1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment Patrol Baghdad Streets

Capt. William Cundy, tank commander, far left, Sgt. Jermaine Brooks, gunner, left, Staff Sgt. Robert Tua, tank commander, right, Spc. Brian Witt, gunner, far right, with drivers Pfc. Chad Ace and Spc. Mark Carter (not pictured, in hatch), from A Company, Task Force 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, roll through on patrol under the Arches of Victory at Zawra Park in central Baghdad Nov. 14. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Chad D. Wilkerson, 372nd Mobile Public Affair Detachment

1st Battalion, 35th Armor
Regiment Patrol Baghdad Streets

By U.S. Army Spc. Chad D. Wilkerson / 372nd Mobile Public Affair Detachment

BAGHDAD, Iraq – At the core of the 1st Armored Division’s fighting force is the M1A1 Abrams tank and the soldiers who operate it.

Soldiers from A Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Task Force 1st Armored Division, man the M1A1 with pride, and have put the tanks out on the streets of central Baghdad to inspire courage in our allies and fear in our enemies.

Capt. William T. Cundy, A Company commander, often accompanies his soldiers out regularly on evening patrols in the Abrams tanks through Zawra Park, Zawra Zoo and Ceremony Square in the Al Kindi and Al Hariihiya districts of central Baghad.

A Company’s area of responsibility houses 15,000-25,000 people, as well as several historical monuments and important Iraqi cultural sites.

“All the parades that Saddam used to do came under the ‘Arches of Victory’ and through Ceremony Square,” said Cundy. “This is one of the main historical areas for the Iraqi people, and it is our job to make sure it stays in pristine condition.”

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, an amphitheatre-shaped structure located on the park grounds, commemorates the Iraqi soldiers who lost their lives in battle, said Cundy. The Arches of Victory, two massive sabers held by the hands of Saddam, stand above the helmets of fallen Iranian soldiers – those killed in battle against the Iraqi army.

The A Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Task Force 1st Armored Division, motor pool is the staging area for the tank patrols. The M1A1 Abrams battle tank is the vehicle of choice for evening patrols. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Chad D. Wilkerson, 372nd Mobile Public Affair Detachment

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Cundy and his team said they enjoy patrolling the streets and monument grounds in their Abrams tanks because it gives them an opportunity to get out and see Baghdad’s people and its history.

“99.9% of the Iraqi people want safety and security, and want their children to have a better life than they have,” Cundy said. “Unfortunately, there is that .1% that wants to cause trouble. Fortunately, however, there have been no problems in the park district.”

As the tanks rumble down the city streets at speeds slow enough to allow a few seconds of eye contact with pedestrians, the soldiers are met with a sea of stares. Even if the M1A1 were good for nothing else, it would still make one heck of a head-turner.

The stares soon turned to smiles as the soldiers waved to the seemingly hypnotized people on the street seven feet below them. The people eagerly wave back and smile.

“It is definitely an attention getter,” said 2nd Lt. Sean Lyons, fire support officer for A Company. “We patrol to let the people know that we are here making their homes and neighborhoods safe. They can see us and they can see the M1A1.”

According to Spc. Brian Witt, gunner on tank “Aloha,” the Abrams’ purpose is understood as a strong deterrent to any would-be attackers.

“We do not use the tanks really often,” Witt said. “Only if there is a riot or major disturbance do we roll out. At this point, people do not really pay attention to Humvees.”

With a menacing growl, gargantuan mass and the firepower to back it up, the Abrams is definitely a crowd pleaser in A Company. Cundy said that his soldiers know their tanks “through and through” and are proud to be able to ensure a secure future for the priceless monuments and landmarks, as well as the people, of Baghdad from behind the turret of the M1A1.

“The M1A1 Abrams is the premier battle tank in the world, and the American soldiers are the best trained, best equipped troops in the world,” Cundy said. “We are here to maintain a peaceful and stable Iraq, and if anyone wants to challenge that, my soldiers are always ready.”

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