U.S. Soliders Take to Water to Combat Terrorists

Defend America News ^ | Feb 22, 2006 | Cpl. Michael Molinaro

[SandRat]

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jason Simmons and Spc. Daniel Meyer scan the banks of the Euphrates River looking for terrorist activity, Feb. 16, 2006. Simmons and Meyer are assigned as scouts with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Michael Molinaro
U.S. Soliders Take to Water to Combat Terrorists
U.S. troops employ innovative tactics to thwart counterinsurgency operations.
By U.S. Army Cpl. Michael Molinaro 2nd Brigade Combat Team ISKANDARIYAH, Iraq, Feb. 22, 2006 — Some of them are tankers, some of them are infantryman. But now some of them are ... sailors? "It’s a nice change-of-pace to be on the river after patrolling the roads all of the time. There are bad guys on the water, so we need to get them too." U.S. Army Spc. Michael Komaromy U.S. soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, are keeping the pressure on terrorists in the Babil province and have taken counterinsurgency operations to the least common of places for an armor unit: the water. Insurgents will do whatever it takes to go undetected in this area, and using the river is one of the ways they transport and hide bomb-making materials, said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Paul Jones, combat engineer with the battalion’s Company E. The battalion has discovered numerous weapons caches since taking over its area of responsibility. During the past week alone, four caches were found over a 24-hour period. Last month, a substantial cache was discovered on one of many islands along the river. Islands are a clever place for terrorists to hide improvised explosive devices and other weapons used against coalition and Iraqi security forces, said Jones. U.S. Army Sgt. Lonnie Lewis, bridge crew chief, 50th Engineer Company, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., listens to a report of possible terrorist activity near the banks of the Euphrates River during river operations, Feb. 16, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Michael Molinaro	U.S. soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, with an assist from the 50th Engineer Company, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., patrol the banks of the Euphrates River in search of terrorist activity, Feb. 22, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Michael Molinaro Having a presence on the rivers to prevent terrorists from getting to those islands only makes sense. Soldiers probe the islands and search for weapons and other material terrorists use to do harm. “It’s a nice change-of-pace to be on the river after patrolling the roads all of the time,” said U.S. Army Spc. Michael Komaromy, also a Company E combat engineer. “There are bad guys on the water, so we need to get them too.” Soldiers from Company E never trained for water operations before deploying late last year, Jones said. Since arriving in Iraq, and the introduction of the mission, it has been on-the-job training for these medics, scouts and other soldiers tasked with keeping the water routes free from terrorists. “We had two or three days of getting familiar with the boats: knowing where everything is and going over man-overboard drills,” said Komaromy, “but the reactions to contact are just about the same as in a vehicle.” The river operations have been effective, Jones said. Improvised explosive device emplacement was more prevalent in the area prior to 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment’s operations. Now, with checkpoints set up and a presence on the water, terrorists are finding fewer places to hide. “Locals may feel more comfortable and secure knowing that we are providing security all around them,” said Jones. “They want to feel better about the area they are living in, and this is one of the ways to make sure that happens.” Company E lost one of its own during the early days of this deployment, and the reminder drives these soldiers to make sure terrorists are taken off the streets – and the water. “If cruising this river all day and all night is what it takes to take the bad stuff out of the (terrorists’) hands, then that’s what I’ll do,” said Jones.

[SandRat]

Riverine Warfare in Iraq.

[Lurker]

I saw an old PBR for sale once. Wish I'd bought it.

It would have made a great conversation piece cruising up and down the Mississippi.

L

[WideGlide]

Be careful Soldier. If you go too far North you'll be in Cambodia. (:^D)

[Army Air Corps]

I have heard from folks involved in Naval planning that the USN is dusting-off the playbook from SEALORDS and working on revamping its Riverine Warfare capability.

[Army Air Corps]

"I saw an old PBR for sale once."

Was it a MkI or MkII?

[Lurker]

I didn't really know enough about them at the time to tell the difference. It was parked on a trailer in a Surplus Shop in Alabama.

I do remember it had that cool Jacuzzi drive system in it. I figured it would have been great for fishing the sloughs in the upper Mississippi River.

It would have been cool to restore it and use it for fishing or hunting ducks. Hey, maybe I could have gone skiing behind it.

L

[Army Air Corps]

You could mount some wicked fishing poles on the gun pintles! :-)

The grenade launcher could be handy when you want fish in a hurry...

The PBR was a fast buggar and very manoeuverable. By the way, I have heard a story or two about PBR crews engaging in waterskiing...

[joesnuffy]

Too bad there are a lot of us former members of MRF 9th ID types along the Mississippi...and its major tributaries that would have enjoyed a ride...just for old times sake.

Kicking back on a PBR popping a six pack of PBR would be fun...just for old times sake..

[E.G.C.]

BTTT