Phrog Down

🙁

Anybody hear what squadron yet? Sad news.
Seems like the locals have added something to their repertoire in order to shoot down this many birds in such a short time. 🙁
Reports say all 7 aboard perished. 🙁
RIP Marines

CH-46 HMM 163(Purple Fox) went down today.

Submitter:
Robert E.

Message:
CH-46 HMM 163(Purple Fox) went down today. A squadron mate of downed aircraft called today with details. I cannot answer Notam since I moved and cant locate my username and password.

Robert E. Todt
VMO-6 66/67
Mount Dora, FL
352-870-8671

By Moderator: Message copied and pasted from original email.

Submitter:
R.E.

Message:
Sorry for error on squadron number. It is HMM-364 for Purple Foxs.

R.E. "Todd" Todt

163 is not

the Foxes. HMM-364 are the Foxes.

Initial news report indicates five Marines and two Navy KIA

From foxnews.com - Feb 7, 2007

U.S. Helicopter Goes Down as Baghdad Security Operation Begins
Wednesday, February 07, 2007

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A Sea Knight helicopter [CH-46E] crashed Wednesday northwest of Baghdad, killing all seven people on board, the military said, the fifth chopper lost in Iraq in just over two weeks.

The military said the Marine helicopter went down in Anbar province, an insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad, while conducting routine operations and all seven crew members and passengers were killed in the crash.

It did not give a cause for the crash. A senior U.S. defense official said the CH-46 helicopter did not appear to have been hit by hostile fire, but an Iraqi air force officer said it was downed by an anti-aircraft missile and an Al Qaeda-linked Sunni group claimed responsibility for the downing.

Meanwhile, the long-awaited Baghdad security operation has begun, said U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, a day after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki acknowledged the plan to pacify the violence-ridden capital had been slow to start and had allowed insurgents time to step up attacks that have killed hundreds of Iraqis in recent weeks.

The twin-rotor helicopter was operated by Marines, and other Marine aircraft were in visual contact at the time it went down, the U.S. official said, but he did not know whether a distress signal was communicated by radio.

The helicopter went down about 20 miles northwest of the capital, Caldwell said, although he declined to comment on casualties or give a cause for the crash.

"A quick reaction force is on site and the investigation is going on as we speak," he told reporters in Baghdad.

U.S. forces sealed off the area and helicopters buzzed overhead as flames and a huge plume of black smoke billowed from the wreckage in an open field, not far from a squat concrete farmhouse.

U.S. military officials have said the Baghdad operation began to be put in place when President Bush announced it Jan. 10, and Caldwell said Wednesday it was "ongoing as we speak." Officials have said there would be no announced start of the security sweep but instead it would build gradually.

The Iraqi officer who is leading the security drive, Lt. Gen. Abboud Gambar, took over the operation headquarters Monday.

"Portions are already being put in place, and we'll continue to put more into place as the forces arrive and the assets become available," Caldwell said.

Bush is increasing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq by 21,500, including 17,500 for Baghdad, as part of the efforts. But the series of helicopter crashes underscores the dangers facing U.S. troops as they step up their presence.

The Iraqi air force officer, who was familiar with the helicopter investigation but spoke on condition of anonymity because he was disclosing confidential information, said the chopper went down after it was hit by an anti-aircraft missile.

Witnesses also said it had been shot down in a field in the Sheik Amir area northwest of Baghdad in a Sunni-dominated area between the Taji air base, 12 miles north of Baghdad, and Karmah, 50 miles to the west of the capital.

"The helicopter was flying and passed over us, then we heard the firing of a missile," said Mohammad al-Janabi, a farmer who was speaking less than a half-mile from the wreckage. "The helicopter, then, turned into a ball of fire. It flew in a circle twice, then it went down."

Iraqi insurgents have used heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and shouldered-fired SA-7 anti-aircraft missiles throughout the conflict. U.S. officials believe Iran is supplying Shiite militias with new weapons including more powerful roadside bombs, Katyusha rockets and a newer class of RPGs.

