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| Iraq-Jordan |
| About the Fox Company in Fallujah |
| 2004-04-26 |
| Marines in Fallujah said they killed at least 11 insurgents in an ambush Saturday after laying still and silent for hours in buildings deep inside the embattled northwest corner of the city. "Marines can go to sleep tonight knowing they killed (some) bad guys," said 2nd Lt. Josh Jamison, leader of the 2nd Platoon, which infiltrated some 400 yards ahead of its defensive lines to finally put down some of the rebels who daily sneak up to shoot rifles and fire rocket-propelled grenades at the Marines. One squad killed five men who were carrying machine guns, the Marines said, and another squad, assisted by a tank that rolled up to help, killed six other insurgents who tried to counter the attack. No Marines were reported killed or wounded. "They were definitely moving like trained military, bounding up the street using the buildings for cover," said Jamison, when he and his men returned to their lines just after 9 p.m. Saturday after hiding out and stalking the enemy for more than 20 hours. "These were definitely guys that were coming up on our pos (position) to (do us harm)." The Marines, members of Camp Pendleton’s Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, sneaked out of the houses they’ve occupied for nearly three weeks at 1 a.m. Saturday. They slowly and quietly crept south house to house toward a mosque where gunmen gather almost daily to lead attacks against American troops. They said their mission was originally a probe — a secret move behind enemy lines to check out their defenses and identify enemy positions as targets for a possible Marine offensive. That offensive is expected within days, according to military leaders, if rebels trapped in the city do not hand in their heavy weapons and the city’s residents do not turn in those who killed four American security contractors March 31. On Saturday, after inching their way through buildings and homes full of broken glass and household goods scattered on the floors after weeks of warfare, the Marines set in near the mosque and waited all day until almost dark. "It was ghostly," said Cpl. Christopher Ebert, 21, of Forest City, N.C., after he and the others arrived back in their defensive position together and safe Saturday night. "We only had about three hours to go and then these six guys showed up." After the six armed men entered the mosque, the Marines radioed what they saw to Fox Company commander Capt. Kyle Stoddard, who watched the mosque from atop a building some 400 yards away. Moments later, at 7:10 p.m., Stoddard and others listened to the burst of fire as the insurgents ran out and Marines opened fire at close range. The deadly ambush was over in an instant. "We got ’em!" Jamison yelled. "They’re dead!" The tank and the other squad battled back a hasty counterattack from the southeast. Insurgents fired mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and drove three vehicles down the street with gunmen firing rifles at the Marines. Two of the vehicles were disabled, and Marines said they believed their occupants were dead or wounded. Within an hour, the insurgents seemed defeated or had fled the area. The Marines said they then searched the mosque, searched the bodies, and lined them up in the street before they beat an uncontested retreat back to their positions in the north. "It was a long day — long day," said Pfc. Philip Marquez, 21, of Coachella, having just returned from the fight. "But it was worth the wait." The Marines returned from the fight elated, patting one another on the back and shaking hands. Treated to a cooked meal instead of the normal packaged rations, the excited troops shed their gear in the dark and huddled around a digital video of the fighting recorded by a Marine combat cameraman. "That’s the way it’s done," said Sgt. Warren Hardy, 25, of Colorado Springs, Colo. "It couldn’t have gone better in books." Some of the young Marine leaders said Saturday’s successful ambush could help boost the troops’ morale and steel them for a possible final assault on the city, where military leaders say between 100 and 1,000 Iraqi insurgents and foreign fighters are trapped and preparing snares and defensive positions. "I think it was good that everyone got to get out and stretch their legs and get back in the offensive," said Cpl. Peter Madrigal, 21, of Tucson, Ariz., who led one of the squads involved in the fighting Saturday. Stoddard, Fox Company’s commander, said Saturday’s battle proved what the Marines have been saying for weeks: that the insurgents are using mosques to fight the Americans. The insurgents were armed with assault rifles and machine guns with magazines taped together for quick reloading in combat, and were carrying grenades. "I have no sympathy for these guys," he said, as his men were returning from the operation. "They’re using holy places to conduct ambushes. It’s just — I don’t know — wrong." The Marines said the ambush would be a serious blow to the rebels’ morale as they face the American force of nearly 5,000 Marines who now surround the city. "They thought they’d be ambushing us, and look who got ambushed!" said Capt. Roy "Woody" Moore, reflecting the triumphant mood of the Marines who say they’ve been getting frustrated sitting behind defensive barriers just inside the city for weeks now. "When they see the bodies lined up in the street in front of the mosque — IDs out and weapons gone," Moore said, "they’re going to say, ’Things are really starting to go badly for us.’ " |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #25 hi langs i been missin you at blogfoeamerica have they added to the slogan list again |
