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Posted: 8/26/2014 8:02:40 PM EDT
“The barrage of gunfire and RPGs from the ground hit the formation 119 times,” the 1st Special Operations Wing news report explains. In the end, all three Ospreys suffered severe damaged. Gunfire and shrapnel hit four special operators aboard the planes. Three of the wounded troops were “in critical condition” and apparently could have died as the planes rushed to Entebbe airport in neighboring Uganda. The injuries were so severe that medics “began drawing matching blood from personnel on board to ensure an immediate transfusion” when the aircraft touched down at Entebbe, according to the Air Force. As if bleeding commandos weren’t bad enough, the enemy machine guns and rockets had broken the fuel lines in at least one of the aircraft. Aerial tankers—quite possibly the MC-130P Combat Shadows that also fly from Djibouti—rushed to the scene to top up the limping Ospreys’ tanks. These harrowing details highlight the skills and quick thinking of America’s service members. The Osprey crews—now also identified by their callsigns Rooster 73, 74 and 75—will receive the 2013 Mackay Trophy for their actions. LINK 1 Link 2 Link 3 |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 8:06:54 PM EDT
[#1]
How coincidental!!! I was driving under one doing touch and goes by my plant today! Them prop blades are HUUUUUUGE!!!
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Posted: 8/26/2014 8:07:51 PM EDT
[#2]
Well I guess they are tougher aircraft than most thought.
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Posted: 8/26/2014 8:09:20 PM EDT
[#3]
fucking balls..... those guys have em
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Posted: 8/26/2014 8:16:09 PM EDT
[#4]
"I couldn't tell immediately if we'd come under fire, but I knew I had to maneuver the aircraft out of the weapons engagement zone," said Fingarson. "I took swift corrective actions to make the aircraft as unpredictable as possible in order to make it difficult for gunfire to hit us."
After exiting the danger area, the formation commander called for an assessment of aircraft and personnel. The crews said there were flight control failures and hydraulic and fuel leaks on all three aircraft, and three of the wounded were in critical condition. As the crews began life saving treatment, they acquired the blood types of the wounded and began drawing matching blood from personnel on board to ensure an immediate transfusion upon arrival in Entebbe, Uganda. "We quickly created separation between us and the threat, continuing toward Entebbe," Fingarson said. "Because of the severity of the damage to the aircraft and multiple fuel leaks, we determined we would have to coordinate multiple air-to-air refuelings." The formation of Ospreys made it to Entebbe with the wounded still alive. "One moment that will always stick with me was a special forces member approaching me a few months after the flight and asking if I was the aircraft commander of the flight he was on," Fingarson said. "I nodded yes. "He told me, as he heard the rounds hitting the aircraft, he felt me maneuver the Osprey in ways he didn't know were possible. He told me I saved his life," he added. The CV-22 crewmembers' heroic achievements during this flight earned them the 2013 Mackay Trophy, which is given to the most meritorious flight of the year. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 8:21:50 PM EDT
[#5]
Seems like they're a bit tougher then they look.
That being said, I wouldn't trust them. Then again I don't like helos either. Come to think of it, I don't like flying. Good pilots though, and good crews. Well done. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 8:22:38 PM EDT
[#6]
WoW --- had never heard of this before. 
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Posted: 8/26/2014 8:27:37 PM EDT
[#7]
Looks like one of those investments I was highly skeptical at first... turned out pretty decent.
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Posted: 8/26/2014 8:35:40 PM EDT
[#8]
Proves once again, don't roam around African shit holes after dawn. The CV is proving to be a fairly survivable aircraft, but could use some more Kevlar blankets in the cabin. The new crop of guys in the CV's are keeping up the tradition of Anytime, Anyplace. Rotor heads may not all be geniuses (some are!) but they do have mongo cojones.
The FE on the one lost in AFG was a good friend. We flew 53's together in crappy places around the world. God speed JB. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 8:46:25 PM EDT
[#9]
on a flight to try to rescue American citizens in the city of Bor Yep, just you're normal, every day citizens. Nothing special about them. Nope. The V22 is going to prove itself to be an awesome bird as time goes on. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 9:10:54 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Yep, just you're normal, every day citizens. Nothing special about them. Nope. The V22 is going to prove itself to be an awesome bird as time goes on. Quote HistoryQuoted:
on a flight to try to rescue American citizens in the city of Bor Yep, just you're normal, every day citizens. Nothing special about them. Nope. The V22 is going to prove itself to be an awesome bird as time goes on. If only they didn't leak Hydraulic oil at the same rate they burn fuel. 
