Smith said everyone on the Chinook was angry. All the men were anxious, angry, and ready to retrieve their brothers in arms. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), abbreviated as 160th SOAR (A), is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for special operations forces. pungitopo . The 160th first saw combat during 1983's Operation Urgent Fury, the U.S. invasion of Grenada. As the Night Stalkers approached Bagram they could see what looked like everyone on base standing outside, showing their respect for the fallen. Officers are all volunteers; enlisted soldiers volunteer or are assigned by the U.S. Army Human Resources Command. With decades of combat experience and a stack of medals to his name, Chesty Puller remains the most accomplished leatherneck in Marine Corps history. They engaged in a fierce firefight, and at some point the task force lost contact with them. I have a degree and job at a large gov consulting firm. So how does it work? This aircraft carried ODA 595, aka 'Horse Soldiers' from their staging base in Uzbekistan into Afghanistan to link up with Northern Alliance General Abdul . Erik Kristensen in the command operations center. "[45], 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) (160th SOAR (A))[50], 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). They then used explosives to clear out a large enough area for Chinooks to land when they came back. The 160th was born out of tragedy. All rights reserved. The 160th SOAR has operated the same five helicopters for many decades. [43], On 20 August 2018, CW3 Taylor Galvin died from injuries resulting from an MH-60M crash while conducting a partnered counter-terrorism mission in support of the Operation Inherent Resolve. Making The Cut Reich, who had been designated mission commander for phase two of the operation, felt the QRF was his responsibility. Pursuing a career in Army Aviation opens you up to an exciting array of many different specialties. The best books do several things. Nope, I want you to take my spot as the operations officer and monitor from here, Reich replied. They employ highly modified MH-47 Chinook, MH-60 Black Hawk and AH-6 and MH-6 assault and attack configurations of Little Bird helicopters. Sgt. As the operators disembarked their helicopters, they came under fire from a nearby house, and more al-Qaeda fighters soon joined the firefight. Back in the operations center, leaders were busy trying to figure out the SEALs last known location and calculating how many soldiers each helicopter could fly with. Fury, Dalton. Well-paced and intimate, David Burnett is a much better journalist than he gives himself credit for. subscribers . When we landed, we just saw a row of Night Stalkers and Rangers and SEALs for as far as I could see, lined up and ready to help transport the remains off and take them to the mortuary affairs section, Brady recalled. [44], On the morning of September 18, 2021, "according to what appears to be a military incident report shared on Instagram and Reddit", a katana-wielding man attacked several SOAR soldiers at a California airport, forcing over twenty of them to "hunker down" in a hangar at Inyokern Airport, resulting in wounds to two soldiers that required stitches. The two Apaches had arrived on station, drawing heavy gunfire, but nonetheless giving Turbine 34s crew back in the operations center a good look at the crash site. Making A Night Stalker takes you along on Burnetts career in the U.S. Army during the Global War on Terror. Walking toward the flight line, the SEAL commander quipped, What made you want to fly such ugly helicopters?, Theyre not much to look at, but they get the job done, Brady fired back. They would have to offload eight SEALs from each helicopter before continuing. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) is for individuals who aren't afraid of challenges, Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jayme Pastoric. Discover life as a 160th Special Operations Aviation #Army MOS #15T MH-60 Crew Chief. Because Burnett was an enlisted crew chief servicing the aircraft, his insights are accessible and grounded. The Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) is known for having some of the most skilled aviators in the world, who fly the most elite special operators into some of the most austere environments on earth using the most advanced aircraft in the US military inventory. CW2 (Join to see) You attend Green Platoon when you arrive at 160th. The troopstwo 12-man Green Beret teams from the 5th Special Forces Group dubbed Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 555 and 595[10] plus four Air Force Combat Controllerslinked up with the CIA and Northern Alliance. After a brief tenure with the infantry, he became a rotor-wing pilot then excelled his way into the vaunted 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) The Night Stalkers say no more! Their distinctive 101st "Screaming Eagle" patches remained on their uniforms. [38][39] On 4 July 2014, during Operation Inherent Resolve, the Night Stalkers inserted Delta Force operators into Syria to rescue James Foley and other US hostages. Each of the five Black Hawks was loaded with Marines and had flown out thinking they were the QRF for the SR team. The exchange flights. It didnt look like there was any way anybody could have survived, Graham said. Marines in the area knew it was an extremely dangerous place filled with Taliban fighters. Smith said he saw a line of armored vehicles full of troops. As the sites were eliminated the first heliborne SOF teams launched from H-5 airbase in Jordan, including vehicle-mounted patrols from the British and Australian special forces, who were transported by the MH-47Es of the 160th SOAR. The 160th SOAR is the world's premier rotary-wing unit and specializes in transport, attack, and reconnaissance missions, with special-operations units being their main customers. 