THE FRIDAY FOTO (March 17, 2023)

SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Alejandro Peña) Click on the photo to enlarge the image.

The strange angle from which this photo was taken caught our attention this week. It took a moment to even figure out what we were looking at: Paratroopers photographed either by one of their own jumping with them or from a plane looking up from below them — although that sounds prohibitively risky.

What we’re seeing is paratroopers from the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division jumping out of a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules cargo plane.

But wait, there’s something else unusual about this photo. All these sky soldiers are women.

It was an all-women’s jump over Malemute Drop Zone, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska on March 7, 2023. The airborne operation was held in recognition of women’s history month, and marked the first all-female jump in division history.

Every battalion in the 2/11 was represented in the jump, as well as members of Division staff. All of the jumpers are assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) of the 11th Airborne Division.

The C-130 was supplied by the 19th Airlift Wing, from Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas.

To read more about this fascinating airborne op, and see some arresting photos, click here for a the whole story.

Oh, and before it’s too late, HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

THE FRIDAY FOTO (February 24, 2022)

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH IN … ITALY

Italian(U.S. Army photo by Paolo Bovo)

Italian Army and U.S. Army paratroopers conduct an airborne operation from an Italian Air Force C-27J Spartan transport aircraft onto Alpe di Siusi in Bolzano, Italy on February 16, 2023. It turns out Alpe di Siusi is the largest high-alpine pasture in Europe.

The C-27J belongs to Italy’s 46th Air Brigade. The Italian troops are assigned to 4th Alpini Regiment of the Folgore Brigade. The  American soldiers are from the 173rd Airborne Brigade,  The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of projecting ready forces anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa or Central Commands’ areas of responsibility.

FRIDAY FOTO (August 19, 2022)

OUT OF THE DARK.

(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Brigette Waltermire) Click on the photo to enlarge image.

U.S. Air Force pilots conduct nighttime training operations aboard an MC-130J Commando II aircraft, flying over the United Kingdom (Britain) on August 3, 2022.

As you might surmise from its name, the Commando II flies clandestine, or low visibility missions that include low-level flights to infiltrate special operators/commandos in, or out (exfiltrate) of politically sensitive or hostile territories. Other MC-130J capabilities include resupplying special operations forces by airdrop or air landing, and air refueling of special ops helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft.

The aircraft shown above is part of the 352d Special Operations Wing. Based at RAF Mildenhall, England,  the 352nd SOW includes — not only special aircraft like the MC-130Js and pilots — but special operators with tasks like Pararescue, Special Reconnaissance and Tactical Air Control. They have can-do mottoes like “Any sky, any field, anywhere” and “Day or night – we take flight.”

The Commando II primarily flies missions at night to reduce the probability of being spotted and intercepted. The nighttime training mission shown in the photo included three airdrops, an emergency recovery simulation, air-to-air refueling and low-visibility special tactics.

FRIDAY FOTO (June 3, 2022)

SWEETHEART OF THE AIRBORNE.

(U.S. Army Photo by Sergeant Catessa Palone) Click on photo to enlarge image.

A little Polish girl enchants U.S. Army paratroopers during a festival celebrating Poland’s Constitution Day in Rzezsow, Poland, May 3, 2022.

May 3 is a national holiday commemorating the adoption of the Polish-Lithuanian Constitution of May 3, 1791. The May 3 Constitution was the first written democratic national constitution in Europe, and the world’s second, after the United States Constitution, adopted on June 21, 1788. 

The paratroopers, from Task Force Dragon and Task Force 82, were invited to join in the festivities of “Swieto Paniagi,” festival including a parade, concerts, performances and outdoor attractions.

Thousands of U.S. troops were sent to Eastern Europe in early February to reassure Allies and reaffirm the United States’ NATO commitment as Moscow massed 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s border.

Soldiers from the XVIII Airborne Corps established Task Force Dragon in Europe to help deter further Russian aggression amid its invasion of Ukraine February 24. They included units from the 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

FRIDAY FOTO (April 15, 2022)

Under the Wire.

(U.S. Army photo by Army Specialist Kelvin Johnson Jr)

1st Lieutenant Joseph Martin from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), keeps his head above water (barely) as he low crawls under barbed wire in the Annual Best Ranger Competition in Fort Benning, Georgia on April 8th 2022.

Low crawling under the wire is one of the obstacles in the Malvesti obstacle course, one one of Ranger School’s toughest gut busting obstacle courses,  as this brief video explains.

To learn who won the competition, click here.