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Posted: 8/26/2014 9:13:17 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Yep, just you're normal, every day citizens. Nothing special about them. Nope. The V22 is going to prove itself to be an awesome bird as time goes on. Quote HistoryQuoted:
on a flight to try to rescue American citizens in the city of Bor Yep, just you're normal, every day citizens. Nothing special about them. Nope. The V22 is going to prove itself to be an awesome bird as time goes on. Yeah, at what cost? |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 9:18:28 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
... The FE on the one lost in AFG was a good friend. We flew 53's together in crappy places around the world. God speed JB. 
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Posted: 8/26/2014 9:22:09 PM EDT
[#13]
Needs more door gunner, that's not happening though. Two hundred and seventy degrees of defenselessness...cool.
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Posted: 8/26/2014 9:32:33 PM EDT
[#14]
So what happened to the SF guys that got hit?
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Posted: 8/26/2014 9:39:53 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Needs more door gunner, that's not happening though. Two hundred and seventy degrees of defenselessness...cool. The Marines put a belly gun on ours. 
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Posted: 8/26/2014 9:46:56 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Needs more door gunner, that's not happening though. Two hundred and seventy degrees of defenselessness...cool. Sounds like the AF decided that might be a priority after this incident: After three of AFSOC’s Ospreys were shot up over Juba, South Sudan in December, resulting in the injuries of four Marines on board, the command realized that the birds needed better armor. DiSebastian said that "we’re looking to put armor protection on those aircraft in under 140 days” and they’re about a third of the way through that. SOCOM leadership is also working on beefing up the firepower on the aircraft, testing new forward-firing weapons that it wants to put in place by the end of this year. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 9:55:46 PM EDT
[#17]
Very impressive
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Posted: 8/26/2014 9:59:16 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Sounds like the AF decided that might be a priority after this incident: http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140522/DEFREG02/305220038/SOCOM-Soon-Getting-More-Capable-Deadlier-Ospreys-C-130s After three of AFSOC’s Ospreys were shot up over Juba, South Sudan in December, resulting in the injuries of four Marines on board, the command realized that the birds needed better armor. DiSebastian said that "we’re looking to put armor protection on those aircraft in under 140 days” and they’re about a third of the way through that. SOCOM leadership is also working on beefing up the firepower on the aircraft, testing new forward-firing weapons that it wants to put in place by the end of this year. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Needs more door gunner, that's not happening though. Two hundred and seventy degrees of defenselessness...cool. Sounds like the AF decided that might be a priority after this incident: http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140522/DEFREG02/305220038/SOCOM-Soon-Getting-More-Capable-Deadlier-Ospreys-C-130s After three of AFSOC’s Ospreys were shot up over Juba, South Sudan in December, resulting in the injuries of four Marines on board, the command realized that the birds needed better armor. DiSebastian said that "we’re looking to put armor protection on those aircraft in under 140 days” and they’re about a third of the way through that. SOCOM leadership is also working on beefing up the firepower on the aircraft, testing new forward-firing weapons that it wants to put in place by the end of this year. It's too bad most "Staff" have never crewed a helicopter. It's a long story that I'm not going to bore people with, but I heard about this problem twenty years ago. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 10:13:03 PM EDT
[#19]
Damn. Impressive flying.
