Tag Archives: ch-47

U.S.

U.S. Disaster: Lahaina Fire, Hawaii Militia deploys!

Video

On 11AUG2023, the U.S. Coast Guard District-14 (Hawaii-Pacific) released this silent video of the fire as it happened in the city of Lahaina, on Maui Island, Hawaii:

Also on 11AUG2023, the U.S. Army’s 94th Army & Air Missile Defense Command released this video (by Sergeant ZaBarr Jones) of the collection and staging of donations (food, water, clothes, baby formula, bedding and toiletries) from the residents of Honolulu, Hawaii:

In the background is what’s left of Lahaina. In the foreground is a nearly empty fresh water reservoir, the islands of Hawaii are dealing with a drought. Hawaii National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson, 09AUG2023.

Hawaii National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant John Linzmeier, 10AUG2023.

On 10AUG2023, Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Wing helped deliver personnel and equipment of the Honolulu Fire Department to the island of Maui, using the Boeing C-17 Globemaster-3 cargo plane.

Hawaii National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant John Linzmeier, 10AUG2023.

C-17 video by Staff Sergeant John Linzmeier:

Hawaii National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson, 10AUG2023.

Hawaii National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson, 10AUG2023.

On 09AUG2023, the Hawaii Army National Guard deployed two Cold War era Boeing CH-47 Chinook rotary wings to fight the fires. 58 total bucket drops in five hours, totaling more than 100-thousand gallons, dropped on the fires!

Hawaii National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson, 10AUG2023.

CH-47 video report by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson and Master Sergeant Amber Monio:

On 09AUG2023, about 50 Hawaii Air & Army National Guard CERF-P (CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Packages) personnel were mobilized, and on 10AUG2023 joined with other emergency responders to conduct an initial ground recon/damage assessment of Lahaina on Maui Island, Hawaii. Video by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson:

Hawaii’s National Guard is also assisting the local police. Hawaii National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Andrew Jackson, 09AUG2023.

U.S. Disaster, 2023: VERMONT MILITIA FLOOD RESPONSE

WYOMING’S 1ST EVER VIGILANT GUARD, CATASTROPHIC COLLAPSE, SOCIAL UPHEAVAL!

NATIONAL GUARD PREPS FOR ‘BIG ONE’ IN THE WABASH VALLEY, RIOTS & CBRN EVENTS EXPECTED!

MAFFS PREPPING FOR 2023 WILDFIRE SEASON!

Kit Bashing, Technology

How to sling load your 1:1 scale F-80 Gate Guard with a CH-47.

Video

Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, 11APR2023.

On 11APR2023, the Iowa Army National Guard was called in to move an Iowa Air National Guard ‘gate guard’, using their Viet Nam era CH-47 Chinook.

Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, 11APR2023.

The Korean ‘UN police action’ era F-80 Shooting Star had just gotten some new clothes, in order to proudly continue its guard duties on Camp Dodge.

Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, 11APR2023.

Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, 11APR2023.

Iowa Air National Guard video by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, 11APR2023:

The painting process began on 15SEP2022, when the F-80 was sling loaded to the paint shop in Sioux City.

Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, 15SEP2022.

Iowa Air National Guard video by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, 15SEP2022:

It wasn’t the first time the Iowa Air Guard F-80 got new clothes.

Iowa Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, April 2011.

In April 2011, the Shooting Star was stripped naked and fitted for the uniform of the 174th Fighter Bomber Squadron, for its new job as a gate guard on Camp Dodge.

Iowa Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, April 2011.

Iowa Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, 2011.

Cold War Vehicle I-D:

IOWA CHANGING OF THE GUARD; F-100  Iowa’s RF-84F THUNDERFLASH & YRF-84F, AN APPEAL TO MONOGRAM!

WYOMING SHOOTING STAR

U.S.

Ultimate Caduceus: “Surge the System”, FEMA Region 10 Mass-Med-evacuation!

Video

26 March 2023 (16:05-UTC-07 Tango 06) 06 Farvardin 1402/04 Ramadan 1444/05 Yi-Mao(2nd month) 4721/26 марта 2023 года

McChord Field, Washington, 15MAR2023. Photo by John Wayne Liston.

From March 13th through 17th, 2023, FEMA Region 10 underwent a mass aero-medical evacuation, affecting the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington!

