Ipod saves Soldier's Life 3 on Flickr

varmazis says:

that is so amazing! thank you for sharing this.

--
Seen on digg.com (?)
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

anarav1a says:

brings another meaning to "r0ck on..."
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

In this picture, the guy is telling the nurse how he's gonna fool everybody back home that this iPod of his, that the shot after it stopped working, supposedly saved his life in Iraq.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

applehillz [deleted] says:

WOW that's crazy. You should send this to Apple Inc. They might post in on there site.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

dubnacious says:

Lucky Fella, good for him.
Thank heavens it wasn't an iPod Shuffle
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

ymiller2004 says:

Have you ever seen anything that was hit by the AK-47 bullet?
You gotta to be kidding me!
The AK-47 makes a Sieve out of the railroad rail.
If the bullet from AK-47 would of even touch the ipod it would melt down in to the unformed substance size of a ping pong ball or shattered into the million peices.
It's a very stupid prank.
It's very sad and stupid prank.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Ry Jones says:

Ymiller2004: you're seriously uninformed on the topic. I've shot lots of stuff with an AK47, including computers. It makes a nice hole and does not cause the catastophic failure you mention. There's no way an AK47 could shoot through a rail; 1/4" of mild steel will stop it.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Purgatori says:

*sighs in relief* wow! Awesome but.. but... *cries for ipod* Oh wait! That means he needs a new one!!!!! >:) hehe
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

EDeljanin says:

Awesome photos for an awesome gadget!
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

WilcoUSMC says:

If he was out on patrol, he would have been wearing his IBA. Seeing that IBA's carrie SAPI plates, his plate most likely stopped most of the possible severe injury, giving him a nasty bruise. On top of that, the iPod probably just stopped the bruising part.

His IBA saved him, not the iPod.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

i_ageek says:

This isn't his combat iPod, the pci has been photoshopped. See original here:P www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php? t=109054.

Apple is making a replacement. It will stop bullets too.

OMG, yahoo regisrtation sucks.

YMMV.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

kaiga40 says:

Ok, sorry to be negative here, but that iPod didn't save his life. His armor did. The iPod merely probably torqued down the impact it would have on his body armor maybe by say 25 pounds. Seriously some people don't realize how destructive an AK-47 is. Especially when reading the article it states that they are mere few feet away from each other. The ballistic impact would be far greater.
I have been to a firing range before and have seen what AK-47s can do, they can punch holes through cinder blocks, they can penetrate 1/4" steel, believe it or not. You want even more proof?
www.militaryvideos.net/videos.php?videonum=43
I'm sorry but, an iPod to a 7.62mm round is like dropping a rock through wet newspaper.
The crap you see in movies doesn't reflect what happens in real life.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

phlezk says:

fucking badass
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

ymiller2004 says:

For anybody asking yourself what would an AK-47 bullet make out of an iPod .....I say it's very easy. Please, don't turn to Hollywood movies such as "RAMBO" for answers. I guarantee you a total distraction, to the point of completely loosing the iPod's plastic body.
It's like stabing the foam with Samurai Sword.
Look for YouTube.com AK-47 videos to judge this prank yourself.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

ymiller2004 says:

Watch this video on YouTube and in the very end you'll see how bad the AK-47 is. Don't listen to a 'smart people' who 'know's it all.'
JUST WATCH THE CLIP go to youtube.com and search for 'AK 47 vs M16' Thank you.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

tikigod says:

This isn't a prank. It's legit as far as I know.

"It slowed the bullet down enough that it did not completely penetrate his body armor"

The iPod did not stop the bullet, it slowed it down. At the range they were at the bullet would have passed through the armor without the iPod.

The iPod gets an assist.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

HotelOne says:

Love the pic!
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

taciturnal says:

wow, a flamewar regarding ballistics on a photography website. strange world...

the title is for illustrative purposes only, i am sure...no one actually thinks the actual ipod actually stopped the actual bullet all by itself. in fact, the description indicates that the actual soldier was actually wearing actual body armor and while the actual ipod only contributed to slowing the actual bullet, it was actually the vest that did the actual job. at least that is how i actually read it.

anyway, it was a good thing it was an ipod, if it had been a windows product it would have instantly given the blue screen of death and taken everyone in the area down. :)

great story.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

russellvt says:

Very cool! And you've been green-lighted on Fark.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

heypete says:

While I don't think anyone's doubting that the iPod slowed down the bullet somewhat (friction with anything including air, slows down bullets), I for one question the claim that the iPod slowed the bullet down so that the armor could stop it, and that the armor couldn't have stopped it otherwise.

