Tributes to the Fallen Heroes. May we never forget!
"This is written in memory of Captain Pablo Antonio Osorio. He is one of the few that can say he died fulfilling his dreams. He always wanted to be a pilot and he accomplished that dream. To his family in their time of grief I extend my whole-hearted gratitude, for this son, brother, husband and companion.Thank you for your sacrifice!" SYLVIE LAVOIE
In Memory of all our soldiers, those who have died for our country and for those who are still working hard to protect us. I honor and admire you all. My prayers go to you and to your families. Please don't ever feel alone, we are all with you every step of the way. Thank you. C.O.
COLOMBIA
Helicopter crash kills all on board
Posted Thu, 27 Feb 2003
A Colombian Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed in a mountainous region of northern Colombia on Wednesday, killing all 23 officers, soldiers and crewmen aboard, an Army spokesperson said.
The helicopter crashed at around 6.30 am local time (1.30pm) as troops from the army's elite Rapid Deployment Force were carrying out an anti-guerrilla offensive near the town of Curumani, in the mountainous Cesar province, some 700 kilometres north of Bogota.
Army spokesperson Major Jose Espejo said that the officers, soldiers and crew members aboard all died when the helicopter crashed in bad weather.
Hundreds of soldiers and several helicopters were involved in the search and rescue operation.
"Reconnaissance aircraft established that the five officers, three non-commissioned officers and 15 soldiers aboard were killed," army spokesman Major Jose Espejo told AFP.
Helicopter not shot down by guerrillas - officials
Several helicopters similar to the one that crashed were given to Colombia by the United States to aid the country's fight against drug trafficking and guerrillas.
Army officials insisted that the helicopter crashed because of bad weather, and was not shot down by guerrillas.
Rebels with the 17 000-strong Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Latin America's most powerful insurgency, has claimed in the past to have shot down military aircraft.
The rebels are known to possess high-calibre machine guns as well as some shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles.AFP
Colombian army helicopter crashes with 23 aboard
Went down in bad weather
Wednesday, February 26, 2003 Posted: 2:21 PM EST (1921 GMT)
BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) -- A Colombian army Black Hawk helicopter crashed as it hunted leftist guerrillas in a mountainous part of northern Colombia on Wednesday and all 23 soldiers on board were killed, the army said.
The U.S.-made Black Hawk, a fast and highly maneuverable aircraft that is the pride of the Colombian armed forces, went down in bad weather near the town of Curumani and Pailitas in Cesar province, about 300 miles (500 km) northeast of the capital Bogota, the army said in a news release.
"The commander of the army and all its personnel express their solidarity with the valiant soldiers who have given their lives," it said. All the soldiers were Colombians attached to an elite rapid-deployment army force.
It was the worst setback for Colombia's military aviation since rebels shot down another Black Hawk in October 2000, killing more than 20 crew. Black Hawks are used as both attack helicopters and for transporting troops.
Thousands of people are killed every year in Colombia's four-decade-old war, which pits leftist rebels and far-right paramilitary outlaws against the U.S.-backed army.
The United States has spent nearly $2 billion in recent years in military aid to help Colombian troops and police fight the booming cocaine industry. Last year, Washington allowed the Colombians to use the aid to combat illegal groups as well.
Though the armed forces are still overstretched to combat an estimated 20,000 guerrillas prowling the country's Andean ranges and thick jungles, the military has made significant improvements in its mobility and air-borne strategy, dealing military blows to rebels on the battlefield.
President Alvaro Uribe, a tough-talking lawyer who took office in August, is lobbying for more U.S. aid. Colombia is the third-largest recipient of U.S. military assistance
On Wednesday, 26 february, 23 Colombian troops died when a US-supplied Black Hawk helicopter crashed in the mountainous northeast of the country in the midst of an anti-guerrilla operation. While military sources initially blamed the crash on weather conditions, peasants in the area reported that they heard gunfire before the helicopter went down.
All 23 soldiers on board were killed. That makes for four Black Hawk down incidents since the U.S. government donated 53 of them to the Colombian military.
Some people say: "I had the honor of getting to know CPT Osorio and his wife while we were in Melgar (Colombia). Though, we only talked on a several occasions; it was obvious that he was a professional officer who loved his job. He will be missed."
Captain Osorio, goodbye soldier and thank you. You are our hero,we will always remember seeing Pablo Antonio in his uniform at the military school, he always looked like a Strong, Proud and Brave soldier, we feel honored to have known him, our prayers are with him and he will always be remembered as a hero for fighting for freedom.He continues to live in our heart.
Our condolences to all families who have lost loved ones to this war, to mothers and wives of Colombian soldiers.
