Screaming Eagles make longest helo-borne air assault in history of warfare

[MORTARDUDE]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/...ain/index.html Screaming Eagles penetrate deep into Iraq
Scores of coalition soldiers were dropped deep into Iraq Friday in what is being called the longest helicopter-borne air assault in the history of warfare.

The assault is a "huge inroad" into Iraq, putting "scores" of infantry troops in place, military officials told a reporter for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel with the 159th Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, the famed Screaming Eagles.

As measured by the distance the assault penetrated enemy territory, it is the longest in the history of military warfare, assistant division commander Brig. Gen. E.J. Sinclair told reporter Katherine M. Skiba.

An air convoy of 200 Black Hawk, Apache, Chinook and Kiowa helicopters from Kuwait landed at two forward bases, refueling and unloading infantry soldiers each time. Pilots did not report encountering any enemy fire. (Full story)

Earlier Friday, U.S. officials said airstrikes had knocked out one-third of the Iraqi Republican Guard's Medina Division south of Baghdad, and other divisions were moving in from the west and north to reinforce it.

Coalition troops working their way north toward the capital have been engaged in heavy fighting with Iraqi forces -- particularly in the southern cities of Nasiriya and Tikrit.

As the weather cleared, U.S. military officials said they learned the coalition's heavy bombing campaign had reduced the Medina Division to about 65 percent of its capacity.

In response, two other units of Iraq's elite Republican Guard were repositioning. The Hammurabi Division, which was west of Baghdad, was moving south in hopes of reinforcing the Medina, and another division -- which was around Tikrit in the north -- was moving in to replace the Hammurabi, U.S. officials said.

The Republican Guard was working to protect Baghdad from a ground invasion. U.S. officials have said the battles with the Republican Guard will likely be some of

[Boats]

You have to admit that was pretty impressive. To jump out of an aircraft is tough enough (I had to do it only once during survival school) but to jump at night into a foreign country with unknown elements below - wow what guts!

Our troops are really something to be proud of. Their leaders and their training so far has been pretty good. I regret the loss of those men and women and our supporters but to all of them they have done one hell of a job.

I have one question - being Navy we worked in war areas where 20 on 4 off was common and sometimes 24/7 during special flight ops. But with ground troops how long can they go before having to be relieved so that they don't burn out or become careless?

I'm worried they aren't getting enough rest or sleep and that this could weaken their resolve somewhat? I know they are tough and can handle the load but in reality the body can only take so much punishment before it begins to fatigue.

Are they any rules that say anything about how long before battlefield personnel have to be rotated to a safe zone?