how do you tell a V-50 from a V-100 by looking at it or is it all internal? the V-150 was bigger, yes??? thankx
Posted on 08/06/2004 2:46:16 PM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4
Those psychopaths that attacked us the other day wearing all black were all members of Al Qaeda.
Today we had a Company formation and our C.O. came out and talked to us. We told us we all did an incredible job and was proud of all of us. He said we all executed our jobs perfectly. He also informed us that the people that were wearing all black were actually insurgents from Iran, members of Al Qaeda. He said the Army estimated that there were at least 100 of them out there attacking us the other day. The C.O. also compared the ambush to what those Rangers went through in Mogadishu. Our battle lasted 9 hours, there's lasted 18. But it was kinda like the same thing. Definitely not as many attacked us as them (again, they estimated that it was only 100 Al Qaeda attacking us, those rangers had way more than that) but we did have people engaging us with AK fire and multiple RPG fire from all directions from these building that were along the street we were driving down. Kinda like what they went through. Our CO said he stopped counting the number of RPG's fired after the number 12. He also said that if there were ever going to be a movie about the Strykers, the other day would have been the perfect story for it.
We also had the Chaplain walking around yesterday, checking up on us and available for us just in case we wanted somebody to talk to. There was no need for me to talk to him, I did enough talking to god the other day.
Earlier in the day, I saw the CO in the War Room and he was cracking jokes and teasing me, "Hey, First Sgt told me you were all scared and you were screaming like a little girl when you guys were getting shot up." Sooo, soooo not true! I was screaming, yes, but it was like, "cuss word, cuss word, cuss word, they're shooting at us!!! Cuss word, RPG!!! Cuss word" That kinda thing.
I'm a 240 gunner, a ground pounder, not a fuckin TC. I hate being a TC, it's like giving a beat cop a desk job. (kinda) And I've only fired the 50 cal once in my life, and that was like a year ago in Yakima. (3 Shots)
What's scary is I don't even know how to operate any of the electronics or gadgets in that vehicle. I'm serious. I'm still learning. In fact, I didn't even know how to lock and load a 50 cal till a couple days ago.
Today I walked around the motor pool and tried to figure out how many Strykers got hit by RPG's, from what I gathered from the motor pool and from talking to everybody I knew that was there, it looks like over 50% of all the vehicles that drove down that main street, took at least 1 RPG. Most took more than one. And almost all of them are totally serviceable. [emphasis Cannoneer's] We have 4 vehicles in my PLT, 4 Squads per Plt. Each Sqd rides on each vehicle. 2 out of the 4 vehicles in my Plt got hit by RPG's. Both vehicles in my Plt took 3 RPG's each. One of the vehicles in my Plt that took an RPG, had its engine catch on fire from the Impact, the SAW gunner from 3rd Squad, grabbed a fire extinguisher, stuck his body out of the hatch and extinguished the fire, under fire. My driver counted 4 RPG's flying past our vehicle. A Stryker in another Plt took 7 RPG's that day, which blew out all 8 rubber tires, and it was still able to Continue Mission with no tires and drive on, out of the kill zone. Do you think a Gavin 113 could do that? Speed the hell out of a Kill zone with no tracks?
The estimate that I have come up with, going on the theory of how many Strykers physically got hit with RPG's, and taking slight consideration on what everybody that was around saw that day, was that at least 50+ RPG's were fired the first time down that Ambush Alley.
Today was spent cleaning out our vehicle inside and out, which was no easy task. No matter how well we try to clean it, we're always finding brass shell casings and links somewhere. We also fixed whatever was broken.
I cleaned the .50 Cal inside and out. I discovered the remains of a smashed up impacted 7.62 bullet that had my name on it by my hatch. I put that in my pocket. If I ever have kids, and I get all old and have grand kids, I could show them the bullet that Al Qaeda tried to kill me with. Have them bring that in for show and tell at school.
Later on in the day we had an OP (Observation Post). It was weird exiting the FOB , I was super paranoid, I was flinching from the smallest thing, and I was totally looking for anybody dressed in all black. What's up with the all black wardrobe anyway? Are these guys like Goth Terrorists or something? Whatever. Once we got to our OP, I was feeling kinda hungry, so I grabbed an MRE from the top of the vehicle, and there was bullet hole right through it. My Plt Sgt who took that bullet right through his Helmet the other day, is still in the Hospital. He was wearing a CVC helmet, which is made of Kevlar. He got a major concussion from it, and they're keeping their eyes on him at the hospital. The TC for 23Victor, who took some rpg shrapnel to the face, is ok now and should be back to work any time now.
I had a NCO who was with me a majority of the day when they attacked us read my entry that I wrote the other day, I wanted to make sure it was as close to being correct and accurate as possible. And he told me I left out a lot of glory type stuff that everybody was doing that day. I told him it would be impossible, and I didn't have the time to write down everything that happened that day. He did correct me one part of the story I left out, because I didn't not know that it happened till he brought it up, was that when we went to the bridge by the Mosul Hotel, and loaded back up to get back to the fight where we were ambushed, we were the only vehicle from our Plt that went back down there to engage the enemy. There was plent of other guys there from other PLT's already there, but we were the only vehicle from our Plt to go there.
