ianstone
05-31-2010, 08:30 AM
May 19, 2010
When reporter Tom Coghlan and I arrived at the remote forward operating base (FOB) “Lane” in the mountains of Zabul province, home to a platoon of US paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division, we found the guys in the mortar pit, preparing to carry out a mission to fire on surrounding peaks.
There were two reasons for the mortar fire: first, to target known Taleban spotter positions, and second, because they needed to practice. I was eager to start photographing something of substance as it had taken nearly five days to get here and there had been a lot of waiting around, so I photographed them as they went about their firing, shifting position and constantly re-arranging my earplugs because they kept falling out just as the mortar was about to fire.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79ade7970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79ade7970b-popup)
Then it happened. We were watching the bombs fall on the peak in front of us when suddenly came an explosion behind us. “Er... was that one of ours?” I asked nervously. The observer, Sgt Erik Menezes, who had been sitting on the cookhouse roof cracking jokes about the mortar teams' aim, was now standing bolt upright, his range-finder binoculars pointing behind us where a plume of smoke was rising a few hundred metres from wall of the base.
“Rocket strike! I see another one launching! Incoming! Take cover!" Menezes shouted "Into the bunker, now!” said Sgt Dickerson, the mortar team leader, pulling me with him into the mortar pit bunker. As we raced in we heard another explosion crashing behind us. It later turned out that this was two rockets launched together that exploded.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79aea6970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79aea6970b-popup)
Inside the bunker, Sgt Dickerson grabbed the radio and shouted down the line to the main US base: “This is FOB Lane, we are taking incoming rocket fire.” Sirens split the air as the mortar team raced out of their bunker towards the massive 120mm mortar they had practised with earlier. Specialist Sean McHenry, normally the platoon's cook but now volunteering as the mortar man, ran to the ammo dump, grabbed the large 120mm bombs and ran back to the pit to stack them and prepare them for firing. http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad30f4970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad30f4970c-popup)
The mortar team were frantically setting up the mortar and shouting ranges and bearings to each other.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3e55970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3e55970c-popup)
With an ear-splitting roar, the mortar fired. I could feel the vibrations on my face as I tried to focus the camera in the growing gloom of dusk. Again the mortar fired, and my left earplug fell out again. Now I was photographing the scene with my camera held only in my right hand and my left index finger stuck in my left ear.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79b266970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79b266970b-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3770970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3770970c-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad37ff970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad37ff970c-popup)
The rocket firing point was shrouded in smoke and flame as the team fired a mixture of high explosive and white phosphorus. The daylight had disappeared. I quickly re-assessed the camera settings and shot using a long exposure with high aperture to try to catch the mortar flash.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3970970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3970970c-popup)
Sgt Dickerson gave the order to cease fire. “There will now be an intermission,” he said, grinning. The crew had clearly enjoyed themselves. The other paratroopers were now in full body armour and manning the compound wall in case of a ground attack. Leaning against the tactical operation centre wall was the youthful platoon leader, Lt Sean Snook. “You guys just arrived here today. Right?” I nodded.
“Welcome to FOB Lane,” he said.
I think these photographs are amazing
When reporter Tom Coghlan and I arrived at the remote forward operating base (FOB) “Lane” in the mountains of Zabul province, home to a platoon of US paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division, we found the guys in the mortar pit, preparing to carry out a mission to fire on surrounding peaks.
There were two reasons for the mortar fire: first, to target known Taleban spotter positions, and second, because they needed to practice. I was eager to start photographing something of substance as it had taken nearly five days to get here and there had been a lot of waiting around, so I photographed them as they went about their firing, shifting position and constantly re-arranging my earplugs because they kept falling out just as the mortar was about to fire.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79ade7970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79ade7970b-popup)
Then it happened. We were watching the bombs fall on the peak in front of us when suddenly came an explosion behind us. “Er... was that one of ours?” I asked nervously. The observer, Sgt Erik Menezes, who had been sitting on the cookhouse roof cracking jokes about the mortar teams' aim, was now standing bolt upright, his range-finder binoculars pointing behind us where a plume of smoke was rising a few hundred metres from wall of the base.
“Rocket strike! I see another one launching! Incoming! Take cover!" Menezes shouted "Into the bunker, now!” said Sgt Dickerson, the mortar team leader, pulling me with him into the mortar pit bunker. As we raced in we heard another explosion crashing behind us. It later turned out that this was two rockets launched together that exploded.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79aea6970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79aea6970b-popup)
Inside the bunker, Sgt Dickerson grabbed the radio and shouted down the line to the main US base: “This is FOB Lane, we are taking incoming rocket fire.” Sirens split the air as the mortar team raced out of their bunker towards the massive 120mm mortar they had practised with earlier. Specialist Sean McHenry, normally the platoon's cook but now volunteering as the mortar man, ran to the ammo dump, grabbed the large 120mm bombs and ran back to the pit to stack them and prepare them for firing. http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad30f4970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad30f4970c-popup)
The mortar team were frantically setting up the mortar and shouting ranges and bearings to each other.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3e55970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3e55970c-popup)
With an ear-splitting roar, the mortar fired. I could feel the vibrations on my face as I tried to focus the camera in the growing gloom of dusk. Again the mortar fired, and my left earplug fell out again. Now I was photographing the scene with my camera held only in my right hand and my left index finger stuck in my left ear.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79b266970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ed79b266970b-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3770970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3770970c-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad37ff970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad37ff970c-popup)
The rocket firing point was shrouded in smoke and flame as the team fired a mixture of high explosive and white phosphorus. The daylight had disappeared. I quickly re-assessed the camera settings and shot using a long exposure with high aperture to try to catch the mortar flash.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3970970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef013480ad3970970c-popup)
Sgt Dickerson gave the order to cease fire. “There will now be an intermission,” he said, grinning. The crew had clearly enjoyed themselves. The other paratroopers were now in full body armour and manning the compound wall in case of a ground attack. Leaning against the tactical operation centre wall was the youthful platoon leader, Lt Sean Snook. “You guys just arrived here today. Right?” I nodded.
“Welcome to FOB Lane,” he said.
I think these photographs are amazing