How Air Assault Works - Featuring the Rakkasans of the 101st Airborne
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Ryan Macbeth explores the relevance of air assault in modern warfare, focusing on the 101st Airborne Division's capabilities. He discusses the Russian military operation in Ukraine, where air assault tactics faced challenges, and questions the viability of such strategies against advanced surface-to-air missiles. Macbeth's firsthand experience at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, home to the 101st Airborne, reveals the division's unique air assault techniques, including night operations and sustainment strategies. The video also highlights the rigorous training and courage of the soldiers, emphasizing the importance of air assault in contemporary military operations.
Takeaways
- 💤 The video discusses the effectiveness and relevance of air assault tactics, particularly in the context of modern warfare.
- 🛏️ Ryan Macbeth, the host, shares his personal experience with a Helix mattress, emphasizing its American assembly and health benefits.
- 🚁 The Russian military's failed air assault on Hostomel airport in Ukraine is highlighted to question the current utility of air assault strategies.
- 🎖️ The 101st Airborne Division's history and evolution from an Airborne to an Air Assault division is detailed, showcasing its adaptability and specialized capabilities.
- 🏔️ The significance of the air assault doctrine, especially in providing rapid mobility and sustainment in combat operations, is underscored.
- 🔥 The video provides insights into the planning and execution of air assault missions, including the critical role of aviation in modern warfare.
- 🛬️ The discussion includes the challenges of air assault operations, such as the vulnerability of helicopters to surface-to-air missiles.
- 👥 The unique capabilities of the 101st Airborne Division, including their ability to move and sustain large forces by helicopter, are highlighted.
- 🌙 The importance of night operations and training for the 101st Airborne Division is emphasized, showcasing their preparedness for various combat scenarios.
- 🎖️ The video concludes by acknowledging the courage and resilience of the soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division, highlighting the human element in air assault operations.
Q & A
What is the significance of the Helix mattress sponsorship in the video?
-The Helix mattress sponsorship is significant as it provides financial support for the content creator to conduct research and produce the video. The creator discusses the benefits of the Helix mattress, such as being assembled in America, fiberglass-free, and contributing to reduced back pain, which adds a personal touch and endorsement to the product.
What was the outcome of the Russian VDV Airborne Forces' air assault on Hostomel airport during the military operation in Ukraine?
-The air assault on Hostomel airport was a disaster for the Russian VDV Airborne Forces. They lost several helicopters, failed to resupply their troops, and the runways were eventually rendered unusable by Ukrainian artillery. Despite eventually taking the airport, its utility as a logistics hub was denied to Russian forces.
Why is the 101st Airborne Division considered unique in the US Army?
-The 101st Airborne Division is considered unique because it is the only division solely dedicated to air assault operations. It has the capability to move and sustain troops by helicopter, including the ability to sling load artillery and other heavy equipment, making it a versatile and rapidly deployable force.
What historical event marked a shift in the 101st Airborne's operational focus from Airborne to Air Mobile?
-The historical event that marked a shift in the 101st Airborne's operational focus from Airborne to Air Mobile was the Vietnam War. The US realized it needed light units to engage the Viet Cong, leading to the development of air mobile operations, which relied on helicopters for troop movement and sustainment.
How did the 101st Airborne validate the doctrine of air assault during the Gulf War?
-The 101st Airborne validated the doctrine of air assault during the Gulf War by moving an entire brigade 155 miles into Iraq and establishing a forward arming and refueling point (FARP) at FOB Cobra, which was used to cut off the Iraqi city of Basra from Baghdad. This demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid, helicopter-borne troop movements and sustainment.
What is the difference between a 'hot' and 'cold' Landing Zone (LZ) in the context of air assault operations?
-A 'hot' Landing Zone is expected to receive enemy fire, while a 'cold' LZ is not. The designation is crucial for planning air assault operations as it influences tactics, such as whether to land or loiter airborne, and the level of caution and preparation required for the troops.
