OCR Text |
Show Wednesday, June 22. 1983 Venial ExpfeSS 1 3 TCdcs prapsi? flop fiCus Duafiooinial dlelfeonse A MECHANIC seems dwarfed by the size of the huge turbine engine on the Sky Crane helicopter used in recent National Guard training. One of 30 remaining in operation, the huge chopper can reach speeds of up to 90 knots. By Nancy Bostlck Eipreu Feature Editor The men of the local National. Guard are as familiar to Uintah Basin residents as the tractors and oil rigs that dot the countryside. They have long been a part of the landscape seemingly always there preparing for drills or assisting assist-ing in community or area projects. The average individual docs not know why the National Guard has been organized; indeed most people arc not aware of the many important functions the Vernal H8lh Unit provides pro-vides for area improvements or for the national defense. Defense is the word that best sums up the aim and role of the National Guard. They have been created in order to provide immediate immedi-ate and mobile defense should the country become involved in a conflict con-flict that calls for quick response using us-ing trained personnel. There are approximately ap-proximately 465,000 members of the National Guard throughout the nation; 70 percent of the armed force strength of the United States rests in the existence of the National Guard and Army Reserve, The local unit is the llfiih Engineer Company, (AFBR) Assault Float Bridge Ribbon, a detachment de-tachment of the Tooele 118th. Their purpose is to provide a bridging and overall rafting unit for transportation trans-portation needs. Essentially, the local lo-cal guard can mobilize and provide bridges to cross rivers and other waterways wa-terways as well as allow transport vehicles immediate access to land routes in the event of combat. In addition, ad-dition, they arc prepared to become a transport unit. The Vernal Detachment of the 118th Unit recently participated in a training maneuver beginning June 5, at Starvation Reservoir located west of Duchesne on Hwy. 40. In a carefully planned' and executed practice, Second Lt. Randy Russon, Commander of the 118th and Executive Officer, Second LL Jim Gamer, combined the efforts of 130 men with those of an Army Reserve Helicopter unit in order for Guard members to utili.c their training and have "hands on" experience in joint airland rafting and bridging operations. Once at the site, the Guard personnel per-sonnel set up their bivouac. Included in the bivouac was virtually virtual-ly everything ihcy would need to live during the next five days. With precision and skill, a small commu nity was formed in just under three hours; this included a mess area, sleeping quarters, command headquarters head-quarters and maintenance area. Each of the tents, vehicles and assorted as-sorted pieces of equipment blended unobtrusively into a background of sand, cedars and pinion trees. On Wednesday, June 8, the true tests of skill began. A National Guard Helicopter Detachment out of Reno, Ncv., the D-Company Heavy Lift Transport 113th Aviation Battalion" of the Nevada National Guard, hooked up with the local Guard to implement a phase of training that is the first of its kind in the state. Bridge bays weighing from 11,000-12,000 lbs. were transported trans-ported via truck to the site, then unloaded un-loaded on a hill overlooking the reservoir. Boats and rafts were deployed de-ployed into the water and waited in readiness for their part of the operation. opera-tion. The huge Sky Crane helicopters closely resemble a Steven Spiclburg Creation the turbine engines use high octane jet fuel and arc capable of lifting up to 20,000 lbs; CI 154-A cargo helicopters have a maximum speed of 99 knots and were used extensively ex-tensively during the Vietnam war. This unit is one of three heavy-lift units in the U.S4 w ith approximately approximate-ly 30 Sky Cranes left in existence, 1 - k . ... -TX- - t 1 & - t- ' "4 W ft j? it it TUNG Uf 4 wai-9 l-.