4 US Soldiers killed in Kuwait (blackhawk crash)

[LBGA]

I am so glad that your son wasn't on it.

Prayers for the families and friends of those who died.

[hellinahandcart]

Um, no, it's not the same story. Afghanistan and Kuwait are different places.

[ezo4]

lost a cousin that way. 10 other men as well.

[xzins]

I fully agree, Freedom.

When a chopper goes down for any reason, those spinning blades are deadly.....and that doesn't count all the other normal crash issues.

Learning to fly in the sandy environment is tough. I heard on some news blurb that we're in the dust storm season. That is especially dangerous for helicopters.

[John D]

You are NO patriot, you are an UNAmerican COWARD

[BlueLancer]

"I am a REAL patriot "

VARMINT CONG ALERT!!!

Even if this guy's not another sleeper, he deserves to be thrown over the side anyway.

[LizardQueen]

Learning to fly in the sandy environment is tough. I heard on some news blurb that we're in the dust storm season. That is especially dangerous for helicopters. Because of their slow speed and vertical take-off/landing, helicopters can get blinded by snow or sand every time they get near the ground. My pilot friend and I have talked about this a lot (he's had a lot of practice in snow) - he says you either have to bite the bullet and try to deal with the fact that you can't see diddlysquat, or to do a rolling landing to try and stay ahead of the cloud that your rotors kick up. I would think dust storms would be bad too, as they probably don't go high enough to get out of them like jets do.

[xzins]

Safe flying, LizQ. May the Master Pilot guide your controls.

Chap. X

[maestro]

UR#18)......Prayers for our soldiers and their loved ones.

Amen,.........More Grace and Mercy,..........In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen!

[SeeRushToldU_So]

Black hawk down made me sick... I sat through it twice to try and make sure it was not only me that kept thinking, perhaps even saying "damn you clintong" from beginning to end.

I know what you mean about getting sick. It was just incredible how hard they had to fight because of losing the initiative. I did some reading on that disaster and the Rangers had to do a bunch of hand to hand fighting. Much of this could have been avoided if the proper armor had been allowed to be used. I cussed Klintoon and his “Meals on Wheels” use of the military. I am going to check out the movie you sugguested.

[dansangel]

Prayers for our fallen heroes and for the strength that their families will need.

We ask the Lord, Our Father to guide these heroes home to Him to be forever in the warm embrace of His loving arms. Please may the families know that we, as Americans, are eternally grateful for the sacrifices made to ensure our freedom. We ask this in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

[Poohbah]

arete = ARATOR?

It would explain a LOT.

[dhardt]

I have been coming to the freerepublic website for several months now. I was in the military for 4 years, my husband is retired Army. My son is now an Army Aviator. This is one of the few places where I can feel the support in waves. I just want to thank the MAJORITY of you who give that to me...I'm going to go have a good cry now...

[LBGA]

More news. The unit is now identified.

Kuwait Chopper Crash Kills 4 U.S. Troops

By CHRIS TOMLINSON
Associated Press Writer

KUWAIT CITY (AP)--A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on night training crashed early Tuesday in the Kuwaiti desert, killing all four crew members, the military said.

Kuwaiti army spokesman Col. Youssef al-Mulla said the aircraft crashed in bad weather. Sandstorms and high winds were reported overnight and continued Tuesday afternoon.

The UH-60 Black Hawk crashed about 1 a.m. (2200 GMT Monday) near Camp New Jersey about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northwest of Kuwait City, an Army statement said.

The aircraft, which belonged to the Army's V Corps, was part of the force that has been massed in this Gulf emirate for a possible invasion of Iraq.

The helicopter was part of the 158th Aviation Regiment, 5th Battalion, of the 12th Aviation Brigade based in Giebelstadt, Germany. The group is attached to V Corps' 11th Attack Helicopter Regiment, which is part of some 9,000 troops from the corps deployed as part of the recent U.S. buildup. It includes a headquarters unit commanded by Lt. Gen. William Wallace.

V Corps spokesman Bill Roche said from the corps headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany, that it was still too early to speculate about a cause of the crash.

``A V Corps safety team is already on site, and then additional people are coming in from the U.S. Army Safety Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama,'' Roche said.

The bodies are expected to be brought back to Germany, though no plans are final, Roche said.

The helicopter was one of two V Corps helicopters participating in the exercise, the other of which returned safely.

The soldiers' identifications were withheld until their families could be notified. The crew were the only personnel on board, the Army said.

Less than a month ago an MH-60, an adapted version of the Black Hawk crashed in a training mission 11 kilometers (seven miles) east of Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Four members of an elite aviation regiment were killed in the Jan. 30 crash.

Five American soldiers were killed Dec. 11 in the last crash of a Black Hawk, when an Army helicopter crashed about 40 minutes after takeoff into central Honduran mountains while on a training mission.

More than 70,000 U.S. troops are training in the Kuwaiti desert in preparation for a possible invasion of Iraq. President George W. Bush has threatened to use force to disarm Baghdad of weapons of mass destruction if it does not do so voluntarily according to U.N. resolutions. Iraq denies it has such weapons.

AP-NY-02-25-03 1251EST

[dansangel]

Prayers for the loved ones of these newly departed heroes. May God grant wisdom to the leftist hate-mongers that they may see the pain that they are inflicting on those who give all to protect their freedoms.