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As we mentioned a while back (follow link for more info), PBS - Nova will air an hour long segment featuring the Stryker Brigade on Tuesday, May 4. For local listings click here. The film crew spent time with the Brigade during its training and in Mosul.
A Styker Captain gets a mention in this Bill Nemitz article.
[Link to Full Article]
By Bill Nemitz
MOSUL ‹ He could be an Army hotshot. He could be traveling all over the Operation Iraqi Freedom theater, piling one adventure after another onto his ability to speak fluent Arabic.
But Sgt. Kameel Farag of Damariscotta is first and foremost a Mainer.
Today Gen. Abizaid briefly mentioned the Stryker Brigade in his press conference from Qatar. Included in his briefing were a number of presentation slides, a couple of which you might find interesting. The first clearly outlines the area of operations for the coalition forces in Iraq (Task Force Olympia is up north). The second illustrates some of the troop movement in response to the situation in Najaf, which involved elements of the SBCT.
Bill Nemitz reports the sports scores from Mosul as well.
THIS JUST IN: The 133rd Sleepers, Headquarters Support Company's basketball team, beat a team from the 3rd Stryker Brigade in a 39-36 cliffhanger Thursday evening.
[Link to TFO Press Release]
by Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, Iraq (April 30, 2004) – Over the past 48 hours soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) collected munitions, detained one person suspected of an attack on a school in Tal Afar, detained two others attempting to gain illegal entry into Iraq and destroyed a boat carrying weapons.
[Link to TFO Press Release]
by Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (April 30, 2004) – Dr. Rabei Yasim Alkhahl, Director General of Health, received a $10,000 check from the Coalition forces during Ninevah Governor Osama Kashmoula’s weekly press conference held at Mosul’s Provincial Hall.
The money was donated for the reconstruction of the Al Salam hospital that was damaged in a rocket attack on April 29, 2004.
Listed below are a number or articles regarding the death of Spc. Sgt. Jake Herring. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, many of whom we've come to know through their contributions to this site.
We'll add other articles to this entry as we find them.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Jacob R. Herring, 21, of Kirkland, Wash., died April 28, in Mosul, Iraq, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device in Talafar, Iraq struck his vehicle. Herring was assigned to the Armys 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and fellow soldiers he leaves behind.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By THOM SHANKER
WASHINGTON, April 28 — A Pentagon intelligence report has concluded that many bombings against Americans and their allies in Iraq, and the more sophisticated of the guerrilla attacks in Falluja, are organized and often carried out by members of Saddam Hussein's secret service, who planned for the insurgency even before the fall of Baghdad.
Some good news out of Fallujah?
[Link to Full Article]
By Jason Keyser, Associated Press
FALLUJAH, Iraq — Marines announced Thursday an agreement to end a bloody, nearly monthlong siege of Fallujah, saying American forces will pull back and allow an all-Iraqi force commanded by a former Saddam Hussein-regime general to take over security.
[Link to CJTF7 Press Release]
MOSUL, Iraq - Seven Iraqi Police and one civilian were killed in two attacks targeting Iraqi security forces in Mosul April 28.
The first attack occurred when two Iraqi Policeman were shot in front of their homes. Both officers were taken to Al Razzi hospital after the shooting where they later died.
[Link to CJTF7 Press Release]
MOSUL, Iraq - Iraqi Civil Defense Corps soldiers conducted three cordon and search missions in the Qayyarah area April 27, resulting in the detention of two known counterfeiters and the confiscation of counterfeiting material supporting anti-Coalition activities.
This mission was the first independent operation planned and conducted by the ICDC.
[Link to Full Article]
NORMAN DE BONO, Free Press Business Reporter
A second brigade of London-made Stryker armoured vehicles is poised to enter Iraq as concern grows over the vulnerability of U.S. army troops. The thinly-armoured Humvee has been the focus of attacks by Iraqis that have killed numerous U.S. soldiers and heavier armour is needed in military hotspots, say observers.
Michael Gilbert summarizes much of the recent speculation regarding both Ft. Lewis-based Stryker Brigades in the following article.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The second Fort Lewis Stryker brigade will go to Iraq, but not until it's time to bring the first one home, a senior general with the U.S. Central Command said Wednesday.
[Link to Full Article] A picture accompanies the article online.
09:54 PM PDT on Wednesday, April 28, 2004
KING5.com
SEATTLE – Jake Herring, a specialist in the Fort Lewis Stryker Brigade, died Wednesday following a hand-grenade attack near Mosul, Iraq.
His friends at home in Kirkland, Wash. describe 21-year-old Jake Herring as a humble person who finished what he started.
Some interesting comments from General Sattler at CENTCOM regarding both operational Stryker Brigades. He said that the current plans (which can always change, right?) include the 1-25, now at Ft. Lewis, replacing the 3-2 in Mosul when it redeploys.
Q Sir, this is Tony Capaccio with Bloomberg News. Had a couple questions. One, on the force requirement issue, on armor. You did not mention Strykers at all. Do you see a need to bring in that second brigade from Fort Lewis? You're aware of this memo from Lieutenant General Larry Ellis at FORSCOM suggesting more Strykers vis-a-vis up- armored humvees.
From today's CPA briefing we learn that a Task Force Olympia soldier was killed in a RPG attack on a vehicle near Tall Afar on Tuesday. Three other soldiers were injured in the attack.
GEN. KIMMITT: [...] In the northern zone of operations Iraqi security forces executed a series of cordon and searches in zone. The first operation took place northwest of Hammam al Alil, targeting an enemy cell. The ICDC established the outer cordon and the Iraqi police service established the inner cordon and conducted the searches.
This Asociated Press article provides a brief explanation of what the SBCT elements are doing in central Iraq.
[Link to Full Article]
By Robert Burns, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) In a sign that the Iraq conflict is deepening, a senior officer said Wednesday that Army and Marine Corps units have begun receiving more tanks and other heavy armor.
The move is in response to the growing Iraqi insurgency and the lengthening list of U.S. casualties.
Based on comments from our bulletin board it's obvious that many of you also have a personal connection to the Marines fighting in Fallujah. Consequently, I thought you might want to read this article from Darrin Mortenson, who continues his excellent reporting as an embedded reporter there.
[Link to Full Article]
By: DARRIN MORTENSON - Staff Writer
FALLUJAH, Iraq -- One Marine was killed and at least eight more wounded in Fallujah on Monday in a bloody street battle fought close enough that the combatants tossed grenades and fired pistols at each other, officials said.
Gabriel let us know on our bulletin board that Michael Gilbert will be interviewed on a local PBS television show about his time in Iraq. Show details below.
Better internet access might be in store if your soldier is stationed at FOB Marez.
[Link to Full Article]
By Bill Nemitz
Spc. Patrick Leary came back from Dohuk on Sunday with Internet cable - and lots of it.
Leary moved last fall from Portland to Winter Springs, Fla., where he owned and operated Hometown IT Services before his deployment to Iraq. His experience as a computer network consultant left him with a unique first impression upon his arrival at Camp Marez: This place needs better Internet access.
[Link to Full Article]
By BILL NEMITZ, Portland Press Herald Staff Writer
DOHUK, Iraq - Every soldier should have this problem. Spc. Joshua Nalbandian of Scarborough has his truck running and ready to depart the thriving marketplace in the middle of this small northern Iraq city - but it's still too dangerous to move.
The kids won't get off the tailgate.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis formally closed the books Tuesday on the program that for the past 4 1/2 years made it one of the most-watched posts in the Army.
Now that they've finished building the first two Stryker brigades, the planners, procurement officers and tacticians who led the effort are moving on. The Brigade Coordination Cell, as it was known, will take up permanent residence at the Army's Infantry Center at Fort Benning, Ga.
Another local paper turns the spotlight on a Stryker soldier.
[Link to Full Article]
By BRIAN PERRY, Assistant City Editor
One of Maui's best and brightest is leading American soldiers in Iraq.
Damien Mason, a 1992 graduate of Baldwin High School and a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, is a captain with a Stryker Brigade.