What is a 'gun raid' as mentioned in the context of the 101st Airborne's capabilities?
-A 'gun raid' refers to a technique used by the 101st Airborne where artillery can be moved by helicopter closer to the front line to support a raid or to be the raid itself. This allows for the rapid deployment and retrieval of artillery in a single period of darkness, enhancing the element of surprise and tactical flexibility.
What is the role of the Aviation Brigade in the 101st Airborne Division?
-The Aviation Brigade in the 101st Airborne Division plays a crucial role in providing air mobility, delivering troops, artillery, and supplies via helicopter. It contains various types of helicopters, including Apache attack helicopters, Blackhawk utility helicopters, and Chinook medium lift helicopters, enabling rapid deployment and sustainment of forces.
Why is the planning and execution of air assault operations described as a 'ballet'?
-The planning and execution of air assault operations are described as a 'ballet' because of the intricate coordination and timing required among various elements, such as helicopters, ground troops, and support units. Each component must move in harmony to ensure the mission's success, much like the synchronized movements in a ballet.
What is the significance of the 'cherry' and 'ice' terms in air assault planning?
-The terms 'cherry' and 'ice' represent risk levels in air assault planning. 'Cherry' indicates a landing zone that is too dangerous to land in, requiring diversion to an alternate LZ or other actions. 'Ice' means the landing zone is below acceptable risk criteria for landing. These terms help assess and manage risk during mission planning.
Outlines
💤 Helix Mattress Review and Introduction to Air Assault
The paragraph introduces Ryan Macbeth, who discusses his experience with Helix mattresses, emphasizing their American assembly and fiberglass-free design. He mentions an improvement in his back pain since using the mattress. Ryan then transitions to the topic of air assault, questioning its relevance in modern warfare, especially after the Russian military's failed air assault during the invasion of Ukraine. He expresses his intent to explore the capabilities of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which specializes in air assault operations.
🚁 The Evolution and Relevance of Air Assault Tactics
This section delves into the history and current relevance of air assault operations, particularly focusing on the 101st Airborne Division. It outlines the division's origins in World War II, its transformation into an air mobile unit during the Vietnam War, and its specialization in air assault operations. The paragraph also discusses the 101st's unique capabilities, such as gun raids and the ability to move artillery by helicopter, which set it apart in modern warfare. The discussion concludes with the author's positive assessment of air assault's continued relevance after his time with the 101st Airborne.
🎓 Training and Logistics in Air Assault Operations
The paragraph focuses on the training and logistical aspects of air assault operations within the 101st Airborne Division. It details the importance of sling loading for sustainment, the challenges faced during the Russian attack on Hostile airport, and the extensive training that 101st Airborne soldiers undergo. The text also describes the composition of the division, including its infantry brigades, sustainment brigade, artillery brigade, and the largest Aviation Brigade in the Army. The capabilities of the Aviation Brigade are highlighted, emphasizing the division's ability to move and sustain an entire brigade within a short timeframe.
✈️ Planning and Execution of Air Assault Missions
This section outlines the intricate planning and execution process of air assault missions by the 101st Airborne Division. It covers the 72-hour planning window, the roles of various teams such as scouts, Pathfinders, and the Aviation Brigade, and the importance of factors like weather, moon phase, and enemy capabilities. The paragraph also details the execution of a hypothetical mission, including the coordination between different units, the use of Blackhawks and Apaches, and the tactics employed during the assault on enemy positions.
🏹 Scouting, Pathfinders, and the Human Element in Air Assault
The paragraph emphasizes the human element in air assault operations, particularly the roles of scouts and Pathfinders. It explains the use of scouts for surveillance and the insertion of Pathfinders to prepare landing zones. The text also discusses the importance of rehearsing the loading and unloading of helicopters, the planning of air movement, and the execution of the mission. The narrative includes a detailed account of a nighttime mission, highlighting the bravery and training of the soldiers involved.
