Strap yourself to a Apache?

[DarthWtf]

Strapped to Apaches and dodging fire, how troops recovered fallen comrade


· Marine died during failed attack on Taliban fort
· Four soldiers clung to gunships in rescue effort

Declan Walsh in Islamabad and Richard Norton-Taylor
Wednesday January 17, 2007
The Guardian


British troops attacking a fort in southern Helmand province, Afghanistan. Photo: MoD/PA

It was an extraordinary end to a tragic operation. When Lance Corporal Matthew Ford was shot during an assault on a Taliban fortress last Monday, his comrades mounted a dramatic rescue mission that saw soldiers being strapped to the wings of helicopter gunships as they crossed a river under heavy enemy fire.
The remarkable mission, dubbed "Flight of the Phoenix" by some, did not save the life of the 30-year-old marine who, it turned out, had died instantly from gunshot wounds. But it may gain four courageous marines an honoured place in British military history books.

The drama unfolded during a British assault on Jugroom fort, a Taliban base in Garmser, a district of southern Helmand racked by violence. The riverside fort - a high walled compound ringed by watchtowers - had been under surveillance for more than two months. Military intelligence believed key Taliban leaders were hiding inside and that it was the command headquarters for insurgent activity across Garmser.
On Sunday night a 200-strong British force, led by Royal Marines, launched an operation to flush the Taliban out of the heavily fortified position. They started by launching a diversionary attack on other enemy positions to the north. Then at about 2am, they turned their sights on the real target. B1 bombers and 155mm artillery attacked as a company of marines from 45 Commando gathered on the western bank of the river, across from the fort.


Ground assault


They attacked shortly after dawn, storming across the Helmand river in a convoy of Viking amphibious vehicles. Apache gunships, Scimitar armoured vehicles and 105mm artillery provided covering fire. The commandos raced towards the fort walls, tumbled out of the armoured track vehicles, and started the ground assault.

But the besieged Taliban fighters proved resilient, and sprayed the Z Company marines with gunfire. Within minutes the British force suffered four casualties, mostly gunshot wounds. The commandos leapt back into their Vikings and retreated to the far bank of the river.

Moments later, commanding officers realised that one of their number was missing - Lance Corporal Ford. Reconnaissance aircraft found him lying outside the walls of Jugroom fort, on the far side of the river. It was not clear if he was alive. The soldiers prepared to return in the Vikings - a gambit that would entail enormous risk.

The Apache pilots hovering overhead suggested a less perilous but highly unusual move - they would bring the rescue squad across the river. Two Apaches landed and four volunteer marines strapped themselves to the aircraft wings using harnesses.

Dodging Taliban gunfire - and with four marines lying across the wings in the manner of the heroes of the second world war film Flight of the Phoenix - the two Apaches sped across the river and landed outside the Taliban fort. The marines unstrapped themselves and searched for Lance Corporal Ford. Having recovered his body, they strapped it to one of the Apaches and safely crossed the river.

Defence sources described the rescue as an unprecedented operation. Apaches cannot carry passengers - the small fuselage is crammed with instruments and weapons systems and can barely accommodate two pilots. But there are attachments on the wings to which soldiers can harness themselves in an emergency.


Failure


The army did not publicise the spectacular retrieval of Lance Corporal Ford's body in an official account of Operation Glacier Jugroom released last night. "Our intention was to show the insurgents that they are not safe anywhere, that we are able to reach out to them and attack whenever and wherever we choose. To that end the mission was a success," said Lieutenant Colonel Rory Bruce.

The identity of the four marine rescuers remains unknown. But despite their heroism the mission was a failure - the Taliban were not expelled from Jugroom fort, and their defiance may be a harbinger of more hard fighting to come.

Following last year's surprise Taliban resurgence, Nato forces across the south are bracing for an expected spring offensive that may start as early as next month. Some of the toughest action can be expected in Helmand. Already the British military has suffered the first two western combat casualties of 2007. Last Saturday Royal Marine Thomas Curry, 21, was shot during close fighting near Kajaki, in northern Helmand.

Last night friends and comrades paid tribute to Lance Corporal Ford. His commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Duncan Dewar, said: "Lance Corporal Ford was a popular and gregarious young Royal Marine whose professionalism, reliability, and selflessness as well as his sharp wit marked him out from the crowd."

The eldest of three brothers, he was brought up in Immingham, Lincolnshire. His mother, Joan, said: "We are all devastated by the news of Matthew's death. He was a larger than life character who lived his life to the full. His love for life and his ability to make everyone laugh will always be with us."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/s...rc=rss&feed=11

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6269613.stm




Fecking hell - THATS some balls!

You couldnt write that stuff in hollywood - no1 would believe it!

Well done those lads and chopper pilots!




However why are our forces stretched to such desperate measures? Seems like we couldnt manage to take a taliban fort - with B52's Apache and AFV's!

And why werent there other TRANSPORT choppers handy for just such a mission?



Ive got bad feelings about the Afghan campaigne....

[Rizzy]

Guaranteed it will feature in a future film

Awesome tactics imo. Counter Strike worthy

[[n00b]Zippy]

Originally Posted by Rizzy

Guaranteed it will feature in a future film

Yes, but with Americans!

