General Recognizes Pilots for Daring Rescue Mission

American Forces Press Service ^ | Spc. Nathan Hoskins, USA

[SandRat]

BAGHDAD, July 29, 2007 – The top U.S. general in Iraq presented awards to four Apache pilots for their part in the July 2 rescue of two other pilots downed by enemy fire during a July 27 ceremony in the Victory Base Complex here. Gen. David Petraeus, commander of Multi-National Forces Iraq, honored the four pilots of the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, and eight others who helped rescue the pilots.

Chief Warrant Officer Allan Davison and Chief Warrant Officer Micah Johnson, both AH-64D Apache attack helicopter pilots for Company A, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, received Distinguished Flying Crosses.

Davison and Johnson landed their attack helicopter in a hostile area and evacuated the two downed OH-58 Kiowa helicopter pilots of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade.

Apaches only have two seats, so Johnson, the front seat pilot, let one of the Kiowa pilots take his seat in the Apache while he and the other Kiowa pilot strapped themselves to the outside of the aircraft and sat on the wings, said Johnson.

"It looked like they were both in pretty good shape, but one of them kind of looked like he had been through enough, like he was a little shocked, as I would be, too. I told him to get in front," he said.

Once the pilots were strapped in, Davison, the pilot in command, took off and headed to Baghdad International Airport where the pilots were dropped off.

While this was taking place, their Apache wingmen were circling above providing security.

Those two pilots, Chief Warrant Officer Seung Choi and Chief Warrant Officer Troy Moseley, received Air Medals for their efforts.

Although happy at being awarded medals and recognized by the top commander in Iraq, the pilots said their greatest reward was finding the downed pilots alive.

"We've seen a lot of aircraft shoot-downs," Johnson said in an interview after the rescue. "Every one that we've all probably seen, it's resulted in burning aircraft and black smoke and usually catastrophic loss of life. If not loss of life, then there have been serious injuries. Just to see those two alive, it was amazing. It was great."

(Army Spc. Nathan Hoskins is a journalist assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Air Cavalry Brigade.)

[SandRat]

FR WAR NEWS!

WAR News at Home and Abroad You'll Hear Nowhere Else!

All the News the MSM refuses to use!

Or if they do report it, without the anti-War Agenda Spin!

[Joe Boucher]

Sure am proud of these pilots.
As a pilot I can’t say enough about their spirit.
Way to go and GOD bless.

[VOA]

...Johnson, the front seat pilot, let one of the Kiowa pilots take
his seat in the Apache while he and the other Kiowa pilot strapped
themselves to the outside of the aircraft and sat on the wings...

Sounds like these guys got a "seat upgrade" that outdoes anything
ever seen on "reality TV".

[SandRat]

The Ground crew could tell they were happy by all the bugs stuck in their teeth.

[ops33]

Yeah, but I’ll bet the Crew Chiefs were damn proud of “their” aircrew and “their” aircraft!

[SandRat]

and angry that they couldn’t properly “wet down” their wings for their actions.

[Old Student]

“Sure am proud of these pilots.
As a pilot I can’t say enough about their spirit.
Way to go and GOD bless.”

As a former crew chief (fixed wing) I’m not sure most pilots should be allowed out without a keeper, and then only while on a leash, but these guys did really, really good. Spirit, intelligence, and great big brass ones.

Of course, the Army does still use Warrants, which has to help. I’m really sorry the Air Force stopped doing so.

[nw_arizona_granny]

I am so glad they got awards.

This story needs to be told every day.

There are so many good reports of bravery, that the public does not hear.

[xzins]

The top U.S. general in Iraq presented awards to four Apache pilots for their part in the July 2 rescue of two other pilots downed by enemy fire during a July 27 ceremony in the Victory Base Complex here.

Those ceremonies can be sheer hell.:>)

Kudos to AFP Specialist Hoskins for a smile.

