British Forces Continue Massing Troops, Consolidating Positions
Dear Felllow Earthlings,
On the 1st of June 1982 the occupying troops In Port Stanley were overjoyed as they saw a pilot parachuting from a plane that had been downed by Argentine gunners. But after the pilot was picked up, it was discovered he was an Argentinian. The Argentinian news media people who happened to be on hand had been hoping that a Harrier had been downed, but no such luck.... However, it was later discovered that on this very day a Harrier actually WAS shot down! A surface-to-air missile brought down the aircraft as it flew south of Port Stanley. The pilot ejected the craft and was rescued from the sea. During the entire Falklands War, of the 28 Harriers that were in the South Atlantic 3 had to be written off due to mechanical failure and 6 were lost to accidents or ground fire. Not a single one was lost in air-to-air combat. On the other hand, Harriers shot down at least 20 Argentine planes in air-to-air combat. On this day the troops of 5 Brigade disembarked at San Carlos as they joined the British land forces already present in the Falklands. On the morning of June 1st, on Mount Kent, Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux of 42 Commando, Royal Marines and Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Rose of the G Squadron of the 22nd SAS Regiment climbed 3.2 kilometers from their bivouac to join K Company on the summit, taking with them a Blowpipe troop to support the defenders against anticipated Argentine attacks from the air. That night Sea King helicopters began bringing the remainder of the fighters from 42 Commando in to secure the adjoining ridgeline of Mount Challenger, which also had been found to be without any Argentine presence. 3 Para, meanwhile, now held Mount Estancia and Mount Vernet, northeast of Mount Kent, while the SAS were firmly established on the Murrell Heights north of Stanley harbor. The British Land Forces were closing in on Port Stanley. Steve Walker Earthsaver and Jingles Creator
© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.