Black Hawk helicopters swoop into Le Mars for guard training

(Sentinel photo by Magdalene Landegent) National Guard members from the C-troop First Squadron 113th Cavalry, based in Le Mars, practice air insertion and extraction techniques with Black Hawk helicopters at the Le Mars Municipal Airport. The troops practiced Friday in Le Mars, then flew to Hawarden and back over the weekend. [Click to enlarge]

On Saturday, four UH 60 Black Hawk helicopters with blades still turning barely set down on the Le Mars Municipal Airport air strip.

Within minutes, loaded with National Guard troops from the C-Troop, First 113th Cavalry, the choppers lifted off, headed for the training grounds near Hawarden.

These Le Mars-based troops were learning procedures for air insertion and extraction.

"As an infantry troop, one way we get to the objective -- if it's not by foot or by ground transportation -- is by air movement," said Captain Richard Rush, of Altoona.

Rush is the commander of the 81 guards who participated in the exercise.

After spending Friday practicing safe loading and unloading of two of the helicopters, the troops were picked up at 10 a.m. Saturday to head to Hawarden where they spent the day in the field, training.

On Sunday, they trained for air extraction, including practicing sling loads -- using the helicopters to pick up Humvees.

Then the soldiers practiced air extraction and the Black Hawks returned them to the Le Mars Municipal Airport.

"This is one of the new tasks they're training for," Rush said. "Landing zone operations."

The Black Hawks, of the same make as helicopters currently used in Afghanistan and Iraq, flew in from the base in Boone.