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Marines describe survival in the blast zone ["This is what we do...They can't stop us."]
Marinelink ^ | 5-25-04 | Lance Cpl. Macario P. Mora Jr.

Posted on 05/26/2004 7:36:02 PM PDT by SJackson

CAMP AL ASAD, Iraq(May 24, 2004) -- Lance Cpl. Christian A. Holloway knows what it's like to survive the blast of an improvised explosive device.

"The boom hits and everything becomes silent," said Holloway, an infantryman from Round Rock, Texas. "Your body is in motion, but you can't hear a thing. It's like that scene from 'Saving Private Ryan.'"

Holloway, assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, along with 15 other Marines, was on a convoy several days ago when his vehicle was struck by an IED. The roadside bomb was made of 155 mm artillery rounds buried in the dirt. The blast tore through a seven-ton truck, wounding nine Marines.

One wounded was evacuated to an Army hospital in Baghdad. The other eight Marines were treated and released. All received fragmentation wounds from the explosion, but eye protection saved the sight of eight of the nine Marines.

The explosion left the Marines dazed, bleeding and wondering how they survived to speak about it.

Lance Cpl. Joseph D. Brooks, an infantryman from Palm Bay, Fla., said the effects of the blast were sobering. He's seen the effects of combat last year during the invasion of Iraq. But that was the enemy. This time, he was battling to keep his fellow Marines alive.

"He had a piece of shrapnel...," Brooks explained of seeing his wounded friend. "During our first time here it was different seeing the bodies of our enemies. But, when it's your friend, your buddy you're giving first aid to, it makes you sick."

The convoy quickly set up a perimeter in search of the enemy. Nothing was there. No movement could be seen. There weren't any wires to trace the bomb. It was triggered by a remote detonator.

"Everything was like second nature," said Pvt. Jesus Rivera, an infantryman from Phoenix. "We weren't even thinking. We just did what we were supposed to.

Rivera added that even one of the worst wounded Marines was barking orders.

It wasn't until after the incident was over that any of them were able to grasp exactly what happened.

"While it was happening we were all just so angry," Holloway explained. "We just wanted to get them back."

"At first I was just angry," added Lance Cpl. Joshua C. Pearce, an infantryman from Dallas. "Then I started thinking about all the other Marines. A lot of these guys have fiancés and wives."

Pearce said one Marine has a son yet to be born.

The Marines in the convoy weren't surprised by what had happened. Rather, many expected it. They trained for it, how to react and briefed it before they left on the mission. Still, none knew exactly what it would be like.

"I was scared at first," said Lance Cpl. Eric S. Freemen, an infantryman and from Thousand Oaks, Calif. "It was like, 'Wow, it finally happened.' It didn't feel real for a while. We all knew it would happen, we just didn't know when."

Several days later, the Marines still wondered how they weren't killed or severely injured.

"There were large holes everywhere," Holloway said. "We are amazed nothing too bad happened to us. Someone was looking out for us."

And it didn't slow them down.

In less than a day, the Marines were out patrolling the same street where it happened. Some still wore the same blood-stained uniforms.

"This is what we do. It's all muscle memory," Rivera said. "They can't stop us."


Lance Cpls. Christian A. Holloway, of Round Rock, Texas and Joshua C. Pearce, of Dallas, both infantrymen with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, show off pieces of shrapnel from an improvised explosive device. The two were on a convoy that was hit by two 155 mm rounds while on a routine patrol. Pearce is holding a piece which went into his leg.


Lance Cpl. Joseph D. Brooks, and infantryman with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment and from Palm Bay, Fla. shows off some of his injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device blast. A four vehicle convoy was hit, while on a routine patrol.


Lance Cpl. Anthony J. Rytlewski, an infantryman of 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, was among the Marines who suffered injuries during an attack on his four vehicle convoy May 21.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ied; iraq; marines; semperfi; usmc
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To: Travis McGee
AFAIK, alot of the guys are wearing Oakleys bought with their own money. They're good Z-rated shades, but pricey.

The folks at Oakley do alot of R&D, but I'm pretty sure they stop short of testing with 155mm arty rounds.

41 posted on 05/27/2004 5:43:04 AM PDT by AngryJawa (Thank You Troops!)
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To: R. Scott

ya gotta love an arc-weld tan.
no one told me about the UV component of the glare, and I managed to cook myself very badly once.


42 posted on 05/27/2004 6:19:01 AM PDT by King Prout (the difference between "trained intellect" and "indoctrinated intellectual" is an Abyssal gulf)
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To: SJackson
"While it was happening we were all just so angry," Holloway explained. "We just wanted to get them back."

Please, PLEASE do. Return the "favor" manifold to Allah's howler monkeys. Pay them back with enormously compounded interest, so that the loud screeching sound emanating from Hell is that of its gates being forced wider apart, so as to accommodate all the newcomers. Keep them coming as fast as you possibly can, and please don't worry about their transportation - Satan will take care of that. You just need to deliver their "invitations". Good luck and God's speed in doing so!

43 posted on 05/27/2004 6:30:15 AM PDT by MarineDad (So what's the big deal? Allah wears panties on his head, too...but you don't hear HIM complaining.)
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To: King Prout
I managed to cook myself very badly once.

Only once, I hope.

44 posted on 05/27/2004 7:13:58 AM PDT by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink.)
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To: R. Scott

oh, yes: ONLY once.


