U.S. troops parachute into northern Iraq - CNN

Reuters | 3/26/03

[kattracks]

U.S. troops parachute into northern Iraq - CNN

WASHINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) - About 1,000 U.S. troops have parachuted into northern Iraq and seized an airfield in Kurdish-controlled territory, CNN reported on Wednesday.

The network said the troops were from the 173rd airborne brigade and seized the airfield to clear the way for armored tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles.

03/26/03 17:23 ET

[tpaine]

The 173rd ABN BDE SEP formed from the battalion of the 503rd infantry battalions. Made historic combat jump in WWII on the island of Corrigador. Reactivated in 1960 or 61 not certain, in Okinawa. May of 1965 deployed to Vietnam as the first Army ground unit in Vietnam. First into warzone D, first into C zone, first into the Iron Triangle, first into the mekong delta region. Deactivated in 1971 and the battalions of the 503rd infantry were made the 3rd bde 101st ABN division at Ft Campbell KY. The 173rd colors were moved to Vencenza Italy and the 509th Airborne became the 173rd Airborne bde seperate.
A bit sketchy, but best available from memory atm.
1SG(R)D. Bryant
173rd Airborne Brigade SEP 1965-1967
88 -KL-

I was in the 11th Airborne, 503rd, in '55/56. We were reorganised in '57 as the 502nd. I recall being told that the entire regiment jumped on Corrigador.
-- Also that the 173rd Regimental Combat Team made a combat jump in Korea, ims.

[freepersup]

An early report stated 70-80,000 Kurds were available for augmentation into the coalition forces. The latest reports are stating that over 200,000 Kurds are available for combat duties.

[CA Conservative]

I didn't say you couldn't airlift any tanks in - just not in great numbers... We don't have the heavy airlift capability to move an entire armored division, with all of the supplies and support equipment. At least, not in a reasonable period of time.

[RobRoy]

I believe C-117's can come in with tanks on board. 35 sorties, 35 tanks. I saw them dropping them on skids once, the plane doesn't even touch the ground as the vehicle slides out on a big palate and skids to a stop. I think they can carry multiple vehicles.

[jim35]

Well, it's a brigade, not a division. That means it's just part of another division.

[johnb838]

I think it would make more sense to fly in a light regiment or division... The Abrams are so out of the league of the T-72s much less the T55s that it's like shooting a gnat with an elephant gun. BFVs, artillery plus the AC-130s with the 155mm etc. Possibly just to hold the RG in the north to protect the back door would be sufficient so they don't sweep around the city and cut somebody off. If they DO sweep, take 'em out with air power and send elements of the 173rd on into downtown Baghdad.

Course it's all moot anyway because we smoke them from the air as soon as they stick their heads out, but we should stick to doctrine on general principles.

[Carry_Okie]

Not that simple - there are a lot more vehicles and equipment involved. Add the need for a supply of fuel in the quantities required. This cannot be flown in for a large force.

I hadn't thought about it much, I was just musing on our capabilities. If not a division, a brigade?

also consider turnaround time.

I did, but I don't know how fast a C-5 or C-17 is or how long it takes a loadmaster to secure the equipment. I would assume unloading goes fairly quickly.

[johnb838]

Not that simple - there are a lot more vehicles and equipment involved. Add the need for a supply of fuel in the quantities required. This cannot be flown in for a large force.

Fiddle-dee-dee. Just watch us. Besides there is fuel in the north. Any of it refined?

[CIB-173RDABN]

---

Bronze star for 1 combat jump, Gold for five.

Much to my disapointment, I did not make a combat jump.

More information here.

[freepersup]

(Now that the airfield has been secured, it's unlikely any cargo will be air dropped. This info. gives an idea of the capabilities, and to note: the info. is now several years old so the limitations are probably greater by now.)

· 60K Airdrop System: The 60,000-pound (60K) capacity airdrop system is a multiphase program designed to capitalize on current (C130, C141, C5) and future (C17) aircraft, while increasing single platform capacity from 35,000 to 60,000 pounds. The LVAD and LAPE capability has already been upgraded to 42,000 (42K) pounds for the combat-loaded Sheridan tank and numerous engineer equipment loads. The 42K LVAD capability has been fielded and 42K LAPE components will be procured in 1991. Development of a 60K LVAD and a 60K LAPE continues. Testing and fielding these systems depends on upgrading the C5 and on fielding the future C17 aircraft that will have both 60K LAPE and LVAD capabilities. Type classifications of both 60K airdrop capabilities are projected for 1994.

*(LAPE- low altitude parachute extraction)

· LARRS: The Low Altitude Retro-Rocket System (LARRS) is being developed to accurately deliver platform loads weighing up to 60,000 pounds from 300-foot drop altitudes at drop speeds up to 250 knots. LARRS will combine parachutes and retro-rockets to decelerate loads to a soft landing (8 feet per second) without using standard "honeycomb" cushioning material. This will allow a drive on/drive off platform capability, greatly reducing rigging and derigging materials handling equipment (MHE) requirements and response time. LARRS is expected to be type classified in 1996.

[mikegi]

On Tuesday, 173rd commanders said they were told that a Special Forces "A" Team was overrun by a force of 100 Iraqis in Irbil, about 35 miles from the drop zone.

Anyone else notice this? Didn't hear of this before. Were our guys captured or did they escape?

[Night Hides Not]

That's easy! If the chute hasn't opened by the fourth stutter, he better be trying to get the reserve out!

Airborne guys are a lot smarter than you think!

[Spunky]

"173rd Airborne? never heard of em."

Its the 173 Infantry Brigade.

[freepersup]

Death From Above- and I too yearn for those glory days ! I see you've been over at the rigger (QM) site- same here.

AIRBORNE ! (43Echo- para rigger)

[leadpenny]

Yes, that is the page I found and linked at 138. Now I want to know if the WWII glider pilots did the bronze and gold star thing for their glider wings.

[Snickersnee]

ABSOLUTELY! Go Alexis!

[The Vast Right Wing]

This is the real point. We are putting soldiers up their to free up the Kurds. They got a real hard-on for Saddam.

[No Truce With Kings]

Welcome back to active posting duty. Now you are gonna have to update your homepage.

(Any vet has to feel proud to see his old unit at the point of the spear.)

[TADSLOS]

The Lake is doing great. Plenty of water so far.

[freepersup]

I read that- then stopped to consider the source. Overun nah- likely they couldn't hold their position without escalating the action and wisely fell back to a defensive position. I should say they can hold their position by calling on any number of our available assests, chances are they didn't want to compromise their covert mission any more than it might have been by the encounter with the enemy, especially with the airborne operation pending. Low profile...

An A-team of 10-12 spec ops would use their brains and consider the overall picture. In this case, securing the air field is the top priority, and that's what they did. Or, if it is an entirely different A-team being discussed, well help is on the way.

These commie journalists want to report on our failure so bad it's driving them to completely lose what little journalistic objectivity or integrity they have left.

FWIW Our spec ops teams are crawling all over this country. They have come in by land, sea, and air. I wanted be surprised to learn of either HAHO or HALO operations already taking place.

high altitude high opening freefall operations GET SOME !
high altitude low opening freefall operations GET SOME !