If you spend any significant time in 29 Palms or adjacent desert areas, you will hear it... occasional booms, thuds, rumbles. Often you feel it more than you hear it. A slight ground shake, or perhaps the windows even rattle. Military convoys along the main highway (Highway 62) are a common sight, as are military aircraft flying overhead.
29 Palms is an interesting place. Just north of town is the Marine Base. At 998 square miles, it's the largest in the world. It's larger than some small countries, and with the recent addition of sections of Johnson Valley, it easily exceeds 1000 square miles. You need a lot of space for troops to conduct live fire exercises, which include artillery, tank, and close air support training. The base has a sprawling "Combat Town", with a fabricated Middle Eastern village, complete with a mosque and native role players. So yes, those big thuds and rumbles are from the exploding large ordinance being used during exercises on the Base.
Cousin Scott sent me a Marine Corps link recently that includes military photos. Search "29 Palms" and it gives you a better idea of the local training activities that take place at this desert Marine Base. Surprisingly (at least to me), the images are public domain and cleared for release. The site makes them easy to download, and the image quality is good. Use them as you want, they only ask that you give credit to the photographer. Pretty cool! I edited most of these (mostly cropping and exposure adjustments). So here's a glimpse into how our military train, just north of 29 Palms, for some of those very difficult and challenging military assignments.
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| Photo by Cpl. Kelly Street |
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| Photo by Cpl. Kelly Street |
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| Photo by Cpl. Kelly Street |
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| Photo by Lance Cpl. Imari Dubose |
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| Photo by Lance Cpl. Levi Schultz |
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| Photo by Lance Cpl. Levi Schultz |
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| Photo by Lance Cpl. Levi Schultz |
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| Photo by Lance Cpl. Levi Schultz |
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| Photo by Lance Cpl. Levi Schultz |
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Thanks for stopping by!!
Wow! Amazing photos and great editing ~ What a place ~ looks so real with the military action ~
ReplyDeleteHappy Weekend to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Incredible scenes of the desert in combat mode! I'm really surprised that these are in the public domain!
ReplyDeleteAmazing shots.
ReplyDeleteSydney – City and Suburbs
Thanks--- these are neat.
ReplyDeleteThose are good military shots. There are a lot of military connections in my city, with a more-than-200-square-mile army base, the Air Force Academy, NORAD ("The Mountain"), and other bases in the area.
ReplyDeleteInteresting shots!
ReplyDeleteAmazing pics. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteQuite amazing what you find not far from where you live. We have army barracks and airfields not far from us
ReplyDeleteHello, these are amazing photos. It is cool seeing our military in action! Thanks for sharing. Happy Friday, enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDelete...great shots! I'm near 'Fort Drum' home of the 10th Mountain Division, I should check out their website.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised these are public domain too! Our closest military base hosted A-10 Warthogs with the occasional F16 or F18. I miss them flying over. Super cool photos!
ReplyDeleteOur military needs leaders (all of us) to be as excellent and disciplined as they are!
ReplyDeleteGreat documentation.
ReplyDeleteWorth a Thousand Words
Those really are some awesome shots!
ReplyDeleteAmazing---I did not know that
ReplyDeleteMB
Wonderful shots, well edited!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting and great photos to boot!
ReplyDeleteWow, those are some great quality photos. I loved the one with the moon over the mountain.
ReplyDeleteWow, those are some pretty good action shots!
ReplyDeletethose corporals have a good eye
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos! Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteThose photos are really amazing. You did a wonderful editing job, I didn't know they were in the public domain, Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Bravery and Beauty all in same photos. Terrific!
ReplyDeletegreat shots but I wish it was not needed.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, as always. We have the same things going on around us, but no road traffic. Instead a lot of planes, with Edwards, China Lake, and the whole desert train in. When the shuttle would land at Edwards, the sonic booms would be so loud, you better be prepared or they could bring you to your knees. I guess this what they decided to use the desert and the desert skies for. I'm glad you enjoyed learning a bit about Swedish traditions.
ReplyDeleteCant help but be fascinated (and equally repelled) by these kinds of technology. Good pictures.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
nice photo. I'm enjoy reading your entry. Thanks
ReplyDeleteAmazing captures. Good editing.
ReplyDeleteBoy do these bring back memories. I was bused in (with a bevy of other at-the-time young lovelies) to attend the Marine Corps Ball at 29 Palms in 1966. I was a freshman in college (UC Riverside), and recruited to dance with young fellas about to be shipped out to Vietnam. As an Air Force dependent up until that year, I understood what it meant to attend a function like this and was glad to do it. Thanks for posting this and reminding me of the moment.
ReplyDeleteThose are some great photos and action shots!
ReplyDeleteOne of the very best rock art sites in the entire area is on the base. No tours unfortunately!