Let's quickly go over the materials involved:
iPod: Plastic, electronics, aluminum. Total thickness: About 0.5".
Armor: Boron carbide ceramic backed by Spectra. Thickness: about 0.6"

The SAPI plate is rated to stop 3 rounds of 7.62mm NATO/.308 Winchester with a velocity of 2,750 feet per second. AK-47s fire 7.62x39mm cartridges at a velocity of 2,330 feet per second.

Clearly, the armor plate would have easily stopped the bullet by itself. But it definitely makes a great story.

ymiller2004 says:
Have you ever seen anything that was hit by the AK-47 bullet?
Yes. Several times.
The AK-47 makes a Sieve out of the railroad rail.
Depends on the rail, distance, and the angle. If fired through the narrow vertical section, maybe. Otherwise, no.
If the bullet from AK-47 would of even touch the ipod it would melt down in to the unformed substance size of a ping pong ball or shattered into the million peices.
Er. No. Not quite. It would probably put a nice 7.62mm hole through it, maybe with some parts falling off from the impact, but it certainly wouldn't melt it. If the kinetic energy of a 7.62mm bullet at the muzzle were completely converted into kinetic energy, it would produce about 0.480 kilocalories ("food calories"). If all this thermal energy were applied to the iPod, it might get warm, and some of the plastics might soften, but it certainly wouldn't melt into a uniform substance. Practically, the iPod would likely melt where the friction of the bullet's passage heated it, but that'd be for a range of about 1/4" around the bullet hole.

A can of soda has about 120-150 kilocalories, and would generate more heat energy if it could be set on fire in a calorimeter.

That said, would you mind producing evidence of your claims that an iPod would melt into a ping pong ball sized mass of uniform composition or shatter? I've shot numerous objects with the same cartridge, and nothing of the sort happened when I fired into jugs of water (they ruptured and leaked, but certainly didn't melt or shatter), boxes of various types and compositions (holes punched in them), metal and plastic objects (clean hole punched in them), and so on. None melted or shattered, nor was the force of the bullet's passage enough to significantly heat the water -- the water in the jugs was cool to the touch immediately after being shot.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Amanda Kamnitzer says:

Wow.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

schratboy says:

God bless and THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE. I wouldn't send the photo to Apple though. They'd exploit for their own commercial purposes....and then probably increase the price claiming a "Self-protection feature!"
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

draft13 says:

Freaking awesome. I wonder what he was listening to.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

jeffislouie says:

Flipping idiots doubting this...
The guy was wearing his armor, but at that range, a bullet fired from and ak-47 CAN penetrate the armor. It isn't usually a lethal shot, but it can be. The iPod added an extra layer of protection that likely stop the bullet from penetrating completely through.
Why doubt this on pure speculation?
Oh,right. He's wearing a uniform and isn't smoking a blount while protesting the war and screaming about how Bush is a murderer. He can't be trusted....
Puh-leeze.
I am proud of our military personnel. This is a good story with an upbeat ending.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Dustin Wilson says:

Great story. Sad that some idiots who think pigs fly (ie AK-47s will melt iPods and no way the iPod could slow an AK-47 bullet) and ruin it for everyone else thinking it's some sort of a prank. Soldiers are now putting steel plates in front of their body armor to slow down close range bullets FROM AK-47S. I guess all the soldiers that have been saved by their metal plates should be dead... well they're not! He was just saved by his iPod. Actually fire the weapons in real life, read up on what the troops are actually doing in Iraq to keep themselves safe, and get a life. The third choice would be the best one in my opinion.

Great story. I hope Apple catches wind of this and sends him a new iPod. He deserves it I'd say.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

erikschmidt says:

Whether the iPod actually saved SGT Garrad's life or not is immaterial, imho. The guy is alive and happy that he had his iPod on him when that bullet hit him. The ballistics discussions are interesting, but none of us knows the exact circumstances of the event. We don't know the age of the AK round, its manufacture, or its angle of entry.

