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Casevac hero honoured
22 March 2010
A pilot serving in Afghanistan who flew eight IRT missions in as
many days during Operation Panther’s Claw, some under fire,
has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).
Chinook captain Flt Lt Marc Heal ‘consistently demonstrated
exceptional levels of professional ability combined with unflinching
courage’ to evacuate 29 casualties and deliver them into medical
care.
Op Panther's Claw (Panchai Pallang) was launched prior to
Afghanistan’s elections last year, to clear insurgents from an area
north of Lashkar Gah and extend security to the area. Thousands
of British, American and Afghan soldiers were deployed.
During the eight-day period in July 2009, Flt Lt Heal and his crew of Sqn Ldr H Bailey, Sgt Scott Todd and Sgt Jacky Milburn – all from 18 Sqn – were tasked to fly the eight casevac missions, some without the escort of an Apache helicopter due to unserviceability.
On one occasion their landing site was mortared and on another, as casualties were being loaded onto the Chinook, insurgents bore down on the helicopter’s position. Flt Lt Heal said: “The day the site was mortared, we had to get the first casualties back and then return as others had been injured as a result of the mortars“On the other the Apache escort was telling us of insurgents as they were closing in on our position – we could not lift off until all the casualties were safely on board.”
His DFC citation states that ‘throughout this most intense operational period, his superior flying skills, inspirational command of his crew and calmness under fire set an outstanding example of gallantry, professionalism and courage that undoubtedly saved lives’.
Flt Lt Heal joined the RAF in 2002 and is now a Qualified Helicopter Instructor. He has completed five tours of Afghanistan.
But the 29-year-old pilot from Brighton was modest about his achievements last summer.
He said: “I am very proud. A lot of people say it but it really is for the whole crew. The crew and the IRT people did an amazing job. There were 16 people on the helicopter including the Force Protection guys – it was just that I was the captain on the day.”
22 March 2010
A pilot serving in Afghanistan who flew eight IRT missions in as
many days during Operation Panther’s Claw, some under fire,
has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).
Chinook captain Flt Lt Marc Heal ‘consistently demonstrated
exceptional levels of professional ability combined with unflinching
courage’ to evacuate 29 casualties and deliver them into medical
care.
Op Panther's Claw (Panchai Pallang) was launched prior to
Afghanistan’s elections last year, to clear insurgents from an area
north of Lashkar Gah and extend security to the area. Thousands
of British, American and Afghan soldiers were deployed.
During the eight-day period in July 2009, Flt Lt Heal and his crew of Sqn Ldr H Bailey, Sgt Scott Todd and Sgt Jacky Milburn – all from 18 Sqn – were tasked to fly the eight casevac missions, some without the escort of an Apache helicopter due to unserviceability.
On one occasion their landing site was mortared and on another, as casualties were being loaded onto the Chinook, insurgents bore down on the helicopter’s position. Flt Lt Heal said: “The day the site was mortared, we had to get the first casualties back and then return as others had been injured as a result of the mortars“On the other the Apache escort was telling us of insurgents as they were closing in on our position – we could not lift off until all the casualties were safely on board.”
His DFC citation states that ‘throughout this most intense operational period, his superior flying skills, inspirational command of his crew and calmness under fire set an outstanding example of gallantry, professionalism and courage that undoubtedly saved lives’.
Flt Lt Heal joined the RAF in 2002 and is now a Qualified Helicopter Instructor. He has completed five tours of Afghanistan.
But the 29-year-old pilot from Brighton was modest about his achievements last summer.
He said: “I am very proud. A lot of people say it but it really is for the whole crew. The crew and the IRT people did an amazing job. There were 16 people on the helicopter including the Force Protection guys – it was just that I was the captain on the day.”
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RAF Chinook pilot braves Taliban attack to save troops
17 June 2010P Update
A RAF Chinook pilot who flew into a Taliban fire
fight to rescue critically injured troops as Afghan insurgents advanced on
his aircraft has spoken for the first time about the mission that earned him
the Services highest honour.As captain of an Immediate Response team,
Flight Lieutenant Marc Heal flew eight missions over three days to
evacuate 29 coalition fighters injured in some of the most intense fighting
in Helmand during Operation Panthers Claw. During one mission, Marc
brought the team down as Afghan fighters launched a rocket attack on the
Chinook. He said: We had to go in hard. The Afghans were pretty close
and started mortaring the landing site.The Taliban were advancing on our
position. We had the Apache flying support counting them down and we
could see them getting closer. We know that we area valuable target to
them and when we are flying in at 50ft we are pretty visible.Under the
intense tempo of operations Marc and his team worked round the clock
flying into the combat zone as coalition forces battled to quell
insurgent opposition to crucial Afghan elected Govenment After evacuating
the injured to Camp Bastion hospital the Chinook crew were called straight
back out to the scene of heavy fighting in the Gereshk area where coalition forces were under fire from heavily armed insurgent fighters.On one occasion Marc volunteered to launch a rescue mission without top cover from heavily armed Army Apache helicopter He said: is not like any other mission. You really
don't have any time to plan.
