"Just Doing My Job"

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June 21, 2005
Shey Kahn Valley
Zabul Province, Afghanistan

Tuesday June 21, 2005 was just another day of pulling Quick Reaction Force (QRF). I guess the temp was up around 42c. There was nothing really going on. We were just sitting around waiting for nothing to happen. Nothing happened at about 1130z. Sitting in our Flight Operations, we got the call on the radio to go to REDCON 2 and Pilots-in-command (PCs) report to the tactical operation center (TOC). When we got there, we were told “ground quick reaction force (QRF) would be coming to load our aircraft and to get ready to go to LZ Delta and Echo”. They gave us some radio frequencies and some maps of the area we would be flying in. The only other information we got was that there were some troops in contact that needed reinforced and resupplied.

On the way out the door, Storm 6 told me to go to the release point (RP) where I’d link up with Storm 3 who would take us into the objective area.

So away we went. I was the PC of Mustang 11. I had CPT. Ken with me as my Pilot. My crew was Flight Engineer: SGT Timmy, Crew Chief: SSG Lance, and Left Gunner: SGT Tracy. In Mustang 12 were pilots CW4 Danny, CW2 Dave, and crewmembers SGT Tom, SGT Angel, and SGT Ken. Also in the flight was an AH-64 Apache.

Enroute, we had a couple radio problems in that we had to get figured out who was on what frequencies. We got it figured out for our flight but not necessarily for the overall mission. This would prove unfortunate.

I contacted Storm 3 in the vicinity of the RP and he gave us new grids for new landing zones (LZs) which had to be programmed on the fly. Also, Storm 3 was thinking we were going to meet him at LZ Virginia where we’d have a face to face to get more of a battle update. He didn’t get eyes on us until we were already past Virginia enroute to the objective area. So he advised us to go ahead to LZ Foxtrot and Echo. There was some confusion on who needed to go to what LZ because only one of the ground teams had a TAC SAT radio and needed to go to Foxtrot.

It was decided that Mustang 11 would go into Foxtrot, hit a forward resupply point on the way out to drop off some ammo, then, proceed to Virginia to do the TAC insert while Mustang 12 proceeded to forward operating base (FOB) Qalat on a supply run.

We hit LZ Foxtrot which turned out to be a bowl for a LZ. As we crossed over it my GPS needle swung and I couldn’t believe they wanted me to land there. I had crossed a ridgeline at about 100ft AGL and now had to descend probably 300-400 ft to get into the LZ. So I put the aircraft into a fairly tight left hand turn and we spiraled down into the bowl. Once we got to the bottom of the bowl, I leveled off and we found a place where I could “land”. It ended up that I had to hold the helicopter in a two wheel landing with the aft wheels on a ridge while the troops unloaded. We got out of there and headed to the resupply point. While we were headed to the resupply point, we all heard automatic weapons fire and started to wonder if we were being shot at. About that time, we heard Mustang 12 stating that they were being shot at and had possibly been hit.

As we hit the forward resupply LZ, Mustang 12 was advising that they had been hit and had lost their #1 flight control hydraulics. They were coming out of the area of operation (AO) and heading for FOB Tiger about 15 minutes away. They over flew us with an Apache in tow as we were on the ground at the resupply point. It looked like they were in a hurry to get out of there.

When we were clear of the resupply point, we went to LZ Virginia to pick up the TAC element. As we arrived, Storm 3 told us the grid to where the TAC wanted to go. “Link up with your Apache escort before proceeding”, and to “come out to the East” as we exited LZ TAC were the instructions given to me. I acknowledged all of the above.

I started slowly towards LZ TAC because I hadn’t made contact with my Apache escort. I was trying every radio we had on board. So was CPT Ken. I don’t think we ever made radio contact with them but we did get eyes on them and saw they were turning to our six. I knew they were with us so we proceeded to the LZ.

While enroute, Rock 3 put on a headset and got into the companion way. He verified the grid where he wanted to go and showed us a map of known enemy locations. He also advised to “come out to the right / East as you exit the LZ. Stay away from the hill to the Northwest”. This was the same hill where we had heard automatic weapons fire earlier. As we approached the area, Rock 3 pointed out where he’d like to be. I was in a descent position to get them there so we proceeded. I was moving pretty quick so I kicked it out of trim to bleed off airspeed in order to make my intended touchdown point without having to go around or hover. I got her on the ground and ended up holding my aft left gear on the ground while they all unloaded. My right gear was over a ditch so I was unable to set it down. (I don’t think I had a four wheel landing at anytime in the objective area.)

While we were sitting in the LZ, my escort told me (after the fact) that we were engaged by no less than 2 RPGs and they had suppressed. As far as I knew, the landing and LZ had been uneventful. (Sometimes ignorance is bliss.)

Coming out of the LZ was not uneventful. As we came out of the LZ, (the way I’d been instructed by both Storm 3 and Rock 3) we immediately began taking effective small arms fire as well as several RPG rounds. It was as if somebody had kicked a hornet’s nest. My left gunner; SGT Tracy opened up with his door gun first then shortly after that, SGT Timmy opened up as well with the right gun. We had an RPG explode very close to the aft right side of the aircraft. I was on the controls and felt a jolt that threw the tail end of the aircraft up and to the left. Also about that time I felt, heard, and smelled an impact very close to me in the nose of the aircraft. Turned out a round had perforated the left pitot tube which is about 24 inches in front of where I was sitting.

I had earplugs in under my helmet, and it was still painfully obvious that we were taking hits. It sounded as if someone were hitting the aircraft with a claw hammer. Then the loud bass repercussions of the RPG rounds exploding. I heard no less than 2 RPGs and SSG Lance states he saw at least 4 shot our way out.