I'm just happy SGT Garrad is alive and well.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Redneck_Joe says:

It is mind numbing to see the ignorance of the masses regarding firearms.
I've shot hundreds and hundreds of objects with rifles considerablty more powerful than an AK-47 (7.62x39). Rifles include 7mm magnum, .300 Weatherby mag, .30-06, .270, and even .30-.378 Weatherby. Objects I've shot include water jugs, computers, monitors, old cars, pumpkins, hundreds of pieces of wood, bottles, cans, steel plates, mannequins, radios, deer, clay birds, aerosol cans, propane canisters, and on and on.
If you shot a railroad rail with an AK-47 from 3 feet away, it would leave one shiny spot on the rail where the pancaked bullet got rid of some rust. That is all. You would have to look closely to notice a slight dent.
It has a considerably lower velocity than most deer rifles you can buy at Walmart.
The pictures show exactly what I would expect that round to do.
The idea that it saved his life, however, is silly. The gullibility of so many people who blindly believe that explains a lot about our culture today.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

eross77 says:

Is there any collection being made so that we can help buy him a new 80Gb Ipod? I think he deserves it.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

d00db0x says:

I am considering putting this on the main page of my website, www.d00db0x.com. How about it folks? Is this story good enough? I personally like it.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

agphotography says:

Technically speaking, if he were to take that ipod to apple, nothing could be done.

it's an HP iPod, and therefore is not even in apple's system. he would have to talk to HP.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

heypete says:

The guy was wearing his armor, but at that range, a bullet fired from and ak-47 CAN penetrate the armor.

No, they really can't. Not through through the hard plate, at least not the first shot or two. Excess shots might, as they shatter the ceramic, but if you fired an AK from one foot away at the plate, the plate would still stop it. The plate is rated for heavier rounds traveling over 400fps faster.

Yes, this soldier is quite lucky indeed to be alive, but his iPod has effectively nil effect on the effect of the incoming round. It absorbed a small amount of energy from the bullet, yes, but the iPod was not the key factor to stopping the bullet, SGT Garrad's armor was.

If a round from an AK were to strike somewhere other than the hard plate on his armor, such as the sides of the body, it would pass through the bullet-resistant fabric with ease as the soft part of the armor is rated only for pistol rounds. But one round from an AK simply cannot penetrate the hard plate at any range.

Why doubt this on pure speculation?

Because the facts (the properties of the armor, ammunition, and ballistics) say that the iPod would have almost no effect, and that his armor is what stopped the bullet.

It's pure speculation to suppose that the iPod helped stop the bullet. The facts simply disagree.

Oh,right. He's wearing a uniform and isn't smoking a blount while protesting the war and screaming about how Bush is a murderer. He can't be trusted....

Um. All right. I suppose the scars I carry, the uniform in my closet that bears a striking resemblance to SGT Garrad's, and the DD214 in my personnel file (that says something about "honorable discharge") suggest that I'm some crazed hippie. Sure, whatever you say.

Even if I *was* some sort of crazed hippie, the facts of the situation do not lie. 7.62x39mm rounds have a specific velocity that varies only slightly from lot to lot and manufacturer to manufacturer. Issued SAPI plates are rated for a certain number of hits from a certain type of round. iPods are constructed out of certain types of materials. Based on these facts, it's clear the iPod had no significant effect on the bullet not penetrating his armor.

I have no doubt that SGT Garrad is a very lucky man, and I'm very glad that he's alive and well. I surely don't think he's playing a prank, and is telling the truth about the bullet passing through the iPod before it struck his armor, but that doesn't mean the iPod contributed in any real way to stopping it.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

ascuriousasyou says:

I have a 7.62x39 rifle and can catagorically state that it will not "... makes a Sieve out of the railroad rail." as ymiller04 states. At best it would leave a copper colored mark 'possibly' where the round hit it, a shiny spot otherewise.
Kevin Garrad's body armor took the brunt of the round's kinetic energy and the IPod absobed what little was left preventing a more serious injury. It is indeed a very fortunate stroke of luck it was there.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

ColJack55 says:

What a lucky man! Congratulations and thanks for your service to our country.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

duke_0f_vandals says:

I don't understand why people feel the need to defend the soldier... nobody is attacking the soldier. If you have no experience with guns, you probably shouldn't be trying to argue and making assumptions along the lines that becuase an iPod cant stop a bullet, we hate America.

I don't know as much extensive information on ballistics as heypete does, but I have shot an AK-47. It's a strong gun, but it's not magical, and doesn't do all that much different than other guns of the same kind. I didn't find any properties for it to mysteriously melt things, or for it to have inherently explosive rounds. It CAN put a hole in a cinder block, but a lot of guns can do that, that isn't special. Probabaly even a .22 could do something.