Some of those weapons could have found their way into the hands of Sunni insurgents, who operate around Taji.

The U.S. military relies heavily on helicopters to avoid roadside bombs and insurgent ambushes. Any new threat to helicopters would be a serious challenge.

The CH-46 is used by the Marines primarily as a cargo and troop transport, and can carry 25 combat-loaded troops, according to the think tank GlobalSecurity.org.

The claim of responsibility came in an Internet statement signed by the Islamic State in Iraq, an umbrella group of several Sunni insurgent groups, including al-Qaida in Iraq. The same group claimed responsibility for downing two other helicopters recently.

The authenticity of the statement — posted on a Web forum where the group often issues statements — could not be independently confirmed.

Female Pilot

Swampscott Marine dies in chopper crash in Iraq

By O’Ryan Johnson
Thursday, February 8, 2007 - Updated: 01:54 AM EST

An overachiever who graduated Swampscott High School bound for the Naval Academy, Jennifer Harris signed up for the most grueling program available: She wanted to be a Marine, according to the town’s veteran agent.

Harris, 27, a Marine Corps captain, was killed yesterday while piloting her CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter north of Baghdad.

“She was a great kid,” said Swampscott town veterans agent Jim Schultz. “This was her third tour. She was scheduled to come home next week.”

The crash - which killed five Marines and two sailors - remains under investigation by the Pentagon, with conflicting reports over what caused the aircraft to go down. Military officials told theAssociated Press that mechanical problems caused the crash, while Iraqi officials say an insurgent anti-aircraft missile struck the

Swampscott hosted a “Welcome Home” party for Harris last summer and she kept in regular contact with folks back home, Schultz said.

“The police department sent her a care package, and she just sent one back,” he said.

He said in exchange for the baby wipes, soap, lip balm and regular essentials desert-stationed Marines request, Harris returned the favor by sending the police department a package with her squadron’s T-shirts, a flag that flew over a post in Iraq, and squadron patches. The package arrived about a week and a half ago, he said.

She was assigned to HMM-364,the “Purple Foxes,” a storied Marine squadron with a history that pre-dates the Vietnam War, the era when the CH-46 helicopter, also called the “Phrog,” was first introduced.

Though considered outdated by many military experts, the CH-46 is equipped with chaff and flare deterrents designed to confuse heat-seeking or radar-guided missiles.

Reached at home last night, her father Raymond Harris, declined to comment.

ojohnson@bostonherald.com.

By O’Ryan Johnson

While looking to learn of the seven souls lost, I found this on: http://icasualties.org/oif/

from the following article http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/story/8624200p-8516682c.html

Crash in Iraq kills Marine from Tri-Cities
Published Thursday, February 8th, 2007
By Sara Schilling, Herald staff writer

A Marine from the Tri-Cities died Wednesday in a helicopter crash 20 miles northwest of Baghdad.

Sgt. Travis Pfister, 27, who loved a good joke and worked for months on the perfect recipe for barbecued ribs, was due home from his third tour in Iraq next month.

He graduated in 1997 from Hanford High School in Richland, where he wrestled and played defensive end on the football team.

"On the surface, he was a very happy-go-lucky guy. But he was very aware of how people were feeling around him," said his uncle, Blaine Hulse of Pasco. "He was one of the guys that kept tabs on everybody, made sure they were motivated and happy." Pfister was stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and served as a helicopter crew chief. His wife, Jessica, also is a Marine.

His mother and stepfather, Lorrie and Loron Tallett, live in Kennewick; his father and stepmother, Richard and Jackie Pfister, live in Richland.

Four other Marines and two Navy personnel were killed when the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter crashed in Iraq's Anbar province.

Marine Corps officials at the Pentagon said the Sea Knight was in flames when it went down and that witnesses in a nearby military aircraft saw no signs of hostile fire, The Associated Press reported.

The officials said they suspected the fire was caused by a mechanical problem.

