When was the first time you threw a hand grenade, if at all? I threw first two during boot camp and I still have the pins today, which make for interesting key chains! Usually I can throw a baseball far but during boot camp I didn't because I just wanted to simply get that son of a bitch over the damn protective wall!
While in the cabin away from the range (but just beside it) we could hear the explosions, which were loud enough already. Then all of the sudden we hear a really loud BOOM and we, including the instructors, were like "what the hell?" Then the officer comes into the cabin and says "I want you people to reeelaaaax and throw it like a baseball. We just had Pte. MacDonald throw his grenade into his pit!"
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never thrown a live grenade ever. we throw rubber ones at ITC but when on full excercise i was'nt one of those selected to throw one. i carried plenty of them in my time but never ever thrown one.
On the 8th day God created Ben-Britain and he took over!
"when I get home people'll ask me,'hey Hoot, why do ya do it man? Why? Just some war junkie?' Ya know what I'll say? I won't say a goddamn word. Why? They won't understand. They won't understand why we do it. They won't understand it's about the man next to you, and that's it. That's all it is."
SGT 1st Class Norman Hooten
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We threw two in bootcamp also, luckily no mishaps. I admit I was nervous as hell though on that first one after I pulled the pin, even though the spoon was still depressed.
The American Marine Division has the highest combat effectiveness in the American armed forces. It seems not enough for our four divisions to surround and annihilate its two regiments.
---Mao Tse Sung to General Song, prior to Chosin Reservoir
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Can't remember throwing my 1st grenade, but I remember throwing my 1st smoke grenade. I went through a surreal silly bollock moment, brain engaged slightly late then when I did realise what I was holding I released the safety handle but forgot to throw the fvckin thing, it was all I could do to throw it after yet another brain delay.
Its funny the effect a grenade (or similar pyrotechnics!!) has on the brain, the 1st time its experienced. The amount of recruits I seen throw the things without pulling the pin, then throw it with a sissy shot putt type throw.
I remember the 1st time I set the trip flares for a harbour. We were contacted & all I heard was "TAKE COVER", then WHOOOSH!!! as the flare went up in front of my face.
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"I went through a surreal silly bollock moment, brain engaged slightly late "
similar to why your mate was chinning you for chatting up a fat heffer? LMAO
On the 8th day God created Ben-Britain and he took over!
"when I get home people'll ask me,'hey Hoot, why do ya do it man? Why? Just some war junkie?' Ya know what I'll say? I won't say a goddamn word. Why? They won't understand. They won't understand why we do it. They won't understand it's about the man next to you, and that's it. That's all it is."
SGT 1st Class Norman Hooten
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Threw my first 2 in basic. It was raining that day, and we did a few practice throws with the dummy grenades. The pins on them were really easy to pull, so when it came time to throw the real deal, the pin was much harder to pull, so I yanked on it really hard and almost droped the grenade...
I just wanted to chuck the thing over the wall, but the sgt in the pit with me was messing with my head. Telling me to "hold the grenade...feel the grenade...enjoy the grenade.."
We had one guy toss a dud. We had to call range control to come detonate it with some explosives. Talk about a loud bang!
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In the army, the granede didn't bother me at all. But that's maybe because the first time I threw one wasn't in the army!
Yes it's true me mate and I had one that we wanted to throw in the water to see the splash. Oh boy, did we ever have a "silly bollock" moment...
My buddy held the granade with both hands and I pulled the pin. He FROZE. Then, he tosses the granade to me instead of the water!!! It was like a cartoon. I tossed it back. He tossed it to me again before I threw it in! it felt like eternity but it was maybe 2 seconds!! Good thin we didn't drop it!
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I remember crouched down in the trench leading to the pit and the sergeant asking us all if we were fine. Some of the guys in my squad looked a little rattled from the explosions echoing through the range.
When I got the grenade in my hand (one of those old MkII "pineapple" types, possibly WWII surplus stock) I made sure I had a firm grip on it - I guess I was a little worried that it would slip out of my hand when I pulled the pin...
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[My buddy held the granade with both hands and I pulled the pin. He FROZE. Then, he tosses the granade to me instead of the water!!! It was like a cartoon. I tossed it back. He tossed it to me again before I threw it in! it felt like eternity but it was maybe 2 seconds!! Good thin we didn't drop it!]
-That is by far the stupidest thing I have ever read on the message board since I joined....
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I three my two as GODDAMN quickly as I had to, and have never thrown one since.
I just wanted the evil little things away from me.
The range E-6, who was sitting in the concrete embankment watching over me, actually cracked me, HARD, over the back of my head, each time I three a grenade.
Am I a tough guy, or what?
P.S. I didn't know you were in the Army? Where did you got to basic? I went at Fort Sill, summer of 1996.
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Usually I can throw a baseball far but during boot camp I didn't because I just wanted to simply get that son of a bitch over the damn protective wall! 