Someone asked us if we would share this story with everyone. Rather than post it again here, I'll point you to Blackfive, who has the complete story already. As he says:
The following is Marine Lieutenant Colonel Strobl's account of escorting the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps. It's long and beautifully written and it deserves to be read in it's entirety. It's about Valor, Honor and Respect.
Warning - get your tissues ready.
Today's Pentagon briefing with Secretary Rumsfeld and General Myers mentions the Stryker vs. Humvee comparison.
Q General Myers, I need to ask you a capability equipment question that's floating around the building here. General Ellis, the FORSCOM commander, wrote a memo that's getting some circulation where -- he's getting reports from the field that all these up-armored Humvees that the military has moved heaven and earth to get into Iraq are not doing the job, or his words, "are not providing the solution the Army hoped to achieve," and they need to build more Strykers and get those into Iraq. This raises -- it feeds the notion that there's a readiness capability problem over there. Can you address this? How should one interpret this memo, and did you hear any of these complaints when you were in the region?
GEN. KIMMITT: [...] Pretty quiet in the north. The area around Mosul had a couple of incidents the other day with some indirect fire attacks on a hotel, on a mosque, on a coalition base, but generally speaking, the area around Mosul has been quiet, as well as the area of north-central -- the zone of operations. We continue to see most of the activity up and down the Baqubah-Samarra-Tikrit-Baiji-Kirkuk area, but in general the province remains fairly quiet. Same with the western zone of operations.
Here is a local paper's article about a soldier with the SBCT home on R&R.
[Link to Full Article]
Above link will open main page. From there, click on the Trees... story link. (I could not get the page to load directly)
Trees a welcome relief for 1997 Straughn graduate
By Esther Taylor, Star News
"It's nice to see trees again," said William Grimes, a sergeant in the U.S. Army. Grimes has just returned home for two weeks R and R from serving time in Iraq with his platoon as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Grimes said he took his shoes off and walked around the yard barefoot.
"The smell of the pines just hit me," he said with a smile.
[Link to Full Article]
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 27, 2004) – Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), detained two people, destroyed two improvised explosive devices and collected a variety of weapons and munitions Monday in Northern Iraq.
Soldiers 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment detained two people hiding in a house after the suspects attacked the patrol with small arms fire. During a search of the residence, one rocket propelled grenade and one hand grenade was discovered. No Coalition Soldiers were injured during the attack.
Former Bamberg County administrator awarded Purple Heart for act of bravery
[Link to Full Article]
By LISA B. STOKES, T&D Bamberg Correspondent
BAMBERG -- A former Bamberg County administrator was awarded the Purple Heart Friday as he lay in a hospital bed at Camp Diamondback in Mosul, Iraq.
Donnie Delk, 33, a first lieutenant and company commander of the 268 ENGR DET HQ out of McCrady Training Center in Eastover and the son of Donnie and Mary Ann Delk of Bamberg, received second- and third-degree burns on his face and hands when his convoy was attacked near the Tigris River last week. Delk sustained the burns after the ambush when he crawled over a burning Humvee to provide aid to two wounded soldiers. News of Delk's act of bravery has been reported across the U.S.
Here's a lengthy article describing the Nomad laser vision system employed by the Stryker Brigade.
US firm Microvision has developed a system that projects lasers onto the retina, allowing users to view images on top of their normal field of vision.
We mentioned a while back that General Dynamics has developed a 105mm howitzer prototype for the Stryker vehicle platform. The system was successfully tested at Elgin AFB this month. The folks at GDLS sent me a few photos from the test, which can be viewed in our photo gallery (one, two and three). The following articles describe the event.
Sgt. Hook, who is deployed to Afghanistan, was a witness to the KIA ceremony for Pat Tillman, whose passing we mentioned last week. Look around while you're at his site - he has plenty to read regarding his experiences in "The Stan" so far.
Latest coalition briefing from Baghdad.
GEN. KIMMITT: [...] Today in the northern zone of operations, coalition and Iraqi security forces conducted 72 patrols, three offensive operations and detained two anti-coalition suspects.
An Iraqi child and an adult were injured this afternoon when an attacker threw a hand grenade at a coalition convoy in Tall Afar. Both civilians were treated and seen by medics, and evacuated to a local hospital. There is an ongoing cordon-and-search at the location where the attacker is believed to have fled.
Yahoo! News has a number of photos from Mosul (one, two, three and four).
[Link to Full Article]
By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 26, 2004 -- Acknowledging that problems persist in the military mail system, Defense Department officials said they are taking steps to improve the process.
A report this month by the General Accounting Office, which oversees government agencies and spending, said long-standing problems with military mail delivery need to be resolved.
[Link to Full Article]
By BILL NEMITZ, Staff Writer
MOSUL, Iraq - They sat shoulder to shoulder Saturday morning, 34 to a row and 15 rows deep, an entire battalion besieged by grief.
Many dabbed at their eyes as the lyrics to "Arms of the Angels" wafted through the hangar-sized building at Camp Marez. Others just stared at the impeccably arranged memorial - an M-16 rifle standing barrel-down between a pair of boots, a helmet perched atop the rifle stock, a set of dog tags hanging off the weapon's handle, a soldier's shirt with the name "Gelineau" stitched above the left pocket - as if they still didn't believe what they were seeing.
[Link to Full Article]
by Bill Nemitz
MOSUL, Iraq - He walked slowly into the small room just off the entrance to the small hospital at Camp Diamondback, his face and left hand covered with burns, his lower right arm buried beneath a mound of gauze.
"Hey, sir, how you doin'?" Lt. Matthew Delk said in his deep southern accent as Maj. Dwaine Drummond, executive officer of the Maine Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion, stepped forward to greet him.
[Link to Full Article]
By Kevin Dougherty, Stars and Stripes
MOSUL, Iraq — The midday explosion engulfed the vehicle in a cloud of smoke and dust, knocking two soldiers from their perch and rattling those inside the armored cocoon.
But like a scene out of an action movie, the cloud parts to show vehicle and occupants unscathed and ready for retribution. Although a car is seen fleeing the area, the squad opts to report the incident and press on, as if nothing happened, though clearly something had: further validation of a new Army vehicle named Stryker.
It's nice to share good news whenever possible, in this case a birth announcement I received via email from Marie:
This is a picture of my newly born grandson, Anthony Jonathon Kirk Combs, born while his Dad, Sgt. Daniel Combs is on deployment with the Strykers, 1-23 Charlie company. He was born April 21, 2004 at 03:50 at Madigan Army hospital, weighing 8 lbs 7 oz, 21 inches long. Mom, Callie Combs, along with big sister Caitlin, and new baby brother Anthony are anxiously awaiting Dad's safe return.-Marie M.
Click below to see the picture.
[Link to Press Release]
by Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, Iraq (April 24, 2004) – Nearly 1,300 children are returning to school after the Al Janeen and Al Bayariq primary schools celebrated the end of renovations during ribbon cutting ceremonies April 18.
The projects, funded by the Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civic Aid program, is part of the Coalition forces’ continuing efforts to rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure.
[Link to Press Release]
by Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 24, 2004) – Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) interdicted three smugglers attempting to gain illegal entry into Iraq and collected a variety of weapons and munitions Friday.
Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment reported killing one smuggler who pointed his weapon at the patrol and fired. The other two smugglers surrendered without incident. One AK-47 and a set of binoculars were confiscated.
Another mention of the possible deployment of the 2nd SBCT at Ft. Lewis to Iraq.
[Link to Full Article]
By ERIC SCHMITT, New York Times
CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar -- The top U.S. commander in the Middle East suggested in an interview on Friday that he was likely to ask for another extension in the current troop levels in Iraq, now at 135,000, and might even ask for more troops beyond that. [...]
One leading option to replace the 20,000 troops now on extended tours in Iraq would include sending a second Army Stryker brigade and at least one, and possibly two, Marine expeditionary units, senior military officials said.
[Link to Full Article]
BY KATIE WANG , Star-Ledger Staff
They shared everything, father and son.
They shared the same name, Frank Kevin Rivers.
They shared dreams, advice and words of inspiration. They often leaned on each other through rocky times, such as the death of younger Frank's mother a decade ago.
Lori sent us this great article from the U.S. Army Training & Doctrine Command website. Thanks!
