Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopter 08-08044.

08-08044

B Company, 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, Fort drum, New York first unit patch, Summer 2010. Click on the patch to see a full size image.

Property of

B Company - "Colossal"

3-10th GSAB

Fort Drum, New York

2010 - 2011

   08-08044, Boeing Vertol Tab Number unknown, U.S. Army Tab Number M8044, was a CH-47F helicopter. The U.S. Army acceptance date was 26 February 2009. The administrative strike date was July 2011. As of 1 July 2011, 08-08044 accumulated an unknown number of aircraft hours.

   08-08044 was a new build airframe manufactured with used power train components (blades, engines and transmissions, etc.) and some hydraulic components.

   08-08044 was initially assigned to B Company - "Colossal", 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB), 10th Division, located at Fort Drum, New York.

   In October 2010, 08-08044 deployed via STRATAIR to Afghanistan.

   In July 2011, while performing a mission at night, 08-08044 was shot down.

   08-08044, callsign " Big Apple 10", was operating in the Pech Valley outside of Nangarlam, Afghanistan. The assigned crew was CW2 Mike Brown, Pilot in Command (PC); CW2 Matthew Gerlitzki, Pilot (P); SGT John Colwell, Flight Engineer (FE); SPC Beth Ackey, Crew Chief (CE); and SGT Pedro Alvarado, Door Gunner (DG).

   A John Deere Gator was added to the rear of the aircraft at the last minute as internal cargo. It became the death nail to 08-08044 as well as the saving grace for the crew.

   As 08-08044 flew in the valley, it came under fire and was struck in the aft portion of the aircraft by a Rocket Propelled Grenande (RPG). The RPG hit the Gator, ruptured the fuel tank and ignited the fuel.

   Due to the RPG striking the Gator and not the airframe, 08-08044 was able to safely land allowing all crew members and passengers to exit and survive the crash uninjured.

   08-08044 was consumed by the post crash fire.

   08-08044's sister ship, tail number unknown, was Chalk 2 for the mission. It was turned around by the Apache Weapons Team (AWT) who sent out the Fallen Angel call as soon as 08-08044 landed. The AWT came under heavy fire from multiple DshK (pronounced Dish-Ka - a Russian made .50 caliber machine gun) positions while they hunted and terminated the RPG team that had downed 08-08044.

   The crew of 08-08044, along with eight passengers ran about 75 meters to the Forward Operating Base, formerly FOB Blessing - now ANA Base Nangarlam.

   As of July 2011, the last known location of 08-08044 was in Afghanistan, assigned to "Colossal".

   Aircraft status: Shot Down.

The remains of CH-47F Chinook helicopter 08-08044 after it was removed from the crash site to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty in August 2011. To the left on the Flat Rack can be seen a John Deere Gator, a wheeled vehicle that caught fire when the aircraft was struck by a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG), starting the blaze in the cabin that initiated the consumption the aircraft. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger image.

The remains of CH-47F Chinook helicopter 08-08044 after it was removed from the crash site to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty in August 2011. In the photograph, one can see an Engine Transmission still mounted on an Engine with the housing burnt away. Visible are the gears and sprag clutch. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger image.

The remains of CH-47F Chinook helicopter 08-08044 after it was removed from the crash site to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty in August 2011. Visible is the Forward Transmission with most of the Swashplate burnt away. The Forward Rotor Head is still attached to the Forward Mast. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger image.

The remains of CH-47F Chinook helicopter 08-08044 after it was removed from the crash site to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty in August 2011. An Engine, still attached to the Engine Mount is visible. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger image.

The remains of CH-47F Chinook helicopter 08-08044 after it was removed from the crash site to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty in August 2011. Visible is the Aft Pivoting Actuator still securely mounted inside what's left of the Aft Pylon. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger image.

The following CH-47F Chinook helicopters were fielded to B Company - "Colossal", 3rd Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York, in early 2010. They also deployed with the unit to Afghanistan in the Fall of 2010. Airframes are always being shifted around, so there is no telling where they are now.

05-08014	07-08727	07-08728	07-08729	07-08730
07-08731	08-08044	08-08054	08-08056	08-08058
09-08059	09-08060

The following CH-47F Chinook helicopters were borrowed from other units and utilized to support the training of personnel assigned to B Company - "Colossal", 3rd Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York, in early to mid 2010. Airframes are always being shifted around, so there is no telling where they are now.