15U MH-47 Crew Chief; 15U MH-47 Maintenance Supervisor; 160th Recruiting Enlisted; Multimedia; 160th Recruiting; 160th Recruiting 2 . CENTCOM mistakenly posted a video on the internet of a flight of four MH-60Ms of the 160th SOAR conducting a mid-air refueling over Iraq in October 2014, the video was hastily taken down. He has covered the 75th anniversary of D-Day in France, multinational military exercises in Germany, and civil unrest during the 2020 riots in Minneapolis. Not wanting to leave their brothers, the SEAL team commander hatched a plan with the Night Stalkers to insert higher up on the ridgeline and fight their way down to the crash site so Turbine 34 could fly back to Jalalabad, pick up as many SEALs as he could, and fly back to reinforce the eight SEALs. Kind of like SEALs.. I could see the grass being blown by the rotor wash and all the remains bags being lined up in a row 16 of them, Rogie recalled. Reply GlockAF . They were exhausted and angry with the mistake the US Air Force had made when they allowed Space-A seating to be filled on this leg of the flight home. 160th SOAR (A) USASOC Flight Company; Special Operations Training Battalion; Technology Applications Program Officer ; Systems Integration Management Office ; Airframes; Contact USASOAC; 75th Ranger Regiment. The 160th -60's are referred to as MH-60's. The M . He walked back to the operations center to monitor the situation and provide support from Bagram. The crash killed a soldier, Sergeant First Class James R. Stright, 29, and injured eight others, three seriously. For the Night Stalkers of the famed 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the war on terror continued. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), abbreviated as 160th SOAR (A), is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for special operations forces. Background: Army NG Crew chief (15T) E4, been in about 4 years but still have very limited maintenance experience and just recently RL1 crew chief. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Dave Currier, left, an MH-60M Black Hawk pilot, and Spc. I wager more than a few literary agents are kicking themselves as they realize they missed out on a historically relevant and uniquely narrated insight into a seldom covered but fascinating story. you dont want to go to sere. Ray Dowdy, a crew chief who went down aboard Super 61, lost the tip of one finger and is still serving with the 160th at Fort Campbell. Brady said he estimated the AC-130 would only be off station briefly and that the crew had reported no hostile activity on the LZ. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), also known as the 160th SOAR or Night Stalkers, are the critically important aviation support of America's special operations forces. Soldiers who fail to pass the course the first time may retake it, but there is no guarantee that anyone assigned to Green Platoon will pass and continue on with the 160th. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Do I have to sign a 6 year? Were completely separate commands. [34] The operation involved flying covertly into Abbotabad, Pakistan in a pair of MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, specially modified for stealth and piloted by the 160th SOAR, to take a team of Navy SEALs directly to bin Laden's compound. Bradys maintenance officer woke him and said the SR team was in trouble and the Night Stalkers had orders to spin up and pull the team out. Life in the 160th I have spoken to AD and 160th recruiters Background: Army NG Crew chief (15T) E4, been in about 4 years but still have very limited maintenance experience and just recently RL1 crew chief. The 160th SOAR (A) consists of the Army's best-qualified aviators, Crew Chiefs and support soldiers. The Ranger commander and an attached 2nd Commando Regiment operator organised an all-round defence while the other MH-47E held back the advancing insurgents until its miniguns ran out of ammunition. The action, pace, detail and excitement of Making a Night Stalker are contrasted by its honesty and candor. The most prevalent model is the special operations-modified Sikorsky MH-60 Blackhawk. NSDQ! The three-phase plan called for inserting a four-man SR team the first night, then inserting the second element of, This was a desolate part of the Hindu Kush, and at night, you wouldnt really expect to see much, Brady told, . At the Bagram operations center, Maj. Stephen Reich approached Brady urgently, asking why he didnt follow abort criteria and fly back with the SR team after the AC-130 had to leave the airspace. Because the 160th SOAR has played such a significant role in the ongoing Global War on Terror, Burnetts chronicle is an important historic time capsule of one of the most fascinating units in all the worlds militaries. The back of the aircraft contained the flag-draped coffins of 16 great Americans: the fallen Night Stalkers and SEALs from