Glad to see the soldier survived the encounter. A friend of mine is out there right now. I hope it all ends soon so they can come home.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

gsp42 says:

I have shot holes through armour with my AK, I have seen it for myself with my own eyes. Anybody who would tell me otherwise is not credible. I have shot junk cars where my armour peircing rounds went through them, all the way throught the front bumper, engine, firewall, seats,and out the back bumper. Too bad our troops are not armed with this superior weapon.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

glazpilot says:

All i hope for is that Apple replaces his iPod, i would be a great insentive for SGT Garrad and great PR for Apple, god be with you all (with or without iPod"s).
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

grayzen says:

.........Apple should supply Kevin Garrard with free Ipods for life.............

anyone else with me on this one. ?
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

QueenOfDallas says:

That's awesome.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Fat.Bear says:

How imbecilic. An iPod will not noticeably reduce the kinetic energy of a steel jacketed 7.62mm 8 gram bullet fired from close range and traveling at well over 2000 feet per second. Nor would it affect the bullet's shape (mushrooming). The bullet would breeze right through the iPod and continue on almost completely unaffected. The body armor, and only the body armor saved this soldier's life.

On the other hand, if the soldier was listening to the iPod at the time of the attack, that might account for why he was caught off-guard. But I doubt that he was that stupid.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

ymiller2004 says:

I did not call anybody an idiot here!
I expect the same from others when making a comment about this argument.
PLEASE JUST WATCH THIS VIDEO, IT"S MADE BY DISCOVERY CHANNEL AND POSTED ON YOUTUBE. WATCH THIS TO THE VERY END AND YOU"LL SEE HOW THE AK-47's BULLET PENETRATES THE MASS THAT EQUALS TO 100's IF NOT 1000's of iPod's. I'm POSTING THE DIRECT LINK TO THIS VIDEO HERE.
ALSO, BARE IN MIND THAT THE AK-47 SHOWN IN THIS VIDEO IS MUCH WORST (THAN AN IDAQIS HAVE) CHINESE KNOCK-OFF version THAT HAS A MUCH LOWER IMPACT ON THE OBJECTS IT SHOT AT.
ALSO, WHAT I'M NOT ARGUING HERE is WHAT SAVEd HIS LIVE.
ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT FROM MY OWN EXPIRENCE DEALING WITH AN OBJECTS THAT have BEEN SHOT WITH KALASHNIKOV MACHINE GUN... I CAN SAY BY LOOKING AT THIS IPOD THAT THIS IS NO WAY A SHOT FROM AN AUTOMAT KALASHIKOV, PERIOD.
AS FOR WHATEVER IT IS (COULD BE A CARABIN) I CAN'T TELL.
i'M GLAD THIS GUY IS A LIVE AND WELL.
AS ANY CRISTIAN I WISH HIM BEST LUCK IN LIVE.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

ymiller2004 says:

AND HERE IS THE LINK www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6BpI3xD6h0
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

mbdexp2001 says:

ymiller2004,
You are wrong about AK47. As one who did serivice under comunist regim, I had to learn and shoot the romanian made AK, which was made under license and modernized. The new name was AKM-63, and for that time was the most powerfull combat sub-machine gun. You are right about the power of the 7.62 round, can go thru o lot of things, but -and here you are wrong- won`t do to much damage, like melting plastic. Will leave a very small hole at penetration, and maybe will ripp at exit (at least on wood). So, the picture look real to me, mostly looking a the second one, from the back of the I-pod. As saving his live, most than sure hes vest can be creditet.
Oh..PS...don`t take your news or info from youtube...that is not realy a source
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

d00db0x says:

Who cares if it stopped the bullet. Geez people. It hit his ipod, and his armor, he lived. Can we leave it at that? I am tired of the CSI wiener responses we have going on in here.

'If the velocity of a southbound swallow matches that of the pineapple, therefore it's made of wood, and therefore....a WITCH BURN THE WITCH BURN HER!'

Geez people...you make bored people look sane.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

tikigod says:

um wow...

@ymiller2004

While I've said I won't disable comments elswhere doesn't mean I won't nuke somebody whose being uncivil.