It was just my vehicle and the guys from 3rd Squad. (Their vehicle got tore the fuck up from 3 RPG's) So they all loaded into our vehicle and used both 240's and AT4's that we had in the back. Almost used up all the ammo as well. All the other vehicles in my Plt stayed at the bridge. We drove back down to the ambush site with the guys from MGS and headquarters, and we were the only vehicle that dismounted its troops in that area, which was 400 meters away from the traffic circle. I provided cover fire for them while they moved around, which they complemented me on later. (Had to toot my horn right there, sorry)
Another correction, I meant to say ten round burst not ten second burst. My bad. After he read my take on what happened the other day, he said that I was pretty dead on, and he commented me on my writing and said, "Your pretty good with words and writing. You know what, I'm going to have you help me out with writing the awards out, and the paperwork were turning in." Damnit.
To the best of my knowledge all the Strykers over there have the slat armor applied.
Thanks for the ping!
Holy crap! That got me all riled up. Now I'm going to have go out and beat up some hippies!
Sure am enjoying these reports about our great warriors in their Strykers.
mc
Great article.
Got to love that comment, now when he gets out and goes to UW, he is going to start shooting all the "artsy fartsy" black wearing muldoons on campus.
"Your pretty good with words and writing. You know what, I'm going to have you help me out with writing the awards out, and the paperwork were turning in." Damnit.
Does not say that all Marines were capable of doing it on "spot, (walk it in) target".
how do you tell a V-50 from a V-100 by looking at it or is it all internal? the V-150 was bigger, yes??? thankx
They also build them at the Lima Tank Plant in Lima, Ohio. Bigtime Bush Country.
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/stryker/
Stryker is a family of eight-wheel drive combat vehicles, transportable in a C-130 aircraft, being built for the US Army by General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada (formerly General Motors Defense) and General Dynamics Land Systems Division of USA. Stryker is based on the GDLS Canada LAV III 8x8 light armoured vehicle, in service since early 2001. The LAV III is itself a version of the Piranha III built by Mowag of Switzerland, now part of GDLS - Europe. Fabrication and final assembly of the vehicles is being shared among plants at Anniston, Alabama; Lima, Ohio; and London, Ontario.
The Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) combines the capacity for rapid deployment with survivability and tactical mobility. The Stryker vehicle enables the team to manoeuvre in close and urban terrain, provide protection in open terrain and transport infantry quickly to critical battlefield positions.
The contract for the US Army's interim armoured vehicle (IAV) was awarded in November 2000. The vehicles are to form the basis of six Brigade Combat Teams. The contract requirement covers the supply of 2,131 vehicles. Deliveries of Stryker infantry carriers began from General Motors London, Ontario, plant in March and General Dynamics Anniston, Alabama, facility in April 2002. Over 450 vehicles have been delivered and one SBCT has been fielded. The second SBCT will be declared operational in late summer 2004 and the third will begin receiving vehicles in May 2004. The eight-wheeled Stryker is the first new military vehicle to enter service into the United States Army since the Abrams tank in the 1980s.
Cannoneer thanks for the post. You other fellas, here is something for you if you haven't found it already. Travis, how's the family? Squantos, how's the back?
bttt
But if they did it correctly they would have changed the fuel delivery system and maybe made it a diesel, upgraded the transmission, upgraded the weapons systems.
Of course if I really wanted to find out the differences I would do a google search.
Now there is a story right there!
If these vehicles are doing as well as it sounds from this firefight, we need many more of them.
The Air Force can wait for some of their new stuff, this armor is needed now!
Great post! HooAh!
LOL!
Songs I Like To Listen To While Out On A Patrol In Iraq
Soldier Of Fortune magazine recently printed an article in its July 2004 issue called: "Tracks In Iraq-Even with grotesque retrofits is Stryker the right armor for Iraq, or anywhere?" the article tears the Stryker apart, calls the vehicle "Flimsy armored" and suggests that the Army upgrade to M113 Gavin light tracked AFV, which is a total joke, and totally impractical in an urban warfare setting. Anyways, I wrote SOF a letter, here it is:
When I'm not out locating, capturing, and killing all non-compliant forces here in Iraq, i like to kick back and relax to Soilder of Fortune Magazine. I'm a subscriber to the mag and at mail call the other day I recieved the July 2004 issue, I noticed a mistake on page 66 of the "Tracks In Iraq" article, the photo on the top left corner is NOT a Hummwv, but of a burning Stryker Vehicle. That Stryker belonged to my platoon. I would also like to add that I strongly disagree with the writters comments on the Strykers armor, I'm actually living proof that the armor does work.
Over and Out.
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