Army releases findings from 507th ambush

Army News Service thru DoD ^ | July 17, 2003 | Staff Sgt. Marcia Triggs

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Army releases findings from 507th ambush

By Staff Sgt. Marcia Triggs
July 17, 2003

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, July 17, 2003) - The Army released a 15-page report today stating that members of the 507th Maintenance Company fought the best they could in Iraq until there was no longer a means to resist.

Elements of the Fort Bliss maintenance company became an American interest when a navigational error caused them to come under attack March 23 in the city of An Nasiriyah.

The report states that of the 33 soldiers in the 18-vehicle convoy, six soldiers returned fire while moving and were able to maneuver their vehicles through the ambush and rejoin friendly forces.

Faced with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades from all sides, 10 more members of the 507th were forced to set up a defensive perimeter after a number of their vehicles became inoperable. Under the supervision of Sgt. Matthew Rose, the report states that members of the team who were trained as combat lifesavers tended to wounded soldiers.

Marines from the 8th Tank Battalion, Task Force Tarawa, eventually rescued the 10 soldiers after being informed of the situation by the six soldiers who escaped the ambush.

Contributing factors that led to the others being killed, dying from injuries or taken as prisoners of war were heavy vehicles that were unable to maneuver in the desert terrain and malfunctioning weapons, according to the report.

The report states numerous times that M-16 rifles malfunctioned or jammed. Other weapons that malfunctioned were the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon and the .50 caliber machinegun. However, the team that conducted the report did not find persistent problems with weapons, specifically the M16A2 rifle.

"Dusty, desert conditions do require vigilance in weapons maintenance," officials said. "However, it is imperative to remember that at the time of the attack, the 507th had spent more than two days on the move, with little rest and time to conduct vehicle repair and recovery operations," officials said.

The report is intended to provide closure for the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, it states in its opening paragraph. In a narrative form, a brief description of the maintenance company's role and mission is given. The details begin March 20 and end March 23, the day of the attack, which lasted an estimated hour to 90 minutes.

The treatment and the rescue of the former prisoners of war are not mentioned in this report. That's being investigated separately, officials said.

Pfc. Jessica Lynch, 19, a member of the 507th, was rescued April 1 by U.S. military commandos from an Iraqi hospital. However, the report only states that she was seriously injured and captured when her Humvee was hit by direct or indirect fire and crashed into a stalled vehicle. Lynch was in the backseat of the vehicle.

Pfc. Lori Piestewa, the only female casualty during the ground war, was the driver of the Humvee. She was captured along with Lynch, but died of her injuries, the report states.

The remaining five POWs from the company, which also included female soldier Spc. Shoshana Johnson, were rescued April 13 by the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

The information used to compile this report was taken from witness statements and other collected information, officials stated. Family members of those soldiers who were killed in action and the former POWs have already been briefed on the findings, officials added.

[dixiechick2000]

Thanks for posting this information.

This was a sad situation...

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[Wilhelm Tell]

The report states numerous times that M-16 rifles malfunctioned or jammed.

I'm not keeping count, but I cannot remember hearing any story about an AK-47 jamming. I wonder if some of our weapons are a little too refined to be reliable in harsh environments?

[Steel and Fire and Stone]

"Dusty, desert conditions do require vigilance in weapons maintenance,"

Sounds like that they failed to properly maintain their weapons in a war zone. Unbelievable lack of discipline and/or training. They had the same equipment others soldiers used with great success. Lots of stuff went wrong, but appears that the unit commander and senior NCO both died in the fight.

RIP.. heros.

FReegards, SFS.

[Buffalo Head]

"I wonder if some of our weapons are a little too refined to be reliable in harsh environments?" No, the M16 and its derivities is the finest battle instrument ever devised. No army using AK47's has ever defeated an army armed with M16's. The M16 has been our prime service rifle longer than any other in our history. And for good reason. It works. It works when it is not well maintained. It works when it is mildly abused. It works especially well when the dust cover is closed.

Alas, it is not idiot proof. It will not protect an idiot from him(her)self if the dust cover is not closed in a sand storm. It will not perform well without ammunition. It will support a bayonet for those who do not surrender.

The only way one can be defeated if he(she) surrenders. Never surrender.

[SauronOfMordor]

I'm not keeping count, but I cannot remember hearing any story about an AK-47 jamming. I wonder if some of our weapons are a little too refined to be reliable in harsh environments?

There is a tradeoff between accuracy and reliability. To get accuracy requires parts to fit together with close tolerences -- which means that as soon as you get dirt, sand, mud, etc in the mechanism, things jam.

The AK is loose enough that you can get it dirty and full of dust, sand, and mud and it will still cycle -- just don't expect to win any 300-yard rifle matches with it

Considering how seldom we get into firefights past 100 yeards, I think the Russians may have had the better approach. I think the military may be better served with a more robust arm for close-in battle, with each squad having one or two people with scoped bolt-action rifles in .300 WinMag for long-distance work

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Placemarking. (RIP to our fallen.)

[SauronOfMordor]

In today's NY Post (print edition), the picture accompanying the article about Bernard Kerik, the former NYPD commissioner and current security chief in Iraq, shows his US bodyguard carrying a folding-stock AK, rather than an M-16

[SauronOfMordor]

The online pic isn't as clear, but the guy on the right has an AK

[kAcknor]

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[Shooter 2.5]

I'm not keeping count, but I cannot remember hearing any story about an AK-47 jamming.

It's difficult if not impossible to interview a dead Iraqi.