I had to look back a few days. MNF Iraq put out almost a week’s worth of press releases all at once. Here’s their report an the battle in Najaf.

MNF Iraq
Iraqi security forces engaged in a day-long battle against several hundred
insurgents north of Najaf Jan. 28. When the day was done, a U.S. helicopter went
down, yet more than 100 gunmen were captured.

“This is an example of a promise kept,” said Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, deputy
commanding general of the Multi-National Division – Baghdad and the 1st Cavalry
Division, commenting on the recovery operation of the downed helicopter and day-long
battle against illegal militiamen. “Everything worked just as it should have.”

Brooks spoke last month at the An-Najaf ceremony turning over provincial control to
Iraqi Security Forces. During his speech at the transfer of authority ceremony in Najaf,
Brooks promised the citizens of An Najaf that MND-B would be there to support the ISF,
if called upon.

Elements from the Iraqi Army, Iraqi police and national police units in the area were sent
north of Najaf to follow up on a tip of armed gunmen in the area moving toward Najaf
with Ashura pilgrims.

A joint patrol was attacked by more than 200 gunmen with small arms fire, rocketpropelled
grenades and hand grenades. During the course of the morning-long fight,
U.S. fixed-wing aerial assets were called in to assist. U.S. helicopters launched to join
the fight at approximately noon.

While engaging the insurgents, one helicopter went down killing two Soldiers at
approximately 1:30 p.m.

Ground elements from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division and 2nd
Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment were dispatched to the site of the downed aircraft to
assist in recovering the remains of the Soldiers and to secure the helicopter.

Col. Michael Garrett, commander, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry
Division said the soldiers of 1st Brigade, 8th Iraqi Army Division under the command of
Col. Saadi were already on the scene pursuing the illegal militiamen.

“The aggressive manner in which the Iraqi soldiers performed north of An Najaf going
after the anti-Iraqi Forces was impressive,” said Garrett, a Cleveland, Ohio native.

Securing the area around the site of the downed aircraft became the focal point of
Coalition Forces and insurgents, alike, as the firefight continued. Coalition Force
elements including helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and ground units joined forces, with
the ISF, to battle a militia group estimated at more than 200 gunmen.

The crash site was secured and the remains of the fallen Soldiers were recovered.

Operations continued into the morning hours Jan. 29, to secure what remained of
the aircraft, to clear enemy forces in the area to reestablish ISF security of the region.
More than 100 gunmen were captured in the operation.

Garrett said the ISF’s planning for Ashura security was what set them up for their
battlefield success north of Najaf.

The cause of the helicopter crash is still under investigation. The recovered
Soldiers’ names are being withheld pending the notification of the next of kin.

Here’s what the Air Force reports:
2/4/2007 - BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFNEWS) — More than 200 enemy insurgents were killed and 100 gunmen captured near An Najaf Jan. 28 with 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing providing close-air support in the joint, combined effort to route the enemy in battle.

After insurgents attacked ground forces with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, 332nd F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs answered the call for support dropping more than 3.5 tons of precision munitions and expending 2,300 rounds of 20mm and 30mm cannon fire in an area of about five square miles.

F-16 from the 510th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 14th EFS and 332nd EFS, based here, as well as A-10 from the geographically separated 74th EFS at Al Asad Air Base, all participated.

The 36-hour action was the first time all the wing’s fighter aircraft have simultaneously employed ordnance in a single operation. Two of the squadrons, the 14th and 74th, joined the wing’s ranks just last month.

Talking directly to pilots during the mission was a Joint Terminal Attack Controller Airman embedded with Army ground forces, said Lt. Col. Bob Winkler, a 510th F-16 pilot. Army ground liaison officers routinely coordinate with JTAC Airmen for mission-specific details to better prepare pilots before missions.

“Initially, we weren’t involved in Najaf since ground forces hadn’t yet requested air support,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Levern Randall, 332nd AEW ground liaison noncommissioned officer. “Once airpower was requested, we supported the recovery operations of the downed helicopter.”

Lt. Col. David Tenlen and his wingman, F-16 pilots assigned to the 332nd, were the first on scene to provide close-air-support.

“We’re committed to providing coalition forces the combat airpower they need,” Colonel Tenlen said.

74th A-10 pilots Capt. Jeffrey Lederhouse and wingman Maj. Clinton Eichelberger diverted from another mission and helped control the airspace. Captain Lederhouse helped manage the J-TAC’s burden by directing aircraft to refuel and helping direct support to ground forces.

The mission was almost identical to a recent home-station training scenario, said Major Eichelberger, an A-10 instructor pilot. A-10s can traditionally stay in the target area for a longer period of time to drop their precision-guided weapons, he said.

Crew chiefs, aircraft maintainers responsible for inspecting the systems, engines, and motor before and after each flight, helped the pilots get off the ground to support the mission.

“I was proud to know my jet was doing what it was made to do,” said Senior Airman Billy Butler, crew chief and tactical aircraft maintainer. “We knew we had to get those jets turned around and back in the air quickly, and safety is first in our minds when we’re under surge operations.”

Throughout the operation, the 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron sustained normal and surge operations simultaneously, and at one point, had jets quick-turned two hours ahead of schedule.

“It feels good knowing we’re able to support the people who are directly involved,” said Staff Sgt. Jared Bicker, weapons load crew chief. “Our team didn’t know until later that day what was happening in [An] Najaf until we saw it on cable news.”

The 332nd at Balad, located 40 miles north of Baghdad, launches a significant amount of Air Force combat airpower in Iraq.

“I’m pretty darn proud of the operations, maintenance and combat support efforts of our Tuskegee Airmen team,” said Brig. Gen. Robin Rand, commander of the 332nd.