Posted on Sep 13, 2016
Thunder runs are a literal show of force. Are they effective as a deterrent, or just a waste of time and resources?
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Remember the Thunder Runs of the Bosnia, Kosovo and early Iraq days? In light of yesterday's Korea flyover, are they or have they ever been effective?
Posted in these groups: KFOR
Bosnia and Herzegovina
South Korea
1225: Pilot, Tactical Bomber
Military Career
Bosnia and Herzegovina South Korea 1225: Pilot, Tactical Bomber Military Career
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 11
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Not sure if they are effective or not. But I sure have been on several show the flag cruises with big guns or a large number of aircraft. I think the general populace of an area says wow and forgets about it. The local government changes their thinking to accomadate the threat. Maybe they pull back maybe they decide their ideals warrant taking on the threat.
Not sure there is a definitive answer.
Not sure there is a definitive answer.
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COL Lee Flemming
Thanks for the input PO2 Marty Sharpe, I had not even considered Naval Thunder Runs!
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PO2 Marty Sharpe
BTW remember I am a former petty officer. Not really schooled in naval warfare. Was there with many others to see it got done.
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I'd say very psychologically effective at the least. Also with all the media coverage the last Thunder Run received, it must scare the pants off the enemy in some form or fashion, lol. If I saw the 3ID rolling through my town blowing crap up, I would second guess my chances of survival at a minimum.
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SSG Jason Penn
I joined 3ID for OIF III (2005 - 2006). I had an accident that fractured my elbow and ended up at the CASH. While there another soldier from another unit asked me if I knew what the Iraqis called our patch, and then explained that due to the tactic of "shoot anything that moves" the locals called the patch "the three lines of death". The impact was very effective being that anywhere the 3ID went, that sector would be quiet. The unit that was at FOB Prosperity in Baghdad before we got there, and the unit that replaced us were under weekly if not daily attacks. We saw hardly any activity in our areas outside of Haifa Street. In our absence, the rest of Baghdad was like Haifa street (Wild West lawlessness). The only people that the insurgency feared more than the 3ID was the Iraqi Ministry of Interior (MOI).
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SFC (Join to see)
Man oh man, you got that right. I never deployed to Iraq with 3ID, but my brother was in the invasion in 03'. I served in Afghanistan with them. My brother pretty much stated the exact same thing you just did. Bad ass.
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im not sure about Bosnia or Iraq but firing of 155mm at my FOB in Afhganistan at our known and historic PO sites was effective as show of force oh and so was the illuminating rounds at random times of the night.
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SSG Jason Penn
We did the same at FOB Kalsu, Iraq. We not only did area denial, but it was done at irregular and unpredictable times. Needless to say, during our 15 Month deployment, we only saw two mortar and one rocket attack on our FOB. Only one mortar attack landed on the FOB in an unoccupied area and the other two attacks missed the FOB.
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