Free Republic

First thought that comes to mind is Wyatt Earp. We’re talking lawmen from the mid 1930’s to later in the 20th century. You’ll see a common core that they all share in their survival stories – that is to be very decisive and not hesitate when it was time to pull the trigger. Maybe, this was a function of the eras during which some of these officers worked, partly the assignments they had, and partly it was just that their own natures made them particularly proactive. What stands out is that these lawmen did not use the conventional best practice...

An AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter gunship from the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, prepares for a night mission, May 31, 2008. The 1-1 ARB Gunfighter air and ground crews work around the clock sustaining air operations and are part of the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan., flying in support of Task Force Iron, 1st Armored Division, in northern Iraq. Photo by Maj. Enrique Vasquez, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. TIKRIT — Since the days of early aviation, Army pilots have played a key role in the outcome of ground battles and air...

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq, Dec. 19, 2007 – In today’s world of technologically advanced aviation, Army pilots alone cannot keep AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters operational without ground crews. An AH-64 Apache Longbow crew chief conducts final pre-flight checks as he prepares a 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, helicopter gunship for a night mission Nov. 24, 2007. The 1-1 ARB Gunfighter air and ground crews work around the clock sustaining air operations, and are part of the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan., flying in support of Task Force Iron, 1st Armored Division,...

On This Day In History August 2, 1876 : Wild Bill Hickok is murdered "Wild Bill" Hickok, one of the greatest gunfighters of the American West, is murdered in Deadwood, South Dakota. Born in Illinois in 1837, James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok first gained notoriety as a gunfighter in 1861 when he coolly shot three men who were trying to kill him. A highly sensationalized account of the gunfight appeared six years later in the popular periodical Harper's New Monthly Magazine, sparking Hickok's rise to national fame. Other articles and books followed, and though his prowess was often exaggerated, Hickok...

AL TAQADDUM, Iraq (May 1, 2006) -- More than 100 years have passed since the fastest pistol-drawing gunfighters dominated the saloons and streets of the American West. Halfway around the world, a different kind of gunfighter is leaving its own mark on insurgent forces in Iraq's own wild west, the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. Known as the Gunfighters, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, Marine Aircraft Group 16 (Reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, have been patrolling the Iraqi skies with UH-1N Huey and AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters for nearly seven months, ready to fire their deadly suite of weapons...

AL QAIM, Iraq (Nov. 22, 2005) -- When faced with challenges, Marines are renowned for their ability to adapt and overcome. Staff Sgt. David A. Beaty, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369’s day crew maintenance controller in Al Qaim, has overcome countless maintenance and logistical challenges for more than two months. While tackling these challenges, he has kept the Marines’ morale high and continuously ensured the squadron’s AH-1 Cobras and UH-1 Hueys are in the air supporting the Marines on the ground. “I love being out here,” said Beaty, a Picket County, Tenn., native. “It’s a smaller detachment, our unit...

AL TAQQADUM, Iraq (Nov. 13, 2005) -- For many, the flag is more than a symbol of the government. It represents the shared values of the people of the United States and their greatest ideal, freedom. The Gunfighters of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369 fly this symbol at Al Taqqadum, Iraq, and proudly take it with them in UH-1 Hueys and AH-1 Cobras during combat missions. “Our flag represents pride in what we’re doing here,” said Sgt. David Zubowski, a UH-1 Huey crew chief with the Gunfighters and New Castle, Ind., native. “Looking at our flag, it just reminds...