[Link to Full Article]
By Sgt. Kim Dooley/The Bayonet
FORT BENNING, Ga. (April 16, 2004) – When 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, hit the ground in Iraq in November, it set a precedent for the Army’s mode of fighting.
The brigade, based at Fort Lewis, Wash., is the first unit to conduct combat operations using the Army’s newest fighting vehicle, the Stryker.
The 81st BCT, or Washington National Guard, recently made the trip up to Iraq from Kuwait and assumed control at a supply base near Baghdad.
[Link to Full Article]
ADAM LYNN; The News Tribune
Members of a Washington National Guard brigade are in charge of security at one of the most important bases in Iraq.
The 82nd Airborne Division transferred responsibility for defending Logistical Support Area Anaconda to the 81st Brigade Combat Team on Sunday, the brigade reported. The base, about 50 miles north of Baghdad in Balad, is the main supply hub for U.S. forces in Iraq.
A tragic end to an amazing story. Pat Tillman turned down a multi-million dollar NFL contract to join the Army Rangers after 9/11. This was not a publicity stunt - he never spoke publicly about his decision. On Thursday Tillman was killed on a mission in Afghanistan. Every servicemember deserves recongnition for their sacrifices, but it's a rare individual that would give up $3.6 million to serve his country. Peggy Noonan wrote a column about Tillman immediately following his decision to join the Army.
Even though he is not embedded with the SBCT, we'll probably carry all of the articles by Bill Nemitz. His articles still provide a good sense of what life is like for the soldiers of Task Force Olympia.
[Link to Full Article]
by Bill Nemitz
MOSUL, Iraq - They grimaced. They squirmed. Some looked down at the floor. Others interlocked their fingers behind their heads and squinted at the ceiling.
But not one of the 31 soldiers from the Maine Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion missed a word that Maj. John "Doc" Nelson said Thursday morning as he held an intravenous-needle kit high in the air.
[Link to Full Article]
The Department of Defense announced today that any American can now help troops in contingency operations call home. The Defense Department has authorized the Armed Services Exchanges to sell prepaid calling cards to any individual or organization that wishes to purchase cards for troops who are deployed. The “Help Our Troops Call Home” program is designed to help servicemembers call home from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
[Link to Full Article]
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 23, 2004) – Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained two people wanted for anti-Coalition activities and collected a variety of weapons and munitions in northern Iraq over the past 48 hours.
Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment conducted five cordon and searches in Tal Afar and detained two people suspected of planning and conducting attacks against Coalition forces.
23 April 2004 addition is now available. (2368kb file size)
The Coalition Scimitar is a weekly paper published by the Combined Joint Task Force 7 Public Affairs Office. It is distributed throughout the Baghdad area inside the Stars & Stripes every Friday. It is also available here in PDF format.
[Link to Full Article]
by Bill Nemitz
Thursday's intravenous-injection training at Camp Marez gave one soldier from the 133rd Engineer Battalion a rare opportunity to stick it to the media.
With 31 people in the class, it was impossible for everyone to break into pairs. Sgt. Michael Francis of Indian Island suggested drafting a volunteer - maybe the guy with the notebook.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Christopher D. Gelineau, 23 of Portland, Maine, died April 20 in Mosul, Iraq, when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. Gelineau was assigned to the Army National Guards 133rd Engineer Battalion, Gardiner, Maine.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and fellow soldiers he leaves behind.
News from the latest press briefing by the coalition in Baghdad.
GEN. KIMMITT: [...] In the northern zone, coalition and Iraqi security forces remain active in the Task Force Olympia area of operations. There were 10 attacks in the past 24 hours, five directed against coalition or Iraqi security forces.
In Mosul, Task Force Olympia conducted a transfer of authority ceremony for the Albanian company, which departed today, having been replaced by another Albanian company. They departed Iraqi having completed their mission with distinction, and on behalf of the coalition, we appreciate their contributions.
Here are two separate accounts of the same battle between insurgents and the Marines in Fallujah. Amazing story. This incident occurred last week.
(Reposting this entry as a reminder since Barbara will be at the Ft. Lewis main exchange this week)
A Washington artist is selling prints of an original piece honoring the troops serving in Iraq. Details on how to view and purchase a copy are provided below.
As always, thoughts and prayers for the family and friends he leaves behind.
[Link to Full Article]
By JOHN RICHARDSON, Portland Press Herald Writer
Christopher D. Gelineau was one semester away from earning his college degree and starting a promising career and a new life with his wife, a fellow student at the University of Southern Maine.
But his strong sense of responsibility would first lead the bright 23-year-old student to Iraq, where he was fatally wounded Tuesday morning in an ambush on a military convoy in Mosul.
[Link to Full Article]
By BILL NEMITZ, Portland Press Herald Staff Writer
MOSUL, Iraq - He always knew that if it came to this, his would be one of the hardest jobs at Camp Marez. But only now, sitting in his cubbyhole office in the back of the camp's Olive Garden Chapel, did Chaplain David Sivret appreciate how hard.
"Yesterday was a horrendous day for all of us," Sivret, an Episcopal priest from Calais, said Wednesday afternoon.
Here's a notebook entry from Bill Nemitz.
[Link to Full Article]
Bill Nemitz
As details about Tuesday's attack on a 133rd Engineer Battalion convoy continue to emerge, it's clear that the soldiers in the convoy did everything they were trained to do in fending off an attack.
I just wanted to take a minute and recognize a volunteer organization that deserves a bit of attention. Spirit of America has decided to, "help Americans serving abroad assist people in need." According to its website:
Triple Nickel returns to Fort Lewis. HOOAH!!!
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The troops of the 555th Combat Engineer Group were last all together at their home post in early 2003, preparing to go to war.
On Tuesday, with all but the last few dozen troops finally home, Fort Lewis turned out to welcome and honor soldiers who spent a year working all over Iraq.
"It's a special day to welcome home the special soldiers of the Triple Nickel," said Fort Lewis commander Lt. Gen. Edward Soriano
Although not specifically about the Stryker Brigade, the following article describes the training provided by soldiers from the 75th Division to the new Iraqi Armes Forces in Tall Afar.
[Link to Full Article]
By Maj. Wayne Marotto
TALLAFAR, Iraq (Army News Service, April 20, 2004) -- Amidst mortar attacks, fire fights at the front gate, drive-by shootings, and the ever-present danger of Improvised Explosive Devices, a team of the 75th Division (Training Support) is training hundreds of soldiers of the Iraqi Armed Forces.
Head over to Winds of Change to read their latest Iraq Report with links to, and analysis of, the latest news over there.
A Soldier's story from the Honolulu StarBulletin.
[Link to Full Article] By Gary T. Kubota
WAILUKU >> Even as a student in high school, Damien Mason displayed exceptional physical and mental skills.
Mason, a 1992 graduate of Baldwin High School and a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, is serving in Iraq as a Stryker Brigade captain.
[Link to Full Article]by Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 21, 2004) – Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained four people wanted for anti-Coalition activities and collected a variety of weapons and munitions Tuesday in northern Iraq.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment conducted three cordon and searches in Hammam Al Alil and detained four people wanted for planning and conducting attacks against Coalition forces.
[Link to Full Article]by Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 21, 2004) – Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained seven people wanted for anti-Coalition activities and collected a variety of weapons and munitions Tuesday in northern Iraq.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment conducted three cordon and searches in Hammam Al Alil and detained four people wanted for planning and conducting attacks against Coalition forces.
According to the CJTF7 website:
The Scimitar is a weekly paper published by the Combined Joint Task Force 7 Public Affairs Office. It is distributed throughout the Baghdad area inside the Stars & Stripes every Friday. It is also available here in PDF format.
Michael Gilbert reports on recent SBCT activity in Mosul, including a separate convoy attack near Tall Afar.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
A Maine National Guardsman attached to the Fort Lewis-based Task Force Olympia was killed Tuesday and four other soldiers were wounded when their convoy was struck by a roadside bomb in northern Iraq.
The attack occurred Tuesday morning west of Mosul, according to a U.S. military press release and news service reports. [...]
Embedded reporter Bill Nemitz describes the IED attack that killed one Maine National Guard soldier.
