[ARC5] Surplus Disposal

[Bob]

My memory is a little less than it was some 60 plus years ago, however what 
I do remember is that my Dad was the Director of a technical (called Trade 
schools back then) here in CT. and took me more than once to a warehouse on 
the Berlin turnpike to look over surplus stuff. I believe that he had access 
to most anything that he wanted to take to the school and did so. At 10 
years old the warehouse seemed huge although everything seemed huge at that 
age. He also brought home for me a BC-348 Q a SCR 522 ,BC-603 and various 
other radio gear. I can remember talking to a pilot who was also a Ham on 
around 155 Mcs, that was the highlight of my young life at the time. My Dad 
wasn't a Ham but his friend across the street from us was and he converted 
the sets to run from 115V for me. All I had at the time was a Civil air 
patrol licence but I was hooked on Amateur radio at that point. I can also 
remember a 5 man life raft that made it's way home and was used every summer 
when we camped at a State park when he wasn't working. Life was good 
then.Unfortunately I let other interest's overide my interest in radio and 
didn't get my Ham ticket untill I retired. Better late than never I guess.
Just my couple of cents worth on surplus gear.
Bob
W1GTH

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Stinson" <arc5 at ix.netcom.com>
To: <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 7:03 AM
Subject: Re: [ARC5] Surplus Disposal


>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <MillerKE6F at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] Surplus Disposal
>
>
>>Therefore, what is the government to do?...
>> The original contractors did not want the stuff flooding the
>> marketplace in competition with their post war offerings...
>
> Stupid waste is never justified.  *Never.*
> Thoughtful people can always find a positive alternative
> IF they are allowed to do so.
> There are people all over the world who could have
> broken that disarmed equipment down and put it to
> all sorts of postive uses, even if only to smelt it down
> to make plows and hoes.  Better to disarm
> and strip-out the critical spares and leave the rest of
> the aircraft to the natives on the island or the destitute
> peoples in Europe to make of what they would,
> than to throw them in the drink.
>
> Think of the technical schools that could have been founded
> with the equipment of all types that was dozered.
> It would have cost us nothing to turn it over to the
> locals and let them make the best of it.
> Sure, some would have been sold to Chief Ugg's uncle,
> but that's beside the point;  once we've given them
> the assets to better themselves in any way, the
> responsibility passes to them; our hands are morally "clean."
>
> And I think the "it wasn't worth the transport-"
> given the empty transport sitting idle in every harbor and
> the hundreds of thousands of idle hands laying around
> playing cards- is nonsense spread by those
> who were beholden to commercial interests.
>
> The truth is as you stated later in your post, Bob:
> The Big Money boys had it done.
> Congressmen and Senators were bought, just as they are now,
> by commercial interests who felt threatened.
> The sad part is, the threat was hollow.
> They were never in real danger.  Most of the equipment
> was not suitible for civilian use in the U.S. in the first place.
> But that's no excuse to dump it in the ocean.
>
> No one can ever convince me that the only good thing to
> do with that 7-foot tall stack of NOS Textronic scope probes
> and those tons of tech manuals for every kind of gear you can
> imagine was to bury them in a hole.
> It would have cost nearly nothing to send them to tech schools
> and colleges all over the world.  Many people could have
> (and.... ahem... did) volunteer to spend their own time
> and money to pack them up and ship them out.
> We were told "the schools don't want any of it."
> Well I and some others actually made some calls on that,
> and it was a flat *lie*, one of Uncle Stupid's chief talents.
> Lord... 15 years ago and it still angers me to think of it.
> And I'll tell you a secret- I heard a "rumor," but of course
> could never swear... of course not...
> that a lot of small stuff that could fit in boxes at the post office
> did anonymously go to those places.
> There are people who are willing to take risks to address
> such a gross and disgusting outrage;
> even if they can make only a tiny dent in such an evil,
> it's worth doing.
> The C.O. who "followed his orders" by "throwing it in the fire"
> in such a way that the locals could put the stuff to good use
> should get a medal.
>
> I believe completely that Ingratitude and Waste, which
> are "kissing cousins," are two deep, black evils for which
> The West shall certainly be held accountable
> on  "That Great Gettin'-Up Mornin'."
>
> 73 DE Dave AB5S
>
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