Take a chill pill, turn your caps-lock off, and debate ballistics nicely with the other folks.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Slab8002 says:

OK, I'll ask the question: why the hell did he have an Ipod on patrol? He should get a slap on the back for surviving and killing the bad guy, then a kick in the face having an Ipod in his pocket outside the wire. Especially an NCO setting such a bad example for his Joes.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

ymiller2004 says:

Boring?
You are leaving in the fantacy world.
Anything that is real makes you boring.
Too much TV and Hollywood movies.
PC games and other BS.
The real world is boring and spooky but ti's real.
And to the bunch of rednecks that make comments about the Automat Kalashnikov based on the facts from their expereinces from playing with CHINESE and EASTERN EUROPE knock-offs I say:
Your AK-47's are toy's in comparason to the real combat 'Klashnikov '.
Why? Because it's NOT for sale to the public no matter where in Russia or USA.
The 7,62 round you have shot are less powerful than the combat versions.
Why?
The powder and metal used to make real combat bullets is for the millitary ONLY!
STOP leaving in the FANTACY WORLD of Quentin Tarantino.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6BpI3xD6h0
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

ymiller2004 says:

'romanian made AK AKM-63,

Thats exactly my point.
Look at the real impact of the real AK in this video that is made by DISCOVERY CHANNEL and posted on YOUTUBE.
The video is not a Homebrewed clip by some jack-ass ,it's the real situation with unlicenced AK.
Also, there is tons of combat videos where the real combat Kalashnikov have been used in which it is evident that this Machine Gun is unstopable by any bodyarmor.
What's with the iPod anyway.
If it was a Sony Walkman it wouldn't make any notice.
The idea behind this prank is to expose the iPod name in the news.
Every dumb ass has one nowadays.
God bless America.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

out of ideas says:

Thanks for the photos. This is my favorite in the set. I've seen this story in other places, and they always post the closeup of the busted iPod.

Here, the man who's lucky to be alive is trying (and failing) to keep a straight face, while a wartime doctor gets a much-needed laugh. They've both seen things we don't want to think about, and they'll see more, but this is a happy moment.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

MikeWilliamson says:

Hey, ymiller:

You're moron.

You're not a vet.

You've probably handled a gun...on xBox.

But keep talking. I'm laughing my ass off, here (22 years service, rated expert in US Army, USAF, served as armorer, build weapons in the civilian world, several hundred articles and essays on weapons).

gsp: shoot through a car? Maybe a plastic model: theboxotruth.com/docs/buickot4.htm

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB4YhFMcRQ4 7.62 AK round won't go through bulletproof glass.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXMjh_XbkiI
7.62 AK round won't go through body armor.

The AK is a POS for illiterate 3rd world peasants and beloved of couch potato gamers. My unit cut several thousand of them up for scrap over there, after we took them away from those pansies. The rifles were as crap as the lusers using them. And most of the rifles were the vaunted Russian megarifles.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Slab8002 says:

ymiller, you have no idea what you are talking about. There are numerous instances of Marines and Soldiers taking AK-47 rounds in the chest at close range and continuing to fight. The issued body armor with ESAPI plates provides NIJ Level IV protection, which will defeat 7.62X51mm AP rounds. The AK-47 fires 7.62X39mm, which is not as powerful. In reality, the Ipod had absolutely no effect on the body armor's ability to defeat the round, but someone thought it would make a cool story, so here we are...
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

alphabunny says:

absolutely amazing.

i am thankful he is a smiling healthy person.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

ymiller2004 says:

I've never said I was a vet.
I don't have a xBox.
I'm not a moron.
Since, MikeWilliamson here is an expert on the subject, I'd like to ask him a few interesting questions.
First of , what countries have produced unlicenced AK's since it was first introduced?
Numder 2, is there a place in the USA that has an original Russian combat 'Automat Kalashnikov' for sale, that any public person could buy and try to shoot the iPod at a close range?
And lastly, since you have a nice website and the access to the real weapons, could you possibly demonstrate us any kind of portable player (such as old Sony walkman perhaps) being shot with whatever make of an AK you have.
I will closely monitor your responces.
Thank Sir.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

ymiller2004 says:

Also, for any weapons expert would be clear that thisis hoax since
AK-47 or just AK was only in USSR in limited number till 1959. After 1959 was AKM\C\Y in 7.62mm, then in 1974 - AK-74 in 5.45mm. Iraqies can use clones of AKM or AK-74. No one now using or producing real russian AK-47 for it's heavy weigth (~5kg) and cost of routed out breech frame, FYI. Now it's just brandname for dummies. AK-47 it's Western mythologic byname for all AK-like guns, as Eastern ppl calls "M16" for any AR15-like gun.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

fortheimperium says:

