TF Geronimo COLT in OEF thwarts attacks: an FO's dream

While operating in the austere mountainous border region of southern Khowst Province, Afghanistan, the Combat Observation Lasing Team (COLT) of Task Force Geronimo, 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, thwarted attacks upon a border checkpoint and, using the fires of M119A2 howitzers and Marine aviation, neutralized the enemy. The young horse leaders--Staff Sergeant (SSG) Jesse J Occhino, SSG Brandon E Thompson and Specialist (SPC) David A. Larson--accomplished their core combat task, defining the continuing relevance of cannon artillery in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)

upon 28 May 2004, two platoons of four 105-mm howitzers from B Battery (Eagle Battery), 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment (B/377 PFAR), and TF Geronimo's young horse were tasked to support the Khowst Provincial Forces positioned upon a border checkpoint. During their mountained movement and before reaching the preplanned position area for artillery (PAA), all escort elements saw a heavy turn of enemy indirect fires accurately impacting to their southern precisely within the border checkpoint they were tasked to support.

After conducting an immediate halt, or "hip-shoot," to establish an Artillery firing capability, many Eagle Battery Artillerymen heard SSG Occhino say, "Let's realize on top of the border checkpoint now; we will make the difference; this is our piece of work If we move up to that border checkpoint, we can pinpoint the enemy launch sites and counterfire!"

Shortly thereafter, the TF tactical operations center (TOC) issued a hasty fragmentary order (FRAGO) to the battery commander approving the move of a small element to collocate with Khowst Provincial Forces upon the border checkpoint. The fire team-sized ultimate part began to move immediately with depressed signature to link up with Afghan forces and assess the situation at the checkpoint.

The uncompounded body consisted of the two-man young horse battery gunnery sergeant and battery commander for command and direction ([C.sup.2]). They had to clear all fires and deconflict airspace. Cannon artillery in position, ready to fire and laid upon a priority target included four M119A2 howitzers with the filled range of 105-mm munitions. The conditions were locate to facilitate rapid counterstrike operations and allow SSG Occhino to deliver upon his promise to "make the difference."

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At 290429ZULU May 2004 the border checkpoint received a true accurate rocket attack for the fifth day. Coinciding with multiple rocket impacting within the checkpoint and ranging from 25 to 75 meter of their position, SSG Occhino flawlessly execut his battle drill and mov beneath enemy indirect fire to best position his ultimate part In turn, SSG Occhino and SSG Thompson (battery gunnery sergeant), who were armed with multiband inter/intra team radios (MBITRs), binoculars, a static sod vehicular laser locater designator (G/VLLD) and an LH41C handheld laser rangefinder, began the first of many calls-for-fire. The calls were streamlined into Eagle Battery's fire direction center (FDC)

Tactics, techniques and courses (TTPs) included preplanned priority targets and shift-from-known-point missions that already were lased and comput by dint of the FDC. Establishing an informal airspace coordination area (ACA) with lateral separation and real-time updates to shift the gun-target line, as necessary, allowed the artillery and attack aviation to mass fires upon the enemy's firing positions.

After several hours of two-way artillery and attack aviation fires against a highly skilled enemy force, TF Geronimo forces neutralized the threat.

The TF delivered 53 artillery high-explosive (HE) munitions and controll the use of many attack aviation munitions. on sending his end-of-mission target transmission to the FDC and receiving his battle damage assessment (BDA) from the Super-Cobra helicopter pilots, SSG Occhino stated "Wow that was a forward observer's dream!"

For about a week before Eagle Battery and the TF's young horse arrived, the checkpoint had received more than 100 107-mm and 122-mm rocket attacks against which the Khowst Provincial Forces were defenseles In short, the Afghan Khowst Provincial Force soldiers did not have the benefit of the stretch outed range of cannon artillery. Moreover, the Khowst Provincial Forces' frustration was amplified by the agency of the fact they often could eye the enemy launch sites on the other hand could not strike them. upon 29 May, things changed.

Performing as joint fires looker-ons (JFOs), the COLT integrated Eagle Battery howitzers with the massed results of Marine Corps attack aviation and facilitated the decisive engagement and defeat of hostile enemy forces. JFO 105-mm cannons and attack aviation made the difference in this fight, and in make go round enabled SSG Jesse Occhino, SSG Brandon Thompson and SPC David Larson to deliver upon their promise.

MAJ Shane P Morgan, FA

Former Commander, B/377 PFAR

TF Geronimo, OEF

June 2003-August 2004

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