Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Iraqis Assist Soldiers with disabled vehicle near Fallujah
4th Infantry Division ^

Posted on 08/23/2003 10:47:39 AM PDT by saquin

AL-FALLUJAH, Iraq--Soldiers from the 411th Military Police Company looked helplessly at one of their Armored Security Vehicles (ASV) as it sat in a roadside ditch dangerously close to flipping over. They had no vehicle powerful enough to lift the 29,850-pound ASV back onto the road. Platoon leader First Lt. Shannon Newell and her soldiers were in a potentially hostile area and she had to quickly decide what to do.It was late morning and the heat was becoming unbearable. Soon a crowd of people from the nearby village of As-Saqlawiyah, about 20 miles west of Baghdad, began gathering around them. The children chatted and laughed with the soldiers, while the adults looked curiously at the ASV. Then an elderly man dressed in a white robe approached Newell. Through a translator, he told Newell he was the leader of the village and owned a crane in Al-Fallujah, a city about 5 miles to the south. He wanted to send someone to get the crane and help the soldiers recover the vehicle.

In our minds we were thinking it would be a rickety crane, it would probably break or maybe they were just trying to set us up, so we were very skeptical, said Newell. But they were very insistent, and said it would only take 1 1/2 hours to get the crane, so we finally said "ok." About two hours later, a nearly brand new 50-foot construction crane, operated by a local villager, lifted the ASV out of the ditch and back onto the road.

"I was trying to figure out how we could possibly thank them, and I asked the old man if he needed some type of payment, and he said 'No' What he wanted was for us to come to his house and have breakfast with him," said Newell. "We were nervous about eating the food here and drinking the water, but we were really hungry and sweltering outside in all our gear, so we said 'ok.'"

Newell sent one squad into the village to conduct security operations, and left some soldiers to guard the vehicles, while she and the rest of her soldiers followed the villagers and the old man to his house.

The house was a modest, two-story home, said Newell. She and her soldiers had just entered when one of her soldiers, Staff Sgt. Michael Merzke, told her that the ASV's hydraulic system was blown and would need to be refilled with oil before it could be operated again.

The village leader offered to have Merzke driven into town to buy the oil. Merzke offered to buy the oil, but the old man shook his head and gave a wad of money to one of the village men. The villager, a young boy, and Merzke--who stands a towering 6-foot-five-inches--all crammed into the cab of a small Toyota pickup. An MP team in a HUMV followed as they drove into As-Saqlawiyah for oil.

Newell and the rest of her soldiers were inside the village leader's home being treated to ice-cold water and a meal of lamb shish kebobs in rooms cooled by ceiling fans.

Pvt. Jennifer Sperber, ate her meal with the women and children in a room at the back of the house. "They were really exited and happy to see us, and all talking to us even though we didn't understand anything they were saying," said Sperber. The women and children did their best to overcome the language barrier, trying to explain how old they were and show how they were related, she said.

The MPs finished their meal and tried to tell their hosts how full they were and thank them for the meal. " made a gesture trying to tell the women that the food was really good and they thought I meant we wanted more food. So, they brought out more lamb," said Newell. "It would have been kind of rude not to eat, so I told Sperber she had better eat it all. When she finished all she could say was 'Lt., I am so full!'"

Late in the afternoon, despite the protests of the men, women and children, Newell and her soldiers said goodbye and left the old man's home.

"They were sad to see us go," said Sperber. "They all gave us hugs and kissed us on the cheek."

"All our soldiers liked the experience," said Newell. "They were showing the people pictures of their kids, their wives and husbands. One of my soldiers had a Game Boy with him and all the little kids were sitting on his lap taking turns playing the game. When we left, the old man told me that he wanted us to come back for breakfast the next day. He told me that Iraq needs American friends," she said.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 4thid; asv; goodnews; iraq; militaryoolice; militarypolice; wheeledarmor
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-95 next last
To: saquin
What a great story! The Iraqis are very hospitable people, as are most Arabs.
21 posted on 08/23/2003 11:56:46 AM PDT by TheSpottedOwl (I need a new tag line)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LibKill
Textron Cadillac Gage builds it.
22 posted on 08/23/2003 11:57:48 AM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4 ("Leave the Artillerymen alone, they are an obstinate lot. . .")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: LibKill
Textron lost out to General Dynamics/General Motors Canada on the Stryker contract.
23 posted on 08/23/2003 12:08:24 PM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4 ("Leave the Artillerymen alone, they are an obstinate lot. . .")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Cannoneer No. 4
Yes indeed, at least a case. My M88 and M578 crews charged a case for each tow. During REFORGER 1984 we had quite a party after the field exercise was finished and we could legally drink.
24 posted on 08/23/2003 12:08:43 PM PDT by SLB
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Dane
"This is a story, IMO, that would be automatically spiked by the NYT, WP, CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN.

