Link to Full Article
BY DIONNE SEARCEY; STAFF CORRESPONDENT
CAMP DIAMONDBACK, Iraq -- Gen. George W. Casey, commander of the Multinational Forces in Iraq, sat down to lunch with soldiers in Mosul Friday during a quick New Year's Eve visit that was part therapy session and part pep talk, according to soldiers who sat with him.
Link to Full Article
By Bassem Mroue; Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) Prime Minister Ayad Allawi made an unusually strong warning to Iraq's neighbors to crack down on insurgents infiltrating from their territory, saying Friday that Iraq's patience was wearing thin. Al-Qaida, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for a bold attack on U.S. troops.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. PFC Oscar Sanchez, 19, from Modesto, CA, died Dec. 29 in Mosul, Iraq, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device struck his observation post. Sanchez was assigned to 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, WA.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones he leaves behind. We will add any subsequent articles we find to this entry.
(TFO) Press Release
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 31, 2004) – Anti-Iraqi insurgents attacked Multi-National Forces from a mosque with small arms fire while in other operations Soldiers from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained 15 people suspected of anti-Iraqi activities Thursday in northern Iraq.
Anti-Iraqi insurgents attacked Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment with small arms fire from the Nabi Sheet Mosque in southwest Mosul. Soldiers quickly returned fire killing one insurgent and wounding another which forced the remaining insurgents to flee. Iraqi National Guard soldiers conducted a search of the mosque to secure the area, ensuring no insurgents remained. There were no MNF or ISF injuries reported during the operation.
This link will take you to a Yahoo! News image gallery with the images sorted by date. There are a number of photographs of 1-25 SBCT soldiers in Mosul this past week. The gallery also contains photographs taken at the recent memorial services for our fallen soldiers.
More news about today's attack on a U.S. outpost
Link to Full Article
By NICK WADHAMS, Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Three militant groups warned Iraqis against voting in Jan. 30 elections, saying Thursday that people participating in the ``dirty farce'' risked attack. All 700 employees of the electoral commission in Mosul reportedly resigned after being threatened.
This version of the story is getting such wide distribution, that we decided to give it a separate entry. You can read more in our previous entry.
Link to Full Article
By Slobodan Lekic, Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) Insurgents tried to ram a truck with a ton of explosives into a U.S. military post in the northern city of Mosul on Thursday then ambushed reinforcements in a huge gunbattle in which 25 fighters and one American soldier were killed. Warplanes fired missiles and strafed gunmen during the fight.
This is an update to the previous article.
Link to Full Article
Sheila Hotchkin; San Antonio Express-News
A week after a suicide bomber targeted a crowded mess tent in northern Iraq, four soldiers wounded in the attack received Purple Hearts at Brooke Army Medical Center on Wednesday.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 30, 2004) – Iraqi Security Forces decisively defeated another attack by anti-Iraqi insurgents as they attempted to seize a police station in southeast Mosul while Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained 13 people suspected of anti-Iraqi activities during other operations Wednesday in northern Iraq.
(TFO Presss Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 30, 2004) – One Task Force Olympia soldier died of wounds at a military hospital Dec. 29 after a car bomb detonated on a Multinational Force patrol in Mosul.
The attack occurred at approximately 3:45 p.m.
The name of the soldier killed is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
By Maher al-Thanoon
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - A frontal assault on U.S. troops by dozens of Iraqi insurgents in Mosul left an American soldier and about 25 guerrillas dead in one of the boldest attacks yet on occupying forces in Iraq.
Battle raged late on Wednesday as President Bush said his forces would do all they could to make it possible to hold next month's election in Mosul and other violent cities. But many residents of Mosul say they are too afraid to vote.
The soldier died of wounds, the military said on Thursday.
He had been on a patrol that was hit by a suicide car bomb close to a U.S. outpost. Gunmen tried to overrun the area, sending in another suicide truck bomber and firing mortars and rockets in an apparent bid to wipe out an entire U.S. unit.
Link to Full Article
BY DIONNE SEARCEY; Newsday
MOSUL, Iraq -- Suicide bombers rammed a dump truck packed with 1,500 pounds of explosives into a combat outpost Wednesday and then slammed a car loaded with bombs into an Army patrol on its way to respond to the first attack.