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Posted: 8/26/2014 10:21:24 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
It's too bad most "Staff" have never crewed a helicopter. It's a long story that I'm not going to bore people with, but I heard about this problem twenty years ago. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Needs more door gunner, that's not happening though. Two hundred and seventy degrees of defenselessness...cool. Sounds like the AF decided that might be a priority after this incident: http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140522/DEFREG02/305220038/SOCOM-Soon-Getting-More-Capable-Deadlier-Ospreys-C-130s After three of AFSOC’s Ospreys were shot up over Juba, South Sudan in December, resulting in the injuries of four Marines on board, the command realized that the birds needed better armor. DiSebastian said that "we’re looking to put armor protection on those aircraft in under 140 days” and they’re about a third of the way through that. SOCOM leadership is also working on beefing up the firepower on the aircraft, testing new forward-firing weapons that it wants to put in place by the end of this year. It's too bad most "Staff" have never crewed a helicopter. It's a long story that I'm not going to bore people with, but I heard about this problem twenty years ago. SOCOM J3 is a 53 guy. Multiple other SOCOM senior staff are 53 guys. Last SOCEUR commander 53 guy. New SOCEUR CC a 53 guy. Retiring MARSOC CC a 53 guy. Don't even get me going about the AFSOC staff... Yep. No helicopter guys on these staffs. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 10:29:39 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
SOCOM J3 is a 53 guy. Multiple other SOCOM senior staff are 53 guys. Last SOCEUR commander 53 guy. New SOCEUR CC a 53 guy. Retiring MARSOC CC a 53 guy. Don't even get me going about the AFSOC staff... Yep. No helicopter guys on these staffs. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Needs more door gunner, that's not happening though. Two hundred and seventy degrees of defenselessness...cool. Sounds like the AF decided that might be a priority after this incident: http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140522/DEFREG02/305220038/SOCOM-Soon-Getting-More-Capable-Deadlier-Ospreys-C-130s After three of AFSOC’s Ospreys were shot up over Juba, South Sudan in December, resulting in the injuries of four Marines on board, the command realized that the birds needed better armor. DiSebastian said that "we’re looking to put armor protection on those aircraft in under 140 days” and they’re about a third of the way through that. SOCOM leadership is also working on beefing up the firepower on the aircraft, testing new forward-firing weapons that it wants to put in place by the end of this year. It's too bad most "Staff" have never crewed a helicopter. It's a long story that I'm not going to bore people with, but I heard about this problem twenty years ago. SOCOM J3 is a 53 guy. Multiple other SOCOM senior staff are 53 guys. Last SOCEUR commander 53 guy. New SOCEUR CC a 53 guy. Retiring MARSOC CC a 53 guy. Don't even get me going about the AFSOC staff... Yep. No helicopter guys on these staffs. Then why is it only coming to light now? <edit> I looked up CH-53, that answered it for me. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 10:39:43 PM EDT
[#22]
Truly awesome job by the flight crews and everyone attending to the wounded.
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Posted: 8/26/2014 10:53:09 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Truly awesome job by the flight crews and everyone attending to the wounded. That was the first combat mission for the medic who tended to the 2 most critically wounded, at one point transfusing his own blood to a teammate while still in flight (all while fighting off the pain of a bullet lodged against his kidney). I'm honored to know the man. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 10:56:10 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
fucking balls..... those guys have em |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 11:00:32 PM EDT
[#25]
Those birds got shot the fuck up if all those systems started going down.
I'm glad everyone made it out alive and I wish a speedy and full recovery to the wounded. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 11:02:23 PM EDT
[#26]
That was a bad day
 they walked right into it.
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Posted: 8/26/2014 11:02:45 PM EDT
[#27]
stud pilots
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Posted: 8/26/2014 11:07:17 PM EDT
[#28]
A great job .
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Posted: 8/26/2014 11:14:14 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That was the first combat mission for the medic who tended to the 2 most critically wounded, at one point transfusing his own blood to a teammate while still in flight (all while fighting off the pain of a bullet lodged against his kidney). I'm honored to know the man. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Truly awesome job by the flight crews and everyone attending to the wounded. That was the first combat mission for the medic who tended to the 2 most critically wounded, at one point transfusing his own blood to a teammate while still in flight (all while fighting off the pain of a bullet lodged against his kidney). I'm honored to know the man. That's awesome. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 11:28:17 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That's awesome. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Truly awesome job by the flight crews and everyone attending to the wounded. That was the first combat mission for the medic who tended to the 2 most critically wounded, at one point transfusing his own blood to a teammate while still in flight (all while fighting off the pain of a bullet lodged against his kidney). I'm honored to know the man. That's awesome. He calls the whole thing a miracle. One guy was almost cut in half and they kept him alive all the way to the hospital, and he was patched up decently (for having almost been severed at the pelvis). And my buddy went home on con leave just in time to see his second son born, he missed the first one because he was towards the end of BUD/s when his wife gave birth. |
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Posted: 8/26/2014 11:33:26 PM EDT
[#31]
Jesus what was he shot with?
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Posted: 8/26/2014 11:34:28 PM EDT
[#32]
Bad ass story.
