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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Oct 11, 2008 - 6:10:10 AM |
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Blackanthem Military News
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| A UH-60 Black Hawk crew chief gets ready to head out to pick up U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers after an air assault mission in northern Iraq. The helicopter crew was just one of six Black Hawks belonging to 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and a Chinook belonging to 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, transported troops to and back from the village where the mission occurred, April 12. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Troth) |
TIKRIT, Iraq - The mission was simple - drop off Coalition Forces at a northern Iraq village and pick them up a few hours later after they finished their mission. This routine air insertion quickly changed for the crew members of the nine helicopters when insurgents trying to escape fired on them.
"It was a multi-ship mission including three different airframes, Black Hawks, Kiowas, and Chinooks," said Spc. Kenneth Steinmetz, a crew chief with 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment. "We took a bunch of MPs (Military Police) and a contingent of Iraqi Police to an area where there was the possibility of militant forces in that area."
The MPs were from the 56th MP Company and the IP included members of Iraqi SWAT. The area was the village of Musahareef, a suspected safe haven for Al-Qaeda in Iraq, also known as AQI.
The mission was simple. Two OH-58 Kiowa Warriors provided aerial surveillance. Six UH-60 Black Hawks and a CH-47 Chinook transported the Coalition Forces from Contingency Operating Base Speicher to Musahareef where they was a suspected insurgent camp. The mission and role of the helicopter crews, all belonging to Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, quickly changed during the infiltration phase.
"On the infiltration it was noticed that we had heavily armed AQI entering two vehicles," said Sgt. Timothy Wright, a crew chief with 3-1 AA. "They had AK-47s, bandoleers and chest plates on. They entered two pickups and fled to the south."
The Kiowa Warrior pilots moved in to stop the vehicles. As they fired a Hellfire at one truck, the occupants in the second truck opened fire on them. The missile hit the bed of the first truck, stopping it from escaping.
"As the (Kiowas) were going after the second vehicle they called us to check the first vehicle and its occupants," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Richard Livingston. "When we moved in we were engaged along our left side.
"We figured out who was shooting at us, we picked out our targets and engaged them we returned fire and moved to engage them from another location."
With the commotion of taking fire from the insurgents and the Black Hawk door gunners returning fire, Simmons said that there was an "eerie calm" over the radio. "A lot of the extra chatter disappeared and you only heard what was pertinent."
What was pertinent at that time was to know if the air crew is ok and where the insurgents are.
"The aircraft is a pretty durable aircraft, it will sustain a lot of damage and still fly," said Wright. "The big part when we take fire is to reassure each other that none of us has been hit."
Wright said because of the adrenaline pumping in your system you must physically check your limbs and the rest of your body to see if you have taken a round.
Once this quick check is done each crewmember has their own assigned task to deal with those firing at them and their helicopter.
"Mr. (Chief Warrant Officer 3 Lyndle) Ratliff focused on flying the aircraft, and I was able to focus outside the aircraft and find the individuals," said Livingston. "I started calling out the targets for the gunners. I was able to walk the gunners onto their targets.
"The gunners were outstanding. I was thoroughly impressed with how they fell back on their training in a stressful situation. That is what it came down to, we fell back on what we knew we had to do, and that is what got us through it safely."
To ensure everyone knew what to do to keep themselves, the Coalition Forces on the ground, and their aircraft safe, the air crews went over procedures to take in case there was hostile fire.
"I gave (Spc. Terren) Blake a pep talk before hand and it worked out well. I told him, when it starts happening you need to tuck your knees, and maintain a low profile," said Wright. "When we started shooting, I was engaging and Blake did what he had to do - our training kicked in. I am really proud of Blake, this was his first air assault and he did great."
Wright added that although it was him and Blake manning the guns they could not have done their job as well as they did if not for the pilots. Ratliff's ability to put the helicopter in the correct position allowed them to return fire effectively.
After eliminating any threat from the insurgents who had been in the first vehicle, the Black Hawk crew was called over to assist with those running from the second vehicle, which the Kiowa had also disabled.
