After this the moral of the rest of the guys in the unit took a sharp turn for the worst. Word came down to start heading back to the compound. We got into a single line and started back to the road. Suddenly when we got about half way there a huge explosion rang out about 100 meters in front of me. It sounded like the blast of an 81mm mortar round. I looked up and saw smoke and debris whirling about 100 meters in the air. This time a sargent was hit. The full impact of the blast hit his body tearing him to pieces and killing him instantly. I hadn't fully come to terms with the first injury. This death was almost more then I could take. There was no meaning to it. It was just a senseless killing. We were all grief stricken and troubled to the quick of our beings.
As we walked along the path I heard a sputtering sound of an engine and then a loud noise like a crash. I looked up in the sky about 2 miles away and saw two helicopters collide. Each burst into flames and fell toward the ground in a trail of black smoke.
Back at the company area we were imformed that we were to go to the area where the two helicopters crashed and set up a temporary perimeter around the wrecks and guard them against looting from the civilian population. We escorted a team of quartermasters to the crash sites so they could gather up the remains of the pilots and the crew to be sent back to their families. C-rations were passed out. We saddled up and lined up in formation in front of our tents and then headed out the south gate in the direction of the crash sites. Driving slowly and cautiously beside us were the trucks that carried the quartermasters.
After about an hour or more we reached the place in the road where the first chopper had crashed. It was a pile of unrecognizable rubble, except for the blades that lay against the wreckage. There was a crowd of civilians gathered around the wreck. They quickly disbanded to the side of the road as our men reached the area. We quickly formed a circle around the wreckage. The quartermasters immediately went to work searching for human remains among the dibris and ashes. As they went about their work they shouted back and forth to each other. It was a sickening site and the stench of burning flesh was unbearable. One of the bodies was severed at the waist and was charred beyond recognition, except for an insignia pinned on his shirt. There were other bodies strewn around but I was too sickened to look any further.
As we walked along the path I heard a sputtering sound of an engine and then a loud noise like a crash. I looked up in the sky about 2 miles away and saw two helicopters collide. Each burst into flames and fell toward the ground in a trail of black smoke.
Back at the company area we were imformed that we were to go to the area where the two helicopters crashed and set up a temporary perimeter around the wrecks and guard them against looting from the civilian population. We escorted a team of quartermasters to the crash sites so they could gather up the remains of the pilots and the crew to be sent back to their families. C-rations were passed out. We saddled up and lined up in formation in front of our tents and then headed out the south gate in the direction of the crash sites. Driving slowly and cautiously beside us were the trucks that carried the quartermasters.
After about an hour or more we reached the place in the road where the first chopper had crashed. It was a pile of unrecognizable rubble, except for the blades that lay against the wreckage. There was a crowd of civilians gathered around the wreck. They quickly disbanded to the side of the road as our men reached the area. We quickly formed a circle around the wreckage. The quartermasters immediately went to work searching for human remains among the dibris and ashes. As they went about their work they shouted back and forth to each other. It was a sickening site and the stench of burning flesh was unbearable. One of the bodies was severed at the waist and was charred beyond recognition, except for an insignia pinned on his shirt. There were other bodies strewn around but I was too sickened to look any further.
posted by THE REAL MIKE BAILEY at 1:20 AM
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