🌟 The Courage and Expertise of the 101st Airborne
In this final paragraph, the focus is on the qualities that make a good soldier in the 101st Airborne Division, with courage being a recurring theme. The text praises the division's soldiers for their ability to overcome fear through rigorous training. It also expresses gratitude to various individuals and units at Fort Campbell for their support in creating the video content. The paragraph concludes with a humorous series of fictional endorsements for Bunker Branding merchandise, adding a light-hearted touch to the video script.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Air Assault
💡Helix Sleep
💡Sustainment
💡Air Mobile Operations
💡101st Airborne Division
💡Sling Loading
💡Pathfinders
💡Gun Raids
💡Air Assault School
💡Chinook Helicopters
Highlights
Introduction to the topic of air assault and its relevance in Modern Warfare.
Personal experience and research at Fort Campbell to understand air assault operations.
Sponsorship by Helix Sleep and the promotion of their mattress product.
Discussion on the Russian military operation against Ukraine and the failure of the air assault on Hostile airport.
Analysis of the limitations of air assault tactics and the challenges faced by helicopters in modern warfare.
History of the 101st Airborne Division and its evolution from Airborne to Air Assault capabilities.
The significance of air mobile operations and the 101st Airborne's role in the Vietnam War.
The strategic use of air assault during the Gulf War by the 101st Airborne Division.
Description of the unique capabilities of the 101st Airborne, including their versatility in air assault operations.
The importance of sustainment in air assault operations and the 101st's expertise in this area.
Details on the training and preparation that goes into air assault missions, including planning and rehearsals.
The role of Aviation Brigade in the 101st Airborne Division and its various assets.
The process of planning and executing a complex air assault mission, from coordination to execution.
The significance of courage in the 101st Airborne Division and its role in successful air assault operations.
Reflections on the experience of being embedded with the 101st Airborne and the insights gained.
Conclusion and summary of the key points discussed about air assault and the 101st Airborne Division.
Transcripts
how does air assault work and is it even
still relevant in Modern Warfare well
I'm going to answer that question but
driving out to Fort Campbell to research
this story on my own dime wasn't cheap
so give me two minutes to pay the bills
here this video is sponsored by Helix
sleep hey it's me Ryan Macbeth and I'm
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pillows now let's talk about Air Assault
on February 24th 2022 Russian President
Vladimir Putin announced special
military operation against Ukraine
Russian vdv Airborne forces performed an
air assault on the Hostile airport which
was just a few miles Northwest of the
Ukrainian capital of Kiev the attack was
a disaster the vdv Lost several
helicopters during the assault they
couldn't resupply their troops and
eventually the runways were turned to
Rubble by Ukrainian artillery the
airport was finally taken by ground
assault but its usefulness as a
logistics Hub was denied to Russian
forces now the vdv was Russia's Premier
Airborne Force if they couldn't do this
what does that say about the relevance
of America's Air Assault capabilities
maybe possible to lift a decisive Force
by helicopter in a coin or
counter-insurgency environment but in a
lisco or large-scale combat operations
environment
I don't know
helicopters are pretty delicate machines
and the surface-to-air missile threat
the travels at Mach 4 will always be
able to outrun a helicopter what chance
would the 101st Airborne stand against
modern surface-to-air missiles why are
we spending all this money doing
dangerous things like flying at night to
support the concept of vertical
envelopment which certainly seems
outdated so I traveled to Fort Campbell
Kentucky Home of the 101st Airborne the
world's only division that is solely
dedicated to aerosol operations
and what I saw really opened my eyes now
a bit about 101st Airborne this
division's lineage goes all the way back
to World War II when the unit was formed
its first Commander William C Lee said
that the unit had no history but it had
a rendezvous with Destiny they probably
have the most recognizable patch in the
history of the US Army the Screaming
Eagle you've probably seen this patch if
you've watched the longest day Saving
Private Ryan Band of Brothers a bridge
