Shot in head - helmet saved him - a prank !

Turns out it was not true !

Gosh - you can't trust all you read on the internet ... story on helmet

DUH! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif

Still, with it more than likely being shot at with an M-16, you can't fault the kevlar for its structural integrity...

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dark star said:
Turns out it was not true !

Gosh - you can't trust all you read on the internet ...

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Not only the internet. This story was aired on television as well. I guess you can't trust all reporters. It says that the reporter who wrote the story only SAW the helmet and didn't even ask questions or conduct an interview. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

But man....there's a picture there of his son taking a picture with a soccer team....i think the wife is going to be pretty embarassed after the word gets out that it was just a joke. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif

Regardless though, our soldiers don't have to be shot in the head four times to be called a hero or lucky. I'm sure that strategic planning and advanced armor is there to further insure that our brothers and sisters make it home, but when the bullets start flying, i guess there is a certain amount of luck involved. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

another question is why are certain stories, like this one, swept up and embraced by the mass media producers and consumers? I think it's because it panders to our unconcious wishes that in war, death and destruction can be avoided. It's more comfortable for us to think our boys and girls are safe from shrieking chunks of flaming lead tearing them apart as they fight. But they aren't.
(that's why I posted that link to the picture of the reality of the situation in the original thread, which, evidently, was too much for some to bear, and so deleted.)

Well there's something you can't find everyday; someone actually referencing The Sun as an authoritative source of information. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon6.gif

I only read one page of the Sun /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif I never got past page 3...

so, do you doubt the veracity of the story? rings true to me..

I don't know the true story. I don't even feel a necessity to draw a conclusion. But, I've no reason to place confidence in a story from "The Sun". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

OK OK - here is the story from CNN

cnn story on helmet

LOL, except that CNN is quoting the Sun! They did not do any research on their own, except to talk to the Sun folks!

See, once one news outlet reports it, it's true. They all jsut quote each other. I think thats just hilarious..

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Commando Eric Walderman, 28, was nowhere near his helmet when it was shot by members of his own unit, serving in Iraq, said the British tabloid, The Sun.

The newspaper, which had carried the story saying Walderman had been targeted by Iraqi soldiers, unashamedly revealed the hoax on its front page Tuesday under the headline "Mr Lucky was not so plucky."


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So this is a story ABOUT a story. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

I heard about this on FNC, and they didn't mention the Sun, IIRC. Nor did they say he "was nowhere near his helmet when it was shot by members of his own unit". They indicated it was shot and when he later wore it, a reporter saw it and drew his own conclusions. All this guy did was not correct the reporter immediately. Sounds like it should have been a Geraldo story.
But there are some real journalists out there if you look hard enough. My guestimate is we'll have the whole truth in 24 hours or so.

I posted that, but it did not appeal to my need to feel safe in a world gone mad. It was interesting, turned out not to be true, big deal. An American soldier took a direct hit in a helmet in the Afgan conflict, no penetration. The new body armor that not everyone has yet has also proven to be really exceptional, uses ceramic plates. I have seen numerous reports on these, as I have a ceramic patent, this interested me a lot.

The guy played a prank, so what?

I think this is funny, all the way around.

1. If you've ever been involved directly in something that's news worthy, you already know that the press is USUALLY wrong. They screw up facts, the slant, etc. I've worked with news people in the past. Although they do tend to take things very seriously, they are also, IMHO, largely a bunch of clowns.

2. Nothing is bullet proof. Anybody that's worked much with firearms knows this. Iraqi's that have been shot at by an A-10 know this. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif That said, at 1000 yards, 25 sheets of wet paper will stop the old M-16 round, at 55 grains. The new 62 grain rounds are better, but I'd be willing to bet they won't go through any helmet at that range. The new .50BMG ammo will probably go through most light tanks at close range.

3. Ceramic body armour has been around since Vietnam, when some helicopter crewmen wore it. As I understand, it was too heavy to walk around with, and the new stuff is much better. That's a great thing.

4. Gotta love that British sense of humor! ...and those marines still one of the toughest groups of people around.

Albany Tom, this ceramic body armor has only been around about 16 months. New, new stuff, very light. Ceramics can be used to spray on a jacket to make it waterproof and you can't feel the weight. Nothing is bullet proof if you get a big enough gun, but lots of things will stop or retard small arms.

I'd love to know more about the new stuff.

The old version I believe were just plain. slightly curved, alumina ceramic plates, wrapped with fiberglass (and later probably Kevlar) for spall protection. I'm not sure of the weight, but it was better than 20 pounds from what I remember.