More great stories. Yeah, I almost got nailed by plunging fire from one of are own 50s in Afghanistan.
And in Iraq I got some slivers from a bullet that was shot from behind me, that hit a steel beam in front of me. Friendly fire is not friendly at all.
Another time I was at one of Al Amara, in Iraq doing a late-night PT run with my buddy when I 120 rocket attack bracketed the air base. One round landed pretty close. I didn't stay long enough to see how close. I just heard the woosh, and I hit the ground just as it went off.
I do know that I was covered in dirt. Everything went into slow-motion and as i looked up I saw my buddy turner spring up arms and legs spinning like in an old cartoon in the air. As soon as he touched earth, we both sprinted for the closest bunker which was an old Iraqi air force one. Waited there with some civilians tell the all clear was given.
Also had a Christmas eve raid on an IED cell, first we know that we were in the right place was when an ANP guy who was leading us around got smoked after he knocked on the door. I was one the other side of the building and this was my first contact. I look at the gunner on are truck and said something stupied like. "Hey, I think someone is shooting over there" Then round bracketed the tuck and all around me. We lite that place up and lets just say those guys never made IEDs again after that night.
And the only that makes me not want to be in a helicopter ever again, we were responding to contact on a FOB and it was really high up. As we came in the CH-47 littler beat all the air out from under it. Making us drop 50 feet to the ground and bounces a few times. Not fun.
That and I watched at least two black hawks fall out of the sky killing ever one on board and I was part of the crew that had to shift through the wreckage of the failed rescue party in operation redwings. Trying to find bits of body, bones and personal items. And then the Army forgot we were up there! Had to walk for 5 days along mountain goat trails to get to a place taht the Air Force felt safe enough to come pick us up.
So yeah, I don't like helicopters.