"BOB'S" LETTERS HOME - 7 April, 2004
If you haven� heard the news, lately things around here have been going wild. We�e had Marines and Army getting killed all over Iraq for the past week or so. No one has died from our task force since last week and we�e all breathing sighs of relief.
Today we had our mortar platoon, Arch Angel, receive an RPG while waiting for EOD at a possible IED site. I�e heard rumors of another 7-8 months in this hell whole. I can� believe our brigade commander has done this to us.
Last night we had 51 detainees at Ramada Inn. That went up to 59 then down to 57. Eight of those were from an attack on Attack Company (I� not sure what type of unit they are).
Ever since it has warmed up we�e had trouble from Ramadi, Fallujah, and Kaldiyah with protests and killings. I� just waiting to be done with all this.
The other reports we keep hearing are of Marine convoys getting hit, attacks on their patrols, and other stories. These poor guys were returned to Iraq after service in the initial invasion �they just can� win!
All last night at Ramada Inn we heard battles raging outside the wire. We had our pontoon bridge OP blown up from a floating bomb. I� not sure if anyone is still watching that area but it� a little bit less important in my eyes. Arch Angel (AA) was running a traffic control point in Kaldiyah when they saw a suspicious barrel on the side of the road. They called Centurion X-ray to notify EOD. Centurion told AA to stand back 75-100 meters due to the size description of the possible IED. While AA7, Sfc. A. was controlling traffic on one side of the road an RPG whizzed by his M113 track. Thankfully Iraqis can� shoot for nothing so no one was hit. Attack Company (infantry) was notified to reinforce AA. Sfc. A. saw where the RPG came from so Attack conducted a search of the target building and area. I didn� hear the outcome but I hope they caught some bad dudes.
Last night was just insane for the tiny compound that houses our Ramada Inn. We expected some action but no one figured that much. Four of our newest Lt� came around to see what it was like and stayed for a couple hours. They were there while we brought in our eight new bad boys. Second Lt. M., our S1� assistant, is trying to get some new stuff done so we can monitor detainees with ease.
A Marine Lance Corporal (E3) was there as a guard (he� Civil Affairs). Our new guys came in with Attack� soldiers to do paper work, Apache� supply guys came with the transport 5-ton, and Cpt. C. the S1 was there. The place was crammed with people, good and bad.
Now here� the story about the new bad guys. Attack went to search a building in Kaldiyah. When they arrived these eight guys were waiting to surprise attack. I heard there was more shooting from Attack than from Iraqis who were trying to scatter. One guy tried hiding under something but was just too big. A Bradley started unloading 25MM rounds in his direction and he wasn� hit but he was caught. He had a machine gun within reach but didn� use it. One army corporal was ready to shoot him but didn� because it� prohibited by the Laws of Land Warfare. The others were caught and quickly brought in. When they arrived they got a not-so-nice welcome from the Americans.
They were blind folded with first aid cravats. Some detainees had cotton in their ears so they could shoot at us without hurting themselves. I thoroughly searched their bodies and I found some bad stuff. Fat Boy with the machine gun nearby had fuses for grenades. Other guys had bullets and other stuff. Some soldiers yelled at them, questioned them, and so on. Fat Boy fell over after 20 minutes of standing, just took a bad left dive to a cement tile floor.
"Bob's" Letters Home from Habiniyah (near Ramadi and Fallujah)