thedrifter
05-26-04, 01:21 PM
MAG-11, VMFA-323 Marines Perform Hollywood Heroics
Submitted by: Los Angeles Public Affairs
Story Identification #: 2004524151449
Story by Maj. T. R. Thomas
Los Angeles(May 24, 2004) -- Whether it’s engaging enemies on the battlefield or enemies on the screen, Marines are always ready to go into “Action!” when duty calls.
Fans of the Fox television show “24” had the unique opportunity to watch the Marines of Marine Aircraft Group 11 and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 perform Hollywood-style heroics May 11.
Marines from 2nd Battlion, 23rd Marine Regiment, were treated to an hour-long, high-speed, low-level aerial action show by Marine F/A-18s during filming over downtown Los Angeles.
Led by MAG-11’s commanding officer, Col. Earl Wederbrook and wingman, Lt. Col. Douglas Kurth, two VMFA-323 F/A-18C attack fighter jets sprung into action over the Los Angeles sky in a rapid and realistic urban close air support mission.
The fighter jets came to the aid of television actor Keifer Sutherland, who plays the character agent Jack Bauer on “24.”
During the scene, Sutherland came under intense machine-gun fire from the show’s “bad guys” who were using a Bell UH-1 Helicopter in the Los Angeles River. The Marines were quickly called in to deliver effective close air support and they successfully destroyed the scene's enemy threat.
While performing such daring missions in real life may be of no great surprise to Marines, fans of “24” were showcased with an opportunity to see an explosive dramatization using real Marine F/A-18’s.
“It’s valuable training when our Marines get a chance to work up for an urban CAS mission and even more valuable when we get a chance to show the public, through television, the awesome power of Marine Corps aviation,” Wederbrook said.
While the preparation and planning involved long hours and detailed coordination with the FAA, Wederbrook said, “Hopefully, through our collective efforts, viewers at home gained an even greater appreciation for the awesome capabilities of the F/A-18 and the Marines that work to make it fly.”
The Marine Corps has a long history of support to the entertainment industry; however, for Maj. Brad Bartelt, the Los Anglese Motion Picture and TV Liaison director, admitted that it’s not every day a call comes in requesting F/A-18s.
“When we got the call we were ecstatic because, as Marines, we’re all about making big things like this happen,” Bartelt said. “It was great for the entertainment industry, it was great for our Marines, and it was a great opportunity to tell the Marine Corps story in a realistic setting.”
Such enthusiastic sentiments were similarly shared by veteran “24” producer and director Tim Iacofano.
“Given the real-world challenges today in coordinating air over a major metropolitan city such as Los Angeles, it was amazing that we were able to make this scene happen,” Iacofano said. “We knew the Marines were good at what they do, but they were really good, very precise and precision oriented. An incredible group of professionals.”
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004524171236/$file/24LOW.jpg
An "enemy" helicopter is destroyed by Marine air as the shadow of an attacking VMFA-323 F/A-18C looms over the target.
Photo by: Col. Luke Wederbrook
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/8EA947822425346485256E9E0069BA3A?opendocument
Ellie
Submitted by: Los Angeles Public Affairs
Story Identification #: 2004524151449
Story by Maj. T. R. Thomas
Los Angeles(May 24, 2004) -- Whether it’s engaging enemies on the battlefield or enemies on the screen, Marines are always ready to go into “Action!” when duty calls.
Fans of the Fox television show “24” had the unique opportunity to watch the Marines of Marine Aircraft Group 11 and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 perform Hollywood-style heroics May 11.
Marines from 2nd Battlion, 23rd Marine Regiment, were treated to an hour-long, high-speed, low-level aerial action show by Marine F/A-18s during filming over downtown Los Angeles.
Led by MAG-11’s commanding officer, Col. Earl Wederbrook and wingman, Lt. Col. Douglas Kurth, two VMFA-323 F/A-18C attack fighter jets sprung into action over the Los Angeles sky in a rapid and realistic urban close air support mission.
The fighter jets came to the aid of television actor Keifer Sutherland, who plays the character agent Jack Bauer on “24.”
During the scene, Sutherland came under intense machine-gun fire from the show’s “bad guys” who were using a Bell UH-1 Helicopter in the Los Angeles River. The Marines were quickly called in to deliver effective close air support and they successfully destroyed the scene's enemy threat.
While performing such daring missions in real life may be of no great surprise to Marines, fans of “24” were showcased with an opportunity to see an explosive dramatization using real Marine F/A-18’s.
“It’s valuable training when our Marines get a chance to work up for an urban CAS mission and even more valuable when we get a chance to show the public, through television, the awesome power of Marine Corps aviation,” Wederbrook said.
While the preparation and planning involved long hours and detailed coordination with the FAA, Wederbrook said, “Hopefully, through our collective efforts, viewers at home gained an even greater appreciation for the awesome capabilities of the F/A-18 and the Marines that work to make it fly.”
The Marine Corps has a long history of support to the entertainment industry; however, for Maj. Brad Bartelt, the Los Anglese Motion Picture and TV Liaison director, admitted that it’s not every day a call comes in requesting F/A-18s.
“When we got the call we were ecstatic because, as Marines, we’re all about making big things like this happen,” Bartelt said. “It was great for the entertainment industry, it was great for our Marines, and it was a great opportunity to tell the Marine Corps story in a realistic setting.”
Such enthusiastic sentiments were similarly shared by veteran “24” producer and director Tim Iacofano.
“Given the real-world challenges today in coordinating air over a major metropolitan city such as Los Angeles, it was amazing that we were able to make this scene happen,” Iacofano said. “We knew the Marines were good at what they do, but they were really good, very precise and precision oriented. An incredible group of professionals.”
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004524171236/$file/24LOW.jpg
An "enemy" helicopter is destroyed by Marine air as the shadow of an attacking VMFA-323 F/A-18C looms over the target.
Photo by: Col. Luke Wederbrook
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/8EA947822425346485256E9E0069BA3A?opendocument
Ellie