/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/ "Semarak Api" The 88th Firebirds Official Newsletter Website: http://ftp.sarawak.com.my/org/firebirds/ Online Version: http://ftp.sarawak.com.my/org/firebirds/newsletter.htm Volume Ten, 15 February 1998 Part A /~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/ PART A: Atten-HUT! Classified Ad Latest News and Updates Bulletin Board So You Want to be a Marine.... PART B: Interstellar Chat Radio >From the Quill Pen Musings of a Guylian-Eating Officer Addresses and Sites /~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/ <^><^><^><^><^> Atten-HUT! <^><^><^><^><^> It has been a quiet fortnight for Space: Above and Beyond, but right here in the Firebirds, things just started buzzing. Unfortunately, there are not much news on S:AaB, save for SciFi Channel's press release. However, several important announcements are included in this issue, so members: take notice! This issue also sees several changes: from now on, "From the Quill Pen" will also feature fan fiction reviews. There are many good fanfic out there on the Internet, and it would be a shame just to ignore them. Of course, the other side of the coin also holds true. There *are* bad fanfic, and the reviewers will do their best to spot them. :) As always, enjoy. A big round of thanks and applause goes to Sparhawk, Albatross, and Peregrine for their contributions to this issue. Kingfisher too deserves accolade for the tid-bits on the Vietnam War. Kate Duncan, if you're reading this, a warm and enthusiastic "Thank you!" goes out from all of us to you. Semper fi! Captain Yasmin "Garuda" M. 88th Firebirds Squadron <^><^><^><^><^><^> Classified Ad <^><^><^><^><^><^> WANTED: REPORTERS AND REVIEWERS >From Garuda , 88th Firebirds: I need reviewers to write fanfic reviews for S:AaB fics. I don't care how you feel about any particular story, just type 'em up and send 'em in. Hell, write the review in the form of a haiku if you know how. Only fanfic suitable for all ages, please. I also need "reporters" -- members who can scour the Net looking for: a) S:AaB news b) Webpages (will also need this for the Resource page) c) Pictures to complement the news/story/whatever (for the online version) d) Anything pertaining to S:AaB that doesn't fit in the above categories. Newbies are very much welcome (come on, contribute!). Yes, you'll get credit for your work, never fear. That's another change I'm going to implement. From now on, I'm going to thank the contributors in my "Atten-HUT!" column. <^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^> Latest News and Updates <^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^> FIREBIRDS NEWS Personnel/Recruits: Welcome to the Firebirds, Tze Hou (Sea Eagle) and Syibratul! On behalf of the squadron, I wish you a plentiful hunting ground of Chigs, and may your tour of duty be fun. Our Acting Commanding Officer, Sparhawk, has changed her e-mail address. Should you need to contact her, the address to e-mail to is now . Website: The Nesting Site has been updated, notable the previous edition of "Semarak Api" and the index. The server had a glitch a few days ago, but the pages has been fixed, and everything should be in working order. ASIAN AIRWING NEWS Website: The AA page is listed in Yahoo! Congratulations to our former Technical Officer, Sparhawk, and the rest of the Airwing who made this possible. SPACE: ABOVE AND BEYOND NEWS The following is from a Sci-Fi Channel press release: "Space Above and Beyond," the series created by Glen Morgan and James Wong ("The X-Files/"Millennium" writing/producing team), and "Earth 2" from Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, have more than doubled time period ratings for Sci-Fi Channel in January over fourth quarter, 1997. "Space Above and Beyond," airing on Sunday nights at 7:00p.m., has averaged a 1.6 rating* over its first two airings since its premiere on January 18th, while "Earth 2," airing Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET, has averaged a 1.4. These ratings represent 120% and 180% improvements, respectively, over fourth quarter 1997 averages for these time periods. *source: Nielsen Media Research, NMR/Galaxy, January 2 - 25, 1998; subject to qualifications which will be supplied upon request. <^><^><^><^><^><^> Bulletin Board <^><^><^><^><^><^> IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM SPARHAWK Hi FBs, So tell me. Is *anyone* interested in having a Tee done up at all? It's been so long in deep freeze that it's bordering on cryogenics. If there's no interest, i'm going to shove that idea out the airlock like one of so many space caskets floating around, alright? Now, if there is some itnerest, we need a logo. don't tell me that not *one* of you can draw?? Come on! We have 45 members. 26 on this list. I'm sure that *one* of you must have *some* ideas!! talk to us, here alright?? Or if you see any pictures on the web or think any one of them might look good with some modifications, let us know. I need the logo for 2 things. the front page of the website and the Tee, if anyone's interested. If tehre is *really* no interest in the logo, then, lets just scrap it and remain logo-less. In such a circumstance, I'm going to rpopose that those who are interested in having a Tee just make do with your callsign and "88th FIrebirds" where a logo would be. It's the best I can manage for now. So, get back to me or i'll treat this as an aborted mission. Sparhawk __________________________________________________________ S:AaB WORLD ROSTER >From Wildfire, 41st Wild Furies: Hi all! This is a request for those who've not signed the S:AAB world roster to do so. The URL is Thanks! Cheers, Wildfire __________________________________________________________ MILITARY APPAREL AND GEAR >From Goshawk , 88th Firebirds: I came across this ad: http://www.outinstyle.com/ "Order Anything & Everything in Camoflage Online! The Army Navy Superstore. The source for Military, Outdoor, Camping apparel and gear. Retail and wholesale. Camping, Hunting, Law Enforcement, and more! Anything and everything for Outdoor & camping use. Extremely Low Prices-Fast Shipping- Free Sweater- What more can you ask for!" __________________________________________________________ VAELNTINE'S DAY CARD >From Albatross , 88th Firebirds: Bats has sent us a card! To view it, go to: http://www.maybanlife.com.my/fun/ecard/retrieve/88thfirebirds24274.html <^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^> So You Want to be a Marine.... <^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^> The Vietnam War, which raged from the late 1960s to early 1970s, saw as many as 400 000 US troops serving in Vietnam by 1967. Even the heavy use of US airpower failed to stem the growing communist strength, and in 1976 the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was proclaimed. Till today, the legacy of the military fiasco is still remembered, living in names etched on stone, and the picture of a running Vietnam girl, her skin burnt by napalm. Kingfisher has kindly shared with us some comments and anecdotes on the Marines serving in the War, presented below in a slightly edited form: _The Tet Offensive_ During the Tet offensive, the US embassy was targeted first by Vietcong sappers. Charlie killed most of the guards outside the embassy but failed to secure the building as the Marines inside, with overwhelming odds against them kept out the attackers until reinforcements could arrive _Hue City_ This was during the Vietnam War. The NVA staged an offensive against the 'American Aggressors' while the Chinese New Year of 1968 was being celebrated and this one little city called Hue was in the middle of Charlie's offensive. The Marines got dugged in and took the fight to the enemy. To lose the city means more than defeat. To surrender was to never go home. So they rose to the call..and took back the city. _Khe Sanh_ For the first time in 20 years, all Marine Batalions: 1, 2 and 3 Marines were deployed. Same timeline but this time it took place on top of a plateu called Khe Sanh. For 66 days and night 6000 Marines the remote platue of Khe Sanh against 10000 NVA regulars. They endured heavy shelling by the enemy, while low on ammunition and supplies. They later staged a counter attack and ended the siege. /~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/ CONTINUES IN PART B