Operation MOUNT HOPE, Chad
In June 1988, the 160th SOAG received a short-notice directive to recover a Russian made Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter from a remote location in Chad. The Mi-24 was abandoned by the Libyans after 15 years of fighting with Chad, and was of great intelligence value to the U.S. military. The Government of Chad agreed to let the U.S. have the helicopter if they could move it out of the desert.
In April 1988, 2 CH-47 Chinooks, an Air Force C-5 Galaxy, and 75 maintenance personnel and crew flew to White Sands AFB, New Mexico, to rehearse the mission. In late May the execution order was issued, and an advance team led by CW4 Juergen Stark went to Ndjamena, Chad, to await their aircraft. Two weeks later two Chinooks and 76 crewmembers and maintenance personnel arrived by C-5.
At midnight on June 11, 1988, 2 MH-47s flew 490 miles at night without outside navigational aids to the target location, the Ouadi Doum airfield in northern Chad. The first Chinook landed and configured the Mi-24, while the second hovered overhead and sling loaded it for return to Ndjamena. A surprise sandstorm slowed the return trip, but less than 67 hours after the arrival of the C-5 in Chad, the ground crew had the Mi-24 and Chinooks aboard and ready for return to the U.S.
This mission once again demonstrated the ability of the 160th to strike deep and accomplish the mission despite demanding flight conditions.
"Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country.
I shall defeat them on the field of battle
for I am better trained and will fight with all my might."
© 75th Ranger regiment creed - 5th stanza.
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სპეციალური დანიშნულების ძალები, მსოფლიოს არმიების ელიტა # 6
