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Originally Posted by Team Sergeant
Great pic!
May or June? 1978 we (1-505) were alerted and almost on our way to Africa to give Idi Amin Dada and his posse a dirt nap. We were all a bit disappointed when we were told the mission was scrubbed.
I'll also be purchasing your book! Love paratrooper stories! (even if I do have a short attention span..)  |
Hi Team,
There was a French or Belgium operation a week or two after Cassinga where their paratroopers rescued some white nationals in the Congo I think it was, maybe Kolwezi? If I remember correctly, American aircraft were involved as they didnt have their own handy. I wonder whether that was what you were preparing for? I will look it up and report back.
Here we go. From Wiki : On Saturday,13 May 1978, Ex - Katanges Soldiers supported by Angola, occupied the city. The government of Zaire asked Belgium, France, Morocco and the United States to restore order. The 2e REP, an elite paratroopers unit of the French Foreign Legion, were sent in to drive out the rebels and rescue any hostages. The Belgian army also deployed a force of some 750 Paracommando Regiment paratroopers and moved out just over 1,800 Europeans to other cities in the region. 700 Africans, including 250 rebels,[5] 170 European hostages and 6 paratroopers died.