Excellent, well-written piece, nicely capturing the challenges and dangers of Infantry night combat operations...well done! (From the perpective of a VN War Infantry and SF combat vet - '66-'66 & '68-'69...I wish we'd have had those night vision devices!)
Read the following, if you haven't already, about MAC-V-SOG in Laos and Cambodia during the Vietnam war. They did this sort of thing without night vision and way less support. Add in that the NVA had a spy in the MAC-V-SOG HQ in Saigon, the Walker Brothers Spy ring was providing the Russians with cryptographic codes and the North Koreans had captured the cryptographic equipment on the USS Pebleo, it is amazing that any of these guys survived.
"Across The Fence" by John Stryker Meyer (Author)
"Whisky Tango Foxtrot" by Lynne M. Black Jr.
"SOG Codename Dynamite: A MACV-SOG 1-0's Personal Journal" by Henry L. Thompson Ph.D.
David - Right on! As a VN War MACV-SOG vet (CO, Short Term Road Watch & Target Acquisition [STRATA] Program, '68-'69), aka the original "Impossible Mission Force", putting teams into North Vietnam and Laos), I can attest to the challenges we faced, striving to conduct those ops without the sophisticated technology available to our Army today. We certainly could have used those night vision devices...!
The soldier's load never lightens. As soon as you eliminate an ounce of weight the Army needs to add another tactical pound. It's an iron rule of the field.
OMG I remember that, I was S3 3/327th, a long damn time ago. We did night ops in a thunder storm, now that was something to see. Too bad that was pre-cell phone.
“The scouts host their rucksacks on their back… “ Ryan, I think you meant to spell ‘hoist’. Otherwise, great piece. Keep up the good work. I especially liked the video, shown through a small round green view port that simulates the monocular nightvision of the Warfighters. It really does look like seeing life through a cardboard tube.
FYI, most of the sound of a helicopter comes to the configuration of the rotors. The Huey UH-1 had only two blades, so the speed of rotation at the blade tips was supersonic. Thus, the Whomp-whomp you heard were actually mini-sonic booms spaced apart. The UH-60 Black Hawk has four blades, so the sonic booms tend to blend together more at same rotational speed. Thus, less Whomp-whomp.
Ryan, your writing has become better and better. I really understood how this helicopter sounded, and why these soldiers do this. I do remember a video about the British going in at night during the Falklands war, and how only the best were part of this team. It's amazing what coming at night, and surprise and confusion, can do. Plus, people already in place who have been in place waiting! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v39msTa5pQ
800 metre movement... u do me to the step off point, cos if yer LZ is 800m away from your first assault, I dinna rTe yer chances. Although this is probs a preliminary manoeuvre. Be interested to know if things get more realistic as the exercise went on? Ex BAF , 24AS Brig. 😉🙄😂😂😂
Operation Lethal Eagle is the 101st' annual division training exercise. This is OLE 3. I was in OLE 1 before getting out of the Army, but the intent was to get as much of the Division into the field at once and give everyone the opportunity to train. There was a larger focus on smaller unit training for example at the platoon level or company level. There were larger organized exercises like this during that period as well and it was enabled by the fact that the aviation units were conducting training the same time as the line units, so they could coordinate their training and it could benefit both units. Throughout the year the various brigades, battalions, company's, and platoons have their own more focused exercises. During OLE there are many more opportunity's for smaller exercises or even just getting comfortable spending time in the field, it also gives the Division HQ a chance to see many of the units in action and to conduct their own training.
Excellent, well-written piece, nicely capturing the challenges and dangers of Infantry night combat operations...well done! (From the perpective of a VN War Infantry and SF combat vet - '66-'66 & '68-'69...I wish we'd have had those night vision devices!)
“ Training is the bridge that spans the gap between fear and valor”
Pretty well sums up life.
Bravo Zulu - a great article.
Amazing men!!!
