These black hawks are always going down so much so that the US should attach some tank tacks to them and have done with it. You can't be shot down rolling on the ground now can you...although I'm sure the US soldiers would manage to be shot down somehow...any excuse to get home one way or another.
You know it reminded me of the song, "what you can do, I can do better". Couple of days, Fallujah residents showed the way, and today Tikritis took it upon themselves. Now, the Iraqies must be thinking. who is next, and whether the next one will be even better or worse (if you are an american).
A US helicopter has crashed in a civilian area of northern Iraq, US military officials have said.
Initial reports indicated that a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter had come down in the town of Mosul.
Yet another black hawk ‘goes down’ honestly are these things ever up? Wasn’t it a while back when an Iraqi farmer brought one ‘down’ by flicking a toothpick at it?
Two U.S. Helicopters Down in North Iraq, Official Says
Two U.S. helicopters crashed in the northern Iraqi town of Mosul Saturday, a senior Iraqi security official said. “All I can say is that two helicopters have crashed,” the official, who declined to be identified, said near the scene. American soldiers have cordoned off the area.
Additionally another US soldier was killed in a roadside bomb in Baghdad, bringing the total number of US soldiers killed to 45 in this month alone, and 405 US soldiers killed in total since the war began.
Crash of U.S. Helicopters in Iraq Kills at Least 12
Twelve coalition personnel were killed and nine wounded when two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Iraq on Saturday, a U.S. Army spokesman in Baghdad said. The spokesman said there was no immediate information on the cause of the crash, which involved two helicopters from the 101st Airborne Division. There was also no word of any Iraqi casualties on the ground. The helicopters crashed in a residential area in the northern city of Mosul.
That makes a total of 57 US soldiers killed this month alone.
Unconfirmed reports suggest one of the helicopters was hit by a rocket- propelled grenade. Reuters quoted and unnamed US officer at the scene saying “one of the helicopters was hit by an RPG on the tail wing”.
Saturday 15 November 2003, 22:46 Makka Time, 19:46 GMT
Initial reports suggest another Black Hawk has crashed
Twelve soldiers have been killed and nine others wounded in the crash of two US military helicopters in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.
A US occupation force spokesman has confirmed that two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters had come down. There was no word on possible Iraqi casualties on the ground.
One of the helicopters that crashed on Saturday was hit by a rocket propelled grenade (RPG), a US officer at the scene said.
“I know one of the helicopters was hit by an RPG on the tail wing,” said the officer who declined to be identified.
An Iraqi police officer said that he saw assailants ambushing a US foot patrol in the area, prompting the intervention of a Black Hawk helicopter.
A missile was then fired towards the chopper, which crashed into a second Blackhawk as it tried to dodge the missile, he said.
Area sealed off
American soldiers have sealed off the crash site in a residential neighbourhood in Mosul. A rapid reaction force was securing the area and investigating.
Saturday’s double crash brings to five the number of US helicopters downed in Iraq since the beginning of November.
On 2 November, a US Chinook helicopter was shot down west of Baghdad, killing 16 soldiers in the deadliest single strike on American troops since the start of the war on Iraq.
On 7 November, a US Black Hawk was shot down in Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, killing all six people aboard.
Another Black Hawk was forced down near Tikrit, but there were no casualties.
The Black Hawk is the US army’s frontline utility helicopter, designed to carry 11 combat-ready troops. It is also used for medical evacuations.
Comment;
Does anyone believe that America has won the war? And the Americans are in control of Iraq?
Most likely both were shot down but it would be a disaster to admit that. -=IF=- freedom fighters can sustain such an attrition rate the terrorist will be gone faster then you think.
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*Originally posted by Changez_like: *
News report in Yahoo said 12 "coalition" soldiers died. It doesn't say "12 US soldiers". Whats going on?
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Just semantics. I noticed that for hours CNN and Fox News was not even giving the story top billing even though they were saying 17 of their soldiers had been killed, and one was missing, and five unjured.
It seems that one of the helicopters was hit by an RPG, and collided into the second one crashing into a civilian area. This is the single biggest loss of life for the US military so far, and now 62 US soldiers have been killed in November alone - 422 US soldiers in total have been killed since the war was launched . Additionally another 75 "coalition" (Brits, Italians etc) soldiers have also been killed.
[QUOTE] Originally posted by Malik73: *
Just semantics. I noticed that for hours CNN and Fox News was not even giving the story top billing even though they were saying 17 of **their* soldiers had been killed, and one was missing, and five unjured.
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In South African newspapers the story only rated a small area inside the major newspapers - it denotes that USA casualties are no longer news.
I notice some Rambo states that losing 6 000 soldiers out of 110 000 during normal ops training is standard. I'm glad I never served in his armchair soldiering war machine.