Sandstorm may have caused fatal Army helicopter crash

www.gomemphis.com ^ | February 26, 2003

[LBGA]

Pentagon officials said Tuesday a fierce sandstorm in Kuwait might have caused the fatal crash of an Army helicopter.

The UH60 Black Hawk went down about 1 a.m. Tuesday Kuwait time some 30 miles northwest of Kuwait City, where night training exercises were under way. The Army says the cause of the crash is under investigation, but strong winds and blinding sand were reported in the area overnight.

The Pentagon identified those killed Tuesday as Spc. Rodrigo Gonzalez-Garza, 26, of Texas; Chief Warrant Officer Timothy Moehling, 35, of Florida; Chief Warrant Officer John Smith, 32, of Nevada; and Spec. William Tracy, 27, of New Hampshire.

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.

The accident highlights the difficulties of engaging in combat in a region renowned for its intense heat, ubiquitous sand and unpredictable winds. During Operation Desert Storm, sand and sweat were far worse adversaries than the Iraqi army for most GIs.

Tuesday's crash came almost 12 years to the day after a Feb. 21, 1991, accident during Operation Desert Storm in which seven troops died when their Black Hawk crashed during a sudden Saudi storm.

Even before the latest accident, U.S. troops now assembling in the region were bracing for the climate changes that accelerate in March and April. The Iraqi desert heats up to triple-digit temperatures and 60-mph dust maelstroms form. That is currently seen as the most likely timeframe for a U.S. attack on Iraq.

Although acknowledging the challenges of desert warfare, the Pentagon does not count weather as an unduly dangerous constraint.

Most military experts believe any war with Iraq would be intense but brief, with most of the fighting over in a month, if not far sooner. But if combat stretched into the hotter months, GIs would still be able to fight well, military leaders and analysts say.

"Many battles have been fought in the heat of summer," Secretary of State Colin Powell, the nation's top military leader during the 1991 Gulf war, said recently.

Anthony Cordesman, military analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, agreed, saying the notion that U.S. troops would be significantly impaired is "militarily ridiculous."

[Darlin']

Howlin and ohioWfan, thank you both for the pings.

LBGA, Thank you for taking time to search for information about each of these fine young men and for posting such a thoughtful and touching tribute to them..

wimpycat, like you, seeing those empty boots got to me.

[azGOPgal]

It's the least I could do. These men gave up their lives serving our country, so in honor of them and their service, a prayer is definately going up for them.

Thank you for posting this so we can offer our prayers.

[LBGA]

Thanks for your reply. The boots get to me also. Imagine your child or hubby being honored, and the boots and helmit signify all that is left on this earth to see and touch. These soldiers had families who are grieving, and I hope this country remembers them.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

God bless these families.

[rotorhawk]

This one was a straight up training accident. They were caught in a rapidly developing sand storm, became disoriented, lost visual reference and/or visible horizon and being buffeted around by the wind-they impacted the ground.

Nothing "illicit" to it, as are any of the missions that are conducted by either the "Green" Army or SPECOPS.

I know. I do this for a living. I believe you meant covert.

For the uninitiated to get an idea of what the sensation and confusion of losing reference to a "visible horizon" is like they can try this; on a dark night go out to a playground that has a merry-go-round, tape (duct tape if you prefer) two toilet paper tubes over your eyes so you can only see thru the tubes, sit on the merry-go-round and have someone spin you around a dozen times and once it stops-stand up, try to walk a straight line and not bump into anything or fall down.

[mtngrl@vrwc]

Prayers being said now......

Thanks for the ping, Friend.

[Libertina]

So very sad to look at these larger than life men. Unfortunately, I recall other crashes due to sand storms. May they be in a better place now and God comfort their families.

[MinuteGal]

Appreciate the ping, Billie. This is so saddening to me. One of our Florida boys was among the four heroes.

I get so frustrated with the waiting we're going through before we liberate Iraq, although I realize there's probably good reason.

Prayers for these young men and their families. God bless America and our President.

Leni

[Libloather]

Bump...

[xp38]

Prayers for the fallen

[Kathy in Alaska]

...."maybe then, there wouldn't be any Americans against us."

Unfortunately, some who have the good fortune of being born in the United States of America will never ever understand that our military, past and present, obtained and continue to secure, the very freedoms they enjoy. How sad. God bless and keep these fallen soldiers and their families.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

The Pentagon identified those killed Tuesday as
Spc. Rodrigo Gonzalez-Garza, 26, of Texas;
Chief Warrant Officer Timothy Moehling, 35, of Florida;
Chief Warrant Officer John Smith, 32, of Nevada;
and Spec. William Tracy, 27, of New Hampshire.

Rest in Peace Brothers and may God Welcome You Home

[Dubya]

done

[Alamo-Girl]

Amen. Rest in Peace. May God bless their families and give them peace.

[vikingchick]

Prayers for Rodrigo, Timothy, John & William. Rest in peace.

[leadpenny]

Thank you for the ping. It makes it all too real to read about these brave soldiers.
May their families and loved ones be comforted.

[MeekOneGOP]

Rest in peace ...

Click here for “Taps”

[JohnHuang2]

We could never thank these heroes enough -- they paid the ultimate sacrifice. God bless our men and women in uniform.

[JohnHuang2]

Thank you for letting me know via FReepmail.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

An awful lot of bad weather: Colombian military helicopter crashes, killing all 23 aboard *** BOGOTA, Colombia -- A Colombian army Black Hawk helicopter carrying 23 crew members and elite troops crashed Wednesday in the mountains of northern Colombia, authorities said. All aboard were killed. The U.S.-made helicopter was on a counterinsurgency mission in Cesar state with two other helicopters when bad weather caused the pilots to lose contact, the army said.***