Military Aviation Art
Aircrews and Soldiers from 1st Combat Aviation
Brigade, 1st Infantry Division and 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd
Infantry Division conduct a "Raider Stryke" air assault raid
against a time-sensitive target in the Diyala River Valley (DRV) of Iraq
during OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 07-09. Following the surge of forces into
Baghdad in May 2007, many enemy, insurgent, and foreign fighter networks
moved north into the DRV to find sanctuary. US and Coalition Forces, using
advanced intelligence capabilities to target these cells, and the Raider
Stryke team of air and ground forces, conducted numerous hasty air assault
raids to precision targets with tremendous results. The Raider Stryke team
brought a swift, agile, and lethal capability to the fight, allowing
Commander’s to bypass the restrictions of road networks and hazardous
terrain. Targets that were previously unreachable within fleeting windows
of opportunity were now under assault. Through nightly raids over the
course of several months, the Raider Stryke team methodically dismantled
the enemy networks from Baghdad and Tarmiyah to Balad, and from Baqubah to
Muqdadiyah. The results were astounding in the number of high level enemy
captured and killed, weapons caches and explosive devices uncovered,
prisoners rescued, and enemy sanctuaries denied. Never before had the
enemy witnessed such a formidable combination of intelligence, ground
forces and combat aviation assets. Never before had the enemy been subject
to such relentless pursuit – there was nowhere to hide! No Mission to
Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great, Duty First!
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