But an Iraqi air force officer said the helicopter was downed by an anti-aircraft missile, and an Iraqi farmer who lives near the crash site said he heard a missile fired moments before the crash, according to The Associated Press.

Many in Pfister's family gathered Wednesday at his mother's house in Kennewick.

They laughed and told stories of his childhood antics with his older brother, Josh Pfister, 29.

They also talked about how he loved to fish, hunt and ski, and how he lived life to the fullest.

"He carried himself with confidence and pride, and without (bravado)," said Hulse.

"Travis was a tough little nut," added his former Hanford High football coach, Greg Sevigny, in a phone interview. "He always had a smile on his face. And he was tenacious. He was a tough kid, but he always had a smile on his face."

Pfister enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1998, though he'd long been fascinated with the military.

As a boy, he was a regular customer at a local military surplus store, remembered his dad, Richard Pfister.

"He loved all that stuff. I saw (when he was) 7 that he'd be in the service for life," said his stepmother, Jackie Pfister.

In Iraq, he helped transport the sick and wounded, and often volunteered for extra flights. He liked the discipline and camaraderie of the Marine Corps, and he believed in what he was doing, his family said.

In an e-mail to his mom last week, Pfister wrote that he'd taken more than 20 people to the hospital for urgent medical care this month alone.

"Things are going well, though just waiting to come home," he wrote. "I love you guys and will see you all soon."

A memorial service hasn't yet been arranged.

........................................................................................................

My heart goes out to the families of our fallen Marines.

As a former Purple Fox, every death and injury in Iraq bothers me deeply.

As far as I know, this is the 2nd bird and crew that the Foxes have lost in Iraq since 2003.

Again, my heart goes out to the families.

Also, from the same website I mentioned previously.

Direct URL: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070208/NEWS/70208022/1006

Eastern Shore sailor killed in Iraq helicopter crash
Associated Press

Updated Thursday, February 8, 2007 at 4:21 pm

FEDERALSBURG, Md. — A sailor from the Eastern Shore was one of seven people killed when a U.S. Marine transport helicopter crashed in Iraq, his mother said today.

Manuel Ruiz, 21, of Federalsburg, was a Navy paramedic assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C.

His mother, Lisa Ruiz, described him as a ''very outgoing'' man who loved running. He attended Colonel Richardson High School in Federalsburg, joined the Navy three years ago and was just two weeks into his second tour in Iraq, she said.

Federalsburg is just a mile from the Delaware line, northwest of Seaford.

''I spoke with him last week,'' she said. ''He was saying how much he loved his job, what he was doing.''

At Ruiz' former high school, the news of Ruiz' death was met with an immediate, stricken silence when it was announced over the school intercom this morning. Many students at the small Eastern Shore school enter the service after they graduate and several others have friends and relatives who are shipping out to Iraq, school officials said.

''He was just a wonderful young man who was excited when he graduated to be going to serve his country,'' said Christine Handy-Collins, principal of the small school.

Ruiz, who graduated in 2003, had been back to the school several times in his dress whites on recruiting tours, said Marjorie Scott, his former art teacher.

''The kids really respected him,'' she said.

But she remembered the young man they called ''Manny'' most for his talent as an artist.

''When Manny would pick up a pencil and he would draw, there was so much feeling, so much emotion, so much ppower in his drawing – he could make a pencil and paper sing,'' Scott said.

He planned to continue his studies at the Art Institute of Washington after the service, Scott said. And on a visit last spring, he showed her photos of a mural he was painting on his barracks wall in Iraq.

''So you see, he carried his talent not just through school but in the service,'' she said.

The military reported the helicopter crashed Wednesday in Al Anbar province about 20 miles northwest of Baghdad. It was the sixth American aircraft reported lost in Iraq in just over two weeks.

A military statement did not give a cause for the crash, but a senior U.S. defense official in Washington said the CH-46 Sea Knight did not appear to have been hit by hostile fire.