The U.S. Transportation Command (TransCom) coordinated the medevac.  More than 4-hundred military (Regular [Active Duty], Reserve and National Guard) and civilian personnel from across the U.S. were involved, including personnel from the the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Defense Health Agency.

McChord Field, Washington, 15MAR2023. Photo by John Wayne Liston.

Most of the medevac took place on McChord Field in Washington, but also included Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Gowen Field (Boise Airport), Idaho; and Portland Air National Guard Base (Portland Airport), Oregon.

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, 13MAR2023. USAF photo by Airman First Class J. Michael Peña.

Fortunately it was all a massive training event: “It allows in a controlled environment to surge the system, identify what needs to be improved, then to act on those areas to train to the highest standards.”-Major Donna Olson, 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron

“You want to make the training as realistic as possible with some stressors you would find out in the real world. Making sure the players aren’t completely stressed out, but proper learning is done.”– Master Sergeant Robert McNeal, North Carolina Air National Guard

“It’s important to do exercises like this to give people a sense of what happens in real world situations. The more you do it the less you have to think about it when it actually happens.”-Technical Sergeant Shannon Glover, 446th Operations Support Squadron

U.S. Air Force video report by Airman First Class Quatasia Carter, 13MAR2023:

A Boeing C-17 Globmaster-3, on McChord Field in Washington, was used to move the victims, video by Staff Sergeant Chris Sommers, 14-15MAR2023:

Some of the victims were delivered via UH-60 Black Hawk rotary wings, with the help of Portland Fire, video by Staff Sergeant Chris Sommers, 17MAR2023:

Some victims were transferred from the C-17 to awaiting Black Hawks, video by Staff Sergeant Chris Sommers, 15MAR2023:

CH-47 Chinooks also brought in victims, video by Staff Sergeant Chris Sommers, 17MAR2023:

Some CH-47s delivered directly to the waiting C-17, video by Staff Sergeant Chris Sommers, 14MAR2023:

Washington Army National Guard video, by Peter Chang, 17MAR2023:

Exercise Ultimate Caduceus has been conducted since at least 2011, but it is not always in FEMA’s Region 10.  Ultimate Caduceus 2011 took place in FEMA Region 4, and the scenario was disaster response to a massive New Madrid earthquake.

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) Region 10:  Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington.

U.S. Disaster, 2022: UTAH’S NEW FEMA REGION 8 URBAN DISASTER TRAINING SITE

CASCADIA RISING, FEMA PREPARATIONS, CANADA ONBOARD!

Pandemic Perfidy, 2021: MILITARY MEDICAL TEAMS DEPLOY TO FEMA REGIONS 4, 6, 8 & 10!

U.S.

U.S. Disaster 2022: Search for survivors after Ian ravages Florida, People & Pets!

Video

FEMA’s Virginia Task Force 2 deploys to search for survivors on Palm Island, Florida, 30SEP2022. FEMA photo by by Wesley Lagenour.

U.S. Coast Guard personnel from Air Station Clearwater search for survivors in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, 29SEP2022. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Third Class Gabriel Wisdom.

U.S. Customs & Border Patrol-Air & Marine Operations UH-60 flies along the Florida coast to assess damage, 29SEP2022. Photo by Ozzy Trevino.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) MH-65 Dolphin crew conduct rescues in Sanibel, Florida, 29SEP2022:

U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) operations inside the FEMA Region-4 Emergency Operations Center in Doral, Florida, 29SEP2022. CBP photo by Glenn Fawcett.

Anther USCG rescue video, Sanibel, 29SEP2022:

USCG MH-60 Jay-Hawk over Sanibel, Florida, 29SEP2022. USCG photo by Auxiliarist Joey Feldman.

On 29SEP2022, Tennessee Army National Guard deployed to Florida, video by Sergeant First Class Timothy Cordeiro:

Link to Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hurricane Ian website.

Video of FEMA National Response Coordination Center in Washington DC, 29SEP2022:

Louisiana Army National Guard deploys ground vehicles to Florida, 29SEP2022, video by Staff Sergeant Garrett Dipuma:

Mississippi Army National Guard loaded equipment onto CH-47 Chinooks, for deployment to Florida, 29SEP2022. Mississippi National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Justin Brown.

Florida Air National Guard video surveying of Bradenton, 28SEP2022:

Evacuees were served catered dinner by while sheltered at Navy Gateway Inns and Suites, 28SEP2022. U.S. Navy photo by Danette Baso Silvers.

