F-16 on the Scene

1 May 07
Susan’s birthday today…happy birthday, honey!

Last night's festivities were the work of a single IDF team firing rockets at the base for just over 3 hrs. They would “shoot and scoot” firing from several locations south of the base. The Brits would fire back but by the time they fired the team would have already moved to a new location, set up a defensive perimeter (a level of professionalism not shown before) and fired their rockets. Finally the call was made for a “fast mover” to come in and assist. The closest aerial support was an F-16 some 50 min away. He showed up just as the team set up adjacent to a soccer field and was about to fire their ninth volley.

Some of our IqAF guys were nearby and said that the people gathered for the soccer game didn’t move because for three years the British would show up overhead but when they saw noncombatants in the vicinity would hold fire. Consequently, the IDF teams used the civilian populace as cover for their activities.

Both the IDF team and the locals saw the aircraft circling overhead and paid it no attention believing it was an RAF Tornado that wouldn't fire. I'm sure the locals that were nearby were shocked when a 500 lbs bomb landed just 12 meters from the IDF team. I’m sure the IDF team was horrified. The IDF team members that weren’t killed immediately were rushed to the hospital. The RAF Regiment intercepted them there. A single USAF pilot with the courage to take the shot sent a new message and set a new standard in Basrah City this week!

A few weeks ago I mentioned I ran in the Easter 10K. The guy that won the race was a British Army major. He won the men’s veteran category (over 40) and the men’s overall. We found out later he was a triathlete and we regularly saw him in the gym at Allenby Lines riding his bike. This morning he was struck and killed by a bus on the COB while riding his bike...Maj Nicholas Bateson of the Royal Signals died of his injuries this morning.