NcDeuce
11-08-2003, 05:04 PM
4 from 101st die in copter crash
By CHANTAL ESCOTO, AMY RITCHART
The Leaf-Chronicle
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20031108/localnews/606002-220894.jpg
U.S. soldiers search the site after an U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed Friday into a riverbank near Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, killing six U.S. soldiers, the military said. It probably was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, an officer said.
Five Fort Campbell soldiers were killed in Iraq in two separate incidents Friday, making the day the post's deadliest since the troops deployed in February.
An Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed Friday at about 9:40 a.m. in Tikrit, killing four aircraft crew members from the 101st Airborne Division and two other soldiers on board.
Units for the other two soldiers were not released Friday.
Also Friday, a Fort Campbell soldier in Mosul was killed and six others were wounded when their convoy was ambushed with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire at about 7 a.m. Two vehicles were damaged and both were recovered, according to U.S. Central Command.
Names of those killed were not released Friday.
Friday's deaths brought the division's death toll up to 34. Of those, 30 have been killed since May 1 -- the day President Bush declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq.
"We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident," said post spokesman George Heath during a press conference Friday. "We are once again reminded of the sacrifices that soldiers make."
In the helicopter attack, witnesses said the Black Hawk, coming from Mosul to Tikrit, burst into flames when it fell to the ground on the east side of the Tigris River, killing all the soldiers on board.
Maj. Josslyn Aberle said the cause of the crash had not been determined, but several other officers believed it was shot down.
"We believe it was something fired from the ground from the side of the river," said Lt. Col. Steven Russell, commander of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment. "We believe it was brought down by gunfire."
In retaliation, American troops, backed by Bradley fighting vehicles, swept through Iraqi neighborhoods before dawn today, blasting houses suspected of being insurgent hideouts with machine guns and heavy weapons fire.
Late Friday, U.S. troops fired mortars, and U.S. jets dropped at least three 500-pound bombs around the crash site, rattling windows over a wide area in an apparent show of force. Other U.S. jets streaked over Tikrit after sundown.
"This is to remind the town that we have teeth and claws, and we will use them," Russell said.
Russell also said the 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew, which had been lifted at the Oct. 27 start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, was reinstated Friday night.
In a separate attack on Thursday, officials said a soldier attached to the 101st was killed and two others were wounded on a highway east of Mosul by a roadside bomb.
The soldiers were traveling as part of a five-vehicle convoy when attacked. A Quick Reaction Force responded. One wounded soldier was evacuated to a combat support hospital in Baghdad for further treatment, while the second soldier was treated and released to his unit.
Army officials said the three incidents are under investigation. The name of the soldier killed Thursday was not released, pending notification of next of kin.
Three other people were also injured Friday when a roadside bomb exploded near the Mosul Hotel, which is now used as military barracks, the military said.
Military officials did not say whether those injured were soldiers or civilians.
The U.S. death toll for the week climbed to 32, including those aboard the Black Hawk. The death of the two soldiers killed near Mosul while on a convoy raises concerns that the insurgency is spreading north.
There are also rising concerns about the safety of aviation because of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of shoulder-fired missiles still missing in Iraq after the collapse of Saddam's regime in April.
On Oct. 25, insurgents shot down a Black Hawk over Tikrit, injuring one crewman. On Sunday, insurgent gunners brought down a Chinook transport helicopter west of Baghdad, killing 16 Americans. The attack was the bloodiest single strike against U.S. forces since the war began March 20.
An Apache attack helicopter was shot down in June in the western desert, but the two crew members escaped injury.
Additionally, two American civilian contractors working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a Polish officer also died in attacks in the past seven days.
U.S. policy, meanwhile, suffered another setback as Turkey decided not to send troops to Iraq because of strong opposition from Iraqi officials.
U.S. Representative John Tanner, D-Tenn., whose responsibility covers portions of Montgomery County and Fort Campbell, plans to attend the upcoming NATO Parliamentary Assembly meetings in Orlando, where he will speak to NATO allies about how the international community can help U.S. Iraqi efforts by committing money or manpower.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones as they cope with the tragedy of loss, and we continue to pray for those men and women who are making us proud by so bravely answering the call of duty," he said in a e-mail message to The Leaf-Chronicle Friday.
Fort Campbell's installation chaplain, Maj. Dave Coram, said he and his office have spent the last couple of days working with Family Readiness Groups and others on post to notify families of the soldiers' deaths. But he said he can only imagine the loss felt by loved ones and troops who have lost their comrades.
"It's hard on the families and soldiers over there (in Iraq), but morale is high," Coram said during Friday's press conference. "They go to honor the soldier at memorial services, and then they get back to business. Soldiers are working and doing a great job."