45 posted on 05/27/2004 8:02:25 AM PDT by King Prout (the difference between "trained intellect" and "indoctrinated intellectual" is an Abyssal gulf)
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To: King Prout

Lexan is commonly used by drag racers, so I would begin with the aftermarket drag people. In fact, you might hook up with a local racer for scraps, possibly via some of the racing forums on the net.


46 posted on 05/27/2004 8:07:59 AM PDT by Cobra Scott
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To: Cobra Scott

I would never have thought of that. Thanks!


47 posted on 05/27/2004 8:30:37 AM PDT by King Prout (the difference between "trained intellect" and "indoctrinated intellectual" is an Abyssal gulf)
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To: SLB
Working in a minefield in Kuwait in 91 one of my troops triggered a submunition by accident injuring himself and two others on either side of him . All three were on line about 10 meters apart working with detection gear and had the current "issue" gargoyles" on. Troops on both sides of the victim were burnt, peppered with small frag and blasted on the sides of their heads and bodies yet the glasses protected them 100%.

It's noted that the outline from the glasses on the sides of their noggins can still be seen today in the pattern of their frag tattoos.

Safety glasses work, I have had blasting caps go off and the glasses have caught small pieces of the aluminum saving my eyes. I'm a religious advocate of safety glasses during all work. My only gripe is over the years the optical quality of the Z rated plastics has IMHO degraded my eyesight. Some issue stuff is extreamly poor quality so when I have to wear em I go out of my way to spend my own dime to get the best on the market and the gargoyles are good but I snag a set of Oakleys for function and fashion....

I even wore clear sets of oakleys or gargoyles under my bolle ballistic goggles when working.

Wear em folks !..........they work ! But ya have to wear em !

Stay Safe !

48 posted on 05/27/2004 8:47:41 AM PDT by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.)
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To: Travis McGee
We put 3/4" Lexan MR5 (scratch resistant and polarized) windows on our boat to deal with boarding waves. The retailer said it was bullet resistant but wouldn't guarantee the claim.

So before the truck was unloaded my dad took off a pane, laid in the grass, and shot it with a .45 ACP round. It left a little scratch but the material held.

Good stuff.

49 posted on 05/27/2004 9:31:01 AM PDT by nunya bidness (Yorktown)
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To: King Prout

http://www.sheffieldplastics.com

I work here.


50 posted on 05/27/2004 9:36:58 AM PDT by j_tull ("I may make you feel, but I can't make you think.")
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To: Squantos

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/meps.htm


51 posted on 05/27/2004 9:39:38 AM PDT by SLB ("We must lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us." C. S. Lewis)
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To: j_tull

thanks - browsing the product PDFs now


52 posted on 05/27/2004 9:55:31 AM PDT by King Prout (the difference between "trained intellect" and "indoctrinated intellectual" is an Abyssal gulf)
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To: j_tull; Squantos; Travis McGee; All

the armor company realtively near where i'm at is this:
http://www.labock.com/index.htm


53 posted on 05/27/2004 10:01:26 AM PDT by King Prout (the difference between "trained intellect" and "indoctrinated intellectual" is an Abyssal gulf)
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To: SLB

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jan2002/n01222002_200201221.html


54 posted on 05/27/2004 10:06:45 AM PDT by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.)
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To: j_tull; Squantos; Travis McGee; All

and I'm going for NIJS Level III
5.56mm and 7.62mm NATO, perpendicular biting angle, full stop with acceptable temprorary deformation.

I hope to get the full thickness of the armor under .75" and a lower weight than current "tactical" armors.

The articulation is my own design, loosely "inspired" by medieval japanese systems, shall be semi-rigid plates/sections which overlap segment-like to retain range of motion, and includes an integral load-bearing system I am finalizing which transfers the full weight of the armor onto the hips without killing mobility (or that's what I'm shooting for).

I've been kicking this design around for a decade and I think I have nailed most of the nailable bugs.

Now, it basically all comes down to real-mat'l prototyping.


55 posted on 05/27/2004 10:37:05 AM PDT by King Prout (the difference between "trained intellect" and "indoctrinated intellectual" is an Abyssal gulf)
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To: j_tull; Squantos; Travis McGee; All

a side note: fabricating the helmet system is well beyond my "cottage" capacities. There are a few things i wish to accomplish with the helmet, and even designing it is kicking my butt all over the place.


56 posted on 05/27/2004 10:41:50 AM PDT by King Prout (the difference between "trained intellect" and "indoctrinated intellectual" is an Abyssal gulf)
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To: NormsRevenge

Are you suggesting that the U.S. troops killed to date did not possess that faith?


57 posted on 05/27/2004 10:48:32 AM PDT by Melinator (Don't like it? Too bad.)
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To: Melinator

By no means. For those lost, sadly, Faith is no longer an issue.


58 posted on 05/27/2004 11:02:49 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi Mac ... Become a FR Monthly Donor ... Kerry thread archive @ /~normsrevenge)
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To: j_tull

These Marines are the ones that clinton, gore, kennedy, and all the rest of the partial-birth abortion party hate.


59 posted on 05/27/2004 11:09:00 AM PDT by Jerrybob
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To: j_tull
Thanks, j.
I was racking my brain trying to remember your posting name, when I saw your post.

I've got an architect working on a off the grid cabin plan, and spec'd merlon and steel shutters for the windows, as some of the locals forage and loot unattended cabins.

60 posted on 05/27/2004 12:07:51 PM PDT by FreedomFarmer (If you're gonna be a bear, BE A GRIZZLY!)
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