A note from the War

[Fritz]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,82536,00.html


Apaches Crash in First Mission by 101st Airborne

SOMEWHERE IN IRAQI DESERT — Apache helicopter gunships raided Republican Guard units south of Baghdad late Friday in the first major attack by the 101st Airborne Division during the war. Two of the Apaches crashed but all crew members escaped injury, officials said.

Helicopters from the 2nd Battalion took out four tanks, six armored personnel carriers, 15 vehicles, a fuel site and a fiberoptics tower, said Maj. Randall Haws, the battalion's executive officer. The battle assessment from the 1st Battalion was not available.

The attack force also included artillery and Air Force jets, officials said.

The crashes were blamed on "brown-out" conditions, which are caused by clouds of brown desert sand created when a helicopter approaches the ground. That makes it difficult for the pilot to see to ground.

The pilots have trained on brown-out landings extensively in the last year and since arriving in the Iraqi theater a month ago. But it is still a high risk — some even consider it the most dangerous part of a mission like the one Friday night.

"It's literally the scariest thing I've done in my life," Haws said.

The first crash happened just minutes into the mission, which began about 8 p.m. The pilot from the 2nd Battalion over-torqued the helicopter during the take-off, Haws said. The decision was made as a precaution, but the helicopter crashed a short time later, Haws said.

The second helicopter crashed as it landed after completing its mission at about 10:30 p.m.

"I saw the dust cloud over the entire helicopter," said Spc. Russell Buckhard, 23, of Miami, who was on standby to reload Hellfire missiles onto the aircrafts. "I heard a loud smash with sparks flying,"

A pilot from the first crash had a possible broken leg, but the others were considered in relatively good shape.

"They're already joking about taking parts off the aircrafts," Haws said. "These guys will bounce back. They'll be OK."

Haws, however, said losing the aircraft is a loss: One cost $22 million; the second, with a more advanced radar system cost $27 million.

"We can't crash two every night," Haws said.

A third Apache from the 1st Battalion was grounded after its computer system malfunctioned. A security team was dispatched to recover it.

There was no substantial damage from enemy fire to the choppers, but they did take some small arms and anti-aircraft fire, Haws said.

Pilots participating in the mission were not told about either crash until after they had safely landed.

"It was a little scary until I got out and realized what happened," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jeff Lamprecht, 31, of Woodlawn, Tenn., of the second crash, which he saw after taking out three Iraqi tanks with Hellfire missiles during the mission.

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Just another day at the war I am sure, but CWO2 Lamprecht is one of my dearest friends and I could not be more proud (and happy to see he is ok.)

[Tarkus]

Very glad they made it out alive. But I tell you I'm glad I'm not one of these pilots. I have a very difficult time killing anything in Operation Flashpoint with helicopters.

Tarkus

[CamEdwards]

I'm glad to see your buddy is okay.

Glad to hear that things worked out ok.

[GrantDawg]

I saw a picture of those helicopters while ago. One was upside down but seemed to be intact. I was wondering how they got out. Glad to hear your buddy is safe. His commander said that he going to get him back in the saddle ASAP.

[RawIsDan]

Glad to hear they were okay.

[tucker342]

Glad to hear you're friend (and everyone else) was okay