CW2 Meerts said:
During the second round of Dog Company drill, on 06/10/2024, DP1 with HQ members in support was tasked with attacking the Echo objective on resort, defended by a combined force of DP2 and DP3. While this attacking force lacked any sort of number advantage to the defenders, they were supported by an OH-1 Loach recon helicopter piloted by T/5 Friedrich.
Arriving above the objective to scout ahead of the advancing ground forces, T/5 Friedrich almost immediately identified the threats to his air asset, a mounted DShK and an RPG-7 armed soldier, called them out and took both out with short, pinpoint bursts. Before the first contact between ground forces, he called out and made quick work of yet another threat. Then, as the ground battle began in earnest, he picked off 2 more defenders while continuously calling out any movement. At this stage, T/5 Friedrich quickly disengaged from the heavy incoming fire of multiple small arms. While the attackers slowed down their approach in anticipation of the recon helicopter’s return, a combination of well entrenched defenders and excellent use of traps quickly whittled down their numbers. By the time of his return, the ground battle was well underway, with a mere 2 attackers on the ground facing 7 opponents in and around the objective.
It is here that T/5 Friedrich’s pilot abilities truly shined, as he started systematically targeting known defender locations, expertly combining his extensive map knowledge, any prior callouts, and the recon ability of his helicopter. One by one, he eliminated more and more targets through windows and wall penetration while simultaneously maintaining constant evasive manoeuvres. At one point, he made a manoeuvre that had his chopper pointed vertically at the ground, in order to shoot down into the skylight of the objective’s main building. Showing his experience with helicopters, he maintained his quick, accurate callouts while manoeuvring through the sky and tearing down the defenders’ number advantage.
When this advantage then finally fell, and with the timer about to run out for the attackers, the last two remaining defenders quickly moved to stop the capture. Knowing that it was imperative for the objective’s capture to go unimpeded, lest the timer run out, T/5 Friedrich did not even let this last pair escape his grasp, mowing them down before they could even reach the attackers embedded on the other side of the objective. Having eliminated 12 out of 14 defenders, T/5 Friedrich turned an ill-fated attack into a solid victory. In communicating his reconnaissance expertly, wielding his limited and difficult to use fixed mini gun expertly, and maintaining constant peak aerial evasion, he truly showcased the apex of flying skill.
Congratulations on your Bronze Star, T/5 Friedrich!