Louisiana Army National Guard deploys UH-60 Black Hawk to Florida, video by Staff Sergeant Garrett Dipuma, 28SEP2022:

USCG video, responds to grounded boat off Fleming Key, 27SEP2022:

Florida Air National Guard Video by Senior Airman Jesse Hanson, 202nd RED HORSE Squadron deploys on 27SEP2022:

Florida Army National Guard video report, 27SEP2022, explaining satellite communication equipment that will be used during hurricane response:

Florida Air and Army National Guard prep and deploy for Hurricane Ian, 27SEP2022, video by Private First Class Victor Mejia-Jeronimo:

FEMA staged tractor trailers filled with food/water on Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, video by Airman First Class Greydon Furstenau, 27SEP2022;

FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 2, video report by Lameen Witter, 27SEP2022:

U.S. Disaster 2022: WEST VIRGINIA MILITIA DEPLOYS TO KENTUCKY!

ARIZONA MILITIA SANDBAGS LATEST FLOODING

MONTANA MILITIA DEPLOYS AFTER MAJOR FLOODING!

HURRICANE HUNTERS ISSUE WARNING

Technology

Mil 17 crash & burn

Image

In early May 2011, one of the U.S. taxpayer funded Russian built Afghan Mil 17B(V)-5 crashed in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan.  Nine people onboard were slightly injured.

The Hip was part of the first deliveries of U.S. taxpayer funded Russian made helicopters between 2009 and 2010.  NATO/ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) reported the Mil-17s sent to Afghanistan cost about $15-million each!  Dozens more were given to Afghanistan in the years after this crash, in fact the United States signed a new delivery contract with Russia about a week after this crash.

U.S. Army Pathfinders were ordered to remove ‘sensitive’ equipment from the  NATO reporting-name Hip, and then dismantle and burn it to the ground.

USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Brian Christiansen, 12MAY2011.

Parts of the Mi-17, that could be reused, were sling loaded away by CH-47 Chinook.

USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Brian Christiansen, 12MAY2011.

The fire was started using phosphorus grenades.  When aluminum gets hot enough it burns like paper, almost nothing is left but ash.

This was not the first time a U.S. taxpayer funded ‘Hip’ was blown-up by U.S. forces.

U.S. Army photo by Corporal Patrick Gleason, 23DEC2010.

On 23DEC2010, a contracted Mi-17 was blown-up by U.S. forces on Combat Out-Post (COP) Spera in Khowst Province.  The Hip actually crashed on COP Spera several years earlier.

The result of packing an Mi-17 with excess ammo, and then blowing it up. USA photo by Corporal Patrick Gleason, 23DEC2010.

The Hip was packed with ‘left-over’ munitions, which were detonated.  The destruction of the derelict Hip was an excuse to get rid of excess ammo, as COP Spera was being shut-down.

CH-47 CHINOOK LOVES COLLECTING MIL 8 ‘HIP’ BONES

MAINTAINING SATAN’S CHARIOT (Afghan Mi-24V)

AFGHANISTAN GETS MORE U.S. TAXPAYER FUNDED HELICOPTERS & GUNS!

TAXPAYER FUNDED AIRCRAFT ABANDONED THEN TURNED INTO SCRAP METAL! 

U.S. TAXPAYERS TO RESCUE “DONATED” C-130

U.S. TAXPAYERS DELIVER MD-530F CAYUSE WARRIOR TO KENYA

U.S. TAXPAYERS SEND AUSSIE PRIME MINISTER A MODEL BOAT!

U.S. TAXPAYERS FUND POLICE TRAINING & CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN VIETNAM!

Technology

CH-47 Chinook collects Mil 8 ‘Hip’ bones

Video

U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Patrick Jubrey, 06AUG2019.

Surrounded, finders keepers! NATO reporting name for the Soviet era Mil 8 is Hip.

USA photo by Sergeant Patrick Jubrey, 06AUG2019.

USA photo by Sergeant Patrick Jubrey, 06AUG2019.

USA photo by Sergeant Patrick Jubrey, 06AUG2019.

USA photo by Sergeant Patrick Jubrey, 06AUG2019.

CH-47 anticipating sling loading Mil 8, Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, August 2019.

Video explainer, CH-47 sling loads Hip bones in Germany, June 2019:

USA photo by Charles Rosemond, 12MAR2019.