While SGT Timmy was engaging, a round struck his ammo can breaking his ammo belt and causing a small explosion right in front of him. SGT Tracy’s ammo can also took a hit. But he was still able to return fire. (Both of these men are very lucky. The ammo cans are right in the same area as all the vital organs in the body. Not including the brain of course.)

Somewhere during all of this a round ruptured a fuel line in the right aft inter-tank area causing a major fuel leak. A round had also punctured a main fuel line on the inside of the aircraft. Another round somehow managed to start a fire inside the aircraft. Now that is not a good combination. Luckily, the main fuel leak was outside of the aircraft. (There was a pretty good flow of fuel on the inside as well.) However the airflow inside a CH-47 is from the open ramp towards the front of the aircraft. So, the fuel that was vaporizing down the right side of the aircraft was still returning into the cabin area where the fire was.

SSG Lance who was on the ramp, advised “We’re on fire”! To which I responded; “Well put it out”. SSG Lance was fighting the fire in back all the while he was getting soaked by and ingesting plenty of JP8 (Jet Fuel) and standing in a puddle of it. Yet he still continued to fight the fire. Not to mention that rounds were passing through the cabin inches from his head.

After SGT Timmy’s ammo was rendered useless, he went to the rear to assist in fighting the fire. SGT Tracy’s gun was still operational so he continued to engage the enemy until we were out of the threat area. I asked SGT Tracy later if he’d been effective; to which he answered; “Well sir they were either diving or dying”.

As we were leaving the area where we’d been engaged, I was having a conversation with my crewmembers in the aft of the aircraft. The conversation went something like this. Crewmembers; “we’re on fire we need to land”! Me; “we are not landing here”! Repeated at least three times. I still had control of the aircraft and we were still in “Indian Country” as far as I was concerned. I just kept advising them to get the fire out. At the same time, I kept having visions of the big dramatic Hollywood fireball explosion in the air. Not a pleasant thought when it involves the aircraft you’re flying.

My initial intent was to make it to FOB Tiger. But, with my crewmen telling me they couldn’t get the fire out, the smell of smoke and fuel getting to the cockpit, and the Hollywood vision in my head I started looking for a place to put down in the field. We even had passed some grid locations to our escort and I’d tried to pass our situation to Storm TOC. I don’t know if it ever got through.

Then I remembered that we had not passed LZ Virginia yet. I knew I’d just picked up friendlies there. So I decided that was the place.

We came in pretty hot. I did a 180 into the wind landing which allowed me to loose my airspeed without staying in the air for too long. (At this point I was ready to put her on the ground.) I told CPT Ken to be ready to shut it down as soon as we touched down. As far as I knew we still had a fire in the cabin.

As soon as all four landing gear were on the ground, CPT Ken executed his assignment and I gave the order to “un-ass” the helicopter. As the engines were spooling down I unbuckled and looked at CPT Ken who was doing the same. As he was beginning to go through the companion way to the cabin, I thought “the hell with that”. I jettisoned my emergency escape door, and bailed out the front. (I’ll tell you it is a pretty long drop from the flight deck to the ground.)

As soon as I bailed, I looked around to make sure all my guys were out. They were. SSG Lance had his M16 out pulling security for us same as SGT Tracy and SGT Timmy.

Turns out LZ Virginia was a US mortar position so there were US troops on the ground to greet us. They were a welcome sight. I wasn’t entirely sure there would be any Americans there. One of them stated “I’ve never seen anybody un-ass a helicopter so fast”. I asked him if he’d ever seen one on fire before.

We rallied inside their little walled compound to get our initial bearings. SSG Lance had taken a lot of smoke and ingested a lot of fuel and was having a difficult time at first. Once we got him some water though he was his normal self again.

As soon as we determined the aircraft wasn’t going to explode after all, we went about the task of gathering our gear and “sterilizing” the aircraft. We didn’t know how long we might be on the ground or just how “secure” the area was. All we knew was we were only about 8 kilometers from where we’d been shot up. So we weren’t about to take any chances.

After we had consolidated all of our gear, we took stock of where we were and what was yet to happen. We all acknowledged that we weren’t out of anything yet and that nothing was over until we were back at Kandahar Airfield (KAF).

While we were sitting there, an Afghan National Army (ANA) troop came into the compound. Apparently in the fighting he’d been shot in the backside and had had to make it about four hours alone back to LZ Virginia. After he was stabilized, a MEDEVAC was called in. About that time SSG Lance informed me that SGT Tracy was having a hard time. He’d gotten dehydrated and was getting dizzy when he’d stand up. Not a good thing to be worried about in the middle of a fight. I told the Infantry LT. that he needed to get on the MEDEVAC bird also. After a brief conversation with SGT Tracy, he agreed to get on the bird. He didn’t want to leave and I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t have wanted to leave either.

When the MEDEVAC landed, they brought our downed aircraft recovery team (DART) out then hauled away SGT Tracy and the ANA soldier. LT J. one of our maintenance test pilots (MTP) and SSG F.’s DART crew had come to the rescue. They quickly went to work on our broken bird and had her fixed enough to fly back to KAF in no time. Due to the difficulty in putting the doors back on, it was decided to fly back to KAF with the doors off. Something most Chinook pilots have never done.

When we were a few miles out from KAF, LT. J. put crash rescue on standby just in case. We landed and shut her down right on one of the taxiways. Crash fire was right there. The flight back and shutdown were uneventful.

When we left KAF, it was about 1230z. We were shot up around 1400z. We returned to KAF under night vision goggles at about 19:30z. After it was all said and done, we figure the aircraft sustained about 12 hits. Including several near misses to crewmembers.
I look at the damage to the aircraft and how close some of the rounds came to hitting home and I thank God that everybody made it back.

The aircraft will fly again and so will the crew. So in the end that’s all that really matters.

 

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