An Iraqi air force officer, however, said the chopper was downed by an anti-aircraft missile. An al-Qaida-linked Sunni group claimed in a Web statement that it was responsible.

Names of the victims were not released, but military officials said they included five Marines and two from the Navy.

........................................................................................................

Again....my heart goes out to the families.

The Tri-cities are located in South Eastern Washington consisting of the cities (towns) of Richland, Pasco and Kennewick.
S/F
Bill Weaver

2nd Corpsman fatality identified

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_5189743

El Pasoan dies in Iraq seven days after arriving
Hanks grad was in helicopter crash

By Chris Roberts / El Paso Times

An El Paso Navy corpsman who had been in Iraq seven days was killed Wednesday when the Marine CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter he was riding in crashed in Al Anbar Province.

Navy Hospital Corpsman First Class Gilbert Minjares Jr., 31, a 1994 Hanks High School graduate, died with six others in the helicopter crash. The cause of the incident is still under investigation.

Before leaving for Iraq, Minjares told his brother that if anything happened to him, his children should know he served so they could grow up without fear in a free country.

"He gave me all his clothes and stuff, like he knew what was going to happen," Jose Minjares, Gilbert's brother, said Thursday evening. "He told me, 'If anything happens, I want you to let my kids know I did it for them.' "

Minjares is survived by his wife, a 2-year-old son and a 4-week-old baby who are living in North Carolina, said Eddie Pedregon, the seaman's cousin. Gilbert Minjares also worked as a recruiter in El Paso, Jose Minjares said.

"He always wanted to give to others before he gave to himself," Pedregon said. "His dream was to save Marines."
As a corpsman, the Marines' equivalent of an Army medic, that was his job.

At Hanks, Minjares was a starter on the football team who played both fullback and quarterback. And even as a young man, his brother looked out for friends and relatives, tending to minor injuries, Jose Minjares said.

"He (didn't want) to see anybody suffer," Jose Minjares said. "He just wanted the best for all of us."

Gilbert Minjares joined the Navy about a month after graduating from high school, his brother said. The seaman was happy-go-lucky, loved his family and his home and had no doubts about his service or heading to Iraq to do his duty, his brother added.

"He said he'd rather go fight over there than have to fight (terrorism) over here," the brother said. "He was a brave, brave man."

When Jose Minjares went to see his brother off at the airport three weeks ago, he spoke words of support.

"I don't want you to worry about your kids," Jose Minjares told his older brother. "I'll take them under my wing."

Tiger Down

Another Marine, this one from HMM-262 (Flying Tigers), has been named as one of the seven. See the Iraq>HMM-262 forum, posted today. My brother is a Tiger who was on the same mission but in a different ship. My prayers go out to all the family members and friends. It's indeed a sad day for the HMM community. 🙁

OK...here is that article

http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1171029603235160.xml&coll=1

A loyal Marine's final sacrifice
Killed in chopper crash, former Islander had extended his Iraq tour

Friday, February 09, 2007
By GLENN NYBACK
STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- When Marine Cpl. Thomas Saba, 30, learned last month that his unit had been called for Iraq duty, the former Grymes Hill resident chose to forgo his discharge in April and extend his tour as a helicopter crew member until September.

Yesterday, Saba's family mourned the loss of their hero son -- one of seven American troops killed when a U.S. Marine transport helicopter crashed in flames Wednesday in a field northwest of Baghdad.

"He was due to come home," said his mother, Barbara, through tears, as she and her husband, Tony Saba, waited yesterday to fly back from vacation in Florida to their Toms River, N.J., home. "He didn't have to go to Iraq. He chose to go. He wanted to be with his brothers."

Saba, a 1994 graduate of Susan Wagner High School, moved with his family to Toms River in the late 1990s. He made a five-year commitment to the Marine Corps shortly after 9/11, enlisting on April, 21, 2002. For most of that time, he was assigned to the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, The Flying Tigers, in Okinawa, Japan. The January deployment to Iraq was the first combat deployment of the squadron since the Vietnam war.