[Link to Full Article]
By BILL NEMITZ, Portland Press Herald Staff Writer
MOSUL, Iraq - A roadside ambush by anti-American insurgents left one Maine soldier dead and seriously wounded another Tuesday morning as their Maine National Guard convoy traveled along a divided highway on the western edge of Mosul.
[Link to Full Article]
By Associated Press, 4/20/2004 18:42
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A National Guard soldier from Maine was killed and three others were wounded Tuesday when their convoy was attacked in northern Iraq.
UPDATE The Portland Press Herald, which has a reporter and a photographer embedded with the 133rd Engineering Battalion, reported that one member of the unit was killed, one was seriously injured and two had minor injuries.
A fifth soldier who was not assigned to the battalion also was wounded in the attack.
A spokesman for the Coalition press information center said one soldier was killed but could not confirm whether that soldier was from Maine.
[Link to Full Article]
MOSUL, IRAQ - One Task Force Olympia Soldier died and four were wounded when their convoy was attacked with an improvised explosive device west of Mosul just after 9 a.m. April 20.
Originally, five Soldiers were wounded in the attack. Three of the Soldiers have been returned to duty, and the other two were transported to the 67th Combat Support Hospital in Mosul. One of the Soldiers later succumbed to wounds and died in the hospital.
The identity of the Soldier killed is withheld pending next of kin notification.
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 20, 2004) – Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained eight people wanted for anti-Coalition activities and collected a variety of weapons and munitions Monday in northern Iraq.
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 20, 2004) – Task Force Olympia is working on, or planning almost 70 new water, sewage, education and healthcare projects for the people of Mosul using the Overseas Humanitarian Disaster And Civic Aid (OHDACA) fund, which provides money for projects to meet the basic needs of people overseas. These are dollars mandated by the United States Congress for overseas aid.
Reporter Bill Nemitz describes traveling in a convoy from FOB Marez in Mosul. He is embedded with the 133rd Maine NG attached to Task Force Olympia.
MOSUL, Iraq - They stand shoulder-to-shoulder inside Charlie Company's small briefing room, 19 soldiers with Kevlar helmets strapped to their heads, tactical vests wrapped around their upper torsos and M-16 rifles slung over their shoulders. All eyes and ears are on Capt. Michael Mitchell, the company commander.
Bloomberg mentions an attack on a convoy near Tall Afar, but it is unclear whether this is the same incident referred to in the previous entry. The number of soldiers involved is different, so it is likely a separate event.
April 20 (Bloomberg) -- [...] Four fighters suspected of attacking a police station in the northern city of Mosul were arrested today, and five other individuals suspected of attacks in Mosul were detained last night, Kimmitt said. One soldier was wounded when his convoy was attacked by a hand grenade in Tall Afar in northern Iraq. Two suspects were apprehended, Kimmitt said.
Bloomberg mentions an attack on a convoy near Tall Afar, but it is unclear whether this is the same incident referred to in the previous entry. The number of soldiers involved is different, so it is likely a separate event.
April 20 (Bloomberg) -- [...] Four fighters suspected of attacking a police station in the northern city of Mosul were arrested today, and five other individuals suspected of attacks in Mosul were detained last night, Kimmitt said. One soldier was wounded when his convoy was attacked by a hand grenade in Tall Afar in northern Iraq. Two suspects were apprehended, Kimmitt said.
Buried in this Associated Press article is mention of an attack on a military convoy in Mosul.
[Link to Full Article]
LOURDES NAVARRO, Associated Press Writers
[...] In the northern city of Mosul, a roadside bomb exploded as a U.S. military convoy passed, wounding five U.S. soldiers and three Iraqi civilians, Lt. Col. Joseph Piek said.
There is also a photo of an SBCT soldier on patrol in Mosul with a caption that describes the event as well.
[Link to Full Article]
By Alistair Lyon
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Tension eased in two Iraqi flashpoint cities Tuesday as a truce held in the Sunni bastion of Falluja and U.S. forces prepared to pull back from a base near Najaf, where a rebel Shi'ite cleric is holed up. [...]
U.S. forces also gave Iraqi mediators more time to resolve a standoff with Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his Mehdi Army militia in the holy city of Najaf, south of the capital.
Excerpt from the most recent CPA briefing.
GEN. KIMMITT: Obviously, you want to get quickly to the questions and answers, so let me go ahead and give an abbreviated update this evening.
In the northern zone of operations, Task Force Olympia continues stability operations. In Mosul, the situation remains relatively quiet. West of Tall Afar coalition forces conducted an offensive operation targeting a terrorist financier, apprehending four individuals including the primary target. In Hammam al Alil, Qaiyara, Erbil and Dohuk the situation remains stable.
This article from the LA Times indicates that 80 Stryker vehicles were sent from Mosul to secure key roads between Najaf and Baghdad.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By Nicholas Riccardi and Edmund Sanders
Times Staff Writers
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- At a sprawling desert camp in southern Iraq, U.S. soldiers sleep in trucks and Humvees because Iraqi merchants are afraid to deliver tents to them.
On a key road west through the Sunni Triangle, masked men with Kalashnikov assault rifles have occupied the concrete-block checkpoints the U.S. military once used.
The following article mentions that the 2,500 soldiers involved in the operation near Najaf will be replaced by 2,000 soldiers from the Army's 1st Armored Division. Since the Pentagon announced last week that an unknown number of Strykers had been tasked to the 1st AD, I don't know if they will rotate out of the area or not.
[Link to Full Article]
By Gleb Bryanski
NEAR NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. forces poised outside Najaf say they will allow time for talks before any attempt to enter the holy Iraqi city to seize a rebel cleric -- a move that could spark new unrest. [...]
[Link to Full Article]
ERIC MORTENSON
Jered Fisher was home on leave from Iraq when he found out. "Boom, I saw his picture in the paper, and it hit me pretty hard," he said.
Philip Rogers -- just "Rogers" to Fisher, because everyone in camp over there gets called by his or her last name -- was dead. A good guy, quiet but solid, the kind of guy who'd help you out in any situation.
Spc. Philip Rogers was laid to rest last Thursday in his native state of Oregon. Below are a couple articles describing the service, which was attended by the Governor of Oregon, Ted Kulongoski.
"A eulogy amid totems of war" - The Oregonian
"Friends, Family Lay 17th Oregon Soldier To Rest" - KOIN TV
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
A Stryker brigade soldier died of heart failure while exercising Wednesday in Mosul, the Army said Friday. Spc. Frank K. Rivers, Jr., of Woodbridge, Va., was 23.
He collapsed during physical training from "an acute cardiac event," according to a U.S. military news release Friday.
Rivers was an information systems operator with the brigade's 334th Signal Company, based at the Mosul presidential palace.
He is the 13th soldier from the Fort Lewis-based brigade to die since the unit deployed to the Middle East in November.
In other Stryker brigade news: ...
[Link to Full Article]
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 19, 2004) – Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained five people wanted for anti-Coalition activities and collected a variety of weapons and munitions as Iraqi police foiled and improvised explosive device attack Sunday in northern Iraq.
If you sent me an email the last few days and I haven't responded it's because I've been out of town. I'll try and reply as soon as I can, but it might be a day or so.
[Link to Full Article]
This is a good sized briefing so I pasted the TFO info below:
... Let me take you through the overall area of operations.
In MND North, which is run by Task Force Olympia, the town of Mosul is quite quiet along with Tall Afar. There were a couple of incidents last night in Mosul; primarily two mortar incidents resulting in an attack on a police station and an attack on a coalition base. Both those attacks, both those mortar attacks missed the intended targets, resulting in approximately eight civilians killed and 17 injured.
The April 12, 2004 edition, Published for Task Force Olympia, is available in PDF from their web site. Some great pics, a few stories, and some personal observations by some soldiers. Check it out. Remember, right click on the link and select Save Target As for a faster download and viewing.
Link to file is here. Remember, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Frank K. Rivers, Jr., 23, of Woodbridge, Va., died April 14, in Mosul, Iraq when he collapsed during physical training. Spc. Rivers was assigned to the Armys 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and fellow soldiers he leaves behind.
[Link to Full Article]
Here is another article from the writer, Bill Nemitz, embedded with the Maine 133rd NG unit attached to TFO.
Spc. Tracy Jipson of Gorham, whose job includes sorting through three cartons of incoming mail a day, has an urgent request for the folks back home.
It seems that when the 133rd Engineer Battalion recently sent out guidelines for addressing mail, it began with the soldier's name, followed by "133rd HSC, A, B, or C Co." (the four companies that comprise the battalion) followed by "APO AE 09334."
[Link to Full Article]By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
MOSUL, Iraq, April 16, 2004 – The threat facing members of the coalition's Task Force Olympia here remains the same, but the people responding to it are Iraqis, not Americans.
Mosul, a northern city with Sunni, Shiia and Kurdish ethnic groups, was not immune to recent disturbances. On the night of April 9, former regime elements conducted "well-organized and dangerous" attacks against Iraqi government buildings, said Army Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, commander of Task Force Olympia.
[Link to Full Article] Includes a picture.
The Associated Press
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Army Spc. Tyanna Avery-Felder, a Fort Lewis soldier killed during the war in Iraq, was remembered Thursday as a fighter, a friend and a hero.
Wounded by Insurgent Attacks in Northern Iraq
CJTF7
MOSUL, Iraq - Eight Iraqi civilians were killed by indiscriminate anti-Coalition mortar and rocket attacks in northern Iraq April 14.
Four Iraqi civilians were killed and seven wounded when insurgents fired two Katushya rockets into a crowded market place in Mosul around 12:30 p.m.
Wounded by Insurgent Attacks in Northern Iraq
CJTF7
MOSUL, Iraq - Eight Iraqi civilians were killed by indiscriminate anti-Coalition mortar and rocket attacks in northern Iraq April 14.
Four Iraqi civilians were killed and seven wounded when insurgents fired two Katushya rockets into a crowded market place in Mosul around 12:30 p.m.
[Link to Full Article]
ARNEWS By Sgt. Jeremy Heckler
MOSUL, Iraq (Army News Service, April 16, 2004) -- To many, Capt. (Dr.) Dan Godbee, 351st Military Intelligence Company, is the image of the typical country doctor, mild mannered, quick with a handshake and a kind word.
What they may not know is that underneath all that is the experience and knowledge of a 26-year Special Forces veteran trained as a medic and combat engineer.
Informational article about Camp Freedom - headquarters for Task Force Olympia with a couple pictures by Bill Nemitz.
[Link to Full Article]
MOSUL, Iraq - It looks, from a distance, like graffiti. In reality, it's a rough sketch that Saddam Hussein once drew on his wall to show how he wanted the pool house expanded inside his palace compound overlooking the Tigris River.
[Link to Full Article] This article pertains to local Fort Lewis area residents but also mentions the two Stryker Brigades that are based there. Needless to say, this is another great article by our favorite writer.
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Come August, area residents will have to find some way to cope without the sound of C-17 cargo jets flying overhead every day.
McChord Air Force Base will shut down its flight operations for the month while construction crews finish $10.9 million worth of repairs to the 10,100-foot runway, base commander Col. Bob Allardice said Wednesday.
Speaking at the Pentagon today, General George W. Casey, Army Vice Chief Of Staff, described some of the recent troop movment in Iraq. An unknown number of Strykers have been allocated to the 1st Armored Division.
Q General Abizaid earlier in the week described his request as one of -- for a strong, mobile combat capability. How do these three brigades' worth of Army troops meet that goal? Are there any force enhancements besides up-armored Humvees? I'm thinking, you know, UAVs or any other capabilities to make this a strong, mobile combat capability?
GEN. CASEY: Well, the heart of this formation is the 1st Armored Division, which is -- and two of its armored brigades, which are Bradley and tanks primarily, although for this particular mission they've been given some up-armored Humvees. The 2nd Light Cavalry Regiment is a light Humvee, largely Humvee-mounted force. Again, they are all mobile operational forces.
We've noticed that the number of daily visitors to the site has increased pretty dramatically in the last couple weeks. If you're relatively new here, we wanted to point out that in addition to this main news page we also have a bulletin board (BBS) and a photo gallery.
The BBS has almost 500 registered users, mostly friends and family of soldiers serving with the SBCT. It's been a good support network of you're looking to connect with others during the deployment. As of this morning we have approximately 1,650 photos from the various units in our photo gallery. From the main gallery page you can click on the link for each unit to view the albums.
I forgot to mention yesterday that the reporters covering the 133rd Engineer Battalion from Maine also have a photo gallery of FOB Marez that I'm sure they will be adding to. Visit the paper's Iraq War page and click on the "Photo Galleries" and "Letters Home" links on the right hand side to view the pictures. I know that the 296th BSB is also stationed at Marez, so be sure to take a look. Nice gym.
The U.S. Army's official magazine, Soldiers, has a cover story in the April issue describing 5-20's operations in Samarra. The link opens a PDF version of the entire issue - the article begins on page 26. Warning: it could take a long time to open on a slow connection.
The following is the official TFO press release regarding the death referred to in the previous entry.
[Link to CJTF7 Press Release]
MOSUL, Iraq - A Task Force Olympia Soldier died April 14 from an acute cardiac event.
The name of the Soldier is withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Task Force Olympia extends condolences to the families and friends of this Soldier.
Release #040415c
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier was killed in a roadside bomb attack in the northern Iraqi city of Samarra in the past 24 hours, a U.S. Army spokesman said Thursday.
Another U.S. soldier died in Mosul of a "severe cardiac event." The U.S. military had earlier said there had been two combat deaths in the last 24 hours.
Additional confirmation that some Strykers are deployed near Najaf.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By Thomas E. Ricks, Washington Post Staff Writer
ISKANDARIYAH, Iraq -- The nighttime ambush had left one soldier dead, another wounded. When it was over, Sgt. James Amyett calmly lit a cigarette, leaned over, and in a stage whisper drawled, "Don't be alarmed, but somebody here is trying to kill us."
The thousands of troops who moved south to the Najaf area this week didn't need to be told.
The second SBCT at Ft. Lewis, the 1-25, is mentioned in this article.
[Link to Full Article]
By Tom Bowman, Sun National Staff
WASHINGTON - About 21,000 combat-hardened Army troops stationed in Iraq for the past year will remain there for three to four more months to fight the insurgency, the Pentagon is expected to announce this week, defense officials said yesterday.
Times have certainly changed.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By THOM SHANKER
BAGHDAD, Iraq — American troops arrive for duty in Iraq with a rifle in one hand, a wrench in the other and a lot of American pop culture in their rucksacks.
Personal CD players, MP3's, portable DVD movie systems, satellite dishes and laptop computers with Internet access allow soldiers to stay current with American music, movies and television, even inside the concertina wire at bases deep in a foreign society isolated by years of dictatorship, embargo and war.
Here's an article with some information about Najaf and Mosul.
[Link to Full Article]
By Gleb Bryanski
NEAR NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. forces have tightened their grip around one of Iraq's holiest cities as the rebel Shi'ite cleric they have vowed to kill or capture offered peace terms to spare Najaf a bloodbath.
An envoy appointed by Moqtada al-Sadr said the wanted cleric had asked him to convey peace proposals to the Americans. [...]
[Link to Press Release]
by Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 14, 2004) –Iraqi security forces and Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) foiled two IED attacks and collected a variety of weapons and munitions Tuesday in northern Iraq. The brigade is under the operational control of Task Force Olympia.
In addition to publishing articles from Iraq, the journalists from Maine will post "Notebook" snippets as well. Here is the first entry.
[Link to Full Article]
Bill Nemitz
It's been a year since Iraq's Republican Guard occupied the barracks here, but not all signs of the past have been erased.
Painted in Arabic on a thick concrete wall in Sgt. 1st Class John Keene's quarters are two exhortations, both attributed to Saddam Hussein.
In addition to publishing articles from Iraq, the journalists from Maine will post "Notebook" snippets as well. Here is the first entry.
[Link to Full Article]
Bill Nemitz
It's been a year since Iraq's Republican Guard occupied the barracks here, but not all signs of the past have been erased.