-ve4C i V.afl wh!y. m had 6 tU9 C3p let CD 1 4 h I lit l rmm. lry- 1., t, . 3 t - e 6 A m .- ' c ! ; , : T w e a t -. .c'l- : t ' it the huge choppers are being phased out. Six of the bridge bays were lined up on the ground with a three man team awaiting the arrival of the helicopter. he-licopter. In mid-afternoon, skilled pilots flew the unwieldy-looking craft directly over the bays. Winds from the blades were so strong that observers watching from neighboring neighbor-ing hillsides could not see the craft as it hovered. The ground crew, totally to-tally engulfed in thick clouds of dust, raced to attach the 11,000 lb. bays to the hook of the cargo cable. With a surge of tremendous power, the Sky Crane lifted off. The bays hung suspended beneath the choppers chop-pers as the pilots maneuvered carefully care-fully to where the boats were standing stand-ing by. With incredible grace, the monstrous choppers gently lowered their burden and released the bays into the water. Personnel standing by in the boats then boarded the bays and released the latches and locks. Cables were strung from the boats to the bay; each boat then accelerated ac-celerated and the bay was unfolded. As each bay was placed in the water by the choppers, the boat crews systematically sys-tematically unfolded them and then hooked them together to form a bridge. Interestingly, 12 such bays when combined for use as a bridge, will hold up to three armored tanks. Virtually thousands of pounds can be transported across rivers, swamps and other such obstacles by the use of this equipment. During this rriion of the rigorous annual training, live National Guard Units were being studied by Captain Gene Givcns, Engineer Unit Evaluate for the U.S. Army out of Tort Lewis, Wash. He was there to evaluate the overall performance perfor-mance and combat readiness of the unit. He remarked, The unit demonstrated excellent command and control throughout the exercise. Planning, coordination, employment employ-ment and control of platoon located, locat-ed, at limes 50 miles a ay by the At ting Commander anJ Acting Executive Officer, a commendable, commend-able, r -mncl in the yctical tipcra turn center cte motivated, lnol cdeaMc and ala)l icckmg U) improve im-prove fpcrsixm wuhifi their t.ipa biliuci." Given I al-l fcUtrJ thil the HSuh Unit of the Uuh Guard defined; ct! Hgamjcd Uvlical mank; turning hiih a oner.lrj tfl the unit'i wartime rim -.ton; an tf'ctuve truirnerurxc jrrjrt ji hwh s at U;Km-d w the UC aJ NCOiC ff the tnaintr riant C KvtHUi; tHit.Und-ir.g tHit.Und-ir.g fTofkKrny in l.r4 a; l. In &Ui u-n, t'.ivrr.t s jn-ptciv.l uh tr.v.y r;hef fitU rl the I'val tnrrj triB-n (I ti t tn-rtivci St ,Sura;i:-n. the Vffr.J JJ iVfl tfiutrJ in Carrp WiUU fvre whrf M.jjcn frrt f-i.-re thl tl V.Xti. Kn,'n a I irTX l. I- f.-rpnsrd vhC U'r: i-e ft I ':? cfrvi!e CiVhl Fl the t 1 5wu-i tie v. wVl II. f;PLX . v.'. V.l m k b: l Ira t S' ty r( -t'.?7 fr1 p-f"! p-f"! lii r- h;e th-r 4" f ; i ?