A statement from the military didn't explain why the 30-year-old CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter crashed near Fallujah in Anbar province, about 20 miles outside Baghdad. Marine Corps officials said it appeared the pilot was trying to make a quick landing and lost control of the burning helicopter as it descended.

Though witnesses said they saw no signs that the aircraft was involved in hostile fire, an Iraqi Air Force officer said the helicopter was downed by an anti-aircraft missile, The ASSOCIATED PRESS reported.

Besides Saba, the dead soldiers included four other Marines and two Navy personnel.

AL-QAIDA'S ROLE

An al-Qaida-linked group, the Islamic State in Iraq, claimed in a statement posted on an extremist Web site that it shot down the helicopter, according to the wire service.

Tony and Barbara Saba, who are retired, rented a home in Vero Beach, Fla. for the month of February. They were in a movie theater in Vero Beach when they got a phone call with the grim news.

"We had been aware that a helicopter went down," Mrs. Saba said. "We were just hoping it wasn't him."

They last spoke with their son on Saturday, when he called to check on them after tornadoes ravaged central Florida on Feb. 2, killing 20 people. He had been in Toms River, on leave, during Christmas.

Mrs. Saba described her son as a "very, very loyal American" who decided he would give anything for his country after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

A PATRIOT

"He was very, very patriotic," she said. "He was a Marine through and through. He didn't want to hear any criticisms of (President) Bush."

Whenever asked about the war, he would emphasize the need to defend America, said his father.

"He said, 'What do you think I went in for?'" Tony Saba said.

Saba is the second Island soldier killed in the last two months. Army Sgt. Yevgeniy Ryndych, 24, of Willowbrook, died in Iraq on Dec. 6 when a roadside bomb exploded when he was on patrol.

Sonja Debs of West Brighton, Saba's aunt and godmother, said she cried through the night after learning Thomas' fate at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday.

PAINFUL MEMORIES

"It hurts," she said, clutching a framed picture of Thomas in his uniform. "We used to enjoy going to Applebee's to have a meal together" whenever Thomas was on leave. The 82-year-old said she frequently sent him e-mails, most recently on Saturday: "We're a very close-knit family."

The wife of World War II Army veteran Victor Debs, who died in 2004, Mrs. Debs said she tried, and failed, to dissuade her nephew from going to Iraq.

"It was something he wanted to do. He said, 'Do you want 9/11 to happen again? I'm going to fight for my country,'" Mrs. Debs said, adding that she's praying for the families of the other six troops. "There is a God and we cannot choose what is deemed for us. You don't know how much I'm going to miss him."

Besides his parents, Saba is survived by his brother, Anthony, and his two sisters, Mary Ellen Ditchkus and Laura Saba.

Mrs. Saba said she expects her son's body will be flown to New York sometime next week. After a service at St. Teresa's R.C. Church in Castleton Corners, Saba will be buried either in Moravian Cemetery or Arlington Cemetery, she said.

The arrangements had not been finalized yesterday.

We're feeling your pain "Brothers". One of ours (HMM-262) went with yours. We just got into this fight and hope there are no more losses. I hope we get the job done and get them all home soon.
S/F
Tim McMahon HMM-262 65-67 RVN 66-67 HMM-162 68

Another one of our Brothers Identified

From Natalie Firato nfirato@gmail.com

Message:
Another one of our brothers has been sent to the gates of heaven. Sgt. Travis Pfister was KIA on 20070207 when the CH-46 he was on crashed in Baghdad. All seven onboard died. His next of kin have been notified and his story is already appearing in his hometown papers. Please add him to your KIA list. He was a proud Purple Fox, HMM-364

Phrog Down

How strange it is - It was 40 years ago when HMM-262 deployed to South Vietnam. Our first KIA was Sgt. C. I. Henry, Crew Chief had extended his enlistment to go with his squadron into harms way. It was a long time ago, but he is not forgotten.