too far and Hamburger Hill paratroopers
from the 101st even protected
African-American students from violence
when Arkansas refused to segregate their
public schools in 1957. the 101st
Airborne was initially an Airborne unit
meaning they reached their objective by
glider or by Parachute but the end of
World War II saw a shift in thinking
away from Airborne operations toward a
future where Wars would be fought in
Europe with heavy armor and nuclear
weapons Vietnam changed all of that the
US realized it needed light units to
take the fight to the Viet Cong but
fighting is nothing with about
sustainment so the units would travel
fight and be sustained by helicopter
they called this air mobile operations
and its Doctrine was pioneered by the
first Cavalry division that we see in
that we were soldiers moving the 101st
Airborne was designated as an air mobile
unit and they distinguished themselves
in Vietnam it's sort of a 9-1-1 response
Force they fought in every area of the
conflict earning them the nickname the
nomads of Vietnam by 1974 the 101st had
gotten the hang of this air mobile thing
and it became their specialty they were
redesignated as America's only air
assault division they formed an air
assault school at Fort Campbell Kentucky
and they honed their craft
on August 2nd 1990 Saddam Hussein's
Iraqi Army invaded Kuwait and the 101st
Airborne was part of the Coalition
response remember the 101st Airborne
moves and fights by helicopter at the
time it had two attack helicopter
battalions worth of Apaches and 180 tow
anti-tank missiles mounted on Humvees
these Humvees were highly mobile across
the desert and they outrange The Guns of
the Iraqi armor and these Humvees could
even be moved by helicopter this ability
to move an anti-tank Force anywhere they
wanted was a capability that only the
101st had when defending Saudi Arabia it
was the 101st Airborne Apaches that
fired the first shots of the war on
January 17 1991 when Apache helicopters
attacked an Iraqi radar early warning
site they opened the door for the
Coalition air War
the Coalition pounded Iraqi defenses for
six weeks and then the ground War began
first brigade of the 101st Airborne and
a battalion from second Brigade left
their staging area of the helicopter and
established a Ford operating Base called
Ford operating base Cobra 94 miles
inside of Iraq the 101st then turned fob
Cobra into a farp or forward arming and
refueling Point think of it like a
Mobile gas station for rearming and
refueling helicopters fob Cobra was then
used by Third Brigade of the 101st
Airborne to re-arm and refuel as it
leapfrogged 155 Miles Ahead to Highway 8
to cut off the Iraqi city of Basra from
the Iraqi city of Baghdad that's right
the 101st moved an entire Brigade 155
miles into Iraq and the Iraqis couldn't
do a thing about it the doctrine of air
assault had been validated
but is it still valid today
after my time with 101st Airborne before
Campbell
yeah
yeah it is so why did Russia attack
Hospital airport at dawn well they did
that because they had very little
experience in flying at night Russia
also failed to bring any Heavy Artillery
with them the 101st not only practices
slinging their artillery under their
helicopters they also practice a
technique known as gun raids and when I
heard the term gun raid I thought that
meant the 101st could move artillery by
helicopter closer to the front line and
yeah they can if they want to they can
also move artillery by helicopter deep
into enemy territory either to support a
raid or the artillery is the raid so
that means the 101st can rig their
artillery fly it into enemy territory
perform a night fire mission rig it
again in the dark while wearing night
vision and fly back out again all during
one period of Darkness yeah and the more
time I spent with the 101st the more I
realized that these guys are unique in
the US Army if you consider the 82nd
Airborne to be a scalpel and something
like the first Armored Division to be a
sledgehammer the 101st Airborne is more
like a gerber multi-tool they can fly to
the objective by helicopter they can
also sling load or carry infantry Squad
vehicles that can give them extended
range or fly then drive or fly then walk
it's really a unique capability now you
might have served in the military and
done a couple of helicopter insertions I
know I have so you might wonder what's
the big deal
well the big deal and the one thing that
the 101st does better than anybody is
sustainment anybody with helicopters can
move people by helicopters it's not
trivial but you can do it but the 101st
can do it at scale and continue to do it
for one night two nights three nights
