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

TF 2-69 Armor, the brigade’s main effort, followed on the heels of Delta Troop. TeamAssassin, A/2-69 AR, led the task force, followed by Team Hard Rock, C/1-15 IN. The taskforce’s combat trains followed, nestled closely behind the combat vehicles for protection.Then came Colonel Allyn’s assault command post, in an M113 and three Bradleys, trailed byelements of B/317th Engineers, and the tank-pure C/2-69 AR. 192 Harding’s howitzers camenext, followed by TF 1-30 IN. TF 1-15 IN’s combat-scarred vehicles joined the rear of themassive column as it passed. 193 Colonel Allyn rode in his HMMWV rather than the armoredvehicle he normally used because his M113 had broken down and could not be fixed becauseof a lack of repair parts. Rather than take a replacement vehicle from one of his subordinates,the BCT commander chose to risk the ride in the light, unarmored HMMWV—a decision thatnearly cost him his life.First ContactAs TF 2-69 AR passed through the checkpoint manned by Apache Troop, 3-7 CAV atObjective MONTGOMERY, Captain Lyle advised Colonel Allyn that there had been firefightsaround the checkpoint all night and that he should expect enemy contact as soon as he clearedthe checkpoint. 194 Several officers remembered Lyle saying, “Once you get 300 meters upthat road, you’re going to make contact.” 195 The cavalryman knew what he was talking about.By that time in the war, the troopers almost always did. The HMMWVs of the brigade’sreconnaissance troop pulled over and let Sanderson’s tanks take the lead.Objective SMITH, the first of many road junctions 3rd BCT had to seize, encompasseda small cluster of buildings and homes where the highway made an “S” turn to the east andthen back north. At 0850, TF 2-69 AR’s vanguard came under small-arms and RPG fire uponentering the objective. They returned fire and the engagement rapidly escalated, with theIraqis responding with mortars and artillery. The task force also engaged and destroyed atleast one T-72 tank and several other armored vehicles firing from reveted positions withinthe objective. The engagement settled into what became a familiar pattern. As each companyteam approached the objective, it encountered heavy small-arms and RPG fire from multipledirections. A 10-hour, nonstop running fight ensued. Allyn, still traveling close behind TF 2-69AR, called for artillery fires from the 1-10 FA. At the same time, he targeted the Iraqi armorwith CAS from A-10 Warthogs. 196Although it continued to fire in support of TF 2-69 AR, Lieutenant Colonel Harding’s 1-10FA came under heavy attack also. Soon after the artillerymen fired their first mission, the Iraqisfired on them with small arms and RPGs. Some of the Iraqi gunners launched their RPGs frombehind buildings. The enemy gunners aimed high in the air so as to arc up and over beforecoming down into the artillery firing positions. Despite incoming fire, the 1-10’s howitzerscontinued to pound away at the enemy in Objective SMITH. 197The 3rd BCT fought through SMITH, not stopping to clear it, so they could maintain theirmomentum. Subsequently, as each unit passed through, there was intermittent contact withindividual Iraqi military vehicles, ‘technicals’, and small groups of Iraqis fighting on foot.Objective SMITH remained troublesome for several hours. The fire from the area around theoverpass waxed and waned, but it didn’t cease completely until TF 1-30 IN cleared the Iraqisout of the adjacent areas.316