Once again - history has repeated itself. The faces change, but the feeling of lossing one of our own - Never Changes. Our hearts and prayers go out to all of those that have made the ultimate sacrafice - especially to those that fly. Another member of our squadron family has been lost - but he will never be forgotten.

Message from CO HMM-262

Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2007 11:52:17 +0300
From: "Farrell LtCol Michael (HMM-262 CO)
To: "Joseph Jacobs"

Jake,

First, let me apologize for not getting back to you sooner. I did not want to pass anything until the Formal notification process had been made and I had been able to speak with the parents myself. As you know the pace of operations is fast. I have added below the initial message I sent to the families back on Okinawa . We are holding our memorial service on Sunday.

Dear Flying Tiger Family members,

We have experienced a tragedy here in Iraq . On 07 February 2007, a CH-46E from HMM-364, Purple Foxes, went down while flying a casualty evacuation mission north east of Fallujah , Iraq . Sadly, there were no survivors. While this aircraft did not belong to the Flying Tigers, one of our own was on board as a crew member. Corporal Thomas E. Saba was flying aboard this aircraft as a crew chief when the incident occurred. The Tigers have been flying missions aboard HMM-364 aircraft in order to familiarize ourselves with the operating area and the mission. Corporal Saba was proud member of the flying Tiger flight line shop for over three years. He was a fine young man who will be sorely missed. I ask that you keep Cpl Saba's family in your prayers. I would also ask that you keep the Marines of the Purple Foxes and their families in your prayers as well. We have all experienced a great tragedy.

Very Respectfully,

LtCol Mike Farrell
Commanding Officer

Cpl Thomas Saba

Does anyone have information about Cpl Saba's memorial service or how to get ahold of his family? I served in HMM-262 in the flightline shop with him for 2 years before leaving the island. Any info would be greatly appreciated and I can be reached at b_motz@yahoo.com

Sgt Brian Motz

This is an article from my local Sunday paper The Sunday Times (Trenton, NJ).
S/F
Tim

Condolences from the Old Tigers

Gentlemen,

With the concurrence of our Skipper, Dave Powell, I have spoken with the family of Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, offering the condolences of the HMM-262 Vietnam Veterans Association. Cpl. Saba was the HMM-262 Crew Chief KIA in the Purple Foxes incident last week.

I spoke with Cpl. Saba’s parents and two sisters this morning. His brother is traveling home from Korea. The family was quite gracious in accepting our condolences and are very grateful to hear from those us who served in HMM-262 in Vietnam.

They have asked that the below email addresses be made available for anyone who may wish to pass along their condolences. They would appreciate receiving condolences via email and feel that any support they receive from us Vietnam Veterans, that it would help at this time.

Once again it is time for us to come together to honor one of our own, because we all know that FEELING.

abastony@aol.com (Parents - Mr. & Mrs. Anthony & Barbara Saba)
laurasworld2001@yahoo.com (Sister – Laura)
maryellensaba@hotmail.com (Sister- Mary Ellen)

Semper Fi –

Jake

I just want to thank everyone for all the info sent to me about Cpl Saba. I have already been in contact with his brother today and the family appreciates all the calls and emails and hearing stories about him from his overseas family. Details about his memorial service are still a bit sketchy but ill fill everyone in as i get the info.

Semper Fi
Brian Motz

Phrog Down

For a complete casualty list, photos and narratives go to http://www.hmm-364.org/ May God comfort these families and bless all those who serve in harm's way.

Al Chancey
Purple Fox 1967-68

mishap video

mishap video can be seen at:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=H4WF2oECycE

Apparently, the insurgents have been supplied Russian shoulder launched missiles by Iran.

Corpsmen Memorial Info

The Memorial Service for HM3 Ruiz was today at the Protestant Chapel aboard Camp Lejeune. I don't have any info on the service for HM1 Minjares. Both were assigned TAD to the II MEF CAVSEVAC team out of MCAS New River.
I didn't know either of them well but the both seemed to be great guys. They'll be missed.

