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

Mason Lowery, US ArmyFigure 196. The 2nd Brigade, 3rd ID at VIP parade field, Baghdad, 7 April 2003buildings and side streets, leading to numerous close-quarter fights in and around the buildingssurrounding the park. The soldiers employed their superior armor, artillery, and mortar teamsto defeat the attackers, frequently calling the indirect fires in “danger-close.” 56Following directly behindRogue, the Tuskers of TF 4-64 ARmade first contact on Highway 8 at0636. Facing a similar, if slightlyless intense, fight as Rogue, theTuskers made the turn at ObjectiveMOE at 0700. Despite slackenedresistance, the task force reportedkilling 20 Iraqi dismounted troops,a BRDM reconnaissance vehicle,and a BMP. A/4-64 AR, Assassin,reached Objective WOODY WESTat 0720, clearing the palace complexby 0756. While Assassin cleared itsobjective, C/4-64 AR, Cyclone,established a blocking positionTanks at at the the MallWithin Within 4 hours, hours, Colonel Colonel Perkins’ Perkins’ 2nd 2nd BCT BCT penetrated the theBaghdad Baghdad defenses defenses a second second time time and and planted planted its its flag flag in indowntown downtown Baghdad. Baghdad.To To give give a a sense sense of of perspective, perspective, the the 21-kilometer 21-kilometer attack attack intoBaghdad into Baghdad was equivalent was equivalent to an attack to an on attack Washington, Washington, DC fromthe DC intersection from the intersection of I-495 and of I-95 I-495 in and Springfield, I-95 Springfield, Virginia, tothe Virginia, Mall in downtown the Mall Washington, downtown DC; seizing Washington, the area from DC;the seizing Capitol the to area the from White the House Capitol the to Lincoln the White Memorial House to tothe the Jefferson Lincoln Memorial. to The the 2nd Jefferson Brigade Memorial. parked tanks The on 2nd theIraqi Brigade equivalent parked of tanks the on Lincoln the Iraqi Memorial, equivalent aiming of the down Lincoln theMemorial Memorial, Bridge aiming toward down Arlington the Memorial Cemetery. Bridge towardArlington Cemetery.The Americans were in downtown Baghdad, and theyplanned The Americans to stay. were in downtown Baghdad, and theyplanned to stay.at the July 14th Monument, a key intersection overlooking the July 14th Bridge across the TigrisRiver. The bridge connected to the university district, where there was an expected nest of Iraqidefenders. Although the Tuskers described opposition as sporadic and less than expected, theycaptured 25 prisoners and killed 47 dismounted troops. They also destroyed 2 BMPs, 1 BRDM,12 artillery pieces, 19 antitank weapons, 29 technical vehicles, and 19 air defense weapons. 57354