Posted on 09/16/2007 4:13:45 AM PDT by RedRover
Insurgents regroup
Images recorded by the Scan Eagle at Haditha: 0814 to 0910/ November 19, 2005
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Larger image below, click to enlarge...
0814 – above - Possible trigger house approximately 250 meters (roughly 750 feet) south of the IED ambush position. Scan Eagle operator received intelligence information suggesting the IED was triggered from this house south of Route Chestnut and proceeds to the area for a closer look. Soon after the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) led by Lt. Kallop arrives it moves to this location on foot and searches this house without results.
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0829 - Insurgents believed to be fleeing from the presumed trigger house about 250 meters south of ambush site.
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Larger image below, click to enlarge...
0829 – Another frame showing the same two insurgents fleeing the area.
The two suspects are approximately 250 meters (750 feet) south of the IED blast site moving in an unstated direction – probably north toward a large palm grove where other insurgents were gathering. This assumption is based on the reported flight path of Scan Eagle as it moved from north to south searching for the source of automatic weapons fire that Marines reported receiving enroute to the ambush site.
Meanwhile, SSgt Wuterich and his squad are still north of the suspected trigger house after clearing the first two houses involved in the controversial “assault” after the ambush was triggered.
Capt. Jeffrey Dinsmore, the 3/1 S-2 (Intelligence Officer), testified that he was not controlling the Scan Eagle and had several conversations with its operators to keep them looking in the immediate battle area.
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Larger image below, click to enlarge...
0844 - Wide angle view of the palm grove located about 1,500 feet northeast of Route Chestnut – out of the picture at the bottom of the frame. The palm grove is located between the River Road and the Euphrates River.
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0844 – Scan Eagle detects three insurgents in palm grove about 1.5 kilometers (1,500 feet) north of the ambush site. Only one is shown in this video capture.
The UAV was initially directed to circle the palm grove to look for the source of rifle fire from a long range ambush Marines coming to the IED site were receiving while transiting Routes Chestnut and Viper. When seen in its entirety the Scan Eagle shows a mosaic of insurgents advancing toward the Marine’s location. These were all two and three-man cells closing in on the ambush area from multiple directions through the palm grove.
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0845 – Scan Eagle spots motorcycle courier and follows him as he drives around the palm grove on so-called “Palm Grove Trail” contacting small cells of insurgents gathering under the protective umbrella of palm fronds. The road is part of a labyrinth of connecting paths and trials though the palm grove.
The motorcycle courier depicted here would circle the palm grove on partially obscured roads for the next 45 minutes contacting cells of insurgents moving toward the battle area.
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Larger image below, click to enlarge...
0859 - First sighting of blue car described by Cpl. Joe Haman when his squad from 4th (Weapons) Platoon was called into action in response to the attack of SSgt. Wuterich’s convoy. Barely visible above and to the left of the car is the motorcycle rider. He passed the blue car and then turned around and stopped next to it.
The 4th Squad’s mission was to go to a location identified as a “safe house” where insurgents were seen to be congregating. Haman’s squad was approx. 600 meters west of the ambush site at a Combat Outpost (COP) when the IED exploded. Haman reported intense small arms fire coming from that direction immediately after the IED exploded.
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0859 - Blue car and motorcycle stopped in palm grove for about 2 minutes.
Almost immediately insurgents came out of the trees to meet up with occupants of blue car and the motorcycle courier.
The insurgents received arms, supplies and instructions.
Larger image below, click to enlarge...
After about 10 minutes of milling about the insurgents seem to hold a pep rally of some sort. The demonstration lasts for a minute or so before the gathering disperses.
Larger image below, click to enlarge...
After the rally the insurgents split up into small cells and again disappear into the trees. Scan Eagle periodically tracks them as they move south toward the battle area. Then its attention shifted to vehicular traffic which seemed to be increasing in the palm grove area.
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This is part two of a three-part series. See below for links to parts one and three.
Absolutely. There was never any concern, from Murtha or Tim McGirk, over the death of LCpl Terrazas or knowing what happened to his killers.
“0814 – above - Possible trigger house approximately 250 meters (roughly 750 feet) south of the IED ambush position. “
Nope - the houses in that picture are located at
34° 7’44.40”N 42°22’49.85”E on Google Earth
about 150 m NORTH of the IED
“0829 – Another frame showing the same two insurgents fleeing the area.
The two suspects are approximately 250 meters (750 feet) south of the IED blast site moving in an unstated direction – probably north toward a large palm grove “
Again ... nope They are near the houses to the north, and they are headed west - the opening in the wall they are going through and the worn path they are on can be seen about 50m west of the house coordinates I gave above.
Hey, RS, can you put up the google image that you’re describing and include Route Chestnut in the image?
That makes sense to me. So the possible trigger house that Scan Eagle was looking at was 150 m North (almost directly) of the IED. I can’t see the location of the two suspects leaving the house. You may be right, I just can’t make it out.
Do you have a link to the CNN clip to include? Is this is the house that another group of Marines were assaulting later - the safe house? Originally this group had the wrong house (next door, I believe) before they corrected to the safe house that was eventually blown up. Would this fit better in the last thread “The Battle Site”?
Don’t have a link to it - I captured the video so I could frame by frame it. Should be on CNN’s site somewhere.
But anyway - I found the house, it’s the one where the enemy who ran from the safe house was caught at ( further south and about 1/4 mile west ... it’s off the bottom of the overview I sent you )
CNN appears to have changed the sequence if the thread poster here has the legend right. At this point it dosen’t seem to hold any significance.
Now I’m trying to find any kind of regular street map of Haditha so I can see the area up north that GoogleEarth dosen’t show.
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