Murica. 
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Posted: 8/26/2014 11:36:41 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Well I guess they are tougher aircraft than most thought. Quit honestly, I'm surprised. That design has been so problematic.
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Posted: 8/26/2014 11:47:15 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Jesus what was he shot with? They flew over 3 or 4 technicals relatively low and slow. It was bad fucking luck, that those guys happened to be there at that point and time, relatively alert. All the guys were seated in the aircraft, technicals pointed straight up and opened up on them (bullets entered legs and ass and traveled up the body in a couple instances) followed by a couple RPGs. Not sure excatly was sitting on the back of those trucks...7.62? .50? 14.5mm? He didn't have any guesses. |
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Posted: 8/27/2014 12:05:46 AM EDT
[#35]
Heroes all...
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Posted: 8/27/2014 12:12:24 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
fucking balls..... those guys have em Quote HistoryQuoted:
fucking balls..... those guys have em That was my first thought Quoted:
Well I guess they are tougher aircraft than most thought. ...and that was my second thought |
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Posted: 8/27/2014 12:39:14 AM EDT
[#37]
Sounds like a great place for lightweight composite armor on the bottom. It probably wouldn't weight much to make it .30 cal rifle proof and a .50 or larger is going to fuck up the aircraft regardless of the crew being injured or not.
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Posted: 8/27/2014 12:42:14 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
He calls the whole thing a miracle. One guy was almost cut in half and they kept him alive all the way to the hospital, and he was patched up decently (for having almost been severed at the pelvis). And my buddy went home on con leave just in time to see his second son born, he missed the first one because he was towards the end of BUD/s when his wife gave birth. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Truly awesome job by the flight crews and everyone attending to the wounded. That was the first combat mission for the medic who tended to the 2 most critically wounded, at one point transfusing his own blood to a teammate while still in flight (all while fighting off the pain of a bullet lodged against his kidney). I'm honored to know the man. That's awesome. He calls the whole thing a miracle. One guy was almost cut in half and they kept him alive all the way to the hospital, and he was patched up decently (for having almost been severed at the pelvis). And my buddy went home on con leave just in time to see his second son born, he missed the first one because he was towards the end of BUD/s when his wife gave birth. Your friend is a bad ass. Were these guys SEALs, SF or MARSOC? The articles state the later two, but you stated that your friend went through BUD/S. |
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Posted: 8/27/2014 12:44:15 AM EDT
[#39]
Awesome aircraft and great crews!
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Posted: 8/27/2014 12:57:22 AM EDT
[#40]
Amazing story. Thanks for sharing.
It's nice to hear about the Osprey again after all the troubles early on. Do you guys think it will be a successful platform for years to come? I'm still amazed at what that thing can do and can only imagine where they go from here. |
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Posted: 8/27/2014 1:01:47 AM EDT
[#41]
S-1... I'm having problems trimming quote trees on my phone, so bear with me. My friend is a SEAL, and I know there was 1 or 2 PJs scattered in that op. He also mentioned some Army folks. There is of course a little bit more to this story, but when we spoke about this in depth in May, he asked that I keep the story to myself. He shared this with me and his bro because we all have some similar life experiences.I'm trying to walk a line where I'm only talking about stuff that's mentioned In the article, and not break his trust. When more of this comes out, I'll be glad to spill the beans though
ETA for clarity- there was a large ratio of medic types on those birds due to the humanitarian nature of that particular operation. If I remember right,,the main group was MARSOC, as stated in the article. |
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Posted: 8/27/2014 1:14:23 AM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That was the first combat mission for the medic who tended to the 2 most critically wounded, at one point transfusing his own blood to a teammate while still in flight (all while fighting off the pain of a bullet lodged against his kidney). I'm honored to know the man. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Truly awesome job by the flight crews and everyone attending to the wounded. That was the first combat mission for the medic who tended to the 2 most critically wounded, at one point transfusing his own blood to a teammate while still in flight (all while fighting off the pain of a bullet lodged against his kidney). I'm honored to know the man. good God.... that is Medal of Honor material. |
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Posted: 8/27/2014 1:17:55 AM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