Can't have positive news about Iraq infiltrate their little worlds. "

No no it wouldn't be spiked its all part of the American propaganda machine don't ya know, those weren't real iraqi but paid actors ;-)
25 posted on 08/23/2003 12:14:52 PM PDT by battousai (Hello... Hello... is this thing on?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: saquin
This needs another BTTT!
26 posted on 08/23/2003 12:16:26 PM PDT by Maigrey (Proud member of Logan's Legion (Have you had your Logan Fix today?))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cannoneer No. 4
Textron Cadillac Gage builds it.

Nice! I can imagine the orders now.

"Sgt. LibKill, you will advance on the enemy in your Cadillac."

Aye, Aye SIR! Right after you write a letter, and mail it, to my parents, apologizing for sending me out on a suicide mission with inadequate equipment.

BTW, Lieutenant, do you see the knife in my hand? Do you want to live?

27 posted on 08/23/2003 12:17:02 PM PDT by LibKill (FReegards, FRiend)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Cannoneer No. 4
My Gosh somebody is still using V-100's
28 posted on 08/23/2003 12:25:37 PM PDT by dts32041 ("moderate Arab" he's the one who detonates his bomb via remote control.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: LibKill; Cannoneer No. 4
My first impression is that while that vehicle looks formidible, a wheeled combat vehicle should really have at least 6 wheels, preferably 8 wheels.

Who makes that thing, and who is buying it?

Put four more wheels on that thing and its a Stryker . This article wanders into the light armor / wheeled-mobility debate.

29 posted on 08/23/2003 1:01:22 PM PDT by jriemer (We are a Republic not a Democracy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: dts32041
Newer, more expensive than a V-100, but probably not so radically different that an old V-100 crewman couldn't get the hang of it in a coupla hours.

Buddy of mine used to run a platoon of V-100's and gun jeeps on convoy security. Talks about Man Yang Pass when you get him drunk.

30 posted on 08/23/2003 1:16:10 PM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4 ("Leave the Artillerymen alone, they are an obstinate lot. . .")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Cannoneer No. 4
Scary times, whne the V was running the roads.

Mine never did much convoy duty was used for internal security.

31 posted on 08/23/2003 1:21:06 PM PDT by dts32041 ("moderate Arab" he's the one who detonates his bomb via remote control.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: jriemer
This article wanders into the light armor / wheeled-mobility debate.

Fair enough.

One of the last things that I saw before I left the USMC was the LAV.

It has worked out pretty well, as has the Army's Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

In all this debate we have missed one point. The Tank.

None of these vehicles can replace the tank.

32 posted on 08/23/2003 1:38:31 PM PDT by LibKill (FReegards, FRiend)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Dane
This is a story, IMO, that would be automatically spiked by the NYT, WP, CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN.

You said it better than anybody else would. Can't have word get out that some appreciate what we did, can we?

33 posted on 08/23/2003 1:43:07 PM PDT by af_vet_rr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: saquin
Quagmire.
34 posted on 08/23/2003 1:45:19 PM PDT by doug from upland (Why did DemocRATS allow a perjuring rapist to remain in the Oval Office?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: saquin; kjfine
THANK YOU for posting this! Our military is the GREATEST!!
35 posted on 08/23/2003 1:45:20 PM PDT by StarCMC (God protect the 969th in Iraq and their Captain, my brother...God protect them all!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: saquin
This a great story. It has bee suggested that a collection of such be gathered and posted on our www.fairpress.com web site.
36 posted on 08/23/2003 1:52:51 PM PDT by bert (Don't Panic!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: saquin

1st Lt. Shannon Newell (front center) and her squad stand beside the ASV that was lifted out of a ditch with the help of local Iraqis.

Interesting that the date of the article was 22 May.

37 posted on 08/23/2003 2:07:25 PM PDT by in the Arena
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dts32041
My Gosh somebody is still using V-100's


Yep, sure does, a great little convoy escort and riot ender. .Fast, mobile,nifty armament packages, run flat tires.. A purpose designed Armored Car..
38 posted on 08/23/2003 2:09:14 PM PDT by gatorbait
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Cannoneer No. 4
saquin - Great Post!

Cannoneer - thanks for the ping. It said the trannie "was blown" but all it needed was some oil? Maybe the oil leaked out while it was on it side?



39 posted on 08/23/2003 2:12:46 PM PDT by Tunehead54 (Taglines incorporated by reference: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/860760/posts (';-)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: saquin
Cool !
40 posted on 08/23/2003 2:14:47 PM PDT by america-rules (I'm one proud American right now !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-95 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson