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CAB Chinooks keep trucks, personnel off perilous roads

By Spc. Creighton Holub
July 20, 2006

CAMP TAJI, Iraq (Army News Service, July 20, 2006) – CH-47 Chinook pilots with the 4th Infantry Division’s Combat Aviation Battalion move an average of 40 pallets of equipment and supplies throughout Baghdad every night.

They’ve also kept an estimated 3,000 trucks and more than 7,000 Soldiers off the roads of Baghdad since their arrival.

“We’re preserving democracy one pallet at a time,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Phillip Lopez, a Chinook pilot with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, MND-B. “Once we started doing this mission, they started seeing the numbers of folks on the road dwindle. We’re saving lives by not having civilians and military folks on the road.”

The Chinook crews work closely with Soldiers from the division’s Sustainment Brigade to get equipment and supplies where they are needed within the Multi-National Force – Baghdad area of operations. Soldiers who would normally drive trucks to deliver the equipment said they are pleased with the efforts of the Chinook crews.

“I feel a whole lot safer,” said Sgt. Marcus Hargrave, a motor transport operator who is on his second deployment to Iraq and is assigned to the 155th Cargo Transport Company.

“I don’t have to worry about improvised explosive devices as long as we’re not on the road,” he said. “I think there’s a lot less people getting injured and killed.”

Although the helicopters are immune to the dangers of roadside bombs, they’re still open to insurgent attacks.

“There is still risk involved,” Lopez added. “The advantage of flying is that we’re not out there on the road with the implanted IEDs. We also have more maneuverability – that makes us a harder target than a convoy.”

In addition to keeping Soldiers off the roads, using helicopters gets equipment and supplies to the customer quicker, Lopez added.

“As a unit, we can move them faster than they can on the ground,” he said.

(Editor’s note: Spc. Creighton Holub writes for the 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office.)