Army Colonel Richard J. Malvesti served his country for 23 years – in Vietnam, Grenada and Panama. He served with infantry, ranger, airborne and Green Beret units and was awarded the Legion of Merit, twice earned the Bronze Star Medal, once for valor, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. A master parachutist who earned the Combat Infantryman’s Badge in Vietnam.

Malvesti was 44-years-old when he died in July 1990. His parachute malfunctioned in a jump at Fort Bragg’s Holland Drop Zone.

FRIDAY FOTO (April 1, 2022)

IT’S SNOWING SOLDIERS.

(U.S. Army photo by Major Jason Welch) CLICK on photo to enlarge image.

Paratroopers from the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, conducted a forcible entry exercise onto Donnelly Drop Zone at the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center  (JPMRC) on March 11, 2022.

The 501st regiment, part of the “Spartan Brigade — 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) of the 25th Infantry Division — were participating in JPMRC rotation 22-02, the first Home Station Combat Training Center (HS-CTC) rotation in Alaska. The Cold Weather training event focuses on Large Scale Combat Operation, including a Live Fire Exercise.

FRIDAY FOTO (February 25, 2022)

Falling Stars.

(U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Mark Pierce) Click on photo to enlarge.

Members of the U.S. Army Parachute Team conduct night jumps over Homestead, Florida, with pyrotechnics on February 23, 2022.

The Army Parachute Team, also known as the Golden Knights, is conducting their annual certification cycle for the upcoming show season.

Editor’s Note:

While news of the crisis spawned by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is splashed across front pages, airwaves and web sites, 4GWAR thought we would — at least for today’s FRIFO — present a different, artistically interesting image.

However, in the coming days, and probably weeks, we’ll be addressing the challenge Russia presents the United States and its allies and partners — not just in Ukraine, but from the Barents Sea, at the top of the world, to the Black Sea, where Europe and Asia meet, and the region of the Baltic Sea, a crowded neighborhood of NATO members, non-aligned countries and Russia.

FRIDAY FOTO (December 31, 2021)

LUNAR MARINE.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe) Pleas Click on image to enlarge.

No, the Marines’ latest landing wasn’t on the Moon — it just looks that way.

This Marine, assigned to the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, was participating in a high altitude, low opening (HALO) parachute jump over Yokota Air Base, Japan on December 13, 2021. The Marine jumped from an Air Force C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron.

U.S. Marines and an Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) specialist conducted week-long jump training using Air Force and Navy aircraft. The training supports the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s dynamic force employment (DFE) concept through agile combat employment (ACE), an effort to conduct training with joint partners while maintaining global peace and security.

This is the last FRIDAY FOTO of 2021. We hope you found them entertaining and informative. Here at 4GWAR Blog, we wish you a safe, prosperous and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

See you in 2022!

 

FRIDAY FOTO (December 17, 2021)

FREE FALL:

(U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Michael Cossaboom)

A U.S. Pararescumen, assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, jump from a KC-130 Hercules cargo aircraft during airborne operations over East Africa, on November 12, 2021.

Pararescuemen have to maintain their jump proficiency to enable them to complete their mission, which include, the rapid recovery of U.S. and allied personnel from battle zone and behind enemy lines. They also provide secure, reliable, flexible combat search and rescue capabilities. They can also rapidly deploy to austere locations to support U.S. and partner forces within the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa area of responsibility.

Since 9/11, these elite warriors have executed over 12,000 life-saving, combat rescue missions, according to the Air Force. They’ve also eliminated and captured numerous enemy combatants during the execution of these missions. Additionally, because of their unique capabilities, they have been called upon to rescue over 5,000 civilians worldwide during catastrophic natural disasters and other responses.

When one looks at this photo for the first time, it wouldn’t be unheard of to think: Where’s the plane they jumped from, or are they all X-Men? The low-key caption (below), the Pentagon placed on this photo anticipate that question, — sort of — but in answering, it raises additional questions.

Airmen jump from a KC-130 Hercules, not pictured, during airborne operations over East Africa, Nov. 25, 2021.

FRIDAY FOTO (On Saturday, December 11, 2021)

Impressionistic View.

(U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lieutenant Katie Tamesis)

Some of the best photos are taken out the back of a military helicopter.

Whatever the Air Force photographer did with her field of focus, it made the view of Fall foliage in Georgia look like the work of a French impressionist.

What we actually have here is a Marine Corps CH-53 “Sea Stallion” helicopter crew member overlooking the Bemiss Drop Zone at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia on November 16, 2021.

Airmen along with Georgia Army National Guard soldiers and Marine Corps helicopter crew members conducted airborne operations training to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures from across three branches of the military and to strengthen joint agile combat employment mission capabilities.