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

command group and “Lightning 28,” the Marine air and naval gunfire control team, followedthe platoons. About 10 to 12 kilometers southeast of the Highway 1 and 8 interchange, thecompany made contact with an Iraqi mechanized infantry company that had assumed positionsalong the highway. Both lead tanks—C31 and C12—took heavy and accurate 30mm cannonfire from BMPs. Reacting to contact, both platoons maneuvered forward and destroyed 10BMPs, 3 MTLBs, and numerous RPG teams, but not before taking “numerous” RPG andcannon fire hits themselves. Three tanks—C31, C32 and C11—took damage to their armor, butno rounds penetrated so C Company got away unscathed. 133At 1929, 2nd BCT reported all units moving to consolidate at SAINTS. The brigadedefeated and largely destroyed what amounted to two battalions that opposed them in the north.After the fact, the brigade concluded that several different Iraqi units had defended on SAINTS.But, there did not seem to be any coherent, centralized Iraqi organization or command andcontrol beyond the company or battalion level. By 0130 on 4 April, the brigade had closed onSAINTS, reporting very little enemy contact as the soldiers prepared for the next day. 134 Duringthe evening’s tactical commander’s TACSAT update, Colonel Perkins reported a battle damageassessment summary of 33 T-72s, two T-62s, 19 T-55s, 12 MTLB armored vehicles, 50 artillerypieces, six BM-21 rocket launchers, 127 trucks destroyed, and 700 enemy soldiers killed. The2nd BCT continued to clear the area and prepared to attack into Baghdad along Highway 8. 135Seizing SAINTS and completing the destruction of the Medina Division and other forcessouth of SAINTS effectively isolated Baghdad from the south. The brigade made several moresweeps to the south with the two armor task forces, and ultimately with TF 3-15. During thesesweeps the brigade completed mopping up remnants of the Medina Division and other unitsthat remained between SAINTS and Al Hillah from 3 to 6 April. “By crossing the Euphrates,rendering all enemy forces combat-ineffective, and seizing the key LOCs, the [2nd] BCT setthe stage for the division to complete the cordon of the city and eventually assault into thecapital.” 136Sealing the West: Objective LIONS (3-5 April)“No! We have retaken the airport! There are no Americans there! I will take you thereand show you! In one hour!”Iraqi Information Minister,Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf“Baghdad Bob”Early on 3 April, as 2nd BCT moved through PEACH and attacked to seize SAINTS,the 1st BCT commander, Colonel Grimsley, called a meeting of his task force and battalioncommanders at the brigade TAC to discuss their attack to seize Objective LIONS. Havingaccomplished the primary mission of seizing a crossing over the Euphrates at PEACH,it was time to consider the “on-order” task. Anticipating the possibility of continuing theattack, Lieutenant Colonel Smith, commander of the 11th Engineer Battalion, along with hisoperations officer, Major Garth Horne, and Captain James Lockridge from the battalion TAC,had already pulled the appropriate terrain products that they had produced before the start ofthe war. These products showed the multiple routes from PEACH to LIONS and the multiplewater crossings involved to reach LIONS. 137 299