THE TENSION: 'Chaos' Soldiers Takeoff in Blackhawks, Land in History

Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Multi-National Division - Baghdad, return to a Blackhawk helicopter on May 14 after a successful air-assault mission aimed to disrupt criminals' ability to smuggle weapons into Baghdad. (Photographer: 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Public Affairs.)

Capt. George "Rick" Oliver of Newport, R.I., stands guard in the early morning May 14 as helicopters arrive to pick up soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Multi-National Division - Baghdad. (Photographer: 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Public Affairs.)

Dispatches from the Front:

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq, May 24, 2008 -- The American soldier has always held the reputation of arriving at the cutting edge of the battlefield by land, sea and air. And now, residents of east Baghdad can attest to this, dozens of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment soldiers descended from Blackhawk helicopters on May 14 for a mission aimed to disrupt the enemy’s ability to smuggle weapons into Baghdad.

It was a proud moment for the soldiers of “Chaos” Company.

“It is an honor to participate in this mission,” said Sgt. Michael Hensen, a Jacksonville, Fla., native. “We have trained for this moment the last three years, and I had complete confidence that our Company would accomplish the mission.”

Conducting the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division’s first air-assault mission in Iraq was no easy chore. The planning and preparation lasted several days and included detailed rehearsals and back briefs.

“Rehearsals are the key to success,” said 1st Sgt. Brian Disque of Philadelphia. “In an air-assault mission, you must always expect and be prepared for contingencies.”

After the planning and rehearsing were complete, it was time to execute the mission. In the early morning hours, soldiers of Chaos Company moved to the landing zone and waited to hear the familiar sounds of the UH-60 Blackhawk. soldiers practiced loading and unloading the helicopter several times.

“On a helicopter landing zone, time is everything,” explained Capt. George “Rick” Oliver of Newport, R.I. “We need to exit as quickly as possible for the safety of the aircraft – as well as our own.”

It was a short flight to the objective. As the Blackhawks zipped over the quiet Baghdad streets, soldiers of Company C were about to descend onto their objective.

“It felt like I was in a movie the whole time I was in the helicopter,” described Pfc. Jason Largent, an Elko, Nev., native, who has been in the Army for approximately six months. “I remember thinking that if you asked me a little more than a year ago, I would have never guessed I’d be doing anything like this.”

Just as planned, the soldiers of Chaos Company landed on a large field and quickly downloaded from the aircraft. Like ants marching on the ground, the soldiers began to move their separate ways to accomplish team missions. Some squads were charged with securing an outer perimeter while others were given the mission to enter and clear key buildings.

The soldiers’ hard work in planning and rehearsing showed through their actions on the objective.

“Our soldiers did great,” said Sgt. Jimmy Torries of Franklinville, N.Y. “They did everything they were supposed to do. Thanks to their hard work, we were able to accomplish all our objectives.”

After securing their objective and conducting a thorough search, Capt Adam Cecil, from Chesapeake, Ohio, who is the commander of Co. C, said he was confident criminals would be reluctant to use the area to smuggle weapons.

“We demonstrated a capability to the enemy that shows them we can drop in anytime, anywhere,” said Cecil. “There is no area that is safe for them.”

As the first company in the “Patriot Brigade” to conduct an air assault in Iraq, the men of Company C are proud of their contributions to the war.

“This is a mission I will remember for the rest of my life,” said Sgt. Matthew Kunkle, from San Antonio. “I’m just proud to have been able to share it with my brothers.”

(Story from a 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Public Affairs press release.)