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May 16, 2008
In Country With The 101st Airbourne
BALAD, Iraq -
As the ramp slammed down in the muck, the rain came howling in drenching the men who leapt off the back of the Chinook helicopter. The troopers hurried into the field of sloppy mud where they slipped and slid through the landing zone to reorganize in the pitch black Iraqi night.
Not even the moon was friendly on this mission, which would prove to be a testament to the guts of Army Infantrymen and to the determination of Charlie Company Soldiers to make even the most remote hamlets in the Salah ad-Din province safe from al Qaeda’s treachery.
Soldiers from Charlie Company, 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division conducted Operation Helsinki Feb. 15 to clear out al Qaeda fighters from an area here that has typically not received much attention from Coalition Forces.
Helsinki was a combined counter-insurgency operation, which was conducted in partnership with the Iraqi Army, to help enable legitimate governmental organizations and to provide security for the citizens in the Bichigan peninsula, said 1st Sgt. Timothy Seeber, Charlie Company First Sergeant. Seeber called the Bichigan area, west of Balad, an al Qaeda safehaven that AQI flees to in order to avoid being killed or captured.
“AQI is on the run here and they know we have the means and mobility to kill or capture them where they hide,” said Seeber.
Helsinki began with a pre-dawn air assault into the fertile farmlands of the Bichigan area, which were heavily soaked with the early morning rain. With mud smeared on faces and firearms, Charlie Company Soldiers spent the day moving from house to house questioning residents and searching for AQI weapons caches along with Iraqi Army Soldiers.
The search turned up two weapons caches and resulted in the apprehension of a suspected AQI operative.
Since Charlie Company moved from FOB Caldwell near the Iranian border in early December, they have been instrumental in capturing three of the Balad area’s high value targets and have discovered numerous weapon caches, said Staff Sgt. Tommy Pafford.
Much of the success that Charlie Company has had is due largely to spending a great deal of time out among the people and to the Sons of Iraq movement, which has enabled U.S. and Iraqi Forces with quality intelligence about AQI operations in the area, said Pafford.
Spending time outside of the relative comfort of FOB Paliwoda has paid dividends for Charlie Company who often find themselves operating in austere conditions.
“Staying outside the wire overnight in the mud and cold is the norm for us,” said Pvt. First Class Michael LaChappelle, who along with his fellow Charlie Company troopers found himself without a helicopter ride back to base due to poor weather conditions.
After spending much of Operation Helsinki cold and wet, the “Rock” Soldiers would have to bear the elements under a foggy, black Iraqi sky until the weather improved.
“My guys would walk to the end of this Earth if they were asked to,” said Pafford. “They realize that this war is bigger than us."
Posted by Wild Thing at May 16, 2008 05:47 AM
Comments
The 101st is a proud unit with an abundence of battle streamers from WWII and Vietnam. The young guys and professional cadre are making sure the 101st is living up to it's fame in Iraq and Afghanistan.
AIRBORNE!
Posted by: TomR at May 16, 2008 10:04 AM
Thanks WT, the 101st is awesome. That last quote says everything “My guys would walk to the end of this Earth if they were asked to,” said Pafford. “They realize that this war is bigger than us."
It has always been that way for the 101st. They went in against overwhelming odds never questioning their leaders.
I have vivid memories of the Sky Soldiers. I hope and pray they never have a repeat of Hamburger Hill, the hokey rules of engagement or the insane ego of their Washington DC armchair leaders. Most sickening was how the media portrayed the casualties, often they were trickeled out as individual daily casualties to lessen the shock at home, our morgue said otherwise.
May 10-May 20 - Forty-six men of the 101st Airborne die during a fierce ten-day battle at 'Hamburger Hill' in the A Shau Valley near Hue. 400 others are wounded. After the hill is taken, the troops are then ordered to abandon it by their commander. NVA then move in and take back the hill unopposed. It was the beginning of the end for America in Vietnam as Washington now ordered MACV Commander Gen. Creighton Abrams to avoid such encounters in the future. 'Hamburger Hill' is the last major search and destroy mission by U.S. troops during the war. Small unit actions will now be used instead.
It is this caliber of warrior that our spineless and feckless Congress wants to discard as used toilet paper and our media treats as criminals.
Posted by: Jack at May 16, 2008 12:26 PM
Tom I am so proud of them.
Thank you Tom.
Posted by: Wild Thing at May 16, 2008 07:45 PM
Jack thank you so much for sharing that.
I agree too about the quote, it gave me goosebumps.
Posted by: Wild Thing at May 16, 2008 07:47 PM