Painted in Arabic on a thick concrete wall in Sgt. 1st Class John Keene's quarters are two exhortations, both attributed to Saddam Hussein.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis troops in Mosul have been spared the heavy fighting that has taken place the past week in Fallujah, Baghdad and south-central Iraq, according to Army officials and other reports.
But there has been no letup in the steady pace of attacks on coalition forces across northern Iraq.
Two reporters One reporter and one photographer from this newspaper are in Mosul to cover units from Maine that are part of Task Force Olympia.
[Link to Full Article]
Bill Nemitz
MOSUL, Iraq — Camp Marez, as military bases go, is anything but primitive. It has satellite television, Internet cafes and a dining hall the size of an airport hangar with more than enough catered food to please the 500-plus palates of the Maine Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion.
Further indication that elements of the SBCT are near Najaf (emphasis added).
[Link to Full Article]
By Thomas E. Ricks
The Washington Post
FORWARD OPERATING BASE DUKE, Iraq, April 13 - Insurgents fighting the U.S.-led occupation force have sharply increased the sophistication, coordination and aggressiveness of their tactics over the past week, Army officers and soldiers involved in combat here said.
Yahoo! News carries two photos (one, two) from a memorial service held in Mosul for Spc. Rogers and Spc. Felder.
The following article discusses the mission of the U.S. force destined for Najaf, no registration required.
[Link to Full Article]
By Denis D. Gray
Associated Press
NAJAF, Iraq — A 2,500-strong U.S. force, backed by tanks and artillery, pushed to the outskirts of the Shiite holy city of Najaf on Tuesday for a showdown with a radical cleric. Near Fallujah, a U.S. military helicopter crashed, and an insurgent said he shot it down with a rocket-propelled grenade. [...]
Here is an article featuring the 416th Civil Affairs battalion and the National Guard's 115th Signal Battalion. I believe both units support Task Force Olympia.
[Link to Full Article]
By Jenn Buck, The Dartmouth Staff
ERBIL, IRAQ -- April has been the deadliest month of the war for American troops in Iraq, with a reported 73 deaths from hostile fire.
Close to 20 hostages have been captured by militant groups in recent weeks, including one American, three Japanese, 11 Russians and two Arab aid workers. [...]
[Link to Full Article]
By Maya Alleruzzo
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
MOSUL, Iraq — Spc. Jessica Hall, 21, and Cpl. Bobby Hall, 25, of Castlewood, Va., have been married for almost two years, but their marriage has been anything but traditional since they were deployed to northern Iraq with Virginia's 276th Engineer Battalion.
He's with Bravo Company, filling his days with missions around Mosul. He builds roads, provides security and detonates improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Golden Dragons that were rotated to Mosul to support Task Force Olympia have moved on apparently.
[Link to Full Article]
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
AMADIYAH, Northern Iraq — When Schofield Barracks soldiers came calling on this town of 20,000 in the middle of the night, it was with a show of firepower its residents will not soon forget.
[Link to Full Article]
BY VALERIE ZEHL
Press & Sun-Bulletin
Bob Fiedler of Vestal knows something about war. In the 1940s, he was a boy living in Germany, and a decade later he watched fellow American soldiers die in Korea.
Powerless then, he witnessed ordinary lives falling victim to forces beyond their control. But now, he's in a position to do something.
Here is an in depth article on recent activity in Iraq from the LA Times, including a bit of news about the SBCT. Use "laexaminer" for both the username and password to read the article. That username isn't working. Looks like you'll need to register to view the article.
[Link to Full Article]
By Jeffrey Fleishman and Edmund Sanders, Times Staff Writers
NAJAF, Iraq — U.S. forces used heavy firepower Monday to regain control of strategic roads around Iraq as about 2,500 American soldiers massed outside this southern city in an attempt to force the surrender of a Shiite cleric and his militias.
Excerpt:
GEN. KIMMITT: Thank you. Good afternoon. Coalition military forces in Iraq are continuing active offensive operations throughout the area of responsibility. In the north, the situation remains relatively stable. Government buildings and infrastructure are secure, with Facility Protection Service and Iraqi Civil Defense Corps actively augmenting municipal authorities to maintain public order, and Iraqi security forces are playing an active role in maintaining security. Task Force Olympia is supporting the U.N. Elections Needs Assessment Team today. And the Mosul governor has reviewed the curfew and has shortened it from 9:00 in the evening to 7:00 in the morning.
Part of the reason why news has been so sparse the past week or so...
[Link to Full Article] (Link expires after 7 days)
By JULIA ANGWIN
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
As intense fighting continues in Iraq and journalists come under attack, many news organizations are severely restricting their reporters' movements.
[Link to Full Article]
By U.S. Army Spc. Jessika Ross / Task Force Olympia
MOSUL, Iraq, April 9, 2004 — Imagine two brothers, both in the Army National Guard, but from two different states, meeting for the first time in almost a year, thousands of miles away from their hometown of Parkersburg, West Va.
[Link to Full Article]
by Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 12, 2004) – Iraqi Police and Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) killed eight anti-Coalition forces and collected a variety of weapons and munitions Sunday in northern Iraq.
MOSUL, IRAQ (April 10, 2004) – The classrooms of the Al Zuhor Secondary School for Boys are filled with activity once again after the school was recently closed for one month for renovation.
The school, which educates nearly 900 students under the instruction of 25 teachers, celebrated the completion of a renovation project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held April 3 at the northeast Mosul school.
MOSUL, Iraq – Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, a Stryker Brigade Combat Team, detained 27 personnel suspected of anti-Coalition activities, including five suspected of planning attacks against Coalition forces, in a series of missions in northern Iraq April 5 and 6.
[Link to Full Article]
by Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 11, 2004) – Iraqi Police, Iraqi Civil Defense Corps and Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) killed four and detained nine anti-Coalition forces Saturday in Mosul. The brigade is under the operational control of Task Force Olympia.
[Link to Full Article]
by Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 11, 2004) – Iraqi Police, Iraqi Civil Defense Corps and Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) killed four and detained nine anti-Coalition forces Saturday in Mosul. The brigade is under the operational control of Task Force Olympia.
Ladymaine wanted to pass along this moving tribute - very fitting for these trying times.
There is a short statement about Mosul in this summary of the most recent briefing by Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt.
[Link to Full Article]
By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 10, 2004 -- Sporadic gunfire continues in Iraq despite the coalition's offer of a cease-fire in Fallujah, coalition officials said today at a Baghdad news conference. [...]
The northern zone of operations remains stable, he said, as Task Force Olympia continues offensive and security operations with Iraqi police and security forces. The governor and police chief there remain in control, he added, with the cooperation of the police and the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps.
This is a TFO press release published at Gulf1. I still have no idea why these are not being published by Army Public Affairs.
MOSUL, IRAQ (Apr. 10, 2004) – Iraqi Security Force personnel from the Facilities Protective Services and the Iraqi Police, as well as Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) killed 13 and detained 12 anti-Coalition forces in northern Iraq during operations conducted today and Friday.
[Link to Full Article]
BY TOM TOLEN
News Staff Reporter
A soldier from Livingston County who has been stationed for five months in Iraq, where death and destruction are part of each day, will be returning to the war-torn nation this weekend.
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - The U.S. army said on Saturday it killed 12 insurgents in northern Iraq, destroying their truck with a missile after the guerrillas opened fire.
"A patrol from 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment was engaged by 12 assailants in a truck with a rocket-propelled grenade near Al Thubat," a U.S. statement said. "The patrol returned fire with a missile, destroying the truck and killing all 12 assailants."
[Link to Full Article]
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 9, 2004 — Coalition forces today unilaterally suspended offensive operations in Fallujah, Iraq, at the request of the Iraqi Governing Council, officials in Baghdad reported.
This move, they noted, will allow council members to meet with the city leadership and leaders of anti-coalition forces in an effort to quell the violence. [...]
SBCT soldiers (one, two) guard city hall against insurgents (one, two, three).
(Thanks to Mel for the links)
The first episode of "Band of Brothers" will be broadcast on Sunday night.
