FIVE-HUNDRED-AND-EIGHTY ROCKETS CONFISCATED

CENTCOM ^ | Dec. 29, 2003

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

	NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894

December 29, 2003
Release Number: 03-12-71


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


FIVE-HUNDRED-AND-EIGHTY ROCKETS CONFISCATED

TIKRIT, Iraq – An Iraqi citizen provided information to U.S. Air Force airmen concerning a large weapons cache that he said consisted of close to six hundred rockets. The Air Force in turn asked the U.S. Army for assistance. Air Force personnel and a patrol from 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment went to the identified site in the evening of Dec. 27 to investigate.

The intelligence acquired suggested the rockets could be found hidden in some undergrowth along the river next to a tree line. After a short search, the soldiers and airmen found a berm near a tree line that was approximately 35-feet long and four feet high. Buried in the berm, covered with plastic and dirt, they found 580 57-millimeter rockets. The unit secured the perimeter of the site and coordinated with an explosive ordinance disposal team for the destruction of the weapons.

The soldiers secured the position overnight until an explosive ordinance disposal team could destroy the rockets.

[ASA Vet]

Several aircraft use 57mm rockets in pods.

Examples:

MI-2 (Hoplite)
MI-24 (Hind)
MIG-21
MIG-23
MIG-29

[mickie]

Please put me on your "ping" list~~~~~~~~Thanks.

[leadpenny]

Here's a site where it looks like you could purchase these kinds of things:

http://www.petesrockets.co.uk/kits/vb.html

I hope they have some controls on who might be able to get them.

[SpinyNorman]

I hope they checked them for the usual "Made in France" stamps!!

[Conspiracy Guy]

Thought they may be pod rockets.

[Conspiracy Guy]

We always need pictures.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Felt 57 mm were probably pod rockets. Unguided but still good for blowing stuff up. Glad we got them. Can be fired from piece of pipe with car battery or less probably.

[ASA Vet]

Click on the photo for larger version.

[mathluv]

Did you see the young soldier on Fox and Friends this morning? He has been injured, and is back in the states due to his injury. He wants to go back to Iraq, and talked about the wrong impressions left by the media. He has a website. I don't remember his fist name, but his last was Nally.

[pa_dweller]

The soldiers secured the position overnight until an explosive ordinance disposal team could destroy the rockets.

Definitely good news, however, I must ask - Do they really have bureaucrat paperpushers disposing of dangerous munitions?

ordinance - An authoritative rule; an order, decree, or law of a municipal body.

ordnance - Military weapons, ammunition, and associated equipment and materiel.

[fso301]

Doesn't look to be particularly well cared for.

[ASA Vet]

That photo was actually taken in Afragistan not Irag, but
rags generally care for their toys this way.

[Conspiracy Guy]

That doesn't look like a berm ; )

[Quilla]

Found this website for a Casey Nally, I think he is soldier you mentioned: http://www.caseynally.com/

[mathluv]

Thank you!!!

[ASA Vet]

I don't think it's a BMW either. ;-)

[Swanks]

That photo was actually taken in Afragistan not Iraq

Can't be Afragistan. I see some patches of green grass there.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Looks like a redneck camper as we call em here in Ahwahbahmah. : )

[ASA Vet]

That green grass was brought in by American soldiers, as part of our effort to calm them down.

The color green has been shown to be soothing.

[ASA Vet]

Wouldn't a redneck camper have more weaponry?