29. LT Nathan White Memorial

This letter was taken from a website commemorating LT Nathan White who was shot down by a US Patriot during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
http://ltnathanwhite.rockmancentral.com/docs/SAR_Meeker.html


Search and Rescue
Major Keith Meeker, 5-158 Avn Regt

Sir,

First I offer my sincere condolences surrounding the tragic loss of your son. As the son of a Naval Aviator, my dream had always been to fly the Navy's high-performance aircraft. However, there are only a select few individuals capable of such a demanding and challenging profession - of which level I could never achieve. For me, to fly helicopters in the Army would be the pinnacle of my military career. I say this because I know the kind of caliber that your son embodied. He must have been a good man, a good family man, a man at peace with his God.

I offer this information to let you know that I was involved with the Army's personnel recovery task force the night your son was shot down in an attempt to rescue him from harms way. I can say with the utmost confidence that the military at the joint level, brought all resources to bare on your sons rescue that soulless night in Iraq. That dark night of 2 Apr 03, while fires blazed along the northern horizon toward Baghdad, I stood watching from the tactical assembly area our bombing campaign looking on an irrigation canal outside my command and control tent just outside An Najaf. As the operations officer (S3) for Task Force 5-158 Aviation Regiment, I had the distinct pleasure to form the US Army's first Personnel Recovery Team. We flew UH-60 Blackhawk utility and AH-64 Longbow Apache helicopters and only the best pilots, ground security forces, and Air Force Tac-air personnel were involved in the mission. Our look is very similar to the combat search and rescue forces in the US Air Force.

A call came over our satellite radio net caught my attention about a possible downed coalition aircraft south of Baghdad - I raced inside the TOC. Seconds later hard copy information was coming into the secure email net that had information about your sons incident. This action was our third recovery we had worked since the war started on 20 Mar. But never before had so much detailed information come down so fast. Literally in minutes I had the whole picture, down to actual photographs of Nathan, how he planned to move if escape and evading. We worked feverishly. I called for the recovery team commander and his pilots plus the ground security force sergeant. Based from the latest known location of Nathan's aircraft, winds, and his course of actions that he determines before flight operations, we had a helicopter ingress route planned, how long the birds could loiter over the terminal objective areas before having to return for refuel. I called higher command headquarters to verify we were ready and seek approval to launch.

Working that hour so immersed and focused, the reality of the situation did not hit me until the crews went to the aircraft to await launch instructions. Having some time I looked at Nathan's picture and his personal information. Inside an inner voice swept over me that this is a live person, not a fictitious character in order to replicate a training event. The reality of the reality (if that makes any sense) was overwhelming and the only thing that mattered to us all that night was finding your son - our own life's took a back-seat. If he was alive we would find him at whatever the cost -the event was that powerful.

The radio cracked me back to my senses as headquarters informed us that the mission was ours - launch immediately. I had already informed the crews to spin the blades, it did not take them long before three Blackhawk's and three Apache helicopters flying nap of the earth in nearly no moon illumination and using night vision goggles. If there's one thing you need to know if all this sounds Greek - it was like flying through dark green yogurt for the pilots and crews. The risk was extremely high and everyone involved knew it. But the potential payoff was worth the risk.
You know the rest of the story so I do not need to take you down that path again. We were obviously also disappointed only to find debris from Nathan's aircraft. Our six aircraft stayed on stationed for nearly one-hour in harms way before having to return due to fuel. I thought this story can help you sort through the puzzle of your sons passing. Telling the story to you has also pushed some ghost from my wartime closet. I speak for all that were touched by Nathan that night, it was a great honor to serve our country that night for a fallen brother in arms.

Keith Meeker,Major
US Army Aviation

More information can be found here.
http://ltnathanwhite.rockmancentral.com/