12-26-2007, 14:51
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#1
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 169
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University of Texas Tower
Helped teach an Advanced LE sniper class in Austin, TX. a few weeks back.
We were able to arrange for the entire class to tour the observation deck of the UT Tower where Charles Whitman did his thing.
Pretty incredible tour.
It was closed to the public for years.
Never been done by a group of LE snipers before (to my knowledge).
Took along a LRF and took a hundred pics.
Waaay cool up there ... but somewhat hallowed ground.
MANY bullet strikes still left in the decorative masonry that could not repaired.
Pretty fascinating to walk up those same stairs the killer, survivors and police did.
Due to the fact that the cops were outgunned (as usual) ... a radio DJ actually got on the air and told everyone with a rifle to bring it to the tower.
If you have never been to Austin ... that is Texas Hill Country deer hunting heaven ... some guy on the radio tells everyone to "Bring a rifle to a get together" ... in Tejas ... and it is truly game on. 
Once in a lifetime gig.
Just thought I'd share.
Merry Christmas QPs.
You guys are my heroes.
__________________
"The police exist to protect the innocent, not grant latitude to the guilty. One cannot negotiate ... with evil"
Last edited by brianksain; 12-26-2007 at 16:11.
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brianksain is offline
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12-26-2007, 15:59
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#2
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Area Commander
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,355
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Brian,
I believe that I speak for many enthusiastic Longhorns on this site when I say...
this thread is useless without pics! 
__________________
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither Thou goest." - Ecclesiastes 9:10
"If simple folk are free from care and fear, simple they will be, and we must be secret to keep them so." - JRRT
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jatx is offline
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12-26-2007, 16:09
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#3
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 169
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jatx
Brian,
I believe that I speak for many enthusiastic Longhorns on this site when I say...
this thread is useless without pics! |
Bro ... my Pic Posting Fu on this site is weak.
I have tried and blown it a few times ... always leaving a bandwith mess for TS to clean up. Fortunately he smiles on my ignorance and lets me hang out anyway.
May try it again.
bk
__________________
"The police exist to protect the innocent, not grant latitude to the guilty. One cannot negotiate ... with evil"
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brianksain is offline
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12-26-2007, 17:41
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#4
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sono qui adesso, con una lunga zampe mulatto ragazza.
Posts: 151
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How about that spot where, Lee Harvey Oswald, (single handedly  ) made that magic shot.
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"I have no idols. I admire work, dedication and competence."
-Ayrton Senna
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CosaNostraUSMC is offline
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12-26-2007, 19:48
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#5
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 20,929
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brianksain
Bro ... my Pic Posting Fu on this site is weak.
I have tried and blown it a few times ... always leaving a bandwith mess for TS to clean up. Fortunately he smiles on my ignorance and lets me hang out anyway.
May try it again.
bk
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Brian,
Send them to me and I'll post them... 
jd@professionalsoldiers.com
TS
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"The Spartans do not ask how many are the enemy, but where they are."
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Team Sergeant is offline
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12-26-2007, 21:02
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#6
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Finland
Posts: 400
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I tip my hat to Ramiro Martinez..
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RECON - Always a step ahead
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Tuukka is offline
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12-26-2007, 22:31
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#7
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SF Candidate
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bragg (BORN AND RAISED TEXAN)
Posts: 27
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tower now open?
Quote:
Originally Posted by brianksain
Helped teach an Advanced LE sniper class in Austin, TX. a few weeks back.
We were able to arrange for the entire class to tour the observation deck of the UT Tower where Charles Whitman did his thing.
Pretty incredible tour.
It was closed to the public for years.
Never been done by a group of LE snipers before (to my knowledge).
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born and raised in austin and have never been on the tower. Was this a once time deal for the trainees or is the tower open to the public again? Would love to take my family to see a lil side of my history while on leave before the Q course
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why not help someone when you can, whats it going to hurt? hell, it may actually put a smile on your face
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H8Leech is offline
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12-26-2007, 23:27
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#8
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 169
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I believe the tours are weekends only but back open to the public.
You will have to check pal.
They made an exception for us in the middle of the week under the circumstances (all cop snipers - traveling back home on the weekend after a tough week).
The tower was closed primarily due to the fact that people were often committing suicide off the thing ... launching themselves into the snack area awnings below.
Now there is a stainless steel cage all the way around to prevent this.
There is a lot to the way that thing ended that has never been told. We were dumbfounded.
Like always, it is not like the media, magazines and books portray.
From the new accounts ... Houston McCoy took the shot that put Whitman down for good.
I can't (won't) elaborate as I was not there.
__________________
"The police exist to protect the innocent, not grant latitude to the guilty. One cannot negotiate ... with evil"
Last edited by brianksain; 01-08-2008 at 10:50.
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brianksain is offline
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12-26-2007, 23:33
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#9
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 169
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Pics added below.
bk
__________________
"The police exist to protect the innocent, not grant latitude to the guilty. One cannot negotiate ... with evil"
Last edited by brianksain; 01-08-2008 at 10:51.
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brianksain is offline
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01-08-2008, 11:28
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#11
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland
Posts: 24,813
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Helluva view. No wonder he was able to shoot as long as he did.
Hard to counter that today. Maybe a helicopter with a long gunner.
We would probably use a 120mm main gun or a chopper with a mini-gun or a missile.
Good stuff, thanks for sharing. I liked the Jeff Davis statue, BTW.
TR
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"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
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The Reaper is offline
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01-08-2008, 12:59
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#12
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Area Commander
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,355
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reaper
Good stuff, thanks for sharing. I liked the Jeff Davis statue, BTW.
TR |
Sir, every statue on campus was erected facing South.
__________________
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither Thou goest." - Ecclesiastes 9:10
"If simple folk are free from care and fear, simple they will be, and we must be secret to keep them so." - JRRT
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jatx is offline
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01-08-2008, 13:17
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#13
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 169
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Jimmy Essex pulled the same stunt in New Orleans in 1974.
Same issues.
A Terrible Thunder by Peter Hernon is the definitive work on it.
They DID utilize a helicopter to get him.
Hotel was a Howard Johnsons then.
Now a Holiday Inn with a big claironet painted on it.
__________________
"The police exist to protect the innocent, not grant latitude to the guilty. One cannot negotiate ... with evil"
Last edited by brianksain; 01-08-2008 at 13:20.
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brianksain is offline
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01-08-2008, 13:22
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#14
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Area Commander
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,355
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Brian, thanks for the pics! Those last few really put it in a new perpsective for me.
__________________
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither Thou goest." - Ecclesiastes 9:10
"If simple folk are free from care and fear, simple they will be, and we must be secret to keep them so." - JRRT
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jatx is offline
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01-08-2008, 13:27
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#15
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 169
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Whitman was no sniper ... but made some decent shots.
Did most of his damage early on with the 6mm.
Shot one kid off the back of a bicycle at 400 plus.
Bastard.
Lots of people thought they had cover but did not. He could see right down on top of them.
The ballister where Speed was shot used to have bullet holes all over the top rail.
They have been refinished to the point where you cannot see they were ever there. Was on campus in '95 and they were plainly visible.
It is not hard to envision Whitman holding dead on Speed and seeing his uncompensated bullet strikes in the concrete rail above Speed's location.
Whitman may have realized his error from the concrete splash and held low to get Speed ...
Speculative on my part.
Tower deck is 250 or so feet up.
Pretty steep angle to where Speed was shot.
No time to dope it all out. Classes were in session.
__________________
"The police exist to protect the innocent, not grant latitude to the guilty. One cannot negotiate ... with evil"
Last edited by brianksain; 01-08-2008 at 13:53.
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