| Posted by: HalfEmpty 2004-04-27 7:23:33 AM |
| #24 Oh, gee, Langs! I'm all teary-eyed now! Let's put Saddam and his cronies back in charge so we can have rape gangs and prisons for children again like the good ol' days! Oh, and let's not forget to reinstate the Oil for Palaces program--and make sure Kofi gets double his cut this time around! |
| Posted by: Dar 2004-04-26 11:33:28 PM |
| #23 Too bad we didn't make an example of Fallujah during the actual combat phase of the game. Posted by: ruprecht 2004-04-26 10:34:21 PM Let kill all the Iraqi's so they can be free. Hey I can add that to my Slogan list. Bush/Cheney '04: Compassionate Colonialism Bush/Cheney '04: Because the truth just isn't good enough. Bush/Cheney '04: Four More Wars! Bush/Cheney '04: In your heart, you know they're technically correct. Bush/Cheney '04: Less CIA -- More CYA Bush/Cheney '04: Putting the "con" in conservatism Bush/Cheney '04: Thanks for not paying attention. Bush/Cheney '04: The last vote you'll ever have to cast. Bush/Cheney '04: Don't think. Vote Bush! Bush/Cheney '04: Leadership without a thought Bush/Cheney '04: Don't misunderestimate them! Bush/Cheney '04: It's a no-brainer! Bush/Cheney '04: Apocalypse Now! Bush/Cheney '04: Deja-voodoo all over again! Bush/Cheney '04: Leave no billionaire behind Bush/Cheney '04: Lies and videotape but no sex! Bush/Cheney '04: Or else. Bush/Cheney '04: Over a billion Whoppers served. Bush/Cheney '04: The economy's stupid! Bush/Cheney '04: This time, elect us! Bush/Cheney '04: We're Gooder! Bush/Cheney '04: 1984 Now Bush/Cheney '04: Let them eat yellowcake! Vote Bush! Bush in '04: "I Has Incumbentory Advantitude" Bush in '04: "Because every vote counts -- for me!" Bush in '04: "Because I'm the President, that's why!" Bush in '04: "Because dictatorship is easier. Bush in '04: "Let kill all the Iraqi's so they can be free." WWJB: Who would Jesus Bomb? It ain't over 'til your brother counts the votes. George W. Bush: It takes a village idiot |
| Posted by: Langs 2004-04-26 10:39:01 PM |
| #22 I read an exerpt from a diary of a Viet Cong. He described being on the wrong side of an Arc Light. Russian Spy trawlers warned them the B-52s were coming and they got into a hardened bunker. No direct hits on the bunker. Nearby 10 feet of topsoil was overturned and the jungle was a bunch of toothpicks. Clearly it was the most terrifying thing the Viet Cong in question had ever seen. Too bad we didn't make an example of Fallujah during the actual combat phase of the game. |
| Posted by: ruprecht 2004-04-26 10:34:21 PM |
| #21 OP. Perhaps it would be effective at the Iranian Nuclear Processing Plant too... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-04-26 10:30:48 PM |
| #20 the sheer shock and awe of three cells of B-52s walking nine sticks of 750 pounders through your backyard. Hmmmm, I seem to remember saying that a few times myself. I think it will only take once, and Fallujah should have the honors. Show them what 'shock and awe' REALLY is. Don't worry about accuracy - nothing within ten miles will be worth a sh$$ ever again anyway. When I was at Tan Son Nhut, there was an old Soviet PT-76 amphibious tank in one of the hangars. The only thing unusual about this tank was that it happened to have been about two miles outside an ARCLIGHT box. They had to bring it in welded to a piece of sheet steel. Every single rivet was either structurally damaged or sheared. Welds were broken. There were four places on the turret ring where pieces of the retainer had broken loose. The barrel was bent in a gradual bow 15 degrees from true. The periscope window was broken. It had been occupied at the time. Yep, I'm sure an ARCLIGHT strike on Fallujah would have a very significant effect on morale in Iraq. I'm sure one specific Shiite cleric would need to change his entire wardrobe. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2004-04-26 9:46:57 PM |
| #19 You know there is a certain beauty to carpet bombing. All this precision bombing lacks the sheer shock and awe of three cells of B-52s walking nine sticks of 750 pounders through your backyard. After about two weeks of daily visits, you don't have to worry about being accused of bombing a mosque because there won't even be pottery shards left, just powdered terrorist. But then that's just an old ARCLIGHT / BULLETSHOT guy's reminiscing. |