In related news, crews are finishing construction of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. The site will be officially dedicated over the Memorial Day weekend in May - almost 60 years after D-Day.
(via Power Line)
The statue fell.
[Link to Full Article]
By Amelia Hansen, STAFF WRITER
HALF MOON BAY -- When Lynn Kelly heard from her son-in-law -- Army 1st Lt. Curtis Wright, stationed in Mosul, Iraq -- that Iraqi school kids didn't have basic supplies like pens and paper, Kelly did what any good mom would do: she put together a care package.
[Link to Full Article]
By BEN JACKLET, The Tribune
A Gresham man killed Sunday by a roadside bomb in Iraq will be buried in Willamette National Cemetery on Thursday. [...]
His father, Rex Rogers of Gresham, said the funeral has been set for 1 p.m. next Thursday at the Living Hope Baptist Church at Southeast 148th Avenue and Powell Boulevard. A military ceremony honoring Rogers will follow the funeral at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 S.E. Mount Scott Blvd.
[Link to Full Article]
By Nathan Phelps
While Wisconsin Reserve and National Guard units continue to arrive home from Iraq, others are still getting settled into the routine of living and working in a war zone.
“It’s really been a roller coaster,” Spc. Mary Flynn wrote in a recent e-mail to the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
This one was sent to Andrew Sullivan by a marine in Fallujah. Excerpt:
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Tyanna S. Felder, 22, of Bridgeport, Conn., died April 7, in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained on April 4 in Mosul when her convoy vehicle was hit with an improvised explosive device. Felder was assigned to the Armys 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and fellow soldiers he leaves behind.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Tyanna S. Felder, 22, of Bridgeport, Conn., died April 7, in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained on April 4 in Mosul when her convoy vehicle was hit with an improvised explosive device. Felder was assigned to the Army’s 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
It looks as though Spc. Tyanna Avery-Felder was involved in the same incident as Spc. Philip Rogers.
BRIDGEPORT -- Connecticut is honoring a hometown hero. Army specialist Tyanna Avery-Felder was stationed in Iraq. T he 22-year-old from Bridgeport was killed in the city of in Mosul.
Governor Rowland ordered flags across the state to be at half-staff in honor Avery-Felder.
Last week we added a link to the unofficial Task Force Olympia website, but thought it would be worth mentioning here as well. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the site is maintained by the TFO Family Readiness Group. In addition to a photo gallery, the site also has an online version of the Task Force Olympia Observer, a newsletter created for the unit's soldiers.
UPDATE: From the comments - "The TFO Unofficial website is managed by members of TFO not the FRG." Thanks for the clarification.
John Kier, a specialist with Fort Lewis' Stryker force now serving in Iraq, arrived home recently on a two-week leave.
The 24-year-old Kier, who attended Auburn Riverside High, didn't have any trouble figuring out how to fill the time.
For some reason the sites I usually check for Army press releases (activity reports) regarding the SBCT haven't had any recently. Cheryl found a site that has an index of the latest releases. If you're interested visit the Gulf1 website.
[Link to Full Article]
By Rick Steelhammer
STAFF WRITER
GASSAWAY — After spending much of the past 14 months crossing Iraq in support of the Army’s first Stryker brigade combat team, the green, rolling hills of Braxton County looked mighty good to members of the 1092nd Engineer Battalion’s Alpha Company.
[Link to Full Article]
By Tracy Vedder
FORT LEWIS - Thousands of local service men and women are in Iraq right now. At the same time, thousands of families here are waiting, watching and worrying about the increasing violence and their loved ones.
One young mother showed KOMO 4 News the joy that helps get her through this awful waiting.
Another Stryker soldier lost.
[Link to Full Article]
Associated Press
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- A soldier who grew up in Bridgeport was killed in Iraq this week after being hit by shrapnel, family members and government officials said Wednesday.
[Link to Full Article]
By Spc. Aaron Ritter
For the TimesDaily
MOSUL, Iraq -- Soldiers of the Alabama Army National Guard’s 115th Signal Battalion --Corps Signal Support Battalion -- assumed the responsibility for providing communications support to Coalition forces in northern Iraq during a flag unfurling ceremony here March 29, marking an historic event in the battalion’s lineage.
No Stryker photos today, but there are plenty of the Marines as they operate near Fallujah.
[Link to Full Article]
By DOREEN OBERMEYER, Editor
"I think I was out driving guard that day," he said. The Army Specialist is assigned to the 2nd infantry 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team stationed in Mosul, northern Iraq.
Home for a 17-day furlough, he spoke last week about what it's like to be a soldier in a strange country far from home.
Joe Roche, a U.S. Army soldier stationed in Baghdad, has something he'd like to tell everyone at home. Be sure to read his follow-up email as well.
(via Blackfive)
TFO gets more troops.
[Link to Full Article]
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
TALL AFAR, Iraq — Nearly a battalion's worth of Schofield Barracks soldiers have been shifted out of the 2nd Brigade's operating area and temporarily assigned to help the Stryker Brigade in the increasingly volatile Mosul area.
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, April 6, 2004) – History is being made in northern Iraq as the Stryker Brigade Combat Team and a Fort Drum aviation unit work together to combat terrorism.
Since entering northern Iraq in November infantry leaders from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division SBCT, Fort Lewis, Wash., have flown in helicopters during raid missions. Pilots from the 10th Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division from Fort Drum, N.Y., have ridden in Strykers. The integration is so they can understand their counterpart’s challenges.
With all the activity taking place near Fallujah, I thought I would provide a link to the reporting of Darrin Mortenson, a North County Times journalist embedded with the Marines. His latest article describes the intense fighting taking place today - up to 12 Marines may have been killed. I'll be adding a link to his archives on our Links Page.
There is so much news coming out of Iraq today that it's hard to keep up - try The Command Post for the latest headlines.
UPDATE: I fixed the "Darrin Mortenson" link above. Should work now.
[Link to Full Article]
By Joe Burlas
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, April 6, 2004) -- A year after conducting its Initial Operational Capabilities testing, the Army’s first Stryker Brigade Combat Team is fairing well in Iraq, according to senior Army procurement officials.
Members of the Pentagon press corps got an update April 5 on successes of the Army’s first fielded SBCT -- 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, based in Fort Lewis, Wash. -- and the Army’s fielding plan for the remaining planned Stryker brigades.
[Link to Full Article]
Associated Press
April 6, 2004
WASHINGTON - U.S. military commanders have begun studying ways they might increase troops in Iraq should violence spread much more widely, a senior officer said Monday.
Generals believe they have enough forces to handle the attacks that have been coming from various quarters, including the recent violence by a Shiite militia group, but they want to know what is available if the situation gets worse, said the officer, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity.
Sapperwife sent a link to the AAFES website where they have links to the various PX locations in Iraq. In the upper-left corner is a drop-down menu where you can select a location to view. They have photos, descriptions and a list of the goods and services available at each PX. Did you know they have a Beauty/Nail/Spa service at the Mosul PX?
Listed below are a number of stories from Northwest media outlets:
Another Oregon soldier has died in Iraq. U.S. Army Spc. Philip Gerard Rogers, 23, from Gresham, died in a roadside bombing in the Mosul area Sunday morning.
Philip's father, Rex, said his son was serving as a cook in the Army and was responsible for the dining hall in Mosul.
Our thoughts are with the loved ones Spc. Rogers leaves behind.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Philip G. Rogers, 23, of Gresham, Ore., died April 4, in Mosul, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device hit his military vehicle. Spc. Rogers was assigned to the Army’s 3rd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
The incident is under investigation.
One, two, three photos of SBCT soldiers in Mosul.
(Thanks to Sue and Mel for the links)
UPDATE: I fixed the third link above so the correct photo is displayed.
[Link to Full Article]
By Matthew Cox
Times staff writer
Most know the soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (SBCT) as the Army’s first Stryker Brigade Combat Team. But in some parts of Iraq, they’re known as the “Ghost Soldiers.”
