US Sentry Saves Troops By Killing Suicide Bomber

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 12-10-2003 | Jack Fairweather

[El Gato]

I haven't heard that there are ANY '60s that are still issued.

What about the M-240B?

Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale Manufacturing, Inc.
Length: 47.5 inches (120.65 centimeters)
Weight: 24.2 pounds (10.99 kilograms)
Bore diameter: 7.62mm (.308 inches)
Maximum effective range: 1.1 miles (1.8 kilometers) on tripod mount
Maximum range: 2.31 miles (3.725 kilometers)
Rates of fire:
Cyclic: 650-950 rounds per minute
Rapid: 200 rounds per minute
Sustained: 100 rounds per minute

[El Gato]

Sad but true. Sgt. York killed seven with seven shots

But York wasn't shooting at relatively fast moving, and possibly lightly armored, vehicle either. He got the job done that needed doing with whatever tool he had at hand.

[faithincowboys]

God Bless him, it is a wonderful thing to be able to say you saved hundreds of brave men. I am amazed and awed by the danger our soldiers face and their courgae under fire.

[Carolina]

"I've had a lot of people come up to me today to thank me for saving their lives," said Spc Ross. "But I tell them I was doing my job. It's a miracle no one was killed."

Well done.

[blackie]

Thank you, Spc. James Ross ! Hero ~ Bump!

[TEXOKIE]

"I've had a lot of people come up to me today to thank me for saving their lives," said Spc Ross. "But I tell them I was doing my job. IT'S A MIRACLE NO ONE WAS KILLED."

FAther, we praise you for taking care of these fine troops. Thank you, God for overshadowing James Ross and clearing the way for him to perform his duties so honorably and meticulously. Thank you for hearing our prayers and sparing the lives of our troops in situations like this! Amen

[bruin66]

Give that man another stripe.

and a change of underwear...

[LadyPilgrim]

I love our Military!
I love the young soldiers that lay life on the line each and every time they turn around.
They are a wonderful group of kids that are learning why it's great to be an American!
I say, Let them fight to their hearts content. Wipe out the enemy!
Then give them the honors they deserve!
God Bless our Military!
And, God Bless America!

[Travis McGee]

I'm with you! The guy's shooting was fabulous, I don't care if he put out 200 rounds. The main thing was /1/ He hit and stopped his target under extreme pressure, and /2/ His MG did not have a stoppage or malfunction at the critical second! It was ready to go!

Anybody with experience at guard duty with a MG will know that this is no small thing, this is a HUGE thing! There are so many ways a MG can fail to fire in the first second when it's needed, or jam or malfunction or be set up wrong etc. Getting 100 rounds off RIGHT NOW under extreme pressure is FANTASTIC!!!!

[Travis McGee]

I wish we'd had you in 83 Spc. Ross. Semper Fi.... L

AMEN Lurker! Actually, he was there, but he had those suck ass rules of engagement to contend with!!!!! What a PAINFUL LESSON!!!!

[Squantos]

Oh early thirty, sleepy, and working with tools built by the lowest bidder and still gets it done. Ditto on the MG comments. I'm gonna guess he had a 200 round box on a M249 and just kept on that driver till he ran dry.......nothing like a beaucoup pucker factor belt to sound the alarm, bring help and stop the bad guys all at once.

Stay Safe Travis.....

[Travis McGee]

Can you imagine the reactions of the sleepy troops just getting up and scratching their nads and yawning, wandering out to the latrines, and hearing 100 rounds on full auto at the gate? Think anybody was standing up after the first burst?

[Squantos]

Defense in depth worked well. Agree on the shit and go blind wake up call. Been there !......didn't get a T-Shirt though........:o(

Stay Safe !

[Travis McGee]

We learn from all of these cases. We need to watch for the two-car attack next, where #2 rushes into the "vacuum" of the immediate aftermath to get the first responders. The guns really need to be up after an attack which may only be number one of two.

[river rat]

I have no personal experience or knowledge of the M240, so I won't comment on that score...

But, I personally know of dozens of men that are alive today --- specifically because of the superior deadly effect of a PROPERLY POSITIONED, MAINTAINED AND UTILIZED M60.

NOTHING will cause the hair on the back of your neck stand to up like the sight of several M60s with with their tracer rounds crisscrossing over the entire field of fire at night..... I love em, love em, love em.....


Semper Fi

[Squantos]

Hopefully the single vehicle approach to the base has a slowing vehicle maze of barriers. Engineers should have been employed by now to create such to funnel aggressors to easy kill zones to preclude a speeding 5 ton vehicle from crashing through.

I know in an urban environment it is hard to have a clear zone that is effective but housing that many in anything but a hardened, hulled down , defended in depth camp ......is asking for infection of the Beirut virus.

Just my opinion ....Stay Safe !

[LibWhacker]

LOL! . . . Thanks, that made me laugh. :-)

[LibWhacker]

We need to watch for the two-car attack next . . .

I nominate you for Secretary of the Army, Travis! It's lessons like that that the bureaucracy always seems to miss.

[joesnuffy]

Give that man another stripe...indeed...
Of course if he would have fired his pistol off near the guy who either planned or knew of the plan to use this car bomb against US troops...he could have gotten court martialed...or punished like Col West
Im happy he decided to act rather than wait and see.....that he wasnt as timid as the PC generals of the command

[harpseal]

What no one seems to have mentioned is teh driver might have been dead and teh vehicle still moving as Spc ross kept firing and the additional rounds could have caused teh explosives to detonate by hitting a cap or shorting out the firing mechanism etc. He did well and I don't think any critique of his marksmanship is in order.