V
08-17-2008, 06:54 PM
and i was sitting in one of our trucks, and 8x8 OshKosh, with an empty bed. We were at the ASP(ammo supply point) waiting for a few other trucks to draw ammo that we were signing for. Well it started pouring really bad now and you could occasionaly see lightning so the ASP was shut down and the truck told to go wait in the lot until they reopened and could finish the draw. So now the loaded trucks are coming back into the lot where i'm parked. 2 loaded trucks with trailers parked to my left about 50 feet over and a 3rd was passing by right in front of me. Now remember theses trucks are each loaded with about 350 105mm howitzer High explosive artillery rounds... so thats about 1,050 big bangs...
ok, to continue, as that 3rd truck is passing me, theres a bright flash and a loud crack... not a thunder "crack" though it was different, i at first thought a round had gone off, it was that intense. anyways, the rain kept on and about 10 min later some guys running past my truck were yelling how i was very lucky, and at that time they pointed out that lightining had struck the tree about 25 feet behind my truck. I later got out and looked at the tree. there are 2 lines down the 2 trunks where the electricity flowed, and it actually blew a channel out of the sides. It left peices of bark and the tree about 2 inches deep all over the ground. it even had a zig-zag path down the tree. Range control then came out and were taking pictures. The tree was only about 50 feet away from the loaded ammo trucks. Had one of those been hit... you wouldnt be reading this post right now. next weekend i'll go and take pics of the tree.
ok, to continue, as that 3rd truck is passing me, theres a bright flash and a loud crack... not a thunder "crack" though it was different, i at first thought a round had gone off, it was that intense. anyways, the rain kept on and about 10 min later some guys running past my truck were yelling how i was very lucky, and at that time they pointed out that lightining had struck the tree about 25 feet behind my truck. I later got out and looked at the tree. there are 2 lines down the 2 trunks where the electricity flowed, and it actually blew a channel out of the sides. It left peices of bark and the tree about 2 inches deep all over the ground. it even had a zig-zag path down the tree. Range control then came out and were taking pictures. The tree was only about 50 feet away from the loaded ammo trucks. Had one of those been hit... you wouldnt be reading this post right now. next weekend i'll go and take pics of the tree.