CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq(April 6, 2004) -- Two Marine battalions shut down access to the Iraqi city of Fallujah by early Monday morning in an effort to isolate and root out terrorists there.
By Tuesday, five Camp Pendleton Marines from the 1st Marine Division were killed and an unknown number of anti-coalition forces were dead. Firefights erupted after Marines came under mortar and rocket-propelled grenade attacks during the first two days of the operation.
"The city is surrounded," said 2nd Lt. James G. Vanzant to reporters at the onset of the operation. "It's an extended operation. We want to make a very precise approach to this... We are looking for the bad guys in town."
By Tuesday, five Camp Pendleton Marines from the 1st Marine Division were killed and an unknown number of anti-coalition forces were dead. Firefights erupted after Marines came under mortar and rocket-propelled grenade attacks during the first two days of the operation.
"The city is surrounded," said 2nd Lt. James G. Vanzant to reporters at the onset of the operation. "It's an extended operation. We want to make a very precise approach to this... We are looking for the bad guys in town."
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Bad news for the bad guys, in spite of press accounts to the contrary!