HM1(FMF/AW) Chuck Cruise USN (RET)

Funeral Services for Cpl Thomas E. Saba, USMC

Funeral services for Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, USMC will take place at 0900 on Friday, 16 Feb 07 at the Casey Funeral Home, 350 Slosson Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314.. Mass will be said at 1030 in St. Teresa’s Church, 115 Winsor Rd, Staten Island, NY 10314. The church is close to the funeral home. Burial will be nearby at Moravian Cemetery, New Dorp, NY.

The HMM-262 Vietnam Veterans Association delegation of men from NY, CT and NJ, led by Tim McMahon, will be in attendance to ensure that Cpl. Saba is accompanied to his final resting place by brother Flying Tiger. As we are not sure what may have happened to Cpl. Saba's Commemorative Coin, at the appropriate moment, the Old Tigers delegation will present Cpl. Saba's father, Mr. Antonio Saba, with another HMM-262 Commemorative Coin.

Semper Fi -

Respectfully,

Joseph "Jake" Jacobs
HMM-262 Vietnam Veterans Association
Old Tiger's Iraq Project Liasion Officer

Phrog Down

I jiust viewed the video of the 46 being shot down. It was very distrubing to watch a chopper going down - taking our brothers to their final rest. It was more distrubing to read some of the comments posted.

War is War and I can understand the fact that people die, but I cannot understand the comments of those that are not in harm's way. Some even took delight in what they had to say.

Those individuals have the right to say what they want to - the same Right that is being protected by those that have given their lives. We fight and fly to protect our brothers in arms.

This is the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave - then again the taste of Freedom has a flavor that the protected will never know - spoken a long time ago at Khe Sahn.

Military confirms local Marine’s copter shot down

By Associated Press
Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - Updated: 05:25 AM EST

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A Sea Knight helicopter that crashed last week northwest of Baghdad was shot down, the U.S. military said Wednesday, reversing earlier statements that it appeared to have been due to mechanical failure.

The Marine CH-46 troop transport went down northwest of Baghdad on Feb. 7, killing all seven people on board, including the pilot, Marine Capt. Jennifer Harris of Swampscott An al-Qaida-linked Sunni group claimed responsibility and aired a video.

Military officials initially said they believed the crash was due to mechanical failure, but the military announced Wednesday that an investigation showed the crash was ”the result of anti-aircraft munitions.”

”Initial evidence indicated that the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter went down as a result of mechanical failure. After further investigation using all available means, the cause of the incident has been confirmed to be hostile fire,” said Maj. Jeff Pool, a spokesman for the Multi National Force _ West.

The statement said the pilots of an AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter escorting the Sea Knight did not witness the actual attack, but they saw the fire, descent and subsequent crash. The initial signs resembled fires that have occurred aboard CH-46s experiencing mechanical difficulties in the past, it added.

The military also said the crash site had been cleared with explosives after the remains and equipment were removed ”to ensure the enemy could yield no gain from the debris.”

At least seven U.S. helicopters have crashed or been forced down under hostile fire since Jan. 20. In the wake of the recent crashes, U.S. officials have said they were reviewing flight operations and tactics but maintain there is no evidence of sophisticated new weapons used in any of the latest attacks.

Wednesday’s statement raised to five that were known to have been shot down. Two private security company helicopters also have crashed but the cause was unclear.

The military statement declined to comment on insurgents weapons’ capabilities or tactics to counter them, citing security concerns.

”Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of these fallen service members,” Pool said. ”All available resources are dedicated to eliminating the threat to our aircraft so that we can continue to provide the support our ground forces.”

The Islamic State in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iraqi insurgent groups that includes al-Qaida in Iraq, claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter and issued an Internet video on Feb. 9 it said was proof. The group also claimed the recent downings of two other U.S. helicopters.

The two-minute video showed a helicopter that appears to be a Sea Knight flying. An object trailing smoke is seen in the sky nearby, then the craft bursts into orange and red flames, with a spray of debris emerging from it.

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=182913