| Posted by: RWV 2004-04-26 9:25:26 PM |
| #18 This is certainly a refreshing change from "another four US soldiers were killed today when they rode into Fallujah in a thin-skinned Humvee and their vehicle took an RPG hit (or "ran over/next to an IED")". City-fighting the old-fashioned way - that works. Nice job! |
| Posted by: Lone Ranger 2004-04-26 9:10:44 PM |
| #17 That CNN storie did not mention anything about the ambush, only the RPG's flying around. Of course it didn't mention the number of times the reporter had to change his undies either. Sounds like he was scared sh*tless. Nevertheless, it did not come across as an American triumph, rather just more war is hell caca. These jerks want us to lose. |
| Posted by: remote man 2004-04-26 8:10:30 PM |
| #16 There Was A Mosque. Hey that sounds like a nifty title for the great War on Terror novel. Hope some gyrene has got a copyright on it. |
| Posted by: Michael 2004-04-26 7:58:57 PM |
| #15 there was a mosque Tense and bathos is everthin |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-04-26 7:20:07 PM |
| #14 'bout time. Too quote Han Solo: "Sorry about the mess." |
| Posted by: eLarson 2004-04-26 7:04:41 PM |
| #13 According to this CNN report.... Also, there was a mosque ... here; it had a minaret 50 to 60 feet high. Marine commanders say they were taking sniper fire from that minaret. That minaret has now been leveled by U.S. military ordnance, missiles and mortars. There's nothing left at all of that minaret. ... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-04-26 6:58:47 PM |
| #12 "These were definitely guys that were coming up on our pos (position) to (do us harm)." I see something disconcerting in the above statement. It's as if there is some doubt that a jihadi carrying an AK47 is there to do harm to the troops. More specifically, the troops are probably being told to watch who they shoot at. I wouldn't be too far off to say that at this point, anyone carrying an AK in Fallujah is a bad guy. Shoot him. Ask questions later. |
| Posted by: Rafael 2004-04-26 6:27:42 PM |
| #11 #10 HAHA. I can see it now. US Naval forces in Pacific expend large amounts of ammunition and fuel! Pacific Fleet nearly defenseless! Quagmire!!! |
| Posted by: Anonymous4021 2004-04-26 6:09:26 PM |
| #10 Oddly, ABC radio news went with a story which sounded like US troops getting ambushed. Some of the details were similar, but they reported it as a US failure. It COULD have been a different action, but reporters could have turned the Marianas Turkey Shoot into a massive setback for the US. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-04-26 5:57:54 PM |
| #9 Oh, man. THIS HAS GOT TO BE MY FAVORITE RANTBURG POST EVER!!! "They slowly and quietly crept south house to house toward a mosque where gunmen gather almost daily to lead attacks against American troops." (libs: Gasp! In a mosque? ) "They thought they’d be ambushing us, and look who got ambushed!" (Ooopsie-doopsie! Bye-bye little Islamotwerps.) "One squad killed five men who were carrying machine guns, the Marines said, and another squad, assisted by a tank (BAAAH-ROOOM!) that rolled up to help, killed six other insurgents who tried to counter the attack." Islamotwerps vs. American tank guys! Just love it. No Marines were reported killed or wounded. " Yes! "Marines can go to sleep tonight knowing they killed (some) bad guys." And I can go to sleep tonight, knowing the Marines killed some bad guys--thanks! Way to go Marines!! |
| Posted by: ex-lib 2004-04-26 5:50:19 PM |
| #8 Thanks Sherry, needed that today! |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-04-26 4:08:28 PM |
| #7 Can't wait to se the video,this fantastic. |
| Posted by: raptor 2004-04-26 3:48:03 PM |
| #6 I hope the video makes it to the internet soon too! |
| Posted by: Yosemite Sam 2004-04-26 3:45:27 PM |
| #5 "I think it was good that everyone got to get out and stretch their legs and get back in the offensive," said Cpl. Peter Madrigal, 21, of Tucson, Ariz. Thats cool as hell. Its amazing how a 21 yr old Cpl. can get it and most of the politicians don't. |
| Posted by: Yosemite Sam 2004-04-26 3:44:52 PM |
| #4 "When they see the bodies lined up in the street in front of the mosque ---- IDs out and weapons gone," Moore said, "they’re going to say, ’Things are really starting to go badly for us.’ " And its all on video so whe Al-J/CNN/BBS/ABC/CBS/NBC complains about the 'unarmed civilian who were killed for visiting a mosque' we can call them on it. Sweet! |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-04-26 3:23:36 PM |
| #3 These guys are good. |
| Posted by: Mike 2004-04-26 3:16:42 PM |
| #2 That was one sweet op. I hope those guys leave death cards or something for the baddies. I think they should call open season, no limit and start hunting the baddies. |
| Posted by: Anonymous4021 2004-04-26 3:13:22 PM |
| #1 I love it when a plan comes together! Great job, guys! |
| Posted by: Dar 2004-04-26 2:37:55 PM |