and on and on and on and bring with them
all of their artillery and even their
Engineers the exercise I attended
operation lethal legal three is 21 day
exercise I arrived on day 17 and the
101st was still pedaled to the freaking
floor running air missions
it all starts with air assault school
which is run by the 101st it's a school
that many people call the 10 toughest
days in the Army and while some of it is
physical a good portion of it is mental
the school teaches the basics of aerosol
operations like how to plan air
movements and how to do cool guy stuff
like repelling but the most important
component is sling loading because
that's how you sustain you can actually
sling supplies underneath your
helicopters and use those to supply your
troops in the field as Russia realized
at hospital airport you have to do more
than just get your troops there you need
to supply them as well and you can sling
a heck of a lot more stuff under the
helicopter than you can put inside of it
in fact there are sections of the school
that just concentrate on figuring out
how to sling different loads everything
from generators to new kinds of vehicles
now the 101st contains three infantry
brigades a sustainment brigade a
division Artillery Brigade a
headquarters element and then the
largest Aviation Brigade in the Army now
let me talk about this Aviation Brigade
for a moment the Aviation Brigade
contains 48's Apache Attack Helicopters
eight Gray Eagle drones 12 Shadow drones
38 Blackhawk utility helicopters 24
Chinook medium lift helicopters and 15
Medevac Blackhawks it's enough to move
an entire Brigade in 96 hours that means
5 000 or so troops anywhere and sustain
them the average Blackhawk company
contains 10 uh-60 helicopters split into
two platoon of five helicopters each
each platoon has 10 pilots and roughly
the same number of maintainers you know
the crew chiefs that you sit in the back
of a helicopter helping load and unload
the bird or man the door guns those crew
chiefs hold the MOs or military
occupational especially a 15 Tango on
the Blackhawks or 15 uniform on the
Chinooks every helicopter company has a
maintainer company and only the best
maintainers that volunteer to fly are
actually moved from the maintenance
company to the aviation companies to be
crew chiefs on those helicopters and
piloting isn't exactly an easy job
either there's a myth in the army that
warrant officers have these really easy
jobs but that isn't true in aviation
quick note in 1949 the Army wisely
decided that you didn't need a college
degree to be a pilot most Pilots remain
warrant officers which are above
enlisted soldiers but below commissioned
officers the whole idea is that these
warrant officers don't need to worry
about office of strategy and planning
responsibilities their only job is to be
the best darn pilot they can be all they
do is fly and get better at their craft
this is Paramount when you're lifting a
giant M triple seven Howards or and the
load is oscillating and the bird is
swaying back and forth like a pirate
ship pilots also have to understand
whether rain and wind can affect the way
the helicopter handles excessive heat
can make the air thinner and harder to
carry heavy loads even the phase of the
moon is important to know because
Moonlight can illuminate your bird after
speaking with the aviators the one thing
that I took away was humility you have
to know every single system on that bird
every Fuel and hydraulic line and the
exact procedures to follow if something
goes wrong
flying a helicopter at night isn't like
flying a jet fighter where you're at 35
000 feet and you have time to diagnose
the problem or get help from the ground
you need to know exactly what to do in
an emergency because you're 200 feet
from the ground and you're responsible
for the lives of the soldiers in back
now let's talk about these soldiers and
back
on the Infantry side a typical Brigade
on the 101st Airborne contains three
infantry battalions a Cavalry Squadron
an artillery Battalion equipped with a
mix of 105 and 155 millimeter guns the
Titan of engineers in a sport Battalion
in my case I was embedded with third
Brigade 187th infantry the famous
rockathans and I have to spend a moment
speaking about them this is a very
unique unit it wasn't actually attached
to the 101st during World War II instead
it came from the Pacific Theater and it
was made part of the 101st Airborne in
1955. the rockassons got their name when
they served on occupation Duty in Japan
after World War II a translator didn't
know the Japanese word for parachute
when explaining what they did so he
literally called them falling down
