TT-06

Photography

Feb 5

Written By Paul

G.I. Joe Classified Tiger Force Recondo + Outback in Sierra Gordo Jungle (Diorama Toy Photography)

CATALOG DATA

PROGRAM ACCESS: ‘TRES TIGRES’
STORAGE FACILITY: LINAVE-581 LAUNCH HQ (“HOME SWEET HOME”)
CONTROL NO: PBI-1988-REC-PHOTO-TT-06
CONTAINER: CAGE 17 / BOX 84
CAPTURE DATE: 1988-07-19
TIME STAMP: 0954

LOCATION: SIERRA GORDO (JUNGLE)
SUBJECT(S): RECONDO, OUTBACK (TIGER FORCE)
RECALL DATE: 2024-02-04
PRINT CODE: TT-06
CROSS REFERENCE: N/A

ARCHIVIST NOTES

Three ways to keep from getting swallowed up out there, or so the handbook said.

First, terrain association — look at the map, look at the ground, pretend the lines and bumps matched up. Simple if the jungle hadn’t already swallowed all the landmarks.

Second, the General Azimuth method — pick a straight line, stick to it, let the compass boss you around.

And third, point navigation, or as the lifers still call it: dead reckoning. Start from where you were, march into the void with nothing but the math in your head, and hope the distance didn’t kill you before you reached your destination.

Each method had its virtues, each one would screw you if you leaned on it too long. The smart ones mixed all three, juggled the tricks like a hustler with some loaded dice. That’s what the manuals taught, what the ol’ jungle warfare schoolhouse hammers into trainees.

Recondo always played the game, he’d even quote the curriculum if you asked him. But when it was time for boots to hit the ground, he tossed the compass, guides, and rulebook. It was all instinct, experience, and mustachioed intuition from there on out.