand only.
"I let the ambusher have the first 240 gr. slug right through the ribs on the left side. It was probably the first man ever killed with the .44 because it was quite new in those days," Askins observed casually. He finished the man with a second shot to the throat. [7]" He was left handed, so shooting the ARVN left handed was no handicap, even double action gave that dude no advantage. He was as good as a dead man when Charley drew his M-29. DF
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If he was Viet-Minh he was not ARVN. ARVN were South Vietnamese troops, fighting the viet-minh.
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Campfire Tracker
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No tears from me on any kind of dead Commie. Dead Philistines.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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If he was Viet-Minh he was not ARVN. ARVN were South Vietnamese troops, fighting the viet-minh. Thanks for that clarification. Don’t think he would have shot a ARVN, but for sure a Viet-Minh. I’m sure he could sort them out on the hoof, didn’t have to ground check’em. DF
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Campfire Regular
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No tears from me on any kind of dead Commie. Dead Philistines. ARVN were not communists, alot of them died along side our boys fighting the commies.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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No tears from me on any kind of dead Commie. Dead Philistines. ARVN were not communists, alot of them died along side our boys fighting the commies. I reckon the Col could sort’em out, wouldn’t whack a good guy. DF
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No tears from me on any kind of dead Commie. Dead Philistines. ARVN were not communists, alot of them died along side our boys fighting the commies. I reckon the Col could sort’em out, wouldn’t whack a good guy. DF Yup' I reckon so!
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No tears from me on any kind of dead Commie. Dead Philistines. ARVN were not communists, alot of them died along side our boys fighting the commies. Yes sir, I hear you. And I know who the ARVN were and who the Viet Minh were. Viet Minh, Cong, NVA, close enough to the same thing. Boo, hiss, just a shame our Politicians went into that mess "knowing" they could never/not even try to "win" in a Civil War. I have as much use for Johnson and McNamara as I do Commies.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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No tears from me on any kind of dead Commie. Dead Philistines. ARVN were not communists, alot of them died along side our boys fighting the commies. Yes sir, I hear you. And I know who the ARVN were and who the Viet Minh were. Viet Minh, Cong, NVA, close enough to the same thing. Boo, hiss, just a shame our Politicians went into that mess "knowing" they could never/not even try to "win" in a Civil War. I have as much use for Johnson and McNamara as I do Commies. Follow the dollars. Ike warned about the military industrial complex. DF
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Campfire Regular
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No tears from me on any kind of dead Commie. Dead Philistines. ARVN were not communists, alot of them died along side our boys fighting the commies. Yes sir, I hear you. And I know who the ARVN were and who the Viet Minh were. Viet Minh, Cong, NVA, close enough to the same thing. Boo, hiss, just a shame our Politicians went into that mess "knowing" they could never/not even try to "win" in a Civil War. I have as much use for Johnson and McNamara as I do Commies. Follow the dollars. Ike warned about the military industrial complex. DF Damned straight!
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Those "Contentious Irish Mothers" can be "exasperating" for sure. I volunteered for the Army during the VietNam War to get away from mine, lol. Oh sure, we loved each other, just sometimes we couldn't "stand each other", ha AYE !!!!!!
"not too grumpy"
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Thanks
My interest in the Major and the Askins Clan sorta evolved as I researched his Superposed Browning. Hooking up with Bill was icing on the cake. He was great help.
The Askins have a long history in this country dating back to Abe Lincoln and before. The Col may have been a bit rough around the edges, but as a previous poster noted, you have to take him in context of the times in which he lived and operated.
Too much “retro judging” of past personages based on our current somewhat woke standards isn’t fair to our forbearers and is nothing but virtue signaling, showing everybody (and ourselves), just how pure and holy we are.
That’s nothing but self righteous pride and is a dangerous slope some try to climb.
And seems I’ve read that pride comes before a fall. So as our current generation dances on the high places of self aggrandizement and pride, the great crevasse looms all too close.
Just a thought.
DF The problem with your sanctimonious thoughts about using modern judgement for Askins Jr is that it ignores how a number of his contemporaries found similar faults, including several of our esteemed members who knew the guy including Ken Howell (RIP) and Steve Timm. This isn't exactly a new concept. Another thing - It's been a while since I read the book, but as I recall during WW2 Askins violated some sort of temporary cease fire late in the war in order to fulfill his blood lust, much to the chagrin of the local GIs whose position was mortared following his escapades in shooting a German soldier. As I recall he was a Field Grade officer in a battalion staff position by that point, which meant he likely had more important things to do than shooting a German engaged in taking a poop - it wasn't his job. That whole escapade, if it even happened and wasn't apocryphal, showed the kind of disregard he had for human life, as he was very much compromising the safety of troops of the nearby American unit for little reason other than to satisfy his desire to kill a human being. Prarie_twatt, What have you done for the United States of America in time of war? You are the fkn ultimate vermin, to disrespect an honorable combat veteran who's service was honorable, from the comfort of your home. Thank gawd there are brave men and women out there, who can still do the nation's dirty work. Shame on you.
Last edited by mainer_in_ak; 04/08/24.
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