Posted on 03/17/2003 5:28:40 PM PST by MadIvan
The battle flags were unfurled yesterday as the troops who will spearhead an invasion of Iraq gathered in formation at dawn to be told by their commanding officer to prepare for an advance to the border.
Divided into their three companies, each with unit banners held aloft in the early morning breeze, the men from this battalion were promised by their colonel, John W Charlton, that he expected soon "you will all be heroes".
He told them: "You may see enemy units that will fight tremendously hard so don't underestimate them.
"When you go in you take the fight to the enemy.
"You go in there with both barrels and you let them have it. You let them know that they are taking on the US army and you crush them."
The battalion is one of nine from the Third Infantry Division stationed in temporary camps pitched only a short distance from the Iraqi frontier that make up the American front line.
After nine months in Kuwait its soldiers were finally being ordered to complete checks on their weapons and focus their minds on the prospect of war.
Col Charlton described the spectacle likely to greet his men - known throughout the division as "The Dragons" - when the order is given to invade.
"You will see thousands of vehicles attacking. You will see hundreds of aircraft overhead on route to destroy targets in Iraq. You will see Tomahawk missiles flying over us.
"And you will be part of that.
"One day down the road you can look back and say you took part in protecting America, in protecting our allies in the region, and in destroying an evil person who has killed thousands and thousands of his own people."
The men have been briefed about the battle plan. The crews of M1-A1 Abrams tanks have removed the uranium depleted shells from containers and loaded them into their vehicles.
The officers expect they will today receive the order to start uprooting the camp for a move to their forward attack positions.
For the waiting troops there is a sense of relief that finally they can complete their job. Most talk of their pride in being part of a war that they see as making the world a safer place for their families.
The memory of the events of September 11 is still strong.
Again and again one hears that "taking out" Saddam Hussein prevents weapons of mass destruction being placed into the hands of terrorists and thereby helps stop a similar outrage occurring again.
"Why am I here?" says Capt Bill Young producing a photograph of his four-month-old son. "I am doing this for him."
Among the younger soldiers there appears to be some who doubt the morality of the coming war.
While I was walking past one of the mobile mortar units, Pte Gareth Stewart, 20, called me over. He said that he wanted the world to know that not all in the US army support an attack.
"I have no beef with the Iraqis," he said.
"This is Bush's war and I am not alone in thinking that."
Yet, as I walked on afterwards towards the mess hall, his staff sergeant ran up behind me and pressed something into my hand. It was a sticker bearing the logo of the New York Port Authority, the force that policed the World Trade Centre site.
"My brother-in-law works for them," said Sgt Jeff States. "He lost many good friends. When we go north I am going to stick this on the guns so we don't forget what it is we are achieving here."
Bears repeating.
Both of these young ladies (under 20) are fighting to defend our freedoms. Who says America's youth are lost?
With that attitude he is apt to get himself, and some good soldiers killed.
"I have no beef with the Iraqis," he said.
"This is Bush's war and I am not alone in thinking that."
you mean . . .
Good luck at the firing squad.
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