By CHANTAL ESCOTO, AMY RITCHART
The Leaf-Chronicle
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20031108/localnews/606002-220894.jpg
U.S. soldiers search the site after an U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed Friday into a riverbank near Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, killing six U.S. soldiers, the military said. It probably was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, an officer said.
Five Fort Campbell soldiers were killed in Iraq in two separate incidents Friday, making the day the post's deadliest since the troops deployed in February.
An Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed Friday at about 9:40 a.m. in Tikrit, killing four aircraft crew members from the 101st Airborne Division and two other soldiers on board.
Units for the other two soldiers were not released Friday.
Also Friday, a Fort Campbell soldier in Mosul was killed and six others were wounded when their convoy was ambushed with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire at about 7 a.m. Two vehicles were damaged and both were recovered, according to U.S. Central Command.
Names of those killed were not released Friday.
Friday's deaths brought the division's death toll up to 34. Of those, 30 have been killed since May 1 -- the day President Bush declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq.
"We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident," said post spokesman George Heath during a press conference Friday. "We are once again reminded of the sacrifices that soldiers make."
In the helicopter attack, witnesses said the Black Hawk, coming from Mosul to Tikrit, burst into flames when it fell to the ground on the east side of the Tigris River, killing all the soldiers on board.
Maj. Josslyn Aberle said the cause of the crash had not been determined, but several other officers believed it was shot down.
"We believe it was something fired from the ground from the side of the river," said Lt. Col. Steven Russell, commander of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment. "We believe it was brought down by gunfire."
In retaliation, American troops, backed by Bradley fighting vehicles, swept through Iraqi neighborhoods before dawn today, blasting houses suspected of being insurgent hideouts with machine guns and heavy weapons fire.
Late Friday, U.S. troops fired mortars, and U.S. jets dropped at least three 500-pound bombs around the crash site, rattling windows over a wide area in an apparent show of force. Other U.S. jets streaked over Tikrit after sundown.
"This is to remind the town that we have teeth and claws, and we will use them," Russell said.
Russell also said the 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew, which had been lifted at the Oct. 27 start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, was reinstated Friday night.
In a separate attack on Thursday, officials said a soldier attached to the 101st was killed and two others were wounded on a highway east of Mosul by a roadside bomb.
The soldiers were traveling as part of a five-vehicle convoy when attacked. A Quick Reaction Force responded. One wounded soldier was evacuated to a combat support hospital in Baghdad for further treatment, while the second soldier was treated and released to his unit.
Army officials said the three incidents are under investigation. The name of the soldier killed Thursday was not released, pending notification of next of kin.
Three other people were also injured Friday when a roadside bomb exploded near the Mosul Hotel, which is now used as military barracks, the military said.
Military officials did not say whether those injured were soldiers or civilians.
The U.S. death toll for the week climbed to 32, including those aboard the Black Hawk. The death of the two soldiers killed near Mosul while on a convoy raises concerns that the insurgency is spreading north.
There are also rising concerns about the safety of aviation because of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of shoulder-fired missiles still missing in Iraq after the collapse of Saddam's regime in April.
On Oct. 25, insurgents shot down a Black Hawk over Tikrit, injuring one crewman. On Sunday, insurgent gunners brought down a Chinook transport helicopter west of Baghdad, killing 16 Americans. The attack was the bloodiest single strike against U.S. forces since the war began March 20.
An Apache attack helicopter was shot down in June in the western desert, but the two crew members escaped injury.
Additionally, two American civilian contractors working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a Polish officer also died in attacks in the past seven days.
U.S. policy, meanwhile, suffered another setback as Turkey decided not to send troops to Iraq because of strong opposition from Iraqi officials.
U.S. Representative John Tanner, D-Tenn., whose responsibility covers portions of Montgomery County and Fort Campbell, plans to attend the upcoming NATO Parliamentary Assembly meetings in Orlando, where he will speak to NATO allies about how the international community can help U.S. Iraqi efforts by committing money or manpower.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones as they cope with the tragedy of loss, and we continue to pray for those men and women who are making us proud by so bravely answering the call of duty," he said in a e-mail message to The Leaf-Chronicle Friday.
Fort Campbell's installation chaplain, Maj. Dave Coram, said he and his office have spent the last couple of days working with Family Readiness Groups and others on post to notify families of the soldiers' deaths. But he said he can only imagine the loss felt by loved ones and troops who have lost their comrades.
"It's hard on the families and soldiers over there (in Iraq), but morale is high," Coram said during Friday's press conference. "They go to honor the soldier at memorial services, and then they get back to business. Soldiers are working and doing a great job."