Victory Point - Ed Darack [118]
“Okay. They’re close. Approaching our position,” Pigeon stated.
“Got a message from battalion,” Grissom interrupted. “CJTF-76 is demanding a SEAD package before they’ll let any Dustoff inbound.”
“What!” Konnie shouted. “Let’s get those birds on the ground, get the Marines back to Bagram! What the fuck good is a suppression package going to do now? Those guys are in retreat!” Pigeon agreed, knowing that with AH-64 escort—more than capable of not just prepping an LZ, but engaging specific-point targets—starting up a SEAD would just waste precious mortar rounds.
“Check in the box,” Grissom replied. “Anything with a helicopter needs to be done to the letter of the rules after the Chinook shootdown, every box needs to be checked. Let’s just do what we gotta do to get these guys out.”
Although little known to the general public, Dustoffs, a blanket term for Army medevac Air Ambulance units, rank as some of the most selfless, capable aviators in the entire United States military. Flying completely unarmed—only their bright Red Cross symbol distinguishing them from standard UH-60 Blackhawks—the Dustoffs (a name coined in Vietnam because of the dusty rotor wash of the aircraft at landing zones, and today an acronym for Dedicated Unhesitating Selfless Service to our Fighting Forces), the Dustoffs have earned a reputation of flying not only into hot landing zones, but any landing zone, regardless of threat level.
“Okay,” Grissom said after conferring with Middendorf. “Let’s get this SEAD under way.” The captain laughed. But while fast inbound, the two Dustoff UH-60s, commanded by Army Chief Warrant Officer Jim Gisclair, and accompanied by two Shock AH-64 Apaches, didn’t have direct communications with Pigeon. And with the mortar barrage running for the suppression package, Middendorf needed to know just when the birds would arrive so he could work with Pigeon to deconflict the lobbed mortars with the inbound Dustoffs.
“Sir, I think you should know that four Army helicopters just entered the Chowkay Valley,” came the nervous message from a Whiskey Company Marine at a vehicle checkpoint at the opening of the Chowkay to Rob Scott.
“What! They’re there already! The SEAD is under way!” Without deconflicting the mortars with the Dustoffs, a friendly-fire disaster was imminent. Rob immediately got on the hook with Grissom, who passed the information to Pigeon, who contacted Middendorf. Middendorf, although not formally trained as a fire support team leader, had taken on the job for the mission, drawing on skills he’d learned at Infantry Officers’ Course as well as from technical publications he’d read dealing with the complex art. With direct comms finally established with the Dustoffs, Middendorf arranged for a “lateral offset” deconfliction, allowing the 81s’ barrage to continue as the birds slipped by to the west of the mortars’ trajectories; as well, the 105s at Asadabad, under the watch of Matt Tracy, had been able to range to a ridge to the north of the Chowkay and suppress any enemy activity there.
“Dustoffs are here,” Pigeon stated. “They’re ready to extract the wounded.” The FAC grabbed his radio and sprinted to the top of the hill where the Dustoffs would land.
“Okay. Let’s get these Marines the fuck out of here,” Grissom declared as he folded his arms. “Okay. SEAD complete, bring the Dustoffs