Link to Full Article
By Sheila Hotchkin; Express-News
A week after a suicide bomber targeted a crowded mess tent in northern Iraq, four soldiers injured in the attack received Purple Hearts at Brooke Army Medical Center today. [...]
The four are being treated for burns, shrapnel wounds and other injuries. All are members of the 25th Infantry Division Stryker Brigade, based at Fort Lewis, Wash.
They are Spc. Donald Bergren, 27, of Watertown, Wis.; Spc. Donald Larson, 24, of Vancouver, Wash.; Pfc. Amanda Mohon, 19, of Willow Creek, Calif.; and Sgt. Christian Steele, 27, of Gary, Ind.
Link to Full Article
By ELIZABETH M. GILLESPIE; Associated Press
FORT LEWIS, Wash. -- Hundreds of friends and relatives of six Stryker brigade soldiers killed in the bombing of a dining tent at Mosul, Iraq, gathered Wednesday to remember the fallen as heroes.
“We grieve the loss of six soldiers, six brothers in arms,” Army Maj. Timothy Gauthier said as the memorial service began.
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - American troops backed by warplanes have battled insurgents in the Iraqi city of Mosul, killing around 25 guerrillas in fierce clashes after being attacked by suicide bombs and rocket-propelled grenades.
Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Paul Hastings said on Wednesday a suicide vehicle bomb exploded near a U.S. military outpost in Mosul, and a second suicide attack targeted a U.S. patrol responding to the first blast.
This brief article announces that a public memorial service will held New Year's Eve in Puyallup.
Link to Full Article
By MIRTHA VACA; KING 5 News
TACOMA, Wash. - Final preparations were under way at Fort Lewis Wednesday morning for an 11:00 a.m. memorial service honoring those killed in the suicide bombing near Mosul, Iraq, this month. [...]
The Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Portland Press Herald both have reporter/photographer teams in Mosul to cover National Guard units from their respective home states. Each paper has an online section devoted to Iraq coverage, inlcuding numerous stories and photo galleries that we haven't posted yet.
Provided below are a number of articles featuring those wounded in the attack last week. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they begin the long road to recovery. If any of you know a wounded soldier personally, please let us know if there is anything we as a group can do to help.
In the wake of last week's events we've received a number of emails asking if anything can be done to assist the affected families. We've included links to a number of organizations that accept donations below, but please feel free to share your ideas in the comments section as well.
CPT Kevin R. Golinghorst of the 73rd Engineer Company has graciously allowed us to share the comments he made at the memorial held on December 27 in Mosul. CPL Jonathan Castro and SPC Lionel Ayro, both killed in the attack, were soldiers with the 73rd ENG. Thank you CPT Golinghorst.
Link to Full Article
By CHRISTINE HAUSER; New York Times
MOSUL, Iraq, Dec. 28 - The bearded man was lying on a stretcher on the floor of the American combat support hospital here. He was not moving and did not speak. A quick search revealed a personal detail - he had a wedding ring in his pocket.
There was little else about the man, a casualty of the suicide bomb attack at the base here last week, that Second Lt. Shayla Henderson-Young, 23, knew when she first went to his side. Her vigil with him on the trauma room floor lasted about two hours, until she and others carried him to a quiet hallway where he took two final, gentle gasps of breath.
Link to Full Article
By Aaron Klein; WorldNetDaily.com
Following is a WorldNetDaily exclusive interview with Army Maj. Michael Cohen, who was the chief ER surgeon at the U.S. base in Mosul during last week's mess-hall bombing. With maimed soldiers pouring into the ER, Dr. Cohen, who hails from Bucks County, Penn., was at the center of what he describes as a nightmare from which he could not run.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 29, 2004) – Iraqi Security Forces decisively defeated three separate attacks by anti-Iraqi insurgents as they attempted to seize two police stations while Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained 18 people suspected of anti-Iraqi activities during other operations Tuesday in northern Iraq.
Two Iraqi Police stations came under attack by rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire during a coordinated effort by insurgent fighters to overrun the stations in west and southeast Mosul. The Iraqi Police successfully repelled the first two attacks on the stations denying insurgents access. After regrouping, insurgents attempted to overrun the southeast station once again but police decisively defeated their attempts. This is the seventh, eighth and ninth time since November 10 where insurgents have tried but failed to overrun police stations. Since November 10, no police stations have fallen into the hands of insurgent fighters.
