"Angry Birds"
Flying Iraq with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment
The day starts early for the Soldiers from C Company, 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment–the “Angry Birds.” Their primary mission in Iraq is ferrying troops from one location to another throughout the central part of the country.
Mission brief just after 4 a.m. and then it’s off to pre-flight the aircraft. The planning and prep begins before daybreak, but the sun is up as the aircrew takes off. Flying UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, they criss-cross the skies carrying troops and cargo from base to base.
Troop insertions, aerial support of ground forces or just plain old cargo runs, the aircrews fly them all.
Once in the air, things quickly fall into a routine. Often, nearly any usable space in the aircraft is crammed with troops, gear or general cargo.
Back on the ground it’s post-flight checks and then prepping for the next day’s mission, which will again see the crew criss-crossing the skies of Iraq.