- f i( t'l lV if f-JTT-- t .3 --!. A"' ,; Q; A SKYCRANE HELICOPTERS from Reno, Nev. were used in recent re-cent bridge building maneuvers at Starvation Reservoir. The Huge choppers can lift up to 20,000 pounds; the boye, held aloft by the cargo hook, weights a "mere" 1 1 ,000 pounds. Tooele Army Depot to await the ar- merchants in terms of car payments, rival of the troops; soldiers were groceries, utility payments and etc." flown into Utah or driven in con- The 118th Unit is a Float Bridge voys on trucks. After reaching their Division, this means fuel require- assembly areas, they moved be- mcnts each year which may exceed tween 50-60 kilometers to practice $20,000; ihc fuel is purchased tactical movements used prior to through local merchants. Many of combat operations. The scenario the "gas and go" outlets can attest to was written to simulate battlefield the dramatic increase in sales v. hen conditions in Korea. Engineer the Guard is conducting a dull Units, such as the Vernal 118th, weekend, were responsible for preparing the Nalional CuarJ ii!cs roads and firing s.tcs. The engineers cf injivi jua!s acr0sS the arc also responsible for the repair of ion cullM u jini anJ a the area by rcsecdmg and restoring . Umc incomc AJjfn, . Ihc environment to its orig.nal con- J, CurTCmly in Uie i;uh diuon after the cxcrc.se complete. Coaf j , ,,d lh )l uc hjvc Utah National Guard saTcty olficcf. kncf(W ul wC ,avC cvff Robot SherifT expressed his con- Ucn M 0VkJc aa fn,,s. ccm and urged that all urn cwn- . pultKj a fcw il( rc. manucrs, non-commissionca phi- r.ir lh(Vj? inl,fr,!,j in ccrs atd soldiers "think, cat and drink safety" during the course of the exercise. According to reports from evaluates, evalua-tes, the men of Uc Vernal llSih Unit f the Uuh National Guard, joining. An individual 1h ba riut served in the Armed forces r-.u -t l between 17-35 )ca t'14. If they arc aitcpted ir.UJ the Cu.irJ, 0-cy ttu;-4 train 2 day cah montli and &.u:n, an annu.il training KV'.i!n 4 IS were exertional in regard w their day. f.h cr.listic mu -4 a'.'cr.J rre- training and the con.liUort tsf U'.cir g'tJf KxH ta-'p Uh-.vz arid then equipment. Gift- Given uted, further teaming for V-nt "mv,U( "Tin unit h.ii alrc5y Kl high sun r ftlcv-lon. duds and have continued k) exceed these Wandard." At home, the lixal National Gu J i very mu.h a valual tc revmae in the Uintah ttanft. Aetnrdir.g M Gu.wJ Krtrustcf, SSG, Randy Ats'ri, the National Gi.ird h,ri X lively rartuirtcd in many arc4 im-j-ti'vfmcnu. Sme rf thr- ifuluJei ftinsing mrUl NiilJm fron D.Khevne H Vcmal f. the Diw.a,if Nauhal M.nimcr.U haulirg Ut amount t4 KU fot the lnrit y,.i-jc;::. (1-J tl'Jol CfhsU h I9?3, freeing tSfi Swabtfiy RiT ke jAm In 191; ci-ntAM rl i.ir at Stcinalcl rtvnrtf in I aJ may -:tv N.4 rr.?y bae thru? jrraU htlprd in Uamirg ; tl (i.;-J mi f-!f!i, rwt by h;irg the Ga.J, l.xal gvcmpcr-t. baC Uxn ' '.e m mc I'-xiti- u i u t' "- h."c ftiCri p f : 4 A- ,h-t trxfrrg b?r a Gua j f vu h-rt in ihc a--: a can be ctd in ier -s rf the a.itS aJ rtvC" f-'wa-cd fj the a-i' ya:n':rg t'rnisf sl f- - ! tt 4 M Uv-n -if ,-t.. A - V,.e N',)!i. ;.! Gu,rfi la irj PKfiteJ VMnC K gm.liliiv h;t ctumifajc vf1 '1 r4i1-A 15 f tn' Ir-tre can tun earn a mmimii'ii SSft.M frf di,;l ;tlif I In t !.. fcitn, tky a?c t -k 4 uh S vt.t i ) itt ia-.4i.VHC (if a W i t U st iiwnih, V : a.'e ah-i a pH"-?r f Cl.KaSa.4 pan 'u5t C--. : may l c! ' k M fetic; --r -c tn b my rcaiC a t h t-' t mentbivi. A rc rr-ru:n imj-j.-.-.-tr-.l bv t'e N"a,;rr,a t"K--J i"l U )ttf c'J b v h-v tt ,:!.-; if. itie l' 4 la-.ii' t; '-- '' t.,,.rt m-- t, tVn ry '.Otfh r---r:h Jl. -r; . . ' f . Vj. jj-r.ti;:! Me '--' '1 1- :v - ! 'i pi t -V : f.' sh.'t-l. le an-4 f.-;-c I Par.vt f t' : ?A'-.M t-.J i t?a--f A ' - 1 tn I-t I-t a J H t i" "2 T; 1 ( ' ' f t i. ? -I .- 4 i - (h-i ar - .A ti --r. 5 '"'... i ?r t' c t -1 fy the f o .) b.V 'V f r f U-) a--1 " f t :t ( J t - i -. . ' , t--, V1 V-V "T.V t t 1.-1 fi" V J-' ? J" -- J. f f.r , |