Release A050721a
Close air support
Multi-National Force-Iraq
FORWARD OPERATING BASE MACKENZIE, Ad Duluiyah , Iraq – Soldiers and airmen from 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, Task Force Liberty destroyed a suspected anti-Iraqi forces weapons cache near Ad Duluiyah with an air strike.
Coalition forces identified the target, a pontoon on a small low-lying island in the Tigris River , as a possible weapons cache after AIF fired rockets from there. The Fire Support Element from 1-15 Infantry directed bombs from Air Force jets onto the site to destroy the pontoon and deny AIF the ability to use it to hide weapons and ammunition.
“It's a planned operation to go in there and clear it out,” said Capt. Andrew Staples, fire support officer, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment. “We're denying it to the enemy,”
The day was slowly warming up as the HMMVs made their way down a narrow dirt track through heavy vegetation to the bank of the Tigris River . It was peaceful and quiet as the patrol set up their radios and began coordinating the air strike on the target.
Staff Sgt. Charles Hathaway, an Air Force joint terminal attack controller, contacted two F-16 Falcons flying out of sight of the mission on the ground. They verified the target and the location of Coalition Forces who were located close to the target.
Target verification is an important part of the JTAC's job during a close air support mission because even with advanced technology, it is hard to tell the difference between friendly and enemy forces from over 20,000 feet.
“Our job is to be with the Army and have situational awareness on the ground,” said Hathaway. “[The pilot and I] work out an attack plan.”
Once they worked out the plan, the F-16 Falcons released two 500-pound bombs. They took over half a minute to fall from the sky and strike the pontoon.
The aircraft flying overhead gave the ten second warning. Soon, a thunderous explosion ripped through the area, throwing debris into the air and causing a large cloud of black smoke.
Two OH-58D Kiowa Warriors from 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment flew low over the site where the pontoon had been sitting moments before, each firing their .50 caliber machine gun and two rockets into the target. Afterwards, they flew over the site one more time to assess the damage done to the target.
The barrage of bombs, rockets and gunfire destroyed the pontoon, denying AIF of another hiding place.
“The enemy definitely knows we are interested in that site,” Staples said. “It [the close air support mission] puts the insurgents back on their heels. They know that you just can't get away with shooting indirect fire at Coalition Forces and Iraqi security forces.”
The main target of the last two AIF indirect fire attacks had been the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police in an attempt to demoralize them. Coalition indirect fire support and close air support missions help the Iraqis in their fight against the AIF by reducing their ability to operate freely in this area.
After the smoke cleared, the Soldiers and airmen turned their HMMVs around and headed back to Forward Operating Base Mackenzie with the Kiowas flying overhead for additional security.
While the destruction of the pontoon was successful, the mission was not complete until every Soldier and airman was back inside FOB McKenzie.
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THIS STORY HAS AN ACCOMPANYING PHOTOGRAPH. TO RECEIVE THE PHOTO, E-MAIL THE CPIC PRESS DESK AT cpicpressdesk@iraq.centcom.mil .
CUTLINE
FORWARD OPERATING BASE MACKENZIE, Ad Duluiyah , Iraq – Debris flies into the air after a 500 pound bomb dropped by the U.S. Air Force strikes a pontoon on a small island in the Tigris River near the town of Ad Duluiyah during a close air support mission for 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment. Photo by Major Chris Belcher, 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 42nd Infantry Division
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Text for release and opsec review provided by the 42ND Infantry Division Public Affairs Office. For more information, please contact 42 ID PAO at fortysecond.id.pao@us.army.MIL
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