A July 4th Story

PHOSPHORUS FOR FIREWORKS

by John Bugnolo, ©2019

(Jul. 5, 2019) — Back in 1989 as a member of the Massachusetts National Guard 1/102nd FA battery A, we were deployed to a Canadian Army base outside of Fredericton, New Brunswick (Gagetown) during the July 4th weekend. It was kind-of a remorse not being with the family for the celebration of Independence Day.  July 4th that year was a 48-hour continuous field exercise on alert for the next fire mission.

To celebrate Independence Day without the normal fireworks, the battery was ordered to fire white phosphorous on a simulated Soviet munition storage facility. Thus with the roar of the 155mm TOW field artillery, the sky was filled with the bright white of streaming phosphorous.

The photo was the presentation in August 1989 of the Army’s achievement medal issued for the mission to defend the simulated Fulda Gap, as the Cold War was still real then.

John Bugnolo
E5 13E20 Cannon Fire Direction Specialist & 72 E10 Telecommunication Specials for Massachusetts ARNG.