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| Iraq |
| Textbook Recovery of Downed Helo |
| 2006-09-23 |
| ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq, Sept. 22, 2006 — Marines and sailors with Marine Wing Support Squadrons 273 and 274, Marine Wing Support Group 37 (Reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), successfully recovered a disabled CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter from a hard landing location in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq, Sept. 9. The helicopter belonging to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463, Marine Aircraft Group 16 (Reinforced), 3rd MAW, was disabled in a hard landing Sept. 7, and within a few hours, the mission to recover it was planned. Having been in Iraq just weeks, the Marines and sailors with were assigned the unprecedented job of recovering the massive helicopter and transporting it back to Al Asad. the big coalition air base in Anbar "I've been here two weeks and never expected this," said Seaman Dominic K. Christofek, a corpsman. "I was excited to be going outside the wire to do something great like recovering a helicopter. You don't hear about that happening too much." Leaving Al Asad Sept. 8 in a convoy of more than a dozen vehicles, the Sweathogs began their long, hot drive to the landing zone. Two things were a constant for the Marines and sailors during the haul across the Iraqi desert -- hydration and a watchful eye for possible threats. Despite traveling roads littered with signs of previously blown IEDs, the convoy reached a rally point near the helicopter's location without incident. Upon arrival, the support squadrons set up a protective perimeter, and as the sun slowly fell, turning the western sky a bright orange, a team of Marines moved to the helicopter to assess how they would bring it back. Throughout the night, as the perimeter Marines swept the surrounding landscape for threats, the assessment team cut the main rotor blades and tail from the massive aircraft before using a crane to place it atop an oversized trailer for transport. With the 24,000 pound, 73 foot-long helicopter dwarfing the vehicle carrying it, the convoy set off to return to Al Asad. photo at link Less than 36 hours after departing on a mission never performed before, the jubilant Marines and sailors returned to their squadron compound having written themselves into the Marine Corps training manual on how to recover a disabled helicopter by land. "The recovery effort was successful largely in part to the staff (non-commissioned officers) and sergeants who were on the mission," said Col. Michael G. Dana, commanding officer. "Their experience and knowledge was instrumental to the safe recovery of the aircraft. Due to their efforts, we were able to bring the aircraft back to base with no impact on the local population." |
| Posted by:Kimmy |
| #9 I like the warnings behind the humvees |
| Posted by: SwissTex 2006-09-23 19:29 |
| #8 Now listen, I don't want to be talking about any textbook recoveries... I want us to recover them, in their bed, with there tiny dicks hangin out by the Duck! When you walk by I want the geese to Shit and the wymen to wail. Let us pray.... |
| Posted by: 6 Patton 2006-09-23 17:32 |
| #7 henceforth, by RB rules and the Bud Lite Man Table - Bobby will always be known as "Kimmie". So decreed... let's all have a beer with Kimmie |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-09-23 17:27 |
| #6 So it does, Larry. I wonder if the poster somehow messed it up? That would be me. It seems Firefox also would not let me change my name after I posted as Kimmie. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2006-09-23 17:19 |
| #5 Delete the "AL" from the end of the URL in the title link and it works fine. |
| Posted by: Larry Everett 2006-09-23 16:05 |
| #4 Nope. Firefox phuched. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2006-09-23 15:20 |
| #3 Original link: http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/sept2006/a092206td2.html Firefox doesn't like the buttons. I'll try it the hard way. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2006-09-23 15:20 |
| #2 Link |
| Posted by: KBK 2006-09-23 11:17 |
| #1 Linky broken. |
| Posted by: Mizzou Mafia 2006-09-23 10:27 |