He calls the whole thing a miracle. One guy was almost cut in half and they kept him alive all the way to the hospital, and he was patched up decently (for having almost been severed at the pelvis). And my buddy went home on con leave just in time to see his second son born, he missed the first one because he was towards the end of BUD/s when his wife gave birth. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Truly awesome job by the flight crews and everyone attending to the wounded. That was the first combat mission for the medic who tended to the 2 most critically wounded, at one point transfusing his own blood to a teammate while still in flight (all while fighting off the pain of a bullet lodged against his kidney). I'm honored to know the man. That's awesome. He calls the whole thing a miracle. One guy was almost cut in half and they kept him alive all the way to the hospital, and he was patched up decently (for having almost been severed at the pelvis). And my buddy went home on con leave just in time to see his second son born, he missed the first one because he was towards the end of BUD/s when his wife gave birth. we worked all night on a kid that was severed in half at the pelvis -/- from a oil well counter balance at a trauma center. ( he lived) I can only imagine the effort made in a combat situation. |
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Posted: 8/27/2014 1:21:09 AM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
good God.... that is Medal of Honor material. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Truly awesome job by the flight crews and everyone attending to the wounded. That was the first combat mission for the medic who tended to the 2 most critically wounded, at one point transfusing his own blood to a teammate while still in flight (all while fighting off the pain of a bullet lodged against his kidney). I'm honored to know the man. good God.... that is Medal of Honor material. That was my first thought too. My words to him were something like "holy fuck, did you get back in the aircraft, pilot it yourself and destroy the rebel position?" He laughed, I believe he is currently nominated for a medal or two (from that incident) , along with a couple other individuals. |
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Posted: 8/27/2014 1:27:03 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
fucking balls..... those guys have em The injuries were so severe that medics “began drawing matching blood from personnel on board to ensure an immediate transfusion” when the aircraft touched down at Entebbe, according to the Air Force.
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Posted: 8/27/2014 1:35:37 AM EDT
[#46]
OK_Nativeson, I can only imagine what it was like in the back of that bumpy Osprey. I've worked EMS for a few years now and feel for you for working that poor kid, they are mentally the hardest people to have to work, especially the traumas. Glad he pulled through though!
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Posted: 8/27/2014 2:09:58 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The Marines put a belly gun on ours. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Needs more door gunner, that's not happening though. Two hundred and seventy degrees of defenselessness...cool. The Marines put a belly gun on ours. Seems like evading the fire would be a better strategy than trying to engage the targets with a single gun and an a/c full of people, and evading would likely mean it would be really tough to engage, right? Sounds to me like it doesn't require so much door gunner as it does an AV-22 gunship platform to escort. |
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Posted: 8/27/2014 2:18:37 AM EDT
[#48]
RPG hits? What kind of RPG, where did it hit, and what damage did it do?
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Posted: 8/27/2014 2:23:44 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Sounds like the AF decided that might be a priority after this incident: http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140522/DEFREG02/305220038/SOCOM-Soon-Getting-More-Capable-Deadlier-Ospreys-C-130s After three of AFSOC’s Ospreys were shot up over Juba, South Sudan in December, resulting in the injuries of four Marines on board, the command realized that the birds needed better armor. DiSebastian said that "we’re looking to put armor protection on those aircraft in under 140 days” and they’re about a third of the way through that. SOCOM leadership is also working on beefing up the firepower on the aircraft, testing new forward-firing weapons that it wants to put in place by the end of this year. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Needs more door gunner, that's not happening though. Two hundred and seventy degrees of defenselessness...cool. Sounds like the AF decided that might be a priority after this incident: http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140522/DEFREG02/305220038/SOCOM-Soon-Getting-More-Capable-Deadlier-Ospreys-C-130s After three of AFSOC’s Ospreys were shot up over Juba, South Sudan in December, resulting in the injuries of four Marines on board, the command realized that the birds needed better armor. DiSebastian said that "we’re looking to put armor protection on those aircraft in under 140 days” and they’re about a third of the way through that. SOCOM leadership is also working on beefing up the firepower on the aircraft, testing new forward-firing weapons that it wants to put in place by the end of this year. Forward cannons on a troop transport? So now the pilots can focus on landing for loading/unloading AND engaging all at the same time. |
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Posted: 8/27/2014 2:26:08 AM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Needs more door gunner, that's not happening though. Two hundred and seventy degrees of defenselessness...cool. They have a new belly mounted remote controlled minigun they are testing. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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