Note that the tail boom, main rotors, landing gear and other loose ‘Hip’ bones are shoved into the fuselage.  Storck Barracks, Illesheim, Germany, 12MAR2019.

USA photo by Charles Rosemond, 12MAR2019.

USA photo by Charles Rosemond, 12MAR2019.

Video explainer, using Hip bones for sling load training in Germany:

Prepping a Mil 8 for use as a sling load trainer, Hohenfels, Germany, 12MAR2019.

USA photo by Charles Rosemond, 12MAR2019.

USA photo by Charles Rosemond, 12MAR2019.

Video, CH-47 Chinook recovers junk Mil 8 in Afghanistan, November 2017:

 

USMC photo by Corporal Ursula V. Smith, 25SEP2019.

RECOVERING UH-1 SKELETONS

VEHICLE I-D: MIL 24 HIND ‘SATAN’S CHARIOTS’

Kit Bashing, Technology

Chinook on Ice, skis for you model CH-47 kit

Video

They’re not really on ice, but ice is on them.

From 20FEB2020 to 06MAR2020, Army National Guard units from several states, the U.S. Marines and U.S. Air Force are taking part in U.S. Northern Command’s Arctic Eagle 2020, held in Alaska.

Video, preps for dust-off:

Video CH-47 flight from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to Deadhorse, Alaska, 24FEB2020:

Video, coming in for landing:

Rotor-wash.

Video report, Army National Guard CH-47 assists U.S. Marines in TRP:

Video from 2015, removing tail assembly, note the mobile tracked ‘spider’ crane in use:

OREGON WILDFIRES: MILITIAS LOVE IT, CH-47F AIRBORNE FIREFIGHTER!

2018:  HAWAII MILITIA CHINOOKS SENT ‘STATE-SIDE’ TO HELP STRESSED GUARD UNITS!

2019: RED BANK & SOUTH FIRE HELICOPTER OPS

2012: Special Ops MH-47 spied at Pocatello Airport

1:48 scale, first issued 1961.

First issued 2006, also boxed by Revell-Germany.

1:48 scale skis by Black Dog.  Lots of other after market parts available from several companies.

1:72 scale kits issued by:  Airfix, Airmodel, Hasegawa (apparently co-issued as a Hasegawa-Monogram boxing of the Matchbox-Revell kit in the 1990s), Italeri (currently boxed by Academy), Matchbox, Revell (sometimes boxing of old Matchbox, sometimes Italeri), Trumpeter (currently issued by Monochrome).  There’s a plethora of aftermarket detailing sets and decals by several companies.

Black Dog issues resin detail parts, including skis for snow.

U.S.

Red Bank & South Fire helicopter ops

Video

During the second week of September, 2019, California National Guard flew at least 290 firefighters to the Red Bank Fire and the South Fire, which are burning in rugged terrain.

Video California National Guard CH-47 Chinook ferries fire fighters to the Red Bank Fire in Tehama County:

Official video explainer of UH-60 and CH-47 operations:

Firefighters work 24 hour-shifts, here’s video of Black Hawks bringing back tired fire crews:

The UH-60s and CH-47s also played water bombers.  In just one day, 10 September, they dropped 70-thousand-974 gallons of water just on the South Fire!

Video, UH-60M water bombing:

Daily maintenance was conducted on the six California National Guard helicopters assigned to help fight the Red Bank and South fires.

IDAHO WILD FIRES 2019: MD-87 WATER BOMBER, NEW KING AIR FAC

OREGON WILDFIRES: MILITIAS LOVE IT, CH-47F AIRBORNE FIREFIGHTER!

U.S.

Mount Whitney Death Trap, SAR Money Pit

Image

14 September 2019 (15:05 UTC-07 Tango 06) 23 Shahrivar 1398/14 Muharram 1441/16 Gui-You 4717

California Army National Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Paul Mantiply, 25AUG2019.

It might look like Afghanistan, but it’s not.

Photo via Inyo County SAR, 25AUG2019.

On 25AUG2019 near Iceberg Lake, California, the National Guard’s Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, flew-in Inyo County SAR (Search And Rescue) crews, about 13-thousand-8-hundred feet up Mount Whitney, to rescue a wounded female hiker. She was injured when a boulder cut loose and wedged her in a crevice.

Photo via Inyo County SAR, 25AUG2019.

Photo via Inyo County SAR, 25AUG2019.