[Joe Boucher]

When I was in the Army we looked up to two kinds of officers.
Point grads, cause they had to endure and be tops to get there.
Warrent officers cause they worked to get there by going up the ranks and still usually had their heads on straight and knew what the hell they were doing.
Drafted officers were clowns as were r.o.t.c. types.
NOt always but mostly.
For two years I worked at the pentagon and came into contact with WAY too many officers.

[Old Student]

“Drafted officers were clowns as were r.o.t.c. types.
NOt always but mostly.
For two years I worked at the pentagon and came into contact with WAY too many officers.”

I got lucky in the USAF, we didn’t have many (if any)officers who were drafted. A few who avoided the draft by going AF, but they mostly didn’t stay long, as the war ended a couple of years after I enlisted. I met some fairly impressive officers as a comm puke, but we also had some really scary types. One thought he was Alexander the Great reincarnated, but couldn’t lead my airmen into a bar, for example. I got really lucky, I guess, as I never had to spend a lot of time around officers after I left the flight line, early on in my career. Very few of the pilots really impressed me, with Col. Day and BG Reisner being exceptions to that rule. Col. Day wasn’t flying anymore, by the time I met him, but he was pretty sharp.

[Joe Boucher]

Alexander the Great huh?
Bet he was fun to be around.

I’d have put papers around with the word fratricide around him.

[Old Student]

He was a comm engineer, and they didn’t issue us live ammo in garrison. We got really lucky, and never had to deploy with him. On the other hand, I suspect our commander might have off’ed him himself, if we had deployed with him. He was a 2nd Lieutenant, and he wound up working in a shop with not just one but two Master Sergeants, and some lower-ranking NCO’s who also weren’t impressed. We may have gotten him to think a bit before he returned stateside. I never heard that he died in a suspicious accident, so it’s possible. I’m SURE someone would have told us...

Oh, did I mention he was YOUNG 2nd Looey?

[Joe Boucher]

Draftee 2nd louies were fun.
But some of the really nuttiest 2nd louies were the gung ho marines.
Master Sargents were tough old boys and most times knew their stuff. Great watching them mentor younr officers with mush for brains.

[SandRat]

Thought you all might like to see the Photos of the Flying Heroes

Gen. David Petraeus, commander, Multi-National Force - Iraq, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross to Chief Warrant Officer Kristopher Hobt, Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, and Chief Warrant Officers Micah Johnson and Allan Davison from the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, during a recent ceremony at the Multi-National Corps - Iraq headquarters on Camp Victory. Photo provided by MND-C PAO.

Chief Warrant Officer Micah Johnson, right, shakes hands with Gen. David Petraeus, Multi-National Force-Iraq commander, after Petraeus presented him with the Distinguished Flying Cross during a ceremony in Baghdad Thursday. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Nathan Hoskins.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Wonderful, thanks for the photos.

[El Gato]

I got lucky in the USAF, we didn’t have many (if any)officers who were drafted

You had none, except perhaps some doctors. Otherwise if you got drafted, it was to the Army, or on rare occasions the Marines, and they didn't make you an officer. They might let you apply for OCS if you were otherwise qualified and did *really* well at basic and whatever training that followed. More likely they'd make you re-enlist first.

The Air Force and the Navy haven't taken draftees since well before the Vietnam war. I'm not sure if the Air Force has ever taken any.

People joined the AF and Navy to *avoid* being drafted.

One guy at my AF-ROTC field training, summer of '71, got his draft notice while at the training. I was in the two year program and we had not yet formally signed on as E-1 members of the AF Reserve when we attended our field training, which was 6 weeks long, verses the usual 4 weeks. He did, and quickly. The rest of us did it when we returned to our home Detachments. Det 465

[El Gato]

Draftee 2nd louies were fun.

No Such thing. Now draft induced OCS/OTS grads, aka 90 day wonders, yeah. Lt. Calley comes to mind.

Now wait one while I go find an NCO to ream you a new one. One particular Chief in missile facilities at Offutt AFB comes to mind. Wonder if he's still alive and kicking? That was a long time ago.

[Billthedrill]

Dang it, the Air Cav has the coolest covers. My fervent congratulations!

However, it must be said - helicopter pilots don't fly, they beat the air into submission...