[Fred Douglass]

...and I was only calling in 5". However, naval gunfire is FLAT TRAJECTORY, so, even from 7 or 10 miles out, the stuff rarely is more than 30-40 feet overhead. If you call them "down the pipe", they're VISIBLE.

We used to "pickle the ridge" on ______________ in the Caribbean, and this sent dirt up 2200+ feet, just far enuff for the Iowa BBs' FC radar to get the image, so far over the horizon's "dip" were they! When 6 or so 16" shells came in, the dirt went A LOT higher! We uster have to go in and find the UE "duds", set 'em up with a nifty little electronic lash-up and then screw off the island before the timed "zap" detonated them. We were usually 1/2 mile off the beach when that happened. Holy Shyte! If stuff started to come down near the motor whaleboat, we'd stop her, bail out and hide underneath......

I still maintain the Iowas are just the thing for showing the flag. Really majestic ships. Just glorious, especially laden down to their Plimsoll marks--makes 'em look a mile long!