12.07.2015 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

mounted and dismounted regular army and Republican Guard forces. These troops attackedus<strong>in</strong>g T-72 tanks, BMP-1 armored personnel carriers, and large-caliber antiaircraft weaponsemployed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> direct-fire mode. Several hundred enemy troops lurked along <strong>the</strong> road <strong>in</strong>a trench and bunker complex built among <strong>the</strong> palms and brush. O<strong>the</strong>rs occupied preparedpositions <strong>in</strong> adjacent build<strong>in</strong>gs dom<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>terchange. 105A/3-15 IN, Gator, commanded by Capta<strong>in</strong> Josh Wright, led <strong>the</strong> task force’s attack upHighway 8. Follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Tuskers of TF 4-64 AR through CURLEY and LARRY, <strong>the</strong> companykilled an estimated 30 <strong>Iraqi</strong>s fir<strong>in</strong>g from trenches and build<strong>in</strong>gs on <strong>the</strong> way to Objective MOE.The objective proved a veritable hornets’ nest of resistance, constantly re<strong>in</strong>forced by <strong>the</strong> enemystream<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> from <strong>the</strong> east and west. As soon as Gator arrived, <strong>Iraqi</strong>s driv<strong>in</strong>g armed civilianvehicles and suicidal attackers driv<strong>in</strong>g trucks packed with explosives also attacked toward <strong>the</strong>cloverleaf. <strong>Iraqi</strong> <strong>in</strong>fantry swarmed <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> area and occupied positions beh<strong>in</strong>d some low wallsnear <strong>the</strong> objective and <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> build<strong>in</strong>gs dom<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> cloverleaf. Gator came under <strong>in</strong>tense360-degree direct and <strong>in</strong>direct fire. 106Capta<strong>in</strong> Wright concluded he needed to clear <strong>the</strong> objective before he tried to defend it.First <strong>the</strong> company swept <strong>the</strong> enemy from <strong>the</strong> immediate objective area. Then Wright sentFirst Lieutenant Daniel Van Kirk’s tank platoon deeper <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> city, north of MOE, where itdestroyed several <strong>Iraqi</strong> strong po<strong>in</strong>ts established <strong>in</strong> build<strong>in</strong>gs, some air defense guns fir<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><strong>the</strong> direct-fire mode, and multiple <strong>Iraqi</strong> armored vehicles. 107After Van Kirk returned, <strong>the</strong> company consolidated on Objective MOE. The eng<strong>in</strong>eerplatoon, led by First Lieutenant Adam Hess and his platoon sergeant, Sergeant First Class JerodPalmer, blocked approaches to MOE by cutt<strong>in</strong>g down light poles to form a modern version of<strong>the</strong> ancient abatis. They also used an ACE to push debris and burn<strong>in</strong>g cars <strong>in</strong>to defensive berms.These efforts proved worthwhile when <strong>the</strong> obstacles helped break up a savage last-light attackthat climaxed with <strong>the</strong> destruction of a car bomb just 60 meters from <strong>the</strong> perimeter. 108In 8 hours of susta<strong>in</strong>ed combat us<strong>in</strong>g direct fire and six “danger-close” mortar missionsand 20 “danger-close” artillery missions, <strong>the</strong> Gators destroyed more than 60 <strong>Iraqi</strong> vehiclesand killed as many as 200 enemy <strong>in</strong>fantrymen. Like <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> task force and brigade, <strong>the</strong>company team was desperately short of ammunition. Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> day’s fight, Gators fired twiceits basic load of ammunition and nearly ran out of fuel. 109Resupply<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> BrigadeAs TF 2-7 IN arrived at CURLEY, Capta<strong>in</strong> Johnson raced north with <strong>the</strong> supply column.Lieutenant Colonel Twitty radioed Johnson not to stop at LARRY but to keep go<strong>in</strong>g to MOEso <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rnmost task forces could be resupplied. Accord<strong>in</strong>gly, Johnson and <strong>the</strong> precioustrucks raced right through LARRY. From his vantage po<strong>in</strong>t on <strong>the</strong> overpass, Twitty saw <strong>the</strong>mgo through. “Drivers were hunched down low <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> cabs, driv<strong>in</strong>g with <strong>the</strong>ir left hand and fir<strong>in</strong>g<strong>the</strong>ir M-16s out <strong>the</strong> w<strong>in</strong>dow with <strong>the</strong>ir right.” 110 Accord<strong>in</strong>g to Twitty <strong>the</strong>y were mak<strong>in</strong>g goodtime. “I watched Ronny Johnson and <strong>the</strong> convoy roar past us on <strong>the</strong> way to Objective MOE.It was an <strong>in</strong>credible sight! Drivers and [track commanders] were fir<strong>in</strong>g as fast as <strong>the</strong>y could,and <strong>the</strong>y were fly<strong>in</strong>g! They must have been go<strong>in</strong>g 50 miles an hour when <strong>the</strong>y passed me. I justcheered <strong>the</strong>m on.” 111370

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!