On Point: the United States Army in Operation Iraqi ... - Boekje Pienter

Figure 92. Ambush Alley—officially known as Route Appaloosa from As Samawah to An Najafbecause of its design and complementary lighting that accentuated the architecture. Just as hecommented on the radio net, Iraqis emerged from the mosque and engaged the platoon. AlphaTroop’s fire support officer, First Lieutenant Wade, said it looked like “Star Wars, with thetracer bounce off of the vehicles.” 50 The ambush lasted approximately 2 hours as Alpha Troopfought through the extended engagement area. Artillery proved useful only in the early stagesof the fight as the enemy closed to within 15 meters of the vehicles; so close the troop could notuse artillery. Nonetheless, the heavily armed and armored cavalry cleared the engagement areawith no casualties or losses.Because the terrain did not permit maneuver, the following cavalry troops had tofight through the same ambush area as they moved north. The squadron confronted otherdifficulties during the running ambushes. After a canal bridge collapsed, dropping anM1 tank about 15 feet into a canal (with no injuries), A/3-7 CAV had to turn around onthe narrow road and retrace its steps to the original route. Narrow roads and soft groundcompounded the misery and resulted in an overturned truck and three mired vehicles.The collapsed bridge stranded a five-vehicle hunter-killer team of tanks and Bradleys onthe far side. They had to wait until daylight before maneuvering back to the squadron. 51The ambushes continued intermittently all the way up the road, but they were particularlyintense at Fasillyah and other towns along the river. At sunup, the Air Force weighed in withA-10 Warthogs using missiles, 500-lb bombs, and their 30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun. 3-7 CAVfinally consolidated south of Objective FLOYD at 0550 on the 25th, after 9 hours of fighting169