Turbine 33. Marketta was a decorated soldier who enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2011 as a 15th UH-60 "Black Hawk" Repairer. Arriving on site, the task force members fast-roped in. The rescue was a success. Approaching the insertion point, the pilots flared the Chinook and came into a hover. The strike groups included one flight of MH-60L DAPs and four "Black Swarm" flights, each consisting of a pair of AH-6M Little Birds; a FLIR-equipped, target-spotting MH-6M; and a pair of U.S. Air Force A-10As. The suspended dust erases the horizon making. Kill Bin Laden. Burnetts narration in Making a Night Stalker is an important part of literature in military history since it chronicles, like never before, the experience of an enlisted crewmember in what is likely the most sophisticated and secretive rotary wing aviation unit on earth. The fallen Night Stalkers of the 160th SOAR included: Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature, Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach. AH-6Ms strafed the two-vehicle convoy, killing the leader along with three other al-Shabaab terrorists, then carried out an overwatch while DEVGRU cleared the vehicles and recovered the body. With signs of belly landing. Please tell me this is a joke that I just didn't get. The Black Hawks and Chinooks continued to operate around Campbell Army Airfield at the north of post, and Saber Army Heliport at the south. 1st Class Al Lamb, who roped in with the Combat Search and Rescue team to crash site one, received the Silver Star. They are flown exclusively by the US Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR). Members of this unit are three-time volunteers: for the Army, airborne. A Night Stalkers crew chief fires a M134 minigun from the forward starboard opening. Making a Night Stalker is well worth adding to any collection of military aviation history. Three war-weary escorts one of them a SEAL and the other two Night Stalkers Daniel Bell and Chris Eicher sat off to the sides, grimly staring off into space. The note said that Marcus Luttrell was alive at a nearby village. [18], On 21 June 2002 in the Philippines, Night Stalker MH-47Es were involved in the operation that killed Abu Sabaya, a senior leader in Abu Sayyef. The fallen warriors were now on their way home. That meant if the SEALs got into trouble, extraction would potentially require the use of a hoist to pull the SEALs out, which was a time-consuming and dangerous option. File:160th SOAR insignia.gif. A second MH-47E, callsign Razor 01, responded to the shoot down with a Quick Reaction Force; it was damaged by small arms and rocket-propelled grenades, and crash-landed. While one of the helicopters crash landed on arrival,[35] all on board survived. At Jalalabad, Brady was approached by SEAL Cmdr. They bring the reader into the action. Just so it seems real to everyone else.. Ms. Snuffy, we regret to inform you that your son was selected as "the example" in his SERE class. Disappointed, Brady followed the order and got off the aircraft. He is still serving in the Army. After five years as in paramedicine, he transitioned to a career in multimedia journalism. On the heels of a North Korean missile test, the US, South Korea, and Japan conducted joint drills at sea on Monday, April 17, 2023. There were 100-foot-tall trees on all sides of the Chinook, and they were so close the pilots had no room to sway as they descended. He would have been on that bird were it not for the last-minute change. Staff Sgt. You hope they could. It just didnt look good.. If you want an Army pilot career, the 160th SOAR is the crme de la crme. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. " 13 SOAMIC consists of "didactic and practical training in SOA medical tasks, provider-level clinical and battlefield medicine, and He remained in 1st Battalion, 160th SOAR (A) as an MH-60M Crew Chief. Aviators, maintainers and aviation crewmembers of the RAF conducted exchange flights with Soldiers of 160th SOAR to share and learn how each respective unit operates. . The mission was overall considered a success. David Pliego, UH-60 Blackhawk crew chief, 4th Bn., 160th SOAR, as he struggled to swim 30 meters in his flight gear and treaded water for what seemed like hours - only to be told his. Both helicopters were struck by small arms fire. Whiteman AFB Has Released A Short Clip That Shows A B-2 Dropping Two 30,000-Pound GBU-57 Bunker Buster Bombs, We got the first high-rez images of the stealth drone captured by Iran. [29] The 160th SOAR also took part in the 2008 Abu Kamal raid. Our plan of action is for you to get us to the high ground as close to the troops in contact as you can, and were going to fight our way downhill, Brady recalled Kristensen saying. After the 1980 Operation Eagle Claw attempt to rescue American hostages held in Tehran, Iran, failed, President Jimmy Carter ordered former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James L. Holloway III to figure out how the U.S. military could best mount another attempt. Staff Sgt. The United States Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), also known as Night Stalkers, is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations forces. [13] Thats not possible, Brady replied, confused at how quickly the SEALs had become compromised. Chris, Turbine 33 has just been shot down, he told Eicher, whod earned the nickname Iceman for his always cool demeanor. Then the realization hit: He was now in charge. (We've been through many themes over . So my buddy that said "Green platoon is like a short ranger school" was full of shit, eh? One Night Stalker was killed in the battle. Two Night Stalker Black Hawks, Super 6-1 (piloted by Cliff Wolcott), and Super 6-4 (piloted by Mike Durant), were shot down in the battle. The plan was for the SEALs to fast-rope onto the ridgeline above the original LZ. Two weeks later two Chinooks and 76 crew members and maintenance personnel arrived by C-5. 