With no warning, low-flying copters buzz St. Paul, Minneapolis

Pioneer Press ^ | 8/19/14 | Tad Vezner

[DManA]

With no warning for residents, military helicopters flew low Monday evening over St. Paul and Minneapolis in a federal training exercise, about which officials released almost no information.

The exercise -- reportedly involving U.S. Navy Seals with Army pilots, engaging in rappelling exercises in an urban setting -- began just before 8 p.m. and was scheduled to last until midnight.

The St. Paul police watch commander initially had no information on the exercise. He was later informed that it was a training exercise involving Homeland Security and local law enforcement.

. . . Many downtown residents said they were shocked and afraid at the sudden sight of military helicopters flying so near to their buildings.

Lynda Hanner, who lives on the 27th floor of City Walk Condominiums at 66 E. Ninth St., was surpised to see a helicopter flying just outside her window.

"At first I thought he was in distress -- in the process of crashing," Hanner said. "It was very frightening. They were playing dangerous games in my back yard, and I didn't appreciate it."

[DManA]

Black helicopters are no myth.

[1rudeboy]

That’s racist.

[Mr. K]

dumbasses are lucky they didn’t get shot at

[AppyPappy]

A helicopter painted black is not an odd appearance.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

They’re not even trying to hide what they’re preparing for anymore.

[cripplecreek]

They fly very low over here pretty often but I’m not in a city.

They fly low enough to stir up the treetops.

[stinkerpot65]

Subjugating a population takes planning.

Not to mention cattle cars and barbed wire.

[BBell]

Black helicopters over New Orleans April 15 2013

[cuban leaf]

Where I live it’d just the DEA doing what they do in the last verse of Coperhead Road. One came so low over our house that my wife waved at the guy sitting at the edge of the door and he waved back. We’re right in the heart of Cornbread Mafia territory and are on a plateau.

[VR-21]

This might have seemed exciting to me once. Way back when my government didn’t make me feel like a mouse that’s nose to nose with a rattler.

[grimalkin]

Early one Sunday (shortly after 9/11) I watched a Black Hawk helicopter fly low around buildings in downtown Seattle. It was surreal. I’m used to low-flying aircraft, though, because my father was in the Army pretty much all his life and we lived on or near a lot of military bases. I’m even used to early morning explosions that shake windows. This time, though, it looked so out of place considering where it was.

[BigEdLB]

1. The St. Paul police watch commander initially had no information on the exercise.

2. He was later informed that it was a training exercise involving Homeland Security and local law enforcement.

2+2=5. I always knew it!

[Army Air Corps]

Were they blaring “Ride of the Valkyries” from loudspeakers?

[cripplecreek]

Lots of state land around here so they’ll be out looking for pot before long.

[CivilWarBrewing]

If I were a SEAL, I don't know if I'd get on ANY helicopter, especially if I were a hardcore patriot. Remember Extortion 17!!!!

American casualties*[18]
Name	Unit	Age	Hometown	Notes
Army Casualties
SGT Alexander J. Bennett	7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment	24	Tacoma, Wash
CWO David R. Carter	2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment	47	Centennial, Colo
SPC Spencer Duncan	7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment	21	Olathe, Kan
SSG Patrick D. Hamburger	2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment	30	Lincoln, Neb	Posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant.[13]
CWO Bryan J. Nichols	7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment	31	Hays, Kan
NSWC Casualties
PO1 (SEAL) Darrick C. Benson	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	28	Angwin, Calif	Navy SEAL
CPO (SEAL) Brian R. Bill	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	31	Stamford, Conn	Navy SEAL
PO1 (SEAL) Christopher G. Campbell	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	36	Jacksonville, N.C.	Navy SEAL
PO1 Jared W. Day	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	28	Taylorsville, Utah	Information Systems Technician
PO1 John Douangdara	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	26	South Sioux City, Neb	Military Working Dog Handler
CPO (SEAL) John W. Faas	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	31	Minneapolis, Minn	Navy SEAL
CPO (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	35	West Hyannisport, Mass	Navy SEAL
Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	32	Shreveport, La	Navy SEAL
MCPO (SEAL) Louis J. Langlais	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	44	Santa Barbara, Ca	Navy SEAL
CPO (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	37	Kansas City, Mo	Navy SEAL
CPO (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	35	Fort Worth, Texas	Navy SEAL
CPO Nicholas H. Null	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	30	Washington, W. Va	EOD Technician
PO1 (SEAL) Jesse D. Pittman	West Coast-based naval special warfare unit	27	Willits, Calif	Navy SEAL
SCPO (SEAL) Thomas A. Ratzlaff	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	34	Green Forest, Ark	Navy SEAL
CPO (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	32	Shreveport, La	Navy SEAL
CPO (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	34	Detroit, Mich	Navy SEAL
PO2 (SEAL) Nicholas P. Spehar	West Coast-based naval special warfare unit	24	Saint Paul, Minn	Navy SEAL
PO1 Michael J. Strange	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	25	Philadelphia, Pa	Cryptologist Technician
PO1 (SEAL) Jon T. Tumilson	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	35	Rockford, Iowa	Navy SEAL
PO1 (SEAL) Aaron C. Vaughn	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	30	Stuart, Fla	Navy SEAL
SCPO Kraig M. Vickers	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	36	Kokomo, Hawaii	EOD Technician
PO1 (SEAL) Jason R. Workman	East Coast-based naval special warfare unit	32	Blanding, Utah	Navy SEAL
Bart				Military Working Dog
AFSOC Casualties
TSgt John W. Brown	24th Special Tactics Squadron	33	Tallahassee, Fla	Pararescue
SSgt Andrew W. Harvell	24th Special Tactics Squadron	26	Long Beach, Calif	Combat Controller
TSgt Daniel L. Zerbe	24th Special Tactics Squadron	28	York, Pa	Pararescue
*Excerpted from Wikipedia

[PATRIOT1876]

*Way back when my government didn’t make me feel like a mouse that’s nose to nose with a rattler.*

A mouse could put razors on his claws so that the snake will not enjoy his victory as the snake's throat gets shredded while the mouse is on his way down

[DManA]

Dozens of them crisscrossing a city for hours, Military men rappelling from them, that is an odd appearance in a US City.

[editor-surveyor]

>> “ Military men rappelling from them, that is an odd appearance in a US City.” <<

O’thugga has plans for it to become commonplace soon.

.

[AppyPappy]

Gotta do it somewhere.
They should have done it in St Louis.

[Hulka]

Yeah. . .how dare they practice their mission. I mean, come on, when they go into combat they better never have experience flying in urban areas. Let them practice over flat terrain in the desert, that way they will be prepared to go to combat and know how best to navigate and maneuver in built-up areas. (Not all wars will be in Afghanistan).