He Watched an RPG Fly Right at Him 😳
A military veteran recounts a harrowing helicopter mission where they came under heavy fire from RPGs and machine guns, resulting in a crew member falling from the aircraft and a subsequent crash landing. The account details the immediate aftermath and decision to mount a rescue mission.
Summary
This transcript captures a firsthand military account of a dangerous helicopter operation that went catastrophically wrong. The narrator describes watching a Chinook helicopter with its belly exposed coming under intense enemy fire, including RPK machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). The speaker vividly recalls watching an RPG slowly approaching their position and exploding just behind them. During this attack, a service member named Neil Roberts fell approximately 12 feet from the back of the helicopter while the crew chief was on a tether hanging beneath the aircraft. The situation deteriorated further as the helicopter went over the side of what appears to be a mountain or ridge, executing a controlled crash landing on the valley floor. The aircraft ended up in hilly terrain where it began sliding uncontrollably to the right before finally hitting the ground. Despite the crash, the crew survived the impact. In the immediate aftermath, the team discovered they had lost a man during the incident. A team member called 'Slab' quickly established radio contact to provide a situation report and requested permission to return to the crash site to either rescue the missing service member or recover his body, which was immediately approved.
Key Insights
- The narrator watched an RPG slowly approach and explode just behind their position during the attack
- Neil Roberts fell approximately 12 feet from the back of the helicopter during the enemy fire
- The crew chief was on a tether hanging beneath the aircraft during the incident, which the narrator was unaware of at the time
- The helicopter performed a controlled crash landing on the valley floor after going over the side
- Slab immediately recommended returning to rescue the missing service member or recover his body after the crash
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] Here comes the Chinook, its whole belly exposed. RPK machine gun fire, RPGs. >> I watch as an RPG slowly comes at [music] me. It exploded just behind me. While that was happening, Neil Roberts fell off the back of the helicopter. I rotate over and I dive down the mountain. Neil falls about 12 ft and the crew chief is on a tether and he's hanging beneath the aircraft and I don't know that. >> The aircraft went over the side, did a controlled [music] crash landing on the valley floor. And we ended up coming into this hilly area and we start sliding uncommanded to the right and I can't stop it. So we hit the ground,…
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