3rd Infantry Division Operations - Fort Stewart - U.S. Army

Chapter 9
The United States Air Force, Navy,
Marine Corps, and CJSOTF
At any given time, the skies over the division's area of
operation were crowded. It was a veritable superhighway
of commercial jetliners arriving and departing
Baghdad International Airport. Helicopters of all types and
nations were workhorses operating around the clock. Hundreds
of feet above ground silent sentinels, helium filled dirigibles
with mounted video cameras, served as vigilant guards against
ill-willed men.
Air Force, Navy, and Marine fighter bombers cut through
the clouds near the speed of sound, day and night, finding and
killing ground hugging enemies. The targets were often preplanned,
but in some cases planes were called on target by Task
Force Marne Soldiers on the ground using Air Force Tactical
Air Control Parties assigned to each battalion. Missiles and gun
runs were used against "bongo trucks" hauling mortars or men
with machineguns.