Thursday, March 16, 2006
Air Assault
There are two kinds of people: Those who like and support the 101st (no longer) Airborne Division, the Screaming Eagles of Band of Brothers fame; and, those who like and support the 82nd (still) Airborne Division, the All Americans of Those Devils in Baggy Pants lesser fame (the book was written by my cousin, Ross Carter). I'm in the latter category. The 82nd had a longer, tougher, more important WWII career. Oh, and the 82nd guys still train as parachutists.
Although there was a time that jumping out of a perfectly fine airplane, with just a few millimeters (thick) of silk canopy to slow your descent, made some sort of military sense, the Germans, who invented the very idea (Fallshirmjaeger), quit doing it in 1941 after a pyrrhic victory in Crete. That should have told us something. With helicopters, there is absolutely no need for paratroopers, but of course any idiot can ride in a helicopter and get out and walk after the chopper lands. Doing it just right couldn't take more than a few hours practice, could it? So I'm hoping the continuing of the Airborne after the 101st is honorific because they no longer train to jump out of airplanes with parachutes.
Oh, the 101st Screaming Eagles are the main part of Operation Swarmer north of Samarra in Iraq, a combined American Iraqi air assault (they ride in on helicopters) with mobile armored vehicle blocking forces. The hope is that it's an attempt to get Zarqawi. These helicopters are lined up ready to carry the mixture of troops to the target villages north of Samarra.
I pray for the boys' safety and hope for their success.
Click on the photo to the right and it will get bigger. The guy with his back to us is the Screaming Eagle. Notice the black plastic ties on his right in the back loops of his flack jacket. They use those instead of handcuffs. The two guys in old cookie dough camo (6-color desert) are Iraqis. Notice the AK clip pouches on the closest Iraqi soldier's chest. These guys are ready to rock and roll. The still have the easy to pull up to cover their faces scarves/turtlenecks. I'm still dismayed by the need for them to cover their faces. God speed to all.
Although there was a time that jumping out of a perfectly fine airplane, with just a few millimeters (thick) of silk canopy to slow your descent, made some sort of military sense, the Germans, who invented the very idea (Fallshirmjaeger), quit doing it in 1941 after a pyrrhic victory in Crete. That should have told us something. With helicopters, there is absolutely no need for paratroopers, but of course any idiot can ride in a helicopter and get out and walk after the chopper lands. Doing it just right couldn't take more than a few hours practice, could it? So I'm hoping the continuing of the Airborne after the 101st is honorific because they no longer train to jump out of airplanes with parachutes.
Oh, the 101st Screaming Eagles are the main part of Operation Swarmer north of Samarra in Iraq, a combined American Iraqi air assault (they ride in on helicopters) with mobile armored vehicle blocking forces. The hope is that it's an attempt to get Zarqawi. These helicopters are lined up ready to carry the mixture of troops to the target villages north of Samarra.
I pray for the boys' safety and hope for their success.
Click on the photo to the right and it will get bigger. The guy with his back to us is the Screaming Eagle. Notice the black plastic ties on his right in the back loops of his flack jacket. They use those instead of handcuffs. The two guys in old cookie dough camo (6-color desert) are Iraqis. Notice the AK clip pouches on the closest Iraqi soldier's chest. These guys are ready to rock and roll. The still have the easy to pull up to cover their faces scarves/turtlenecks. I'm still dismayed by the need for them to cover their faces. God speed to all.
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 5:56 PM 
Comments:
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What is up with the face cover? Isn't that just to protect from sand?
Let's hope this push actually makes a noticable difference, and casualties are minimal.
Let's hope this push actually makes a noticable difference, and casualties are minimal.
I think they hide their faces, like the Jihadist do, to protect their identities. That's what troubles me. But I do hope the casualties are minimal in this actually minor push.
Do you think CNN's assesment that this is the "biggest air assault since 2003" is overblown?
I had an inkling that the face covers were for that purpose. This indicates a lack of trust between the US forces and the Iraqi military?
Just guessing really.
I had an inkling that the face covers were for that purpose. This indicates a lack of trust between the US forces and the Iraqi military?
Just guessing really.
Maybe they cover their faces so they wont put their families at risk of retaliation for what they do? Anyway you look at it, it sucks, but our SWAT teams also cover their faces so...
And yes, a tad overblown (unless they captured some big boys and are holding them imcommunicado) but not a failure when no one of the good guys dies.
And yes, a tad overblown (unless they captured some big boys and are holding them imcommunicado) but not a failure when no one of the good guys dies.
You shouldn't insult your betters?
Let's hope they are there to find the the WMD's Israeli intel. said was buried around Samarra before the war. First Strike!
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Let's hope they are there to find the the WMD's Israeli intel. said was buried around Samarra before the war. First Strike!
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