LOL it is so fun to see people to 'sharpshoot' (pardon the pun), this dudes picture. He almost got wacked. If I got shot, and I had a piece of gum that the bullet went through before it hit my body armor, I would be heaping paraise upon the gum wrapper manufacturer.
As far as mr expert ymillers opinion, i would study up some more. We pulled HUNDREDS of AK 47s and just about every variant you can imagine from bunkers in Iraq during desert storm. The AK is THE MOST exported firearm in history. The heavier variant is preferred because you can just about run over it with a tank, pick it up and it will still fire. It is a gun made for dummies who dont know how to clean or maintain a weapon. I would give my eye teeth for all the AK47s with the milled recievers that we had to destroy.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

demsul says:

Looks like we'll have to have the "Mythbusters" test this one out and either confirm or "bust" it. Course there was the guy who was shot in the face by an insurgent and his tooth saved his life. And that one was true...
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Slab8002 says:

BTW, to amend my last statement, ESAPIs are tested against 7.62X54R API rounds, which are used in PKMs and SVDs. Much higher powered stuff than anything that has ever been fired through an AK-series weapon. The AK-47/AKM is not a "Machinegun" nor is it unstoppable by any body armor.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Rob Roy 06 says:

Ummm....

I'm not sure what's funnier... that so many people have argued the "facts" so passionately....

or the fact tht I read through a bunch of the posts!

Anything on the web may be a hoax... but strange things DO happen, and I for one am willing to be "conned", if that's what it is, in order to have the "feel good moment" I had thinking the soldier really got lucky.

I hope at least 4 universities will make this whole debate a module in their Physics 101, and that Snopes will look into it, for those who care! (You do know about www.snopes.com, don't you? They look into urban legends and try to sort fact from fantasy. Excellent article there on important "first aid" for people who MAY have had a stroke... and how to recognise the situation.)

Enjoy the debate, which I'm sure will continue!
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

mitroha says:

Guys , please. Professional opinion . Seems like there is only guy who served in Russian army is me . So, only ymiller2004 is almost right .
1 The damage to Ipod is possible , BUT not from few yards
2 Bullet from AK 47 from 100 m WILL penetrate railroad rail
3 IPod CAN NOT stop AK 47 bullet at any distance
4 And most important , this story is prank , Do you know why ?
Even ,if he've got so lucky and wasn't killed from few yardsaway , and bulett from AK 47 didn't penetrate his armor it has enough energy to crush his ribs , bones and internal organs . A month in a hospital a garantee . But he is smiling . SO, it doesn't even worth to talk about it.
All story could be true only if a shot was made at least from 1/4 mile away .
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

tikigod says:

Read the critical update above, I've talked to Kevin and got the story:

The armour saved his life, the iPod was how he found out he was shot.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

fortheimperium says:

back to 'sharpshooting' again. Yes, the AK47 will penetrate lots of stuff, HOWEVER if it is at an angle, body armor WILL deflect it, without hurting the wearer, plus the titanium and ceramic plates the the troops have to drag around under the kevlar, are worth their weight in gold. Looking at the guys ipod, at seems that the bullet hit it at an angle anyway, making if possible that it glanced off his body armor.
An airborne trooper was fighting during our little jaunt into panama just before Desert Storm. they were taking the airport, where for some reason, help felt what seemed like someone hitting him in the head, knocking him down. He got back up, continued the fight, and they secured the airport. Later that night, they were sitting around cleaning weapons when someone asked him what was sticking out of the back of his Kevlar helmet. He took it off, and and noticed a hole dead center in the front, and the 7.62x39 round sticking OUT OF THE BACK of his kevlar! It SHOULD have drilled straight through his head, back travelled around an inside layer of the kevlar.
Was it a bad round? at the end of its trajectory? that pefect wrong angle? who knows. The kevlar is on display at the airborne museum at Fort Bragg. so it is POSSIBLE that the ipod could have deflected the round enough for the body armor to absorb the impact without knocking him through a wall. Oblique angles and titanium plates really make a differance.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

xdreemkillx says:

"'If the velocity of a southbound swallow matches that of the pineapple, therefore it's made of wood, and therefore....a WITCH BURN THE WITCH BURN HER!'"

actually, that is incorrect. you're merging 2 quotes from 2 different scenes. TRUST ME I KNOW, I WATCHED HOLY GRAIL 14 TIMES IN ONE WEEKEND.

