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More on that Chlorine VBIED attack - from a participant
Hattip InstapunditLt. Col. Clayton Fisher, commander of Military Transition Team (MiTT) 6 at the brigade level (and my chaperone on an IA mission) was injured in Wednesday's chlorine truck bomb attack on the Fallujah Government Center and left this comment: We wanted you to know that your Marine MITTs and IA [Iraqi Army -- ED] came out OK and did great, even after 2 SVBIEDs [Suicide Vehicle-Borne IEDs] , mortars, complex attack etc. Most walking wounded, but hey, we're walking! A few of us were medevac'd to the outskirts of Baghdad, but should come out fine in a few days. Chlorine gas, concussions, some shrapnel, cuts, bruises. Not too bad. As for the IAs, they proved themselves. The jundi did a great job and pretty much stopped the initial attack as the insurgents were trying to shoot/ram their way inside. The IA and IP [Iraqi Police] figured it out and opened up on them, causing them to set off at the gates or just outside the buildings, vice inside where it would have been worse. Still too close than most would like, but it will do. After all "shook it off," we got most of us out of the rubble and the gas, did a head-count, realized there were still some back in. All rubble, smoke and chlorine gas, hard to see what was what, and of course you can't breathe. So of course, we ran back in it. Got to find those guys. It was not pretty but, we got them all out, to include a few guys you know. They are good now. We then got a US/IA triage and casualty system working. The chlorine thing is a whole other conversation. And then those of us still standing, most wounded and gassed, ran back in again, slugged it out and fended off the counter attacks and any exploitation the insurgents were trying to get started. Many refused to be medevac'd during the fight. The USMC/Iraqi team was sluggin' it out side by side. Something to see. US Marines and Jundi still gasping for air, fighting side by side. Some jundi still in their sleeping sweats or shower sandals refusing to be evacuated, fighting back with their AKs and PKCs into enemy positions. Yes, some of these jundi got what it takes. I'd like to say "Bill, you should have been there!" but no, I'd prefer you were not this time. After things settled down a bit, we built the defense back up, got most the wounded out, US and IA reinforcements came in to shore things up. After all was on the mend, the endorphins and adrenaline finally wore off, we realized we were a bit of a mess, our work was done for now and finally agreed to be medevac'd out also. Walked out carrying our shield, not on it. Well that's kind of it. Everyone is OK as can be. Marines and Jundi alike did well. I thought folks in the USA should know. It's a good blog. Go to the main page and scroll through the posts; Bill Ardolino is back from an embed with the Marines, and has lots of good stories, photos and links therefrom. If you really like what he writes, hit the Paypal button... and if you've more spare change, hit Fred's Paypal. The lovely and ever-patient Mrs. Pruitt is no doubt overdue for a dinner date, with all the work he's put in to write that fancy new nic-generator. ;-) Posted by: trailing wife 2007-04-01 |
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