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), the Nightstalkers. Photo: Alan C. Mack, 160th SOAR. Chief Warrant Officer 5 George "Billy" Cook and Chief Warrant Officer 5 Karl H. Maier stand with Col. John R. Evans Jr., 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment during a retirement ceremony . CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) - Two 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash last week on San Clemente Island, California. The memorial service display in Bagram, Afghanistan. I really enjoy being a crew chief but doing it once a month with no deployments coming up in combination of my civilian job of inputting shit on excel leaves me wanting more. An estimated 25 al-Qaeda fighters were killed. Exclusive: first high-resolution close-up pictures of the stealth drone in Iran. On 2 April, a Delta Force squadron operating in Iraq was ambushed by a half-dozen armed technicals from an anti-special forces Fedayeen. (Their unit in TF Sword was designated Task Force Brown. We have been in the Special Operations community for 12 years. Once on the ground, theyd have to pick up the rope, hook it to themselves, and get hoisted back up. MH-47D. Brady had no way of knowing at the time, but it would be the last time anyone at Bagram would ever see three of those four Americans alive. ", Some L models were upgraded to Direct Action Penetrator (DAP) variants, M variants can be equipped with the Fast Rope Insertion Extraction System (FRIES), USASOAC Special Operations Training Battalion (co-lead by the 160th SOAR(A)), Light Assault Helicopters Company (MH-6M), Medium Attack Helicopters Company (MH-60M DAP), Medium Assault Helicopters Company (MH-60M), Heavy Assault Helicopters Company (MH-47G), Extended-Range Multi-Purpose Company (MQ-1C), This page was last edited on 28 March 2023, at 19:26. This thread is archived New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast 2.7K 1 165 165 comments Best BrokenBodyEngineer 12NeverGonnaGiveYouUp 9 mo. Just found out they are taking prior service 15T into 160th. Pilot/copilot, crew chief and medic. [citation needed], SOAR flight medics can qualify as special operations combat medics by completing the 36-week long Special Operations Combat Medic (SOCM) course at Fort Bragg.[6]. I have a degree and job at a large gov consulting firm Throughout that night of 5 December 2015, a group of Rangers engaged in a firefight with enemy troops near the Afghan-Pakistan border; after about 5 a.m. their commander called for an extraction after they learned of a larger enemy group approaching. Through detailed explanation of the Nightstalkers mission, training and daily operations along with the unique culture of the secretive organization, Burnett takes you inside the unit, the training, the culture and the daily operations. Making A Night Stalker details the selection process for the 160th SOAR Nightstalkers and their extensive training. 160th Recruiting: Service in the 160th: My Life in Special Operations Aviation features a Special Operations Aviation 15U MH-47 Maintenance Platoon Sergeant. The Armys elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) is known for having some of the most skilled aviators in the world, who fly the most elite special operators into some of the most austere environments on earth using the most advanced aircraft in the US military inventory. https:// youtu.be/hAj0hBxCOxc #NSDQ #USASOC #crewchief #NCO #USARMY #Armyaviation #15TArmy The task force commander denied the request and ordered Turbine 34 back to Jalalabad. Tom Demerly served in an intelligence gathering unit as a member of the U.S. Army and Michigan National Guard. Since 2011, Israels Iron Dome has intercepted roughly 90% of rockets targeting populated areas within its borders. Any help appreciated so I can decide if I want to take this leap. When the ramp lowered, the Night Stalkers on the Chinooks stood tall and proud for their fallen brethren as task force members boarded and began solemnly moving each remains bag to the mortuary affairs building. The Night Stalkers would then circle back and pick up the remaining SEALs who offloaded at Jalalabad. Source: used to be a 160th crew chief on the MH-60M like this. The Army looked to the 101st Aviation Group, the air arm of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), which had the most diverse operating experience of the service's helicopter units, and selected elements of the 158th Aviation Battalion, 101st Aviation Battalion, 229th Aviation Battalion, and the 159th Aviation Battalion. Graham watched from Turbine 34 as Turbine 33s ramp lowered and the crewman walked onto it to observe the landing zone below. This was a desolate part of the Hindu Kush, and at night, you wouldnt really expect to see much, Brady told Coffee or Die Magazine. CW5 George "Billy" Cook and CW5 Karl H. Maier stand with Col. John R. Evans