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| Iraq |
| "The Longest Morning": The story of Heroism, Courage, and Loss |
| 2007-11-01 |
| This article is the cover story of The American Spectator's new, November 2007 issue. Six weeks ago in the Iraqi city of Samarra, four paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division became the object of a pre-planned, coordinated effort by dozens of al Qaeda to kidnap and slaughter American soldiers only days before General Petraeus's internationally televised testimony to the U.S. Congress on the state of the war in Iraq. Only two survived -- but, fighting like heroes, they succeeded in preserving the honor of their nation. This is their story. Please click and go read -- "The Longest Morning": A Tale of Heroism, Courage, and Loss in the Face of Impossible Odds. |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #9 Roger that. What Mike said, indeed. |
| Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2007-11-01 20:54 |
| #8 Thanks a load, WM, its all coming back to me now. I had a fixed firing pin on a low gas setting, belt fed, I had no problems till the ejector cover failed to open, then major problems for a simple thing. Wouldn't really want to cock that thing for every round. I can only echo the words above, What Mike Said. |
| Posted by: rhodesiafever 2007-11-01 18:01 |
| #7 RF, yes. Trying to think how this could happen. Blown gas tube (unlikely) or maybe a bad/broken/loose gas key on the bolt carrier. Gas not cycling bolt/bolt carrier is general failure. |
| Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2007-11-01 16:23 |
| #6 "...undeterred by the fact that now, due to a malfunction in his most precious piece of equipment, he had to charge the rifle's firing handle after every single shot,..." Been a while since I was in the Army, but is that like having to cock the thing by drawing the bolt back? Thanks for the link, Sherry, it made me happy to read that they also got the one who told the neighbourhood. |
| Posted by: rhodesiafever 2007-11-01 15:05 |
| #5 Incredible. Just incredible. A good friend of mine has a son in the 505 of the 82nd. I know his outfit has taken some casualties. He is back stateside now at Ft. Bragg and out of harm's way. We were all praying for him. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-11-01 14:49 |
| #4 Reminds me a bit of yesterday's Mitchell Paige story http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=204542&D=2007-10-31&SO=&HC=4 |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-11-01 14:31 |
| #3 Surprise! How the AP reported it, 8/27/07... US military bombs house in Samarra, officials: 7 civilians killed The US military said it dropped a precision bomb on a house in Samarra after 12 men who fought US troops escaped into the structure. City police and hospital officials said seven civilians, including five children, were killed. Lt. Col. Michael Donnelly, spokesman for US forces north of Baghdad, said a gunfight broke out when the 12 men ran into a house where US troops were conducting surveillance. The 12 opened fire on the Americans, then escaped in a truck and were tracked by an unmanned drone above the city. They were seen darting into the house that was subsequently bombed. Officials in the Samarra Joint Coordination Center and the hospital there said Mohammed Abdul Wahab, his wife and five of their children - ages 4- to 8-years-old - were killed. The officials, who refused to be named fearing retribution, said five other people were wounded, including three children, ages 4 to 10. "We cannot confirm those numbers, but can confirm the 12 or so attackers went into this house following an attack on our soldiers, who were trying to bring about some level of peace to the people there," Donnelly said in an e-mail response to a question about the attack. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-11-01 14:14 |
| #2 Very impressive. Btw, there are several mention of black Aq foreign fighters; I'm wondering : sudan (with the very dark-skinned sudanese), somalia, nigeria??? |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2007-11-01 14:01 |
| #1 Wow. Just, -- wow. |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-11-01 13:47 |