httwww.codenameinsight.com/11%20Sept%2004%20Mortar%20Attack.avi

Seems as though those rounds were pretty close.  Excellent video which really conveys their fear and anxiety.


Thankfully, I never experienced anything like that when I served.  I don't have any backstory on the video.  I hope our service people make it home soon.

tag

how do they usually deal with such a situation?  send up a helicopter to try to find where it's coming from, and then destroy the building/area?

They can set up counter-battery radar to pinpoint where the mortars are coming from once the rounds are incoming.  Unfortunately, the bad-guys have fingured this one out and launch them from densely populated areas.

wow, they are seriously freaking out.

ETA: they army or Marines?  I think I see marpat in there.

Two words: Support Troops

I'm sorry, but some of it made my laugh, like the guy screaming like an idiot and some one replied to his yelling with, "Relax, dude, some one may think your fucking hurt!" and "Hey! Quit pushing me from under the table!"

I wonder if that was early in the campaign? The building doesn't look like one of the current solid structures, and mortar attacks would have been rare and non-routine initially.

By the time I showed up we were getting mortared thrice-daily on our base, so we got used to it. Those ones in the video did sound close though. Nothing as scary as being shot at and being unable to do a damned thing about it.

NTM

Quoted: I'm sorry, but some of it made my laugh, like the guy screaming like an idiot and some one replied to his yelling with, "Relax, dude, some one may think your fucking hurt!" and "Hey! Quit pushing me from under the table!"

Bad situation, I know...

But damn it that sounded funny...

Quoted: tag how do they usually deal with such a situation?  send up a helicopter to try to find where it's coming from, and then destroy the building/area?

In many cases, they just take cover & ride it out...

Insurgent 'mortar-attack' tactics have involved everything from launching RPGs ballistic, to the use of mortar or rocket tubes hooked to timers for automatic unattended launch... If not, the BGs usually launch the rounds and leave before a counterstrike is possible....

Sometimes a helicopter, UAV, or fixed-wing aircraft (the fire-control systems on most fighter jets allow the pilot to visually track ground targets including individual enemy personell) will be on station and they can track the folks setting up the attack to their safe house (Fighter pilots assigned to this duty have nicknamed it a 'POO hunt' mission (poo = point of origin)) which can be subsequently attacked by ground forces...

But really, there's not that much that can be done...

Even if the attack is launched from the open, it's alot harder to use fire-finder radar when the enemy doesn't stick around to bracket/adjust fire, but rather shoots a few rounds & beats feet....