Dollar Store Cannon

While at my local dollar store recently I found several sets of soldiers with accessories. One of the nice thing about the dollar store is you can buy a set like this even if you only need one part of it because the items are so cheap.

This is the contents of this set. The figures are randomly assorted, but there were four versions of the sets.

The small cannons are similar to some British cannons that were made under contract to the British government in the First World War. Once the US got into the war, the guns were then made for the US Army, but re-chambered for the same ammo as used in the 75mm guns the US was getting from the French.

These guns were used by the US Army at least until 1942. These MPC ring hand figures make a good crew for these guns. I got five of them.

The Tim Mee Jeep can tow these cannons and they look pretty good together.

I have no doubt that these cannons will appear in a future edition of the Atomic Testing Base 60mm adventure.

VP & Parade 3

Off duty sailor from the Atomic Testing Base views the parade of armored cars.

The armored car is used for police duties on military bases, and also for scouting purposes. Their high speed and armor protection make them excellent for this work.

More troops on the march. The rifle is for long range work and the submachine gun is for close up, inside buildings or dense forests. Their large magazine capacity and big slugs make short work of any Communists unlucky enough to face these weapons.

Many military bases support small towns outside the base that cater to the needs of both locals and the soldiers. In the Western states they often look just like towns Wyatt Earp could have visited.

VP & Parade 2

The Secret Service provides protection for the Vice-President. This Agent is armed with a Thompson submachine gun. The Secret Service has to be ready at any time for an attack on the principal members of the Executive Branch of government.

Marching in formation used to be necessary to conduct combat operations. Back in the American Civil War troops marched in formation to concentrate the firepower of their single shot weapons against the enemy.

Now the ability to march in formation shows troops as well disciplined, and highly trained.

The long straight lines of the two formations is well displayed in this photograph.

The same photo with a different focus shows the detail of these fine soldiers. These are Marx and Tim Mee and MPC figures; a mixture of both original 40- 50 year old soldiers and recasts.

VP & Parade 1

Vice-President Nixon is reviewing the troops at the small town just outside the main gate of the Atomic Testing Base. One of his Secret Service team is visible behind the tent. Military police supplement the Secret Service as they guard the reviewing canopy.

Modern, high technology armored cars participate in the parade. These armored cars are brand new.


The news crew covers this event. Around here, this is a big deal and many people took time off of work to see the soldiers marching, the armored cars and maybe a glimpse of the Vice-President.

Soviet spies are everywhere. Sometimes they are East Germans, or from Poland, or even Bulgaria. The East Germans are the most reliable of Moscow's puppets.


The soldiers march in review past the Vice-President. A visiting General is visible in the lower left corner of the photo.

Armored cars by Tim Mee, Nixon and General and MPs by Marx.

Change of Command Concludes

As the sun rises on a new day the change of command ceremony is concluded.

The troops prepare to march in review for the new Commanding General and his staff.

The Chaplain give a short closing Word as the troops march past in full battle array. Ready to fight the good fight against the Godless Communist Aggressor.

The high technology radio portable systems gives the American Fighting Man a critical advantage in battlefield communication.

The ceremony is concluded and work may resume on the tools needed to keep us all safe and free.

Atomic Testing, New Generals

A special change of command ceremony is taking place at the Atomic Testing base. Three new generals have arrived to take over operations. As the pace of the Soviet Unions atomic programs as accelerated, the President has made atomic testing a higher priority.

The new General officers will be Army General Clay in command, with General O'Donnell from the new Air Force as his second in command. The third general is another Army general, a medical doctor, General Snyder. He will be supervising the medical aspects of exposure to atomic radiation. Most scientists think the danger to troops from radiation is slight, but it does not hurt to study the situation to gather more information.

More troops are being assigned to the base as well. Army and Marines both will now serve here. Special vehicles are being assigned to the base that will serve as extra security.

