mojo
02-01-2002, 11:36 AM
http://www.nandotimes.com/world/story/234509p-2250759c.html
U.S. Air Force plane struck during Philippine training exercise
Copyright © 2002 AP Online
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (January 31, 2002 7:25 p.m. EST) - A Pentagon official said Thursday that an Air Force special operations aircraft was hit by gunfire and sustained light damage during a training exercise in the Philippines.
No one on the MC-130H plane was injured, said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Davis said.
The incident occurred about 7 p.m. Wednesday, local time, or Wednesday morning Washington time, he said.
The source of the small arms fire has not been determined.
The aircraft was flying a low-level training mission in a mountainous area on Luzon island when it was attacked.
After the plane returned to Clark Air Base near Manila, the capital, workers discovered it had two bullet holes. One bullet came up through the floor of the plane and nearly struck a crew member, Davis said.
The MC-130H was participating in an exercise code-named "Balance Piston," in which about 400 U.S. and Filipino troops are conducting training in counter-terrorist tactics.
The exercise is separate from a training operation on the southern island of Basilan in which U.S. troops are advising Filipino forces in their fight against the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group, which has been linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network and is holding an American missionary couple and a Filipino nurse hostage.
U.S. Air Force plane struck during Philippine training exercise
Copyright © 2002 AP Online
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (January 31, 2002 7:25 p.m. EST) - A Pentagon official said Thursday that an Air Force special operations aircraft was hit by gunfire and sustained light damage during a training exercise in the Philippines.
No one on the MC-130H plane was injured, said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Davis said.
The incident occurred about 7 p.m. Wednesday, local time, or Wednesday morning Washington time, he said.
The source of the small arms fire has not been determined.
The aircraft was flying a low-level training mission in a mountainous area on Luzon island when it was attacked.
After the plane returned to Clark Air Base near Manila, the capital, workers discovered it had two bullet holes. One bullet came up through the floor of the plane and nearly struck a crew member, Davis said.
The MC-130H was participating in an exercise code-named "Balance Piston," in which about 400 U.S. and Filipino troops are conducting training in counter-terrorist tactics.
The exercise is separate from a training operation on the southern island of Basilan in which U.S. troops are advising Filipino forces in their fight against the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group, which has been linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network and is holding an American missionary couple and a Filipino nurse hostage.