Jr., 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment during a . Photo courtesy of Matt Rogie. Hovering for that long over the same spot would burn the LZ and likely alert the enemy to the SR teams presence.. He asked Graham to repeat, unable to register what he had just heard. In 1986, it was renamed the 160th Aviation Group (Airborne); and in May 1990, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). During the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the Night Stalkers from 2nd Battalion supported two task forces established in early October 2001: Dagger and Sword. Im glad youre here because I am spent, Eicher told him. How do deployments work? He retired from the U.S. Army as a Chief Warrant Officer 4 Blackhawk helicopter Master Aviator in the 160th SOAR after participating in combat operations Prime Chance, Just Cause, and Desert Storm, and also Gothic Serpent, in which he was briefly held prisoner in 1993 after a raid in Somalia . Some small portions of the book are redacted for security reasons. Predator drone marked the person with an infrared laser as he tried to escape in a smuggler's boat. ", "Six guns don't miss! Until 2013, only men were allowed to be pilots in the 160th.[3]. Because of the candor and transparency in Burnetts narration the book becomes a valuable record for the historian and an honest accounting for any young person aspiring to join the militarys elite units. Requirements vary within each of the five units, but can include things like qualifying for a security clearance or having an ASVAB placement test score above 100. Russell went to work right away getting the crews together to prep the aircraft for the mission. Al and Kip were on the ramp when the RPG impacted, Smith, who witnessed the horrific event, recalled. Since the SEALs werent sure where exactly the compromised team was located, Kristensen believed inserting at a position of tactical advantage was the best option. There were no survivors. A surprise sandstorm slowed the return trip, but less than 67 hours after the arrival of the C-5 in Chad, the ground crew had the Hind and Chinooks aboard and ready for return to the U.S.[7]. A U.S. Army crew chief, right, with the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) and an Air Force loadmaster with the 15th Airlift Squadron guide an MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter while 110823-F-WA575-004.jpg 4,256 2,832; 4.55 MB All of us were pretty broken up at that point, Rogie said. Eicher looked at Brady and said, Nah, they probably put down for maintenance.. The odds of enemy fighters hearing the echo of the dual-rotor helicopter increased every second it remained in a hover. The 160th SOAR (A) consists of the Army's best-qualified aviators, crew chiefs, and support soldiers. From my understanding its Green platoon> SERE> 160th. Graham reported the situation back to Bagram. Today, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment continues a sustained and active forward presence in the U.S. Central Command area of operations at multiple locations in support of. Born and raised in small-town South Dakota, he grew up playing football and soccer before serving as a forward observer in the US Army. Editors note: the Author doesnt have any connection to the author, has never met him and he bought the book from Amazon himself so this is an unbiased review. The above Army aviator profile typifies an ideal candidate for the 160th SOAR. Whats the unit like in general? Kristensen confronted him about the decision to cut the rope at the LZ and asked if the Night Stalkers would go back and retrieve it. New theories about the Stealth Black Hawk emerge as the UH-60 turns 40. A Taliban high-value target sat tucked into the corner away from them all, guarded by other soldiers. Sgt. Finally, the 50-day SOAMIC provides 160th-assigned Health Care Specialists (68Ws) who have completed the Special Operations Combat Medic (SOCM) Course advanced training on "in-flight trauma/resuscitative care. I saw this first hand as an H-60 Search & Rescue Swimmer Crew Chief (AW . The flight crew kicked out the ropes, and the SEALs fast-roped down. Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell was the only survivor from the initial four-man SEAL reconnaissance element. As the first batch of pilots completed training in the fall of 1980, a second attempt to rescue the hostages was planned for early 1981. Then the helos blades started hitting each other, and the aircraft rolled to the right before inverting as it descended to the mountainous terrain below. The 160th SOAR actively seeks and assesses the best-qualified aviators, crew members and support personnel in the Army. Since our inception, the 160th SOAR (Abn) has filled its ranks with "tested volunteers." This means that all Warrant Officers must apply and assess for service in the 160th. The 160th SOAR have operated several flavors of MH-47 during its history. SamOlson. Children of varying ages ran around the coffins, playing and yelling, not yet old enough to understand the sacrifices these warriors made. The 160th brought AH-6 helicopters the light helicopter gunship based on MH-6 "Little Bird" and defensive armed penetrators, the MH-60L modified attack helicopter that looks like a Black. [27] Night Stalker helicopters were present during the 2008 SOCOM counter-terror exercises in Denver.

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