General Dynamics Land Systems has, as a private venture, developed a 105mm self-propelled howitzer for the Stryker vehicle platform. General Dynamics is the current manufacturer of the Stryker vehicles. The company will be test-firing the system in Florida this month. See below for photos.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Philip G. Rogers, 23, of Gresham, Ore., died April 4, in Mosul, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device hit his military vehicle. Rogers was assigned to the Armys 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and fellow soldiers he leaves behind.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By Thomas E. Ricks
Washington Post Staff Writer
Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus, who spent most of the past year in Iraq as commander of the 101st Airborne Division, is being sent back to that country to oversee the organization and training of all Iraqi military and security forces, Pentagon insiders said yesterday.
[Link to Full Article]
By HAMZA HENDAWI
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- An Iraqi judge has issued a murder arrest warrant for a radical Shiite Muslim cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, for the slaying of another Shiite leader shortly after the U.S.-led invasion of the country, coalition officials said Monday.
Two more photos from Mosul (one, two).
[Link to Full Article]
By Spc. Aaron Ritter
TAL AFAR, Iraq (Army News Service, April 5, 2004) -- Iraqi Armed Forces soldiers are quickly learning, with the assistance of coalition forces, what type of training is required to become an effective fighting force.
Perhaps this was the incident referred to in the photo caption yesterday.
MOSUL, Iraq – An improvised explosive device attack killed one Task Force Olympia Soldier and wounded one other Soldier near Mosul at about 5:40 p.m. April 4.
The wounded soldier was taken to the 67th Combat Support Hospital for treatment.
Release #040405c
Belmont Club has a very detailed update on the situation in Fallujah and the planned military response.
(via Phil Carter)
UPDATE: Belmont Club provides additional analysis of the latest developments.
MORE: Mark Bowden, author of "Black Hawk Down", offers his view on the situation in Fallujah.
Winds of Change has published its latest Winds of War briefing highlighting recent developments in the war on terror, including Iraq.
Yahoo! News has a couple photos (one, two) of Stryker soldiers taken over the weekend. The caption from the second photo indicates that a Stryker vehicle was damaged Sunday by a roadside bomb.
(Thanks to Mel for the link)
[Link to Full Article] (Brief registration required)
BY KASI ADDISON
Star-Ledger Staff
Friends and family of Pfc. Bruce Miller Jr., who was killed nearly two weeks ago in Iraq, gathered at an East Orange church yesterday to remember a man they said was hardworking, giving and gentle.
Another article with the facts wrong.
[Link to Full Article]
By Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
[...] A replacement Stryker brigade is in training at Fort Polk, La., to relieve the first unit deployed in a war zone to use the Army's first transformational vehicle.
The 1st Stryker brigade has been in the theater since October, patrolling some of Iraq's meanest streets in the north. Of 310 Stryker vehicles, one has been lost. Insurgents fired two rocket-propelled grenades to destroy the Stryker, but not before its nine soldiers escaped unharmed.
[Link to Full Article]
By Rusty Marks
STAFF WRITER
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS — Teddy Kleisner has always been fascinated with the military.
Family photos show a smiling young man peering out from under a green Army helmet, small hands clutching a toy rifle. Even then, Teddy wore camouflage, his battle dress sporting an Army Ranger patch.
Ask and you shall receive - Michael Gilbert has written a great article recounting his time in Iraq with the SBCT.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Ahmed Younnis is a tribal leader in Muhallabiyah, a farming town west of Mosul in northern Iraq.
The old man was among our hosts one day when I went with some U.S. soldiers to visit the local police station. They put out a fabulous spread of veal, rice and flat bread, pickled peppers and cucumbers, sweet tea and soda pop.
StrategyPage has an update on the Strykers' performance in Iraq to date. I'm not sure about some of the facts in the first paragraph, however. I think the driver and commander were both in the vehicle.
April 3, 2004: After four months in Iraq, the Stryker brigade up in Mosul lost its first Stryke[r] armored vehicle to an RPG attack on March 28th. Two RPGs were fired at the vehicle and one was not stopped by the Slat Armor. The vehicle caught fire and was destroyed. None of the crew were hurt. Only the driver was aboard, and he got out. The rest of the crew (an infantry squad) were on foot patrol at the time.
Here is some very useful information regarding the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
[Link to Full Article]
By Lisa Burgess, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, April 4, 2004
ARLINGTON, Va. — Whether it’s keeping up with credit-card payments or maintaining a valid driver’s license, legal responsibilities don’t go away when servicemembers are assigned overseas or deployed to a war zone.
I really miss the reporting of Michael Gilbert.
[Link to Full Article]
By Mariam Fam, Associated Press
MOSUL, Iraq (AP) Fewer U.S. troops patrol the streets of Iraq's third-largest city, while more Iraqi security forces drive through busy markets or sprawl on median strips in firing positions.
Deadly attacks on local police, translators and government officials also have become more familiar in Mosul, once seen as a success story of the U.S.-led occupation. [...]
The article below is for subscribers only, but the link I used seemed to work fine.
[Link to Full Article]
By Vincent J. Schodolski
Tribune correspondent
MOSUL, Iraq -- There was a time not long ago when U.S. officials in Iraq pointed to this northern city as an oasis of calm and cooperation amid the violence and chaos in other parts of the country.
If you're like me you might be scratching your head wondering why U.S. troops, specifically the Marines, haven't descended on Fallujah yet. Steven Den Beste provides one of the better explanations I've read to date:
If there are broad reprisals against the uncommitted friendly population because of the acts of the terrorists, that population will become motivated and polarized in favor of the position held by the terrorists. If the American response is viewed by the Sunnis as being directed broadly at all Sunnis, rather than being targeted specifically at those responsible for this outrage, then there's every likelihood that the Sunnis will begin to wonder whether the US is actually genuine in its attempts to include the Sunnis as equal partners in the new government of Iraq. That would be a major victory for al Qaeda.
[Link to Full Article]
By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Army divisions that fought the past 12 months in Iraq have met virtually every re-enlistment goal, a sign that the all-volunteer force remains strong under the stress of frequent deployments and hazardous duty.
[Link to Full Article] (Photo included)
BY JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
STAFF WRITER
Army Capt. Alex Fyfe watched barefoot Iraqi children kick balls made of straw alongside tanks and thought of his childhood in Rocky Point, where he never had to worry about proper equipment or green fields to play soccer, the sport that has been his passion since he was 5 years old.
Three today - one, two and three.
There really is a golf course in Mosul - it was created by soldiers of the 101st.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL (AP) -- Lt. Jesse White spent the last year telling stories about playing golf in Iraq. Now he has one to take back.
White was one of five Army soldiers honored Thursday at the Tournament Players Club after they created a golf course in Iraq and dubbed it TPC Mosul. [...]
Another story of a SBCT soldier home on leave.
[Link to Full Article]
Vincent T. Davis
San Antonio Express-News
For four months they've lifted his spirits by sending mail and cards.
When he was weary after long missions down dusty roads, they encouraged him to smile. And whenever his instant messenger profile popped onto the computer screen, they yelled, "Your son's on," to their teacher.
Two photos of the same SBCT soldier (here and here) from Yahoo! News today.
(Thanks to Mel for the links)
MR. SENOR: [...] Following the graduation ceremony, Ambassador Bremer traveled to Mosul for a series of meetings. First was a working lunch and briefing with the CPA field staff in Nineveh, the Nineveh field staff. Then he had a meeting with the police chief, the Mosul police chief, Barhawi. Following that, he -- Ambassador Bremer attended a Nineveh provincial council meeting, and then later in the day he attended and participated in the Mosul town hall meeting. [...]
GEN. KIMMITT: Over the past week there's been an average of 28 engagements daily against coalition military, five engagements daily against Iraqi security forces and just under four attacks daily against Iraqi civilians. The coalition is stepping up its offensive tempo to kill or capture anti-coalition elements and enemies of the Iraqi people in response to the latest increase in engagements. To that end, in the past 24 hours the coalition conducted 1,416 patrols, 20 offensive operations, 11 raids and captured 52 anti-coalition suspects.
[Link to Full Article]
By MIKE BARBER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
One grew up in the Seattle area and fulfilled his dream of winning appointment to West Point to become a career Army officer. Another grew up in New Jersey and overcame learning disabilities to graduate from high school and joined the Army, hoping to earn tuition to pursue his dream of becoming a lawyer.