Helicopters Thunder Across Afghanistan Territory (VIDEO)

DISPATCHES FROM AFGHANISTAN
The helcopters fly fast and low is because a fast moving target is difficult to hit when it is close to the ground.

Photos by: Tim King

(KABUL, Afghanistan) - The thunderous blades of U.S. Army helicopters mean many things to soldiers at war.

Sometimes the sound means an infantryman is approaching battle, while other times the deafening roar is the sound of rescue and evacuation.

These helicopters making an approach in an Afghanistan mountain valley carry combat troops that are on the move. This CH-47 Chinook was also my ride back to the Afghanistan capitol, Kabul.

The Blackhawk helicopter represents the new technology in place in the U.S. military. Blackhawks are used in a number of combat roles and they are also widely used in military and civilian rescue operations.

The CH-47 Chinook helicopter is used primarily for troop transport. Afghanistan is a high country and the extra elevation limits the capabilities of these aircraft. While the twin overhead blades of the CH-47 are powerful, these helicopters fly very low to the ground, often lower than nearby mountaintops.

Aircraft in war often fly in pairs for protection, and the crewman aboard this helicopter wastes no time after getting airborne in locking and loading his machine gun. Increasing hostilities in Afghanistan and Iraq have put aircrews on high alert and the recent loss of a helicopter like this one in a similar location in recent weeks is a reminder of how vulnerable they are to everything from groundfire to mechanical failure.

Afghan combat troops in flight

Cold weather is also an obstacle, winters in Afghanistan are cold and unforgiving. The area is known for it's rugged terrain and hearty people, they live in sub zero conditions without adequate fuel for heat, food or clothing. Many children here are seen walking through the snow without shoes. It is a pathetic sight all too often.

The soldiers of the Afghanistan National Army say they take the fight to the Taliban and other anti-Coalition forces whenever possible and it is commonly agreed that their fighting fury and spirit inspires great fear in the fanatical pseudo religious enemy. An enemy that is known for their black turbans and cruelty toward women and little girls.

So they climb aboard the helicopters without fail and fly off to destinations unknown, the only sure thing they can always count on is the violence that lies ahead. They aren't known for their aim, but all the American, British and Canadian soldiers I worked with say the Afghans are brave and always willing to fire their weapons in anger.

In this region of Afghanistan, an aircraft can fly at nine thousand feet of altitude and only be a hundred feet off the ground. Another reason the helcopters fly fast and low is because a fast moving target is difficult to hit when it is close to the ground.

Pilots and crews say they do all they can to keep the helicopters out of harm's way when possible and the mechanical and avionic crews on the ground keep the planes in top shape for the mission ahead.

All told, it is a vast effort to keep these huge flying machines in order. But with IED's becoming an increasing problem on the roads below, air travel still remainsa fast and effective option for the military forces at war.

Watch the Streaming Video News Report below, direct from Kabul, Afghanistan by Tim King: Video

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Tim King is embedded in Kabul, Afghanistan with the 41st Combat Brigade of the Oregon National Guard. See his stories several times a week here, on Salem-News.com, and on Portland’s KPTV Fox12.

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Sgt. King, you'll be needin' a good counselor for the PTSD.,I know an R R place you might get used to., family rates too!, plenty of guidence available!, we'll think of something! You know you have it when you realize how much you Want to, but Don't want to, but Have to, return! Don't trust me, you'll see for yourself! Cheap hammocks here!! can ya hear the "whump" "whump" "whump" at any time, like when waiting for a the light to change?, without thinking of it Sgt? ,see! there it is!, and the thousand meter stare takes the place of "good morning America" doesn't it? Osotan said to get in touch with you. I never made Sgt.,but met a guy named Galloway from 229 flying with Chenault over the hump and he didn't let it stand in his way at all, they made him an officer just cause they needed pilots so bad and a non-com wasn't supposed to drive one! Ridiculous! and thanks for the 130!

wisdom seems to have osmosized into your psyche, that being in giving the enemy an opportunity to hit a moving target in exchange for chaining up a humvee in the snow, near where Raymo was rescued? I thought you'd remember.

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