Read the following, if you haven't already, about MAC-V-SOG in Laos and Cambodia during the Vietnam war. They did this sort of thing without night vision and way less support. Add in that the NVA had a spy in the MAC-V-SOG HQ in Saigon, the Walker Brothers Spy ring was providing the Russians with cryptographic codes and the North Koreans had captured the cryptographic equipment on the USS Pebleo, it is amazing that any of these guys survived.
"Across The Fence" by John Stryker Meyer (Author)
"Whisky Tango Foxtrot" by Lynne M. Black Jr.
"SOG Codename Dynamite: A MACV-SOG 1-0's Personal Journal" by Henry L. Thompson Ph.D.
David - Right on! As a VN War MACV-SOG vet (CO, Short Term Road Watch & Target Acquisition [STRATA] Program, '68-'69), aka the original "Impossible Mission Force", putting teams into North Vietnam and Laos), I can attest to the challenges we faced, striving to conduct those ops without the sophisticated technology available to our Army today. We certainly could have used those night vision devices...!
You guys amazed me. Inserts and exfils on Kingbees and with all the political crap going on behind the scenes, you guys did a truly amazing job.
The soldier's load never lightens. As soon as you eliminate an ounce of weight the Army needs to add another tactical pound. It's an iron rule of the field.
Great piece. More stuff like this we would
have lines outside of recruiting offices. In today's world how do the units keep their profile low during the day?
OMG I remember that, I was S3 3/327th, a long damn time ago. We did night ops in a thunder storm, now that was something to see. Too bad that was pre-cell phone.
“The scouts host their rucksacks on their back… “ Ryan, I think you meant to spell ‘hoist’. Otherwise, great piece. Keep up the good work. I especially liked the video, shown through a small round green view port that simulates the monocular nightvision of the Warfighters. It really does look like seeing life through a cardboard tube.
FYI, most of the sound of a helicopter comes to the configuration of the rotors. The Huey UH-1 had only two blades, so the speed of rotation at the blade tips was supersonic. Thus, the Whomp-whomp you heard were actually mini-sonic booms spaced apart. The UH-60 Black Hawk has four blades, so the sonic booms tend to blend together more at same rotational speed. Thus, less Whomp-whomp.
I love your new job Ryan. What a cool guy and a great patriot you are.
Honestly, your love of our military and its personal is contagious. I HAPPY to donate money so you can keep unfolding the stories of our troops.
Thank you for all that you do. I am so proud that you are a fellow American.
Your avid fan,
Glenn R
Really good writing hope to be 1/5 as good as you one day Ryan.
Is that IR light or ordinary lighting for training/safety purposes?
Ryan, your writing has become better and better. I really understood how this helicopter sounded, and why these soldiers do this. I do remember a video about the British going in at night during the Falklands war, and how only the best were part of this team. It's amazing what coming at night, and surprise and confusion, can do. Plus, people already in place who have been in place waiting! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v39msTa5pQ
This was a fun read, thanks Ryan. BTW - try the Pad Thai with Chicken from Mountain House. It's pretty damn good!
800 metre movement... u do me to the step off point, cos if yer LZ is 800m away from your first assault, I dinna rTe yer chances. Although this is probs a preliminary manoeuvre. Be interested to know if things get more realistic as the exercise went on? Ex BAF , 24AS Brig. 😉🙄😂😂😂
Operation Lethal Eagle is the 101st' annual division training exercise. This is OLE 3. I was in OLE 1 before getting out of the Army, but the intent was to get as much of the Division into the field at once and give everyone the opportunity to train. There was a larger focus on smaller unit training for example at the platoon level or company level. There were larger organized exercises like this during that period as well and it was enabled by the fact that the aviation units were conducting training the same time as the line units, so they could coordinate their training and it could benefit both units. Throughout the year the various brigades, battalions, company's, and platoons have their own more focused exercises. During OLE there are many more opportunity's for smaller exercises or even just getting comfortable spending time in the field, it also gives the Division HQ a chance to see many of the units in action and to conduct their own training.
Awesome! Literally just finished previous share!