The Inyo County SAR crew had to hike up to where the hiker was, just 7-hundred feet short of the 14-thousand-505 feet (4421 meter) peak, because the CH-47F helicopter couldn’t fit in-between a crevasse: “We attempted to hoist her out, but we didn’t have the rotor clearance the first time. We were down to about ten feet between the blades and the granite.”: Chief Warrant Officer 2 Paul Mantiply

Photo via Inyo County SAR, 25AUG2019.

The hiker was delivered to medical personnel at Bishop Airport, no word on her condition.

SAR ops are becoming so common place, across the U.S., and most SAR ops are paid for by taxpayers: “The United States Coast Guard is the leader in SAR operations, coming to the assistance of an average of 114 people per day at a total cost of $680 million annually…… It does not include man hours or money tied to the training of the personnel.

The National Park Service (NPS) is another agency heavily involved in SAR operations. In 2007, the NPS logged almost 3,600 incidents of search and rescue, 136 of which resulted in fatalities. This resulted in almost $5 million in associated expenses.

Other SAR missions around the Unites States are carried out by local sheriff’s offices, which are typically a mix of county employees working in concert with a staff of unpaid volunteers.”

In August 2018, mountaineering news outlet Outside declared Mount Whitney to be an “Overcrowded Catastrophe”, the author blames “Summit fever, a lack of mountaineering skills, and the allure of social media”, as well as weather conditions.

But Mount Whitney has a long history of injuries and deaths:

Inyo County SAR recent missions

June 2019; Body of missing hiker from Virginia found on Mt. Whitney 

May 2019; Gonzaga leadership alums save hikers stranded overnight on California’s Mount Whitney

Mt Whitney Multiple Injuries June 11 2018 

 

May 2018; Hiker, mountain climber fall to their deaths

July 2017;  Mt Whitney SAR activity

August 2016; My Mt. Whitney day hike: up was easy; down … I’d rather not remember

This video from 2015 shows how easy it is to slip and fall;

September 2013; Man falls to death at Mt. Whitney

October 2010; Mt. Whitney climbers learn weather can shift wildly

July 1990; Hikers Find Death, Terror at Summit of Mt. Whitney

BlindBatNews: RESCUING DOGS, AND DOGS WHO’LL RESCUE YOU!

 ENTANGLED SEA TURTLES RESCUED BY U.S. COAST GUARD

COLORADO MILITIA LAKOTA RESCUE TRAINING

IDAHO MILITIA PREPS FIREFIGHTERS FOR COMING NATURAL DISASTERS!

U.S.

America Spread Thin: Hawaii Militia Chinooks sent ‘state-side’ to help stressed Guard units!

Video

28MAR2018 (15:32 UTC-07 Tango 06)  08 Farvardin 1397/11 Rajab 1439/12 (second month) Yi-Mao 4716

“Being that a lot of the guys in the brigade, this will probably be their third or fourth deployment, I think that might help a bit. But of course it’s always hard.”-Lieutenant Colonel John Udani, August 2017

Video explainer of CH-47 loading onto cargo ships:

Approximately 1-thousand Hawaii Militia personnel (1 out of 3 Hawaii Guard personnel) are being deployed (yet again), however they still don’t know where they’re being sent, they’ve only received a ‘notification of sourcing’ in August 2017.

CH-47s loaded onto a cargo ship in Hawaii, bound for duty in other states, 19MAR2018

In preparation, the Hawaii Army National Guard’s Company B-1st Battalion-171st Aviation Regiment is sending their CH-47 Chinooks to other state’s Guard units coming off of deployments, and to states whose Guard ‘assets’ are stretched thin.   Don’t worry, where-ever the 171st is being deployed there will be helicopters waiting for them.

The other Hawaii Militia units being deployed to parts currently unknown, sometime during Spring, are detachments of 1st Battalion-189th General Support Aviation Battalion,  Headquarters Company-29th IBCT, 227th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Squadron-299th Cavalry Regiment, and 1st Battalion-487th Field Artillery.

“We are going to have to stop being the policemen of the world.”-Donald Trump, August 2015 interview with Hugh Hewitt

WAR DEPLOYMENTS PREVENT IOWA MILITIA FROM DEALING WITH MOTHER EARTH!

AMERICA SPREAD THIN: NEW YORK MILITIA KILLED IN IRAQ!

AMERICA SPREAD THIN: AFGHANISTAN