Question for former Army personnel here on DU

[WilliamPitt]

The Blackhawk that was shot down yesterday carried personnel from the Deptartment of the Army Headquarters at the Pentagon, according to CNN. Correct me if I am wrong, but this would mean those Blackhawk passengers were pretty high-ranking guys and not GI ground-pounders, correct? I tried to contact the Defense Dept. for confirmation, but no one is working on Saturday it seems. Can anyone here help?

[La_Serpiente]

1. I read somewhere that there was possibly

a two star general on there.

But I cannot confirm it.

I will try to find a link.

[WilliamPitt]

2. We checked with CNN on that

The two-star was apparently on another helicopter. The reporter commented that had the two-star been shot down, it would have been a massive blow.

[La_Serpiente]

3. Oh, thankz

then no, I do not think so. I have not read anything of any high ranking generals.

[loudnclear]

4. "A massive blow" we would be certain to hide.

The country just doesn't know the kind of toll this illegal invasion is taking on us and the Iraqi people. Surely things were not this bad for the Iraqis under Saddam...no matter how we try to spin it.

[Mz Pip]

13. Can only hide for so long

THese guys had family and friends and collegues. Someone would be inclined to say something.

Look at Jessica Lynch. She's pissed that she was used and that her rescue was filmed for PR purposes.

MzPip
:dem:

[finecraft]

5. Yeah, the 2-star was the JAG of the Army

Highest ranking legal person in the Army. I wonder what he was doing there?

[matcom]

6. YUP. VIP's probably on a "fact finding" mission of some kind

but it IS possible that the one shot down was the "security force" for the General (which would mean 'lowly' GI's)

what you need to do Will is find out if there was a THIRD chopper in the group.

gonna be tough. it is possible that the one shot down was the "gun ship" for the Generals vehicle.

very plausible. if there were more aircraft in the "convoy" however, you have more change of a major story

[WilliamPitt]

7. Thanks

[matcom]

8. on edit....

if CNN is claiming that the personnell SHOT DOWN were Dept. of Army personnell, then they are probably pretty high up.

if CNN is claiming that the personnell in the OTHER chopper (with the general) were they then my guess is a security detail, nothing more.

BUT it seems highly unlikely to me that there would only be TWO choppers. when Generals visited our tank battalian (non combat of course) they had at least 3 or 4 vehicles with them at all times

[neuvocat]

9. Not necessarily.

Heli's are often used to drop off infantrymen for an ambush. I dunno if that's what it was they were doing when they got shot down.

I was former 3rd Infantry Division, BTW.

[matcom]

10. agreed neuvocat but...

it doesn't make sense (at least to me) that THAT would have been an 'active' mission with the highest ranking JAG flying beside them.

wouldn't you agree that this was more likely some "tour of the area" convoy?

:shrug:

[neuvocat]

12. I misread the original post.

A two-star general, no. A two-star JAG officer? Yes, there's something up with that.

[Mz Pip]

11. One snippet that I heard

was that there were some personnel on board who were going to deliver medals to wounded soldiers. I don't have any idea how high up they would be.

It's bound to happen that someone important will be taken out. I suspect that will just get Bushie's rath all heated up and he will use it as an excuse to do more damage.

MzPip
:dem:

[HereSince1628]

15. I think you meant someone high ranking...

and that you believe all those that have died have had importance.

[Mz Pip]

17. Of course

everyone who died is important. I was saying that if someone close to Bush was killed I think he would take it much more personally than he takes the deaths of the other soldiers.

The snippet I heard didn't say anything about rank, it just said that they were on their way to deliver medals.

MzPip
:dem:

[HereSince1628]

14. Personnel is pretty vague, it seems like it could be used for civilians

as well as military.

Regarding ranks. I would expect Army HQ and the teams it sends to the field to be populated with potentially any/all ranks.

[cally]

16. Just heard on CNN (headline news)

that two aides (didn't say rank) of the General's staff were on the helicopter shot down. They both died.

[leetrisck]

18. Read in LBN the name of 4 from the 101st

but not other 2. Asked if anyone knew who the other 2 were - don't know yet.

[rasputin1952]

19. The idea of the JAG being in Iraq is a little wierd...

A Major General, (2-Star), would have a small cadre with him, generally aides of any rank; but the big question is, WHY would the JAG be there in the first place?

The Judge Advocate General has a pretty big staff to deal with all of the usual legal military matters, so I would have no idea why he would be there. A Major General in the Combat Arms usual commands a Division, but of course you have the Surgeon General of the Army and a myriad of other posts, but once again, what would the JAG be doing there?

The second bird would have carried mostly staff & security. I find it highly unlikely that in a combat zone, a MG would be flying around without some pretty heavy security, (after all, they love the attention).

If this IS what they are saying, there is something very strange going on, (or, it was an uppity JAG that wanted to get into a combat zone to get attention and a medal).

I'll keep an ear on this though.

:kick:

[Nailzberg]

20. IT JUST HIT ME - COL WEST

Would the Army JAG get involved in this?

Colonel West (I think he's a Lt. Col.) allegedly violated the Geneva Convention in respects to treatment of POWs. That would get attention all the way to the top. This situtation is FUBAR.

[neuvocat]

21. Possibly.

But still a two-star general is a bit steep. I would think a full-bird would suffice.

[drfemoe]

22. This site is good about giving names

http://cryptome.org/mil-dead-iqw.htm#August%202003

... nothing since the 6th is posted yet, but might be worth watching.

This story seems to be vaporizing .. very hard to find reports.