WITH MARINES IN OPERATION PROVIDE COMFORT                               21


Marine aviation, AH-iT Bell Sea Cobra gunships, frequently called "Snakes"
because of their menacing appearance, narrow silhouettes, and long profiles. Sea
Cobras were two-seat, twin-engine, single-main rotor, attack aircraft. They
mounted a wide variety of ordnance, including a three-barrel 2Omm M197 chin-
mounted rotating cannon, TOW antitank missiles, and sidewinder antiaircraft
missiles. The three Ull-iNs and four AH-iTs assigned to the Black Knights
came from HMLA-l67, stationed at New River, North Carolina.
   A   detachment from    MACG-28   gave  the  squadron and  its associated
amphibious task force the ability to command, control, and coordinate air
operations. This unit provided vital air traffic control systems and personnel.
MWSS-272 provided a detachment of aircraft specialists and ancillary equipment,
including a Helicopter Expeditionary Refueling System (HERS). This refueling
system was a collection of rubber bladders that looked like gigantic black
waterbed mattresses. The associated hoses, pumps, connectors, and generators
enabled  the Marines  to  refuel rotary  wing  aircraft at a forward  area
rearming/refueling point (FARP). The HERS was fully transportable by air or
ground mode and made the squadron a truly mobile expeditionary force. Air
defense was furnished by a detachment from the 2d LAAD armed with hand-held
Stinger missiles. The major drawback for HMM-264 was that it had no Harrier
"jump jets" to provide fixed wing close air support attached.

                                MSSG-24

   MEU Service Support Group (MSSG) 24 provided the MEU's "beans,
bullets, and band aids."  This logistics unit was formed by uniting service


                                                         Photograph by the author
An AH-IT Bell Sea Cobra attack hehcooter was assigned to HMM-264. Four such t'vooilot, ~vin-
engine, armed rotary wing aircraft provided close-in fire supportfr~r the 24th MEU in northern
Iraq.