Leatherneck
April 4, 2003, 11:25 AM
This is a snapshot of recent Marine AH-1 Cobra and UH-1 Huey combat operations in Iraq. Scarface is HMLA-367, on the pointy end for Desert Storm, now stuck in Okinawa since last summer watching CNN like the rest of us. Their MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit)detachment (6 Cobras and 6 hueys) returned to SoCal in Dec, just in time to get snapped up by a sister HMLA (Marine Light Helo Attack squadron) deploying to SWA. This is a sitrep from a guy on that det.
Sent: 3/30/03 7:34 PM
Subject: SITREP
Sir,
Thought that you might like to hear how the Scarface det is doing out here. We've been heavily involved in the fighting. I'll stick to mostly reporting on my division's actions, as those are the ones that I know the best. My division is made up of the following pers:
Lead: BT had been flying the first 8 days with Maj B, a MAWTS guy from group, but now he has been pulled back to plan for further operations north. His co-pilot will probably be Count.
-2: Maj Johnson and sometimes Count, although Jo-Jo has been filling in too
-3 Weasel and IKE
-4 Myself and Gash
We flew the first night of the war, striking several Iraqi border posts prior to the ground guys crossing the berm. Recovered at the FARP and slept the night. Did about 8 hours of missions the next day, mostly shooting unmanned ZU-23's and ZPU-4's in the Rumaylah oil fields. Did find some troops who wanted to fight and took them out with rockets and 20mm.
Next day we went out around 1600, and flew for 18.9 of the next 21 hours. The night was uneventfull, just getting shuttled from FAC to FAC looking for work. Was actually very boring as we found nothing to shoot at.
Around hour 13 of our mission, we got tasked with an immediate mission up at An Nasiriyah. Our column had just been ambushed and were in heavy contact with troops cut off. We were the first rotors on station. We killed 5 ZU-23's, 3 T-55's, and approx 30-40 troops. They were fighting back.
I took two rounds in the bottom of my A/C from a squad that had hidden in a schoolyard of women and children. Maj B saw them jump out as I passed and got me to break away from the threat. I never saw them.
The next day we went out again. After several uneventfull hours, small firefights and us shooting up some buildings that had been sniping at friendlies, we found a town with technicals, killing several with ZU-23's in the back and some with heavy MG's.
We got caught north of a bad sandstorm and had to stay out for 3 days. We flew CAS missions in vis down to 1/2 mile before determining that we were in more danger of running into each other and wires than enemy fire. The ground troops were not taking any fire, so we went to the FARP and shut down.
Following a very wet and cold night, we got up again and went back out. This time we pushed a little north of the friendlies to recce a town. We found a platoon + that was setting up an ambush. JoJo killed a technical with a TOW, and I killed a ZU-23 with a HF. The ground troops had holes and trenches and opened up on us too. BT raked a trenchline with 20mm, killing a bunch. Maj B shot several with HE rockets as they tried to run. Ike and Weasel fired a pod of nails into a squad, killing all but one. Gash fired a flechette that armed about an arms length from a runner, deflating him with the nails.
Our 20's have been taking a beating. I have yet to have one that works. It really sucks to have troops in your sights and not have a weapon to engage them with.
Our division has the day and night off, truly needed. We have flown 57 hours in 8 days, and were quite tired.
In other news, Beaver (an old Scarface guy from 303-Maj G) shot a guy in his truck, killing him with his M-16 while Doogie (another Scarface UH driver) flew. If you've been watching FOX news, Ollie North was flying in the back of Flowbee and Chief's huey when they got in contact.
He taped the whole engagement and I think that it has been showing on the news. What happened was this. Cpl H, one of the gunners, saw a squad break and run out of a building. One tripped and his weapon went skidding across the deck.That cue'd his eyes and he opened up.Flowbee put a rocket through the window of the building and more came out. H and N mowed them down.
That's about it from here. We've been working hard, and still looking for more work. Maj B says hello. He flew with us for the first couple days, but is now back at group I believe.
V/R
ShoeShine
Sent: 3/30/03 7:34 PM
Subject: SITREP
Sir,
Thought that you might like to hear how the Scarface det is doing out here. We've been heavily involved in the fighting. I'll stick to mostly reporting on my division's actions, as those are the ones that I know the best. My division is made up of the following pers:
Lead: BT had been flying the first 8 days with Maj B, a MAWTS guy from group, but now he has been pulled back to plan for further operations north. His co-pilot will probably be Count.
-2: Maj Johnson and sometimes Count, although Jo-Jo has been filling in too
-3 Weasel and IKE
-4 Myself and Gash
We flew the first night of the war, striking several Iraqi border posts prior to the ground guys crossing the berm. Recovered at the FARP and slept the night. Did about 8 hours of missions the next day, mostly shooting unmanned ZU-23's and ZPU-4's in the Rumaylah oil fields. Did find some troops who wanted to fight and took them out with rockets and 20mm.
Next day we went out around 1600, and flew for 18.9 of the next 21 hours. The night was uneventfull, just getting shuttled from FAC to FAC looking for work. Was actually very boring as we found nothing to shoot at.
Around hour 13 of our mission, we got tasked with an immediate mission up at An Nasiriyah. Our column had just been ambushed and were in heavy contact with troops cut off. We were the first rotors on station. We killed 5 ZU-23's, 3 T-55's, and approx 30-40 troops. They were fighting back.
I took two rounds in the bottom of my A/C from a squad that had hidden in a schoolyard of women and children. Maj B saw them jump out as I passed and got me to break away from the threat. I never saw them.
The next day we went out again. After several uneventfull hours, small firefights and us shooting up some buildings that had been sniping at friendlies, we found a town with technicals, killing several with ZU-23's in the back and some with heavy MG's.
We got caught north of a bad sandstorm and had to stay out for 3 days. We flew CAS missions in vis down to 1/2 mile before determining that we were in more danger of running into each other and wires than enemy fire. The ground troops were not taking any fire, so we went to the FARP and shut down.
Following a very wet and cold night, we got up again and went back out. This time we pushed a little north of the friendlies to recce a town. We found a platoon + that was setting up an ambush. JoJo killed a technical with a TOW, and I killed a ZU-23 with a HF. The ground troops had holes and trenches and opened up on us too. BT raked a trenchline with 20mm, killing a bunch. Maj B shot several with HE rockets as they tried to run. Ike and Weasel fired a pod of nails into a squad, killing all but one. Gash fired a flechette that armed about an arms length from a runner, deflating him with the nails.
Our 20's have been taking a beating. I have yet to have one that works. It really sucks to have troops in your sights and not have a weapon to engage them with.
Our division has the day and night off, truly needed. We have flown 57 hours in 8 days, and were quite tired.
In other news, Beaver (an old Scarface guy from 303-Maj G) shot a guy in his truck, killing him with his M-16 while Doogie (another Scarface UH driver) flew. If you've been watching FOX news, Ollie North was flying in the back of Flowbee and Chief's huey when they got in contact.
He taped the whole engagement and I think that it has been showing on the news. What happened was this. Cpl H, one of the gunners, saw a squad break and run out of a building. One tripped and his weapon went skidding across the deck.That cue'd his eyes and he opened up.Flowbee put a rocket through the window of the building and more came out. H and N mowed them down.
That's about it from here. We've been working hard, and still looking for more work. Maj B says hello. He flew with us for the first couple days, but is now back at group I believe.
V/R
ShoeShine