(and yes, im being sarcastic)
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

j0hny469 says:

wow! =O...so now what? will they buy you a new IPOD? all Pimped out and stuff, cause that would be awesome =D
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

jenniferleeblair says:

Honestly, I'm embarrassed.. Bill just repeated what that kid's mother told him. And now it seems like Danny's the one to pay for it.. how is that fair?
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

fortheimperium says:

I am waiting for the I phone to come out. Maybe they will consider the military market and make one G.I. proof (tactical).
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

john_galt1 says:

Well, speaking as a two tour Iraq vet I will put in my own two cents.

1) This photo would have to be rather old as the 3rd ID switched to ACUs two years ago and don't wear DCUs anymore

2) People don't carry anything in a jacket pocket while on patrol, you wouldn't want to risk opening your vest to get it so it was probably in his equipment vest over his armor

3) I've been shot point blank with an AK while clearing a room and the SAPI plate stopped the round clean and transfered no blunt trauma damage to my body

4) a 7.62x39mm will have the same amount of energy regardless of who manufactured the weapon, different barrel lengths will change velocity and energy numbers but a russian AK with a 6" barrel will have far less velocity and energy than a Norinco with a 20" barrel. The Russian ammo is steel core and slightly hotter than standard and can be ordered by any American direct from internet surplus sites. Most insurgents use whatever they can get their hands on so there is no way to tell who made the particulart weapon/ammo that this man was shot with.

5) On our first tour it was three months into the war before supply finally issued us IBA and another month after that before we got the SAPI plates to go in them. During the interval one soldier was shot in the chest by an AK from about 150 meters. The Kevlar alone slowed the bullet down enough the it was stopped by his dog tag, which is a mere 1/8" piece of aluminum. The 7.62x39 mm round (no matter who made it) is similar in power levels to a 30-30 Winchester which is designed to take down a deer from under 200 meters. The 5.56mm is a varmit round so let's not get too excited about either round. Nothing smaller than a .50 BMG is going to penetrate a car the way ymiller describes.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

weirdfrog68 says:

@ john galt1: worth considerably more than 2 cents, I'd say. Thanks.

@ fortheimperium: I was at Bragg in '87-'88 and I remember that Kevlar in the 82d museum. That was actually from Urgent Fury in '83.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

cufishing says:

@ ymiller 2004. I followed your link to the video. I am unclear to what you speak of. But if you allow, I will interject some knowledge.
Are you referencing 'shot exit' of the twin 4x4's that replicate the 8" wooded cover?
If so, that is the projectile exiting the 2nd board, the debris is from the wood. Think of what happens when you drill a board with a high speed drill. Same concept, except this is a 7.62mm bore, the wood has to go somewhere. The projectile can be clearly seen through the slowed down high speed camera, excellent is it not?
I own an "SKS". Here is a little history: "The SKS was superseded as a front line Soviet firearm within only a few years by the AK-47, but has been manufactured in a number of countries, and used by the military forces of at least 21, as well as various insurgent groups".
It fires the exact same 7.62x39mm Russian cartridge as does the AK. It will out punch a 5.56mm, but it has not special powers.

I have only worn the first gen IBA with ceramic plates, it was heavy, bulky, and IIRC, you would know if you had been shot. The shear energy of a 7.62x39 will drop a IBA man out to 100-125 meters, easily.

As the story and picture state, this iPod was in the outside pocket, therefore it took a clean hit. If it would have been under his IBA, it more than likely would have been flattened.

Peace-Out.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Ladyhawke_18 says:

Hi, I work at the Fort Stewart Museum and I just wanted you to know I'm saving this story for the Division's permanent records! We're so glad you're ok. ...I knew there was a reason I loved my iPod.

~Sasha
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

bugmealot says:

abe da vi eba ne sa le skapi tea Ipodi da gi troshite tui bre
deeba vashta mamica kapitalisti4eska deeba
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

piperklly says:

That will boost ipod sales.Son keep your vest on always.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

eev11 says:

So Ipod is not just for music you see.. haha
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

bloggersmosaic.com says:

wow
Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )

Jerry Lee Que IV says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called American Soldiers, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

cybersquire says:

You're a lucky man, next time leave the ipod and bring an extra magazine!
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

petitewebfleur says:

they seems happy ! :)
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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Ipod saves Soldier's Life 3

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