A U.S. Marine rifle squad advances on a walled compound in western Iraq

U.S. MARINE ^ | Nov. 20th, 2005 | Sgt. Jerad W. Alexander

[shield]

Antitank assaultmen face more than tanks
Submitted by: 2nd Marine Division
Story by Sgt. Jerad W. Alexander

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (Nov. 20, 2005) -- Picture this scenario: A Marine rifle squad advances on a walled compound in western Iraq. When the point man reaches the gate, automatic weapons fire from inside riddles the wall and metal gate, missing the Marine by mere inches.

Insurgents sit inside the compound, fortified in doors and windows. How do you root them out and allow the Marines to sweep through the compound and its structures without suffering casualties?

Call on Lance Cpl.’s Steven L. Phillips of Waynesberg, Pa., and Paul J. Kolkhorst of Albany, N.Y., both antitank assault men with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.

“For the most part, we breech and assault targets that would be fatal for [riflemen] to attack,” said 27-year-old Phillips, who worked as a packaging design engineer before enlisting in the Marine Corps. “We have the resources to take targets out without going in bodily.”

The resource Phillips talks about is the Mk-152 Shoulder-Mounted Antitank Weapon, which is essentially a rocket launcher. In the place of sending flesh-and-blood infantrymen into a potential nightmare of bullets, a rocket can be used to eliminate targets inside a structure.

“If [the riflemen] need a quick opening into a building, or if they need it destroyed and it’s an area a tank can’t fire into, they call us,” said 19-year-old Kolkhorst, 2004 graduate of Shaker High School. “We can blow doors, locks, ammunition. We carry [demolitions], make holes, take down buildings and stop vehicles.”

Another aspect of the antitank assault men’s mission is the use of demolitions. If a Marine squad cannot make entry through a compound gate due to a tough lock, the assault men are trained to use demolitions to blow through doors and other obstructions.

“We went through the Urban Breech Course at Camp Lejeune and got a demolition training package at the School of Infantry,” said Phillips, who is looking to attend the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to become a pilot after finishing his four-year obligation as a Marine. “We generally get a lot of experience through training.”

“We’re also taught basic mine clearing,” said Kolkhorst. “We’re taught how to use mine detectors and probe for land mines.”

As for the scenario… it wasn’t a scenario per se. It did, in fact, happen and Phillips and Kolkhorst were there to “clean house.”

[shield]

SHOW OUR TROOPS OUR SUPPORT....

[YouPosting2Me]

Remember that one compound without walls? Yeah, that was strange.

[RetiredArmy]

Funny, I thought the combat was over. Oh, guess not. /sarcasm still on.

[2banana]

Have they thought about bringing back the flame thrower. I can't think of a better way to clear a building - and the fear that would impose on terrorist would be a huge combat multiplier.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"How do you root them out and allow the Marines to sweep through the compound and its structures without suffering casualties?"

Call in a F-18 with a smart bomb?

[standing united]

We used the M-202 flash, and that really lights up a target, and will burn everything there. This of course uses "white phospherous" and the anti's are trying to prevent us from using it. We also have many other weapons that will accomplish the same thing, "air fuel" rockets.

[boomop1]

Get Spector on the job, and a few A-10's.

[AngryJawa]

Have they thought about bringing back the flame thrower.

As tempting as Terrorist Flambee sounds, I'd rather have the SMAW. More standoff distance - same or better result.

[Gator101]

...bringing back the flame thrower.

I agree, except I would hate to be the guy who carries it. I heard that flamethrower soldiers suffer a high attrition rate and I can see why. If I was a bad guy in a fortified spot and a squad of infantry was advancing on me I think I would pay special attention to the slow moving guy with tanks on his back.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"Funny, I thought the combat was over."

You, apparently, were not paying attention, since what was said was, "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended." And so they have.

There is still some mopping up to do, but one does not have elections in the midst of major combat operations, or have you also missed the fact that there have been elections in Iraq and that there are some coming up soon?

[Berlin_Freeper]

GO US! :D

[American Quilter]

...Terrorist Flambee...

With bacon, please.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Phillips and Kolkhorst were there to “clean house.”

Marine version of Mighy Maids - got to love it.

[RexBeach]

These guys are the best! God bless'em!

Question: How can you be fortified in doors and windows? Perhaps the sargent was in a hurry when he wrote this?

Viva Marines!

[shield]

Don't you just love those Marines...cleaning up!!! LOL

[shield]

Maybe he was a little pre-occupted...God Bless Our Troops!!

[Aquinasfan]

The army is using explosives now?! Call CNN!!!

[Robert357]

...“If [the riflemen] need a quick opening into a building, or if they need it destroyed...

Sounds like the use of bazookas in house to house operations in Europe in WW-II.

[kjam22]

Be a lot easier if they's just drop about 9058734908 bombs from B-52's on the location behind the wall.....

[George Smiley]

Have they thought about bringing back the flame thrower. I can't think of a better way to clear a building - and the fear that would impose on terrorist would be a huge combat multiplier.

Moreso if the rumor was spread that it used bacon grease as an accelerant.