umbrella men literally rockassons the
name stuck and the rakasan Tori was
adapted from the gates that Mark
Japanese Shinto's shrines today the
Tories Mark rockason country which if
you're the Ave adversary is not a place
you want to be the rockassons probably
rivaled the Marine Corps in their level
of unit pride in fact they probably
surpassed the Marine Corps not even
Marines put up eagle globe and anchors
everywhere they go rockathans put up
Tories everywhere and where they go is
wherever the heck they want to go now
when you perform an aerosol operation
there are quite a few factors you need
to take into consideration there's
typically a 72-hour planning window
everything centers off the ground
tactical plant this answers the question
of what the unit on the ground intends
to accomplish
then the plan gets sent to the Aviation
Brigade which basically acts as customer
service it's their job to figure out how
to support the mission the Aviation
Brigade may have to start movement or
create farts these forward arming
refueling points that I talked about
earlier from the first Gulf War I may
also consider filling up Chinooks with
gas for fat cow operations where
Chinooks are loaded with fuel and
essentially become mobile gas stations
the Aviation Brigade also develops the
air movement plan they figure out how
they're going to get to the fight and
what they'll do after they drop off the
troops will they fly back to the pickup
zone and get more troops or will they
land nearby and prepare for casualty
evacuation or kazavac meanwhile ground
units are finalizing the ground tactical
plan completing the loading plan and the
staging plan these parts are just as
important as the ground tactical plan
Air Assault is really a game of gas
every second that helicopters on the
ground picking up troops or supplies is
one less second that they can be in the
air small problems on the front end can
cause a compounding effect later so
special teams are created to make sure
the pz or pickup zone can handle any
problems such as loads that aren't
rigged right or helicopters that break
down in the middle of picking up troops
rehearsals are a big part of this as
well troops practice entering and
exiting the helicopter since that's the
most dangerous and critical part of the
loading process and for loading the
standard to do so at night is no more
than five minutes
the assault Force also has to develop a
cherry and Ice plan on the LZ or Landing
zone now I'm sure you've heard the term
hot LZ or cold all Z
well a hot LZ or Landing zone is defined
as a landing Zone that is expected to
receive fire a cold LZ is not expected
to receive fire so cherry or ice is a
representation of risk if the LZ is
Cherry that means it's too dangerous to
land then it will divert to an alternate
Landing zone or perhaps loiter Airborne
to wait for a change in conditions or
even logger where we'll just land the
birds and just wait
ice means that the landing zone is below
the acceptable risk criteria for landing
even if the LZ is hot it's important for
everyone to know what to do in the event
of either cherry or ice circumstance now
before the main body moves the scouts
are inserted usually 24 to 48 hours
before the main body the scouts will
perform multiple fake insertions meaning
the Choppers will pretend to land in
many different places before actually
offloading the scouts then they may
perform a few more fake insertions
afterward to complete the ruse the
scouts will move toward the objective
and get Eyes On Target 100 and first may
even allocate drones to OverWatch the
target if it's safe to do so now you may
wonder why human Scouts are used when
drones are so prevalent and the reason
is persistence drones are very useful
tools but they have limited endurance
Scouts can sit in the hide site and
watch a target for days so Scouts are a
very important part of the surveillance
equation and they carry their own small
drones like the black hornet in case
they need to see over the next Hill
after the scouts come the Pathfinders
Pathfinders move in a 24 hours before
the main body these are Elite aerosol
soldiers who have expertise in setting
up Landing zones slopes of over 15
degrees are a no-go for helicopter
Landings so are obstacles like trees or
craters or power lines so it's the
Pathfinder's job to make sure the LZ is
safe and Mark any dangerous obstacles
now before the main body moves the
Planters split their units into chalks
cereals and lifts
chalks are the individual assignments to
each helicopter Harkens back to the
early days of aerosol operations where
loads were identified with different
colors of chalk
cereals are collections of chalk so
