Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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In August 2008, U.S. Army helicopter pilot Joe Priester was serving with the 101st Airborne Division at Forward Operating Base Salerno in Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border. An experienced combat pilot, Priester flew the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, a small armed reconnaissance helicopter used to support ground troops.

On August 18–19, 2008, Taliban insurgents launched a major assault on FOB Salerno. In the early hours of August 19, Priester and fellow pilots scrambled their Kiowa Warriors to stop the attackers, flying at extremely low altitude and engaging with rockets and machine guns for hours on end.

Interview recorded on February 9, 2026

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Video Credits: Video Credits:
Interviewer - Greg Corombos
Producer / Editor - Bramley Sullivan

Pinnacle | Creative Visual Strategies
DP/Cam Op - Jon Hambacker