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Voices from Afghanistan

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Chris Farris View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Voices from Afghanistan
    Posted: February/10/2010 at 16:18

Voices from Afghanistan. The story is about Channing Moss, who was impaled by a live RPG during a Taliban ambush while on patrol. Army protocol says that medivac choppers are never to carry anyone with a live round in him. Even though they feared it could explode, the flight crew said damn the protocol and flew him to the nearest aid station.

 

Again, protocol said that in such a case the patient is to be put in a sandbagged area away from the surgical unit, given a shot of morphine and left to wait (and die) until others are treated.

Again, the medical team ignored the protocol. Here's a short video put together by the Military Times, which includes actual footage of the surgery where Dr. John Oh, a Korean immigrant who became a naturalized citizen and went to West Point, removed the live round with the help of volunteers and a member of the EOD (explosive ordinance disposal) team.


Moss has undergone six operations but is doing well at home in Gainesville, GA. I think you'll find the video absolutely remarkable.
 

http://www.militarytimes.com/multimedia/video/?bcrefid=808163493#/Live+RPG+removed+from+soldier/51745112001

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/10/2010 at 16:20
wow i hope those people get medals and not court marshals, they all deserve it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steelbenz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/10/2010 at 16:58
Somebody tell me again "All the Heroes are dead"   Somehow, I just don't think so friend.   

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/10/2010 at 18:34
Thats amazing.  crazy the military has let the video out though
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JLud Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/10/2010 at 20:54
To be fair, as someone who went through medivac pilot training, it is quite a risk to transport a patient like this.  If the RPG would detonate, you would lose an aircraft, 2 pilots, a crew chief and medical personnel, and the ability to save all the further wounded that the Blackhawk and crew can no longer save.
 
Now, it didnt detonate, so in retrospect is was great.  However, how would this story have ended if it detonated in mid air?  Im not trying to say this was the wrong decision, just that it could have been. 
 
Who knows what the effect of the drop in pressure altitude could have done to the round to possible cause it to detonate, or the vibration of the aircraft, or any number of things...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sgt. D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/10/2010 at 22:38
Your absolutely right JLud but, They weren't in as great a risk as it may have appeared. I expect it was known that the RPG haden't flown far enough to arm. And though it certainly was a risk. It was a calculated risk. In fact If he had been one of my soldiers, anyone who refused to help him would have been in more risk than he was. I know that sounds way over the top but, you have to remember the passion that some of us have for our men, and that we have no problem being unreasonable in the heat of any situation. It makes me unspeakably proud of everyone involved in this classic display of HONOR, COURAGE AND LOVE FOR THEIR BROTHERS. God Bless em all.
SALUTE!


Edited by Sgt. D - February/10/2010 at 22:39
Take care of Soldiers, Show em how its done and do it with em, Run to the Fight & and hold your ground! I die my men go home! If you're a NCO and this ain't you. GET OUT! GOD BLESS AMERICA!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LRSMike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2010 at 08:01
From what I remember about hearing the story, the RPG itself went through the 4 inch thick windshield, cut the TC's (Truck or Tank Commander) face, and went into Moss's side, stretching from hip to hip. RPG's aren't like our M203's, they require no arming time, or rotations. The RPG-7 either explodes on impact, or 920 meters, its max. range. Now the argument could have been made that the flight would have caused it to go past the 920 meter maximum range, but the other side would have been that it had stopped its travel in PVT Moss's side. IMO, if the RPG hadn't of exploded on impact with the HMMWV itself, and lodged itself, I'd be willing to bet that 95% of the time with that type of incident, the RPG wouldn't have gone off.  Now don't get me wrong, I am by no means a DEMO specialist, and please don't take this as badgering your intelligence guys. I do credit those guys for doing what they did, because its still a live UXO, and PVT Moss was a true hero by continuing the fight while injured. Read also about SPC McGinnis, C Co 1-26 IN. and his act of heroism, SFC Smith with the 3rd ID. Anything else, feel free to message me about, and I'll do what I can to find the information on it for you guys.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steelbenz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2010 at 08:11
I too had heard about him continueing to fight. But the medivac crew an Doctors also fought to override thier own fear of death to save him. That is where IMO Heroism takes place.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LRSMike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2010 at 08:15
That does portray true heroism. There is a saying, "once the first round flies, all plans go out the window", and reactions come into play. What they did was right, IMO, regardless of what the SOP, standard operating procedure, stated. You never leave a fallen comrade, regardless of situation, you do everything within your power and humanely right to save that individual, or exhaust all resources trying.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2010 at 08:16
They all are heroic IMO as well as every other US soldier who defends this country.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LRSMike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2010 at 08:22
The two most heartfelt stories I have read about since I joined the military, have been the SPC McGinnis and SFC Smith stories. Those two will always have a place in my heart for what they have done. And your right, every soldier deserves that respect, for the ones that are willing to fight the fight, next to their brother or sister in arms. It's a job for me, I don't look at myself as a hero, just doing my job, like anyone else that has a job would do.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2010 at 11:24
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100211/ap_on_re_as/as_afghan_the_breacher
 
This thing is cool never seen it before.  How bout you Mike?


Edited by SVT_Tactical - February/11/2010 at 11:25
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote scooter65 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2010 at 11:35
Originally posted by SVT_Tactical SVT_Tactical wrote:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100211/ap_on_re_as/as_afghan_the_breacher
 
This thing is cool never seen it before.  How bout you Mike?
 
I used to have one of these.  Lost it in the divorce.  Used it to extract my Ex from the buffets.  Pretty darn effective. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LRSMike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2010 at 11:39
I've only seen one, and that thing is damn cool. Before I read anything about it, I noticed it is basically a Abrams M1 tank, outfitted with a plow for IED's. I didn't know it had rockets that it can launch in front of it to detonate mines in front of it, which is really cool, here is something I know a little about, have you seen it?
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2010 at 11:45
SEen it in pictures and i think they had one similar to it in the movie "the Jackal"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LRSMike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2010 at 11:52
Its a weapon system operated by a computer screen, thats located in the humvee, and has a control to operate it. anything from a M240B to M2(as pictured) Mark 19, or the minigun, aka chain gun. Its actually pretty cool, but I believe a soldiers senses make a way better gunner, but this reduces chances of losing that soldier.
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