"Pretty much the exact same situation happened. They engaged us we engaged back," said Livingston.
But the situation wasn't the same, this time the rounds going through their aircraft hit something and a warning light came on.
"At that point we knew we had a mechanical problem and called in the other two Black Hawks to relieve us and we headed back to Speicher," said Livingston.
"En route we started diagnosing the battle damage we had taken," said Wright. "We had taken several hits to our helicopter, one of which was to our hydraulic lines that run up the tail pylon."
"We went through all the proper steps and assessed that we were still flying and continued back to Speicher," said Livingston.
"Overall the outcome was better than expected," said Wright. "We came out of there with damage to the aircraft, ok, that is battle damage - it happens. The important thing is all four of us survived, the enemy was eliminated and the mission was accomplished."
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| UH-60 Black Hawks get ready to head out to pick up U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers after an air assault mission in northern Iraq. Six Black Hawks, belonging to 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment and a Chinook belonging to 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment,, transported troops to and back from the village where the mission occurred, April 12. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Troth) |
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| A CH-47 Chinook and two UH-60 Black Hawks prepare to lift off on their way back to pick up U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers after an air assault mission in northern Iraq. Six Black Hawks, belonging to 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and the Chinook belonging to 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, transported troops to and back from the village where the mission occurred, April 12. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Troth) |
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| UH-60 Black Hawks take off and head out to pick up U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers after an air assault mission in northern Iraq. Six Black Hawks, belonging to 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and a Chinook belonging to 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, transported troops to and back from the village where the mission occurred, April 12. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Troth) |
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| A UH-60 Black Hawk flies off to pick up U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers after an air assault mission in northern Iraq. Six Black Hawks, belonging to 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and a Chinook belonging to 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, transported troops to and back from the village where the mission occurred, April 12. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Troth) |
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| A UH-60 Black Hawk and a CH-47 Chinook return to Contingency Operating Base Speicher with U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers after an air assault mission in northern Iraq. Six Black Hawks, belonging to 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and the Chinook belonging to 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, transported troops to and back from the village where the mission occurred, April 12. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Troth) |
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| A UH-60 Black touches down at Contingency Operating Base Speicher with U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers after an air assault mission in northern Iraq. Six Black Hawks, belonging to 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and the Chinook belonging to 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, transported troops to and back from the village where the mission occurred, April 12. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Troth) |
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| U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers disembark from a CH-47 Chinook at Contingency Operating Base Speicher after an air assault mission in northern Iraq. Six Black Hawks, belonging to 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and the Chinook belonging to 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, transported troops to and back from the village where the mission occurred, April 12. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Troth) |
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| Four UH-60 Black Hawks filled with U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers make their final approach at Contingency Operating Base Speicher after an air assault mission in northern Iraq. Six Black Hawks, belonging to 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and a Chinook belonging to 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, transported troops to and back from the m village where the mission occurred, April 12. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Troth) |
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| A UH-60 Black Hawk filled with U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers land at Contingency Operating Base Speicher after an air assault mission in northern Iraq. Six Black Hawks, belonging to 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and a Chinook belonging to 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, transported troops to and back from the village where the mission occurred, April 12. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Troth) |
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| U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers disembark from a UH-60 Black Hawk at Contingency Operating Base Speicher after an air assault mission in northern Iraq. Six Black Hawks, belonging to 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and the Chinook belonging to 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, transported troops to and back from the village where the mission occurred, April 12. (Photo by Sgt. First Class Jeff Troth) |
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Comments
Tina & Tim Wright
21 Jun 2008, 13:17
Well Hello Son: xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
We have been so worried about you. Thank goodness Nikki shared your
e-mail,with gramma or no one would of had it. We love and miss you
something terrible. We would love to send you a care package, filled with
all the stuff you need or would like to have. Please get back to us so that
we may send asap.
Scary stories Son, you be damn carefull
out there, keep your head down, and stay calm and collected, remember your
training. We pray every night and day that you will return home safe and
sound
son we all love you and miss you luv DAD
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