there might be four or five helicopters
Inland cereal and lifts are groups of
cereals which makes one complete turn
out to and back from The Landing Zone
you designate who goes on what serial
chalk and lift because if you need 20
helicopters to carry all of your troops
but you only have room for five
helicopters in the landing Zone they all
can't show up at the same time think of
the planning like a ballet that runs on
Aviation gas finally the main body is
picked up and flies to The Landing Zone
and there is a science to that as well
you may choose to exit the helicopter on
one side which takes longer but provides
the greatest Firepower toward the enemy
or on both sides which is faster but not
as good for massing fires then the
soldiers move toward their objective and
they take it so now let me actually take
you on the mission everybody get out
your notepads and listen up all right
situation
enemy forces continue to form delaying
actions in zarnal though blast weather
for the mission is partially cloudy with
a high of 80 degrees and a low of 64
degrees tonight's moon is a waxing
crescent with 22 percent illumination
enemy force is consistently platoon from
the 75th motor rifle regiment with added
support from an unknown anti-aircraft
missile system the enemies most likely
course of action is to hold the town as
fetlava and continue to deny access to
the svetlava bridge over the lazora
river
friendly forces consist of company a one
one eight seven as the main assault and
Pathfinder element first platoon troop
Charlie 133 Cavalry for scouting Alpha
and Bravo Company six the one of the
first Aviation provides 20 Blackhawks
for Lyft in kazavac sport and Company A1
101 provides a tax support most of the
civilians have led the town but Intel
suggests that some remain in the town's
Church which has been handing out
humanitarian assistance to those who
can't leave so take special care to
avoid targeting the church when in doubt
follow your standard Rules of Engagement
Mission Alpha Company first the 187th
attacks fet lava and seizes fat lava
Bridge intact
execution first platoon troop Charlie
133 Cavalry departs fob Eagle for LZ
radiant and secures objectives barley
wheat and rye Pathfinder teams depart
fog evil and evaluate LZ stellar and LZ
Odyssey for landing company a 1 101
departs fob eagle and attacks objective
Oak and maple remaining on station for
the main attack Alpha Company first the
187th departs fob eagle and assaults LZ
Stellar taking objectives Maple and Oak
for transport ships will lager at LZ
radiant to provide kazavac once
objective Oak is taken objective Maple
will be reinforced for counter-attack
service and support
supplies will be coordinated through
sport Brigade casualties will be
collected at LZ Stellar enemy prisoners
of War will be held at objective Oak
until they can be moved to LZ Mirage for
Evac LZ Mirage will be used as the
casualty collection point after
objective Oak is taken Madden signal all
radio call signs per standard operating
procedure
and now
the planning process begins the S3 or
operation staff shop first the 187th
infantry begin their planning process
they also start coordinating with the
Aviation Brigade to make sure the crews
have enough rest to complete the mission
and all the airframes are available for
the operation the air movement plan is
constructed chalks and cereals are
created for the scouts we'll go in first
and the Pathfinders who will go in
afterwards meanwhile Alpha Company 1187
infantry is rehearsing they build a
small model of the Town objective Oak
and the hill to the Northeast objective
Maple they also come up with a plan to
take objective Maple and use it as a
mortar and machine gun position it's key
terrain and it can be used to fire down
the road which is the most likely out
move counter-attack or used to support
the assault on objective Oak the scouts
leave fob Eagle under cover of Darkness
after performing several false
insertions they landed LZ radiant and
moved to OverWatch objective Oak the
scouts at objective wheat and rye spot a
mechanized will tune of three bmps and a
dozen dismounted infantry a
surface-to-air missile system sits
watching in the distance on the hill at
objective maple the Pathfinders arrive a
helicopter at LZ Odyssey they survey the
LZ and remain in the forest visually
surveying LZ Stellar to the north
the Apaches arrive and they perform seed
or suppression of enemy air defenses
hovering slightly over the Treetops by
LZ Odyssey they attack and destroy the
missile system at objective Maple
okay we got a low ball box all right
tell him uh shout out and Fire
out all right yep
