The Thunder Run: 'Fewer Than 1,000 Soldiers Were Ordered to Capture a City of 5 Million Iraqis.'

The Los Angeles Times ^ | December 7, 2003 | David Zucchino

[quidnunc]

On the afternoon of April 4, Army Lt. Col. Eric Schwartz was summoned to a command tent pitched in a dusty field 11 miles south of Baghdad. His brigade commander, Col. David Perkins, looked up from a map and told Schwartz he had a mission for him.

"At first light tomorrow," Perkins said, "I want you to attack into Baghdad."

Schwartz felt disoriented. He had just spent several hours in a tank, leading his armored battalion on an operation that had destroyed dozens of Iraqi tanks and armored vehicles 20 miles south. A hot shard of exploding tank had burned a hole in his shoulder.

"Are you kidding, sir?" Schwartz asked, as he waited for the other officers inside the tent to laugh.

There was silence.

"No," Perkins said. "I need you to do this."

-snip-

[cars for sale]

LA Times, thx but I'll wait for another source.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The headline gives away the plot!

[God luvs America]

and you know what...they did it (accomplished the mission presented in the title) which should scare the sh!t out of anyone who wants to challenge our military!

[Bobsat]

Col. David Perkins is one I expect to be promoted to have several stars in short order. He's by far the most impressive commander I've seen in a long time!

[68skylark]

bump for later reading

[Joe Boucher]

You know you are right. I'd love to read the rest of the article but I refuse to sign in at the L.A.or N.Y. Times or any where else.

[dts32041]

I don't know the full story or at least how the LA Times reported it, but that was the best employment of a cavalry raid since Korea or maybe the civil war.

A small band of brothers charging to the the heartland of the enemy and emerging virtually unscathed.

There will be odes and poems composed for these young men, this small band of brothers.

When watching the tape wishing I was there.

[Veritas_est]

I really hope one of you will do the research and post a believable account of this story. I would try, but so far, as a newbie, I haven't had too much success at anything except lurkin' with an occasional comment.

[PISANO]

Sorry but I can fill in the blanks with my OWN SLANT....I will NOT register to read the LA Slimes.

[Ben Hecks]

"Col. David Perkins is one I expect to be promoted to have several stars in short order. He's by far the most impressive commander I've seen in a long time!"

The live coverage of the drive into downtown Baghdad, occupation of Saddam's palace and hoisting of the University of Georgia flag was a memorable event indeed. Col. Perkins and his entire command will be remembered in history.

[quidnunc]

PISANO wrote: Sorry but I can fill in the blanks with my OWN SLANT....I will NOT register to read the LA Slimes.

Sukit yourself, but it's probably the best descriptions of combat during the Iraqi war that I've read to date.

[quidnunc]

That should read "Suit yourself, but it's probably the best descriptions of combat during the Iraqi war that I've read to date."

[quidnunc]

Veritas_est wrote: I really hope one of you will do the research and post a believable account of this story. I would try, but so far, as a newbie, I haven't had too much success at anything except lurkin' with an occasional comment.

What makes you think tis artiicle isn't accurazte?

It's author David Zucchino was there and I don't see any reason to doubt his account.

[300winmag]

When watching the tape wishing I was there.

I only saw it twice on Fox, the day it happened. I'd give anything to have a complete video record of it. It would have a place of honor in my collection alongside that FLIR video of the AC-130 administering justice from the black night sky over Afghanistan.

[mikegi]

Just north of the burning operations center, Capt. J.O. Bailey was in a command armored personnel carrier, leading the supply convoy—six fuel tankers and eight ammunition trucks. He felt vulnerable; he had no idea where he was going to park all his combustible vehicles in the middle of a firefight.

Not good! I didn't like the writing style in this article. It jumped around in time and was hard to follow. However, there are plenty of interesting pieces. Gruneisen's tank gun hitting the abutment then getting lost (I was dreading the ending to that story but it turned out ok). The RPG teams in the mosque that were taken out. The battles at Moe, Larry, and Curly.

I need to keep this article handy for the times that I get pumped up and think I'd like to see combat (even though I'm too old).

I do have one concern/question: where were our Apaches during all this???? In this day and age, our guys shouldn't have to rely on "danger close" artillery. We should have had Apaches tubing the bad guys that had surrounded ours.

[Thebaddog]

That was a HELL of a ride! I remember it well and it was the right thing to do. Attack, attack, attack, and it works. I think that's what is going on now, but not as dramatically and not as well reported. Our military is second to none, ever.

[Cicero]

I tried Hildabeast isaliar, but it said I had the wrong password. Evidently Hildabeast has changed her password. Darn!

[kaylar]

For anyone who wants to read this without having to create a LAT account, try this:

Try login: hildabeast password: isaliar.

Should work, if it doesn't try hildebeast (never can remember which one is right).

[kaylar]

Darn it! You beat me.