David Buie
(8/2023) As summers come and go, people traditionally embrace the beginning with Memorial Day and celebrate around mid-season with the 4th of July. However, it is essential to reflect on whether we genuinely honor and appreciate the men and women who made these significant moments possible. In Taneytown, numerous heroes have made immense sacrifices, some even paying the ultimate price, yet their stories often remain unheard and unacknowledged.
Among these brave individuals are Sterling Galt and John Buffington, both of whom received the prestigious Medal of Honor for their bravery. These individuals and others like them have contributed significantly to the freedoms and liberties we cherish during these celebratory times.
Another hero, SPC Jeffrey Colbert, deserves special mention. On April 14, 1994, he made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his country—a memorial sign on Route 140 stands as a lone testament to his bravery and sacrifice. Still, unfortunately, many people are unaware of the profound tragedy that took not only SPC Colbert's life but also that of twenty-five other service members and officials.
On April 14, 1994, the tragic incident unfolded in northern Iraq, resulting in the loss of two U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters carrying 26 crew members and passengers. The events leading to the tragedy were attributed to a series of errors, with the responsibility ranging from the higher-ranking officials overseeing Operation Provide Comfort Task Force to the ground level.
According to Steve Davies' book, "F-15C Eagle Units in Combat," the day began with the launching two F-15Cs, 'Tiger 01' and '02,' flown by Capt. Eric Wickson (lead) and Lt Col Randy W May (wingman) on an airspace sweep north of the no-fly zone. Simultaneously, two UH-60s departed from Zakhu, Iraq, using the call-sign 'Eagle' and informed the AWACS (call sign 'Cougar') of their departure point and destination. The AWACS controller, however, failed to pass this critical information to the F-15 pilots, who needed to be made aware of the presence of friendly helicopter flights in the same airspace they were assigned to patrol.
Wickson detected radar contacts on low-flying, slow-moving aircraft approximately 52 miles north of the no-fly zone's southern boundary and 40 miles southeast of his position. A minute later, the Individual Friend or Foe (IFF) returns from the UH-60 were visible and identifiable as being in the exact location as Wickson's reported contacts. Yet, AWACS still did not inform the 'Tiger' flight of the presence of IFF data in the target area. Wickson locked the target up and initiated his IFF interrogations in commercial and military modes. Each six-second-long attempt failed to elicit a response. 'Tiger 01 and' 02' moved in closer to make a visual identification.
Wickson misidentified the helicopters as enemy aircraft, initially labeling them as "Hind" and then correcting to "Hip" before updating the identification back to "Hind" again. "Hind" refers to the Russian-made MI-24, and "Hip" refers to the Russian-manufactured MI-8. This miscommunication led to the engagement, and both Black Hawk helicopters were shot down, causing the loss of lives and permanently impacting the F-15 Eagle's reputation.
The USAF poorly handled the aftermath of the tragedy. Initially, the two pilots faced court-martial charges, but those charges were eventually dropped, leading to controversy and criticism. The 53rd F.S., the "Tigers," struggled to recover from the incident's stain on their otherwise exemplary record. The USAF closed the 53rd F.S. to move past the incident, leaving only one Eagle squadron in the USAFE theater for future operations. The mishandling of the case's fallout further added to the black mark against the Air Force, almost equal to the tragic event itself.
One of the twenty-six killed was Specialist Jeffrey Colbert, son of Taneytown resident Arnita Colbert-Sowers. Colbert was born on May 4, 1971, and after graduating from Middletown High School in 1989, embarked on a journey with the United States Army, which had begun at the beginning of his senior year through the military's delayed entry program. Basic Training brought him to Ft. Lewis, Washington; in 1989, Colbert completed it successfully. His service took him to Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, where he served in Saudi Arabia and Iraq from August 1990 to April 1991.
Following these experiences, he was deployed to Germany in the autumn of 1992, assuming the crew chief role aboard the Army's esteemed UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. His dedication led him to rotate to Turkey every two months while actively participating in Operation Provide Comfort.
SPC Jeff Colbert, a son of Taneytown, selflessly gave his life in service to his country as a member of the Eagle Flight Detachment. His bravery, unwavering dedication, and ultimate sacrifice will forever be etched in the fabric of our community. While a lone green sign on the side of Route 140 near Taneytown honors SPC Colbert's life, the community of Taneytown will forever remember him as an authentic hero, a shining star in Taneytown history.
Roll Call of the 26 crew and passengers who lost their lives on April 14, 1994:
U.S. Military: SSG Paul Barclay (S.F. Commo NCO); SPC Cornelius A. Bass (Eagle-1 Door Gunner); SPC Jeffrey C. Colbert (Eagle-1 Crew Chief); SPC Mark A. Ellner (Eagle-2 Door Gunner); CW2 John W. Garrett, Jr. (Eagle-1 Pilot); CW2 Michael A. Hall (Eagle-2 Pilot Command); SFC Benjamin T. Hodge (Linguist); CPT Patrick M. McKenna (Eagle-1 Pilot Command); WO1 Erik S. Mounsey (Eagle-2 Pilot); COL Richard A. Mulhern (Incoming Co-Commander); 1LT Laurie A. Piper (USAF, Intel Officer); SGT Michael S. Robinson (Eagle-2 Crew Chief); SSG Ricky L. Robinson (SF Medic); Ms. Barbara L. Schell (State Dept. Political Advisor); COL Jerald L. Thompson (Outgoing Co-Commander)
British Military: MAJ Harry Shapland (Security/Intel Duty Officer); LTC Jonathan C. Swann (Senior U.K. Officer)
French Military: LTC Guy Demetz (Senior French Officer)
Turkish Army: COL Hikmet Alp (Co-Commander); LT Ceyhun Civas (Laison Officer); LT Barlas Gultepe (Liason Officer)
Kurdish Partisans: Abdulsatur Arab; Ghandi Hussein; Bader Mikho; Ahmad Mohammed; Salid Said (Linguist)