Sorry if some of you got a bandwidth error message recently. I was adjusting our account settings and entered the wrong number (oops!). That's what happens when you put me in control. Might as well mention here that we fixed the gallery, but I still need to reconfigure a few things before we open it up again. I'll be offline tomorrow night until Sunday, so we'll get things squared away when I return.
The following are a number of articles that were published over the holiday weekend. I apologize if any of these are repeats.
You may remember an entry we posted a while back titled A Soldier's Letter. SSG Holcomb has written another email to his parents that he is allowing us to share with you. CPT William W. Jacobsen Jr., killed in the bombing last week, was his company commander.
This compilation of messages to the troops was published on Christmas Day by The News Tribune. Even though it's a couple days late we thought it was worth sharing.
For many people, the holidays are a time for friends and family. But what about those whose duty calls them to faraway places? New friends – comrades in arms – fill some of the holes, but many remain. The News Tribune invited readers to put their warm wishes into words in the form of letters to our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nearly 200 of you responded, and we thank you.
Last January two Kiowa helicopter pilots from the 3-17 CAV were killed in a crash as they searched for a Stryker Brigade soldier whose boat had capsized in the Tigris. MAJ Andrew Kaufmann of the 3-17 describes the search and rescue operation in this audio report for NPR. Follow the link above and click on the "Listen" icon.
Link to Full Article
By BETH IPSEN, Staff Writer
The 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team has shed its "Snow Hawk" mascot in favor of the "Arctic Wolves."
The change was made to reflect the new look and mission of the unit--sleek, fast and lethal.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 28, 2004) – Anti-Iraqi insurgents attacked Multi-National Forces and Iraqi Security Forces from a mosque with small arms fire today wounding one ING soldier in northeast Mosul as Soldiers conducted a joint patrol in the area.
Soldiers from the Iraqi National Guard and Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment quickly maneuvered on the mosque establishing a cordon but the insurgents fled as the Soldiers approached. ING Soldiers searched the mosque finding evidence that safe haven was given to the insurgents so they could conduct anti-Iraqi operations.
Link to Full Article
By KENNETH KESNER; Huntsville Times
Jeremy Holmes, 26, injured when bomb blew up mess tent
Joe Holmes was opening presents with family on Christmas morning when the phone rang and he got the one thing he really wanted.
It was a call from his son in Iraq, Spc. Jeremy Holmes, who had been eating in a mess tent near Mosul last Tuesday when a suicide bomber blew it up, killing 18 Americans and three Iraqi guardsmen.
Link to Full Article
By NICK WADHAMS; ASSOCIATED PRESS
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq -- American commanders are fully aware that Iraq's insurgents exploit their policy of employing locals on U.S. military bases but insist the practice will not stop, though some security measures may be tightened.
FORT LEWIS, Wash. -- Fort Lewis plans a memorial service Wednesday for the six Stryker brigade soldiers who were among the 22 killed in the Mosul mess tent bombing.
The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. in Soldier's Field House.
The six are William W. Jacobsen Junior, Julian S. Melo, Darren D. VanKomen, Robert S. Johnson, Jonathan Castro and Lionel Ayro.
Link to Full Article
BY DIONNE SEARCEY; Newsday
CAMP MAREZ, Iraq -- It was the saddest in a string of tough days for two Army units here as hundreds of sniffing, teary soldiers gathered to say their last goodbyes to four comrades killed in a suicide bombing last week.
Monday's ceremony, in a darkened, hushed auditorium not far from the dining hall where the explosion tore through a lunchtime crowd, had all the customary rituals of a military farewell: the playing of taps, a gunshot salute and the soldiers' lonely helmet-topped weapons on display.
I apologize for doing this again, but I had to disable the photo gallery until further notice. While I don't want to bore you with details, some explanation is needed. The primary issue is that even with the switch to a much more powerful server, we are still experiencing bandwidth issues. Secondly, that part of the site experienced problems during the transfer, which has made it impossible at the moment for contributors to log in. We'll keep troubleshooting as time permits.
