Well, the last 24 hours was very interesting.  Wow!  I just woke up after sleeping for a solid eleven hours.  Yesterday I had a 1535 Hrs Showtime for a 1735 Hrs takeoff.  The mission only required a flight of two black hawks to perform battlefield circulation.  The flight was going to take us all over Iraq and log about 5 hours.  The official sundown was 2015 so we were going to have to stop somewhere mid-flight and goggle up (NVG's).  The flight included a leg to the Southwest, past Fallujah to an isolated Marine Corps Air Station call "Al Taqaddum"(ORAT).  We departed Camp Speicher with our "FAT" (Free Air Temperature) gauge showing 49 Celsius UGH!!   While two hours into our flight and 5 miles north of Baghdad the other helicopter known as flight lead (chalk one) reported an in-flight emergency.  Apparently their number two engine "Chip Light" illuminated on the caution advisory panel.  We diverted the flight to the nearest Airfield in Baghdad and landed at the U.S. Embassy Compound known as Washington Helipad.  Once on the ground my crew chief and I jump up on our sister’s helicopter and pulled off the chip detector to see what the story was.  Yup, silver flakes were on the chip detector.  Not good.  The AMC "Air Mission Commander" (Sounds so Official) who is a green-fresh Army Lieutenant ran off to locate a DSN phone and called back at our base and scrambled the "DART" - Downed Aircraft Recovery Team.  Knowing that we had time to kill, we decided to find a food source.  Since it was dark and after 2000 hrs everything was closed.  We found out that the embassy has a Cafeteria and that it would reopen for Mid-Rats at 2200 hrs.  So we hung around and watched all the services helicopters come and go into the helipad.  What a show, the show gets better.

We are excited because this base doesn't require you to wear your ballistic helmet.  First time since January that I can walk around outside with a boonie (soft) hat.  We walk towards the embassy passing though many security check points manned by other foreign military.  Once we enter the grounds of the embassy we see trees, yes lots of trees, green lawns, and landscaping lights shinning up revealing a beautiful marble palace.  (so sorry, no photos security)  Was this Disneyland or the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas?  WOW!  Once inside it was just as spectacular. Marble floors, inlayed wood walls/doors, crystal chandeliers, balcony's drapes.  After passing through some more security check points we finally made it in and found food.  The grand ball room was converted into a Cafeteria and dinning room.  Very high ceilings.  Food was great big spread of whatever you wanted, deserts included.  after eating and we made it of the palace and started walking to the exit when we heard a BOOM!  someone behind us said "Oh don't worry, you hear that about three times a day!"  at 2350 hrs our two other aircraft arrived and told us that the broken bird and crew were going to spend the night and that we were to continue as a flight of three to complete the mission.  We donned on our NVG mounted flight helmets and took off to the West, it was a very clear night and zero loom (moon) It wasn't long before the meteor showers started.  COOL!!   Pretty wild show.  The Moon didn't come up until 0300 hrs so it was perfect to see the light show.  Lot's of Aircraft flying around too!  The AC-130's are easy to spot, shinning their big infrared spotlights down towards the ground.  For security reasons can't mention the visual signs.  After 2200 hrs, there is a curfew in IRAQ so you see tons of Iraqi Police driving around with there red and blue lights flashing.  Looks cool from the air (Disco Ball) and the convoys are so long that they look like a train, amazing.  Logistical nightmare, or is it the obvious threat from the terrorists.  Apache helicopter gunships usually provide convoy escort, flying around overhead, good deterrent since they have awesome firepower.  We finally made it to the Marine Air Field and taxied next to three huge Turing CH-53E Sea Stallions.  Their rear loading ramps were down and they were loading and off loading.  We off loaded our passengers and got out of their hair.  Busy air field, F-18's and AH-1W Cobras coming and going. The heat is just as bad during the night as in the day.  Wearing the ballistic Armor Vest, the heavy chicken ceramic chest plate and then the flight vest is a test.  Your T-shirt is soaked wet.  All three hawks made it back and landed at 0435 hrs.  We Logged the flight 5.5 flight hours marking 300 Combat flight hours since January for me. Time flies, the norm is 100 in 12 months, but 300 hrs in seven months in a helicopter.  My other crew chief and I turned around the aircraft and it flew out an hour later to perform a day mission.