More speeches have to be made to welcome the generals and the new troops. A large number of civilians employees for both fire prevention and materials handling have also been assigned to the Atomic Testing base. This is big goings on for a usually quite research facility.

The medical staff has been increased too, with a chaplain attached to the base headquarters as well. No godless Communists here.

One Ceremony After Another

The awards ceremony concluded, the troops and civilians are released to their usual job duties.

Sarge, nobody in the Engineers answers the phone, they are all at the awards ceremony. Why all the urgency? Why do we have all the extra security on any way? How cares if a bulldozer sits here for a couple days?

We got all the extra men on duty for security. There is a Top Secret visitor visiting the base, haven't you heard the news?

Sarge, if it was Top Secret, how would I have heard the news?

The base in on special lock up, for one very good reason. We got machine guns and armored cars and streets blocked off for a very important person who is going to visit the base. That's why everything is locked up tight as a drum. That's why I don't want no bulldozer here at the north gate.

As one awards ceremony ends, another formation begins with a benediction from the base chaplain.

Award Ceremony From Hell

Okay, call the base Engineers. They use bulldozers. They must have ordered one and it just got dropped off here for some reason. I bet that's it. Yes, I am sure they will take it off our hands.

"...and so in recognition of the fine work done here by a great patriot and lover of freedom..."

"...a great scientist that we can all respect and admire for his magnificent work up to today..."

"Dr. I it is my great privilege to present you with this award today."

"Thank you, but what I really want is enough men to do the job and a bulldozer!"

A near audible sigh of relief falls over the several hundred men drawn up in this company to witness this event. Standing around while someone makes a very generic and boring speech to give another award to someone who has a drawer full of them can be very trying. At least it was not a hot day.

MPC slot and ring hand figures, with a few from Carzol and a few others. Armored car by Tim Mee.

Awards and a Bulldozer

The awards ceremony continues...

"...and in proud recognition of the great work you and your team have accomplished..."

What do you mean you don't know where the bulldozer came from?!?

Well, Sarge, it's like this, when I came on duty at four in the morning it was dark and the other guard said nothing happened on his shift, and there were no cars coming so I waited over by that armored car. Then I checked the log and it had an entry at two-thirty in the morning that said, "Bulldozer delivered." That's all, just "Bulldozer delivered." So I figured they meant a truck came to the gate and was granted entrance to deliver a bulldozer. Not until it started to get light did I see something over here and I walked over to investigate. That's when I realized they delivered a bulldozer all right, they delivered a bulldozer right here. There's no bill of lading or anything to determine who gets it, but it's Army Green so I figure it's an Army bulldozer and this is an Army Base so I figure it's okay. Maybe they are going to do some work on the road and they needed a bulldozer.

"...with dedication and due diligence, in the on going fight against our nations enemies..."

"...in a Cold War against International Communist aggression, that will only end when..."

"...the forces of the free world work together to secure a future that is free of tyranny..."

We gotta get this bulldozer outta here before somebody sees it and we are all in trouble. It's on the QT, but I heard that not only is the IG coming but so is the Vice President. We can't have Vice President Nixon find a bulldozer blocking the north gate. A bulldozer nobody knows where it came from or where it belongs. Private, you are in big trouble if we don't get rid of this thing right away.

Atomic Awards

Doctor Henderson is to receive an award today. His excellent service to the nation will be recognized with a special medal. The entire facility has turned out for the ceremony.

Members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and civilian and contract defense workers have turned out for the presentation.

Only the security staff are still manning their post. The need for security is never greater when the entire population of the base are in one place at one time. A big bomb could get them all.

Patrolling the perimeter while the festivities go on within is a lonely but essential function. The austere nature of the terrain, the stark concrete roadway surface, the bleak vertical walls create a monotonous and difficult landscape to patrol.

Meanwhile at the north gate, the SGT of the Guard has a conversation with one of the guards.

Corporal, where did that bulldozer come from?