Posted on 05/04/2004 4:56:27 PM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4
Another letter from Iraq. Quick thinking and outstanding leadership on the part of a young Lieutenant when the convoy that was transporting his tank company's equipment ran into a large, well-planned ambush.
The cadets I'm teaching at West Point this year will be commissioned 2nd Lieutenants in less than a month. A few months from now, this could be one of the 22 yr old men and women I'm privileged to work with and mentor. I'm proud of them all and grateful for their service.
Terminology: HET = Heavy Equipment Transport (huge flatbed trucks used to transport tanks when not in combat; this is easier on the roads of Iraq as well as on the tanks themselves); CSA = Chief of Staff of the Army; TC = Tank Commander (non-commissioned officer or lieutenant); CG = commanding general; 1AD = 1st Armored Division; GEN = General (4 stars); MG = Major General (2 stars); XO = executive officer (senior aide to the commander); BDA = battle damage assessment
Sir,
...I met yesterday outside Najaf with a 1LT from the Iron Dukes of 2-37 Armor who as tank company XO was leading a convoy of two platoons of tanks on HETs from Al Kut in the east to Najaf in the west, a distance of about 175KM. As they passed through the town of Diwaniyah, they were ambushed by a group of insurgents--undoubtedly former regime soldiers with some military training--with RPGs, heavy machine guns, and AK-47s. The Task Force Scouts had passed through only 30 minutes earlier without contact, so this was a well planned ambush of probably 50 or so organized in two and three man teams.
The convoy suffered three soldiers KIA in the initial moments of the ambush--one Iron Duke, one 2ACR cavalry trooper, and one transportation officer. The convoy immediately returned fire. They had several HUMMWVs in escort, and the tanks on the back of the HETs were manned with loaders and TCs on crew served weapons.
Within minutes of the ambush, one of the HETs was disabled, and the Lieutenant realized he would have to stand and fight to ensure he had everyone. The Iron Dukes "broke chains" as they described it, by essentially driving off the back of the HETs under fire to engage the enemy. In the course of the next hour, they fought their way out of Diwaniyah employing every weapon available to them including main gun. They got everyone and everything out with the exception of one HET.
Enemy BDA was 30 killed and an unknown number wounded.
A day after this fight, I received an email from CPT Thomas Moore, of the 1175th Transportation, who was the convoy commander. He wrote: "were it not for the courage and actions under fire of the 2ACR and 2-37 soldiers that day, he is certain all his men would have been killed." He asked me if he and his soldiers engaged in that fight with us could wear the 1AD combat patch. I told him I'd be honored.
There are many such stories of courage under fire and just as many stories of incredible compassion to the innocent...
Continuing mission, sir.
V/R Marty
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
HOOAH!
Within minutes of the ambush...the Lieutenant realized he would have to stand and fight...
"...were it not for the courage and actions under fire of the 2ACR and 2-37 soldiers that day, he is certain all his men would have been killed."
There are many such stories of courage under fire and just as many stories of incredible compassion to the innocent...
Continuing mission, sir.
V/R Marty
~ 
~
Now that had to mess the terrorists drawers! A definite "Oh Shit" moment for them.
out of curiosity- is this something that is an SOP? i.e. would tankers have trained/simulated doing this sort of thing?
That is not a normal peacetime practice, so they may be practicing or at least thinking about it. Pretty tough on the trailers to do much of that sort of training.
The TC had to cease fire, come off the .50 cal, crawl into the driver's hole, crank up the tank, bust the tie downs and run over the chocks, and if nobody put the ramps down he has to neutral steer off the side of the trailer. All this while an ambush is underway.
so you wouldn't travel w/a driver?
never mind. (DOH!)
We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!
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