[Rizzy]

Unfortunately, you are probably right, Zips

[jimbobaggies]

I bet the dumb yanks are gutted that we did it first....

[ReichSteadyCrew]

Originally Posted by [n00b]Zippy

Yes, but with Americans!

what you talkin about?! The yanks rescued the enigma machine and they won all the wars ever fought.

[Solex]

An American wrote the Bible too. Fact.

[[n00b]Zippy]

Only after he'd seen another American create the entire universe.

In 2 days.

[Ruddles]

Originally Posted by SoleX

An American wrote the Bible too. Fact.

Probably why it has so many plot holes.

[DarthWtf]

Originally Posted by jimbobaggies

I bet the dumb yanks are gutted that we did it first....

The damn yanks had infact done this ahead of us

This is not the first time soldiers have done stuff like this. Last year, two USSF soldeirs strapped themselved to a USMC AH-1 Super Cobra while trying to ambush fleeing taliban and also a downed OH-58D Kiowa crew were rescued by an AH-64D Longbow crew using similar methods

http://media.militaryphotos.net/phot..._transports_sf

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2...004110501.html




RIP to L/Cpl Mathew Ford of 45 Commando Royal Marines



Ive heard reports that the pilots got out to lead the troops to the body....

Scarey - that might well have been a situation where we lost 2 apaches and more marines. With the apaches down (we only have 8 ) we wouldve had to totally relook at our force deployments in Afghanistan......


Why are our troops stretched so thin we risk such losses on seemingly a day to day basis. This isnt a sane way of running a campaigne....

[Sierro]

Originally Posted by DarthWtf

This isnt a sane way of running a campaigne....

It's a campaign led by Blair and Bush, what did you expect?

[Inertiaman]

Originally Posted by DarthWtf

Ive heard reports that the pilots got out to lead the troops to the body....

Where exactly?

[Doony]

Originally Posted by DarthWtf

And why werent there other TRANSPORT choppers handy for just such a mission?

My friend is in the RAF and just spent 3 months in Afghan servicing the 4 Chinooks they have there, that's right... 4

Great story though

[dehp]

http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/systems/dvic289.jpg


and


http://www.minihelicopter.net/AH64Ap...4%20Apache.jpg

A Cobra has skids to stand on! On an Apache you'll be right next to the turbines!

[Ashen]

Bravery in the highest order tbh, sadly in vain


Completely disgusted by the handlering of this revived conflict, half there time the 'allied' forces r out numbered in fire fights and we don't have enough air surport to stem enemy troop movement.

[DarthWtf]

Not to be out done

This is them actually doing it -

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/2004110501d.jpg


Heard it on ARSE Inertiaman two posters put at least one pilot getting out and leading the troops to the area of action....

[Sin]

wow! pld! ul tho

[Eja Cool8]

Originally Posted by DarthWtf

Not to be out done

This is them actually doing it -

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/2004110501d.jpg


Heard it on ARSE Inertiaman two posters put at least one pilot getting out and leading the troops to the area of action....

That's the Apache's weapons man outside, not a Marine.

[DarthWtf]

No shit sherlock - there yanks as well Eja!


Want some more obvious points? Its a helicopter!



My comment was to dehp as he was talking about how close they were to the intakes in the pictures (there right ontop of them)....

Thats them actually doing it means "look heres a example of that tactic"...

[Eja Cool8]

You're fairly secure there actually, plenty of space for your arse, unless you're a fatty, and rings to hook a harness onto.

[Inertiaman]

Would be surprised if the unarmoured pilot started wandering about the place leaving the keys in the thing.

[Intron]

Still I dont like the idea of hanging on infront fo the massive turbine air intakes!!!. that clearly is not fecking SAFE!.

but still impresive. i cant bloody belive americans did it on cobras thats got even less to hold onto ... i wiuold have been suprised if they tried on comanche's being stalth copters with internal gun bays the US would have tried to hang on the outside then probably fall off

[assassin]

Wow - only just noticed this thread!

[Eja Cool8]

Originally Posted by Intron

i wiuold have been suprised if they tried on comanche's being stalth copters with internal gun bays the US would have tried to hang on the outside then probably fall off

Be even harder than that, the Comanche never went into service, and isn't going to

[Minty]

Originally Posted by SoleX

An American wrote the Bible too. Fact.

Thats the whole basis of the mormon religion!

[Scrobbs]

Do they have keys? I realise you were probably being a little facetious, but it's made me think - how do you start them?

Do you need massive battery packs to kick start the engines like you do turbo-props?

[Ashen]

Nah its like an arcade machine 'insert 50p here'

[Sin]

Originally Posted by Norfolk'n'Clue

Do they have keys? I realise you were probably being a little facetious, but it's made me think - how do you start them?

Do you need massive battery packs to kick start the engines like you do turbo-props?

It's a starting process, i persume there would be some kind of code imput or 'key' to get em going... dehp will know tbh.

[Neutron]

Originally Posted by Norfolk'n'Clue

Do they have keys? I realise you were probably being a little facetious, but it's made me think - how do you start them?

Do you need massive battery packs to kick start the engines like you do turbo-props?

You need a key

http://www.cockeyed.com/ebay/helicop...opter_key.html