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American Sniper - Boekje Pienter

American Sniper - Boekje Pienter

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While Marines from the First Marine Division made up the backbone<br />

of the attack force, all of the other services added key pieces.<br />

SEAL snipers were integrated with small Marine assault groups,<br />

providing overwatch and performing traditional sniper missions.<br />

The Marines spent several weeks getting ready for the assault,<br />

launching a variety of operations to throw the insurgents off-balance.<br />

The bad guys knew something was coming; they just didn’t know<br />

where and when. The eastern side of the city was heavily fortified, and<br />

the enemy probably thought that’s where the attack would be<br />

launched.<br />

Instead, the attack would come from the northwest and roll down<br />

into the heart of the city. That’s where I was headed.<br />

GETTING THERE<br />

Dismissed by the lieutenant commander, I immediately gathered my<br />

gear, then headed outside to a pickup truck that was waiting to take<br />

me out to the helo. A 60—a Blackhawk H-60—was waiting for me and<br />

another guy who’d been working with the GROM, a coms specialist<br />

named Adam. We looked at each other and smiled. We were thrilled to<br />

be getting into a real battle.<br />

SEALs from all over Iraq were making a similar trip, heading toward<br />

the large Marine base south of the city at Camp Fallujah. They’d<br />

already established their own small base inside the camp by the time I<br />

arrived. I treaded my way through the narrow halls of the building,<br />

which had been dubbed the Alamo, trying not to knock into anything.<br />

The walls were lined with equipment and gear, gun boxes and metal

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