Pick up the paper today, and you’ll read reports of “fierce gun battles [that] erupted between about 40 insurgents and the police… in western Baghdad.“
Here’s what those battles looked like, from a soldier who was there. He was kind enough to copy me on an e-mail he wrote home immediately after the fighting.
I just strolled back in to the safety net of my surroundings and have been dragged through chaos the past couple of hours. My brain is still spinning and I am not sure where to even start.
We received a request to conduct a post-blast investigation of a VBIED (Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device) that detonated near the base camp. The initial report indicated that the target was an Iraqi Police (IP) car. We responded to the incident site and found the smoldering remains of a couple of vehicles in the middle of the road. It appeared at first glance that the only fatalities resulted from the suicide bomber in the car and perhaps the occupants of the IP car. As we walked from our vehicles to the incident site, we heard another car bomb detonating near an IP station approximately 2 kilometers away.
We soon received a request to respond. We quickly finished up with the first incident site, but not before we found additional casualties persons in the near vicinity. While we prepared for movement to the second site, we heard on the radio that the second site was now getting hit people were driving past the IP station, and firing RPG’s [rocket propelled grenades] at IP’s in their vehicles. We conducted movement to the IP station and when we arrived, the scene was full of chaos.
IP’s were frantically running down the streets helping injured persons. IP vehicles were speeding up and down the streets looking for the culprits. Vehicles were burning. Gun fire erupted in the background and we just pulled our vehicles into a formation to provide a good tactical posture and prepared to unleash a heavy volley of steel. After everything settled down, we continued to do our work. We found an IED nearby that was meant to add to the attack.
I don’t usually write home and talk about the details of specific incidents because I feel compelled to keep the chaos out of the homes of family and friends. But today felt different. I don’t know why I had the need or desire to talk about today’s events — other than the fact that perhaps it was time to vent some fumes. All of my soldiers deal with the reality of what we face everyday in different ways. Some have made pacts to not write home and possibly worry family. Perhaps I am wrong in doing so, but I thought I would provide some insight to what you might not see on the news tonight. You will not be able to smell the burnt remains of the suicide bombers or the IP’s. You probably won’t see the charred remains of persons in the vehicles. And you won’t be able to see the full effects of a carefully placed VBIED with a follow-up attack with RPG’s and small arms fire.
While writing, I decided to comb through my pictures and add one. But I’ll adhere to my promise to not send anything too graphic. Perhaps, if you catch the news, you might just see that suicide bombers once again rocked Baghdad.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I am here at home and don’t mind hearing about these exploits.
I feel the public should hear more about them.. The Media seems to be focused on the “Vietnam” style reporting. Pick up a USA Today.. they run a column with the latest casulties and total to date KIA.. The news about our successes and the impact on the insurgents is often not there or “glossed” over.
I guess the “bad ” news is better for circulation than “good” news and success stories.
The hard work and sacrafice of our troops in this war is being overlooked.
Mr. Yates,
How is this the “good” news?We soon received a request to respond. We quickly finished up with the first incident site, but not before we found additional casualties persons in the near vicinity. While we prepared for movement to the second site, we heard on the radio that the second site was now getting hit people were driving past the IP station, and firing RPG’s [rocket propelled grenades] at IP’s in their vehicles. We conducted movement to the IP station and when we arrived, the scene was full of chaos.
IP’s were frantically running down the streets helping injured persons. IP vehicles were speeding up and down the streets looking for the culprits. Vehicles were burning. Gun fire erupted in the background and we just pulled our vehicles into a formation to provide a good tactical posture and prepared to unleash a heavy volley of steel. After everything settled down, we continued to do our work. We found an IED nearby that was meant to add to the attack.
i want to see reporters reporting the good things that our troops are doing not just a few bad times wake up media
This sounded more like a day in the life of soldier.Written by a soldier. Most of our men are putting there lives on the line everyday. I guess the bad times happen a lot more than the good things that are going on and probably not to many good things happening in downtown Bagdad.
The good news, was that no american soldiers were killed.
As I was reading this, I though how familiar it sounded. I received this email from my brother, who originally wrote this, and have received a few more like this one. I appreciate you posting this for others to read and learn what the realities are in a world we will never fully know like these soldiers. As a sister of a soldier, I appreciate everyone’s support and agree we need to hear more good tht is going on out there. God bless all of our service people all around the Globe!
It is great that your brother is able to talk about his experiences, it will help make his transition home a little easier for him. I would rather hear from soldiers about what is going on weather it be good or bad. Thank your brother for his service and you must be very proud of him. My prayers go with him and God speed.