that's a good missile
oh yeah damn
all right the Apaches then turn their
guns toward the town mind told the
church and any civilians present and
they attack and destroy the enemy bmps
with cannon fire
the surviving enemy soldiers scatter
into the town
it's going to take infantry to dig them
out
as this has happened back at fob Eagle
Alpha company Bristol 187th is boarding
they come in at night five chalks to a
lift one helicopter experiences
mechanical failure and it moves itself
to the far end of the pz it's okay they
plan for this with a bump plan the squad
that was supposed to go on that down
bird gets moved to another and the
pickups continue as the Blackhawks
travel the Apaches stay on station
hunting down individual enemy Soldiers
with cannon fire wherever they can
first lift hits LZ Stellar they exit out
one side moving up to and securing
objective maple more or less pouring at
Alpha Company consolidates on objective
Maple with the last lift complete
platoon of Blackhawks loggers of LZ
radiant to kazavac any wounded Alpha
Company leaves weapon Squad and a mortar
team on objective Maple as they enter
the town the fighting is house to house
but the enemy soon realizes that their
position is untenable and they rapidly
surrender
objective Oak is secure and with it the
main Bridge across the Ozarka River
now not all missions are as successful
as that one things go wrong people get
lost but the 101st has some highly
motivated soldiers they usually figure
it out you know
every time I interview people for a
video I always ask the question what
makes a good soldier when I ask
parachute riggers what makes a good
rigger they said oh attention to detail
when I asked what makes a good sniper
they said resilience
but what I asked what makes a good
soldier in the 101st Airborne the word
courage kept popping up and it seems so
odd because of course you're supposed to
have courage
but this is different you know it's one
thing to strap on a javelin missile a
100 pound rucksack and ride in the
machine that's trying to vibrate itself
apart
but it's quite another thing entirely
to step off that bird and into the night
where the monsters lurk unless you're
braver than the monster
and when you think about it we all get
scared once that first round flies by
your head but training is the bridge
over the chasm between scared and brave
and that's why the 101st Airborne trains
so much at night while the rest of us
are sleeping they're working to make the
gap between scared and brave as narrow
as possible I was the first YouTuber
ever invited to Fort Campbell to cover a
story and I am grateful to the following
people who made this happen
to start Lieutenant Colonel Anthony
Hoffler public affairs officer for the
101st Airborne and Captain Trayvon
Andrews public affairs officer for the
rocks on Brigade I'd also like to thank
Captain Jonathan mcleroy commander of
the 101st airborne's Air Assault school
and starting first class Matthew D
Conrad aerosol Chief instructor for
their incredible technical expertise I
could not have done this without you
gentlemen thank you to Captain Jacob
O'Neill a chinook pilot for the
background in aviation which was
essential to the story and thank you to
Major Stephen Perry and Theodore de Lou
for the background on planning missions
especially on how the 101st conducts gun
rates that is awesome and blew my mind
and finally special thanks to Captain Ty
Weaver and staff sergeant long they
allowed me to accompany their Scouts on
a night mission where I'm tripping all
over the place trying to film and do
night vision at the same time I really
appreciated that experience and this
made the video so much better hey if you
like my rock out with your chalk Out
t-shirt you can get one from bunker
branding everything goes to supporting
awesome content like this and thank you
guys so much for watching oh hi America
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Rockets are pretty good
you fool it is me Mark Zuckerberg from a
Visa book and I will be the cutest once
I get a patriot shirt because the system
is fully automated just like me
I'm gonna get a U.S Navy Department of
the boat people hoodie because I love
their management style now I would be
cooler than any of your Lads once I get
to my drone sweet drone shot yeah I'm
gonna get a landmine marker shirt
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oh I'll tell you what I'm gonna get oh
no it is
you think they're the coolest to wear in
a shirt well Ryan McBeth is all the work
yeah so go buy a shirt from bunker
branding to fund Ryan Beth increase your
understanding oh yeah
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