By Associated Press
Three Maine soldiers were injured when their convoy was struck by a roadside bomb in Iraq, officials said Monday.
The attack early Sunday in Mosul injured three members of the 133rd Engineer Battalion of the Maine Army National Guard, according to a statement by Gov. John Baldacci and Maine National Guard Adjutant General John W. Libby. [...]
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Chief Joel Egan Baldwin, 37, of Arlington, VA., died in Mosul, Iraq on Dec. 21, when the dining facility was attacked. Chief Baldwin was assigned to Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 77, Gulfport, MI.
Link to Full Article
By BASSEM MROUE and RAWYA RAGEH; The Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's top general said yesterday that the man who carried out Tuesday's suicide attack on a U.S. base near Mosul — in which 22 people, including six members of the Fort Lewis-based Stryker Brigade, died — was not a member of the Iraqi security forces, as had been widely reported.
Link to Full Article
By CHRISTINE HAUSER; New York Times
MOSUL, Iraq, Dec. 24 - On Tuesday, Sgt. Michael S. Posner was standing in the middle of a crowded dining hall at Forward Operating Base Marez, holding a cheeseburger and fries on a lunch tray and looking for his friends, when a huge force blew him off his feet.
Link to Full Article
By CHRISTINE HAUSER; New York Times
MOSUL, Iraq, Dec. 26 - Standing in the courtyard of an Iraqi Army compound on the American base here, Capt. David A. Uthlaut was startled Sunday by a small explosion set off by the Iraqi soldiers behind him.
Link to Full Article
By Seattle Times news services
MOSUL, Iraq -- American soldiers here ate Christmas lunch in flak jackets and combat helmets and prayed for the dead in candlelit ceremonies, marking a somber holiday after the bomb attack on their base Tuesday that killed 22 people, including six soldiers from the Fort Lewis-based Stryker Brigade.
Link to Full Article
BY DIONNE SEARCEY; Newsday
CAMP MAREZ, Iraq - The 45 soldiers packed the tiny trailer for the solemn Christmas Eve Mass, singing of scenes that could scarcely be imagined in this war zone. First, there was "Silent Night," and then "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing."
Link to Full Article
By KOMO TV Staff
PIERCE COUNTY - Christmas night hundreds of people gathered near Fort Lewis to remember the six Stryker Brigade soldiers killed in last week's attack in Mosul.
Transfer complete (whew!). All areas of the site are now available again - comments enabled, forum and gallery open. Please let us know if you run into any serious problems as you navigate the site. We may still need to make some adjustments, so your continued patience is appreciated.
UPDATE: Hopefully all of you are able to navigate the site just fine, but I'm still having a few issues with the software we use to post entries. Until that's fixed posting will be light.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 26, 2004) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained 10 people suspected of anti-Iraqi activities during operations over the past 24 hours.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment conducted a cordon and search in northern Mosul and detained six people for planning and conducting roadside bomb attacks against MNF and Iraqi Security Forces. All suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported during the operation.
We have decided to take advantage of the news break to transfer our site to a new server, which is something we desperately need to do. We've ourgrown our current home and need more room to breath. At our new residence we can also open the gallery back up.
To make the switch we need to take a "snapshot" of the site, transfer that image to the new server, and test things to make sure everything works alright. During that process we cannot add new content to the site, which means we have to disable comments on the main page, and "lock" the bulletin board beginning at 6 PM PST, December 25th. You won't have access to the bulletin board, but you can still browse the main page and archives.
Overall, the transfer could take us 24 hours to complete, hopefully less. We will let you know when we're all done.
Thank you for your continued patience.
What to say? Perhaps someone else could describe in words the mix of emotions we all feel, but I'm at a loss. It seems appropriate at this time to take a break from the news cycle and reflect on what we have, and who we've lost. Regular updates will resume sometime later this weekend.
In the meantime, please feel free to leave your comments below, and perhaps visit our Memorial Page or the Tributes archive.
Regards,
SBN Team
The Department of Defense announced today the death of CPT William W. Jacobsen Jr., 31, of Charlotte, NC, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, WA. CPT Jacobsen died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of SGM Robert D. O'Dell, 38, of Manassas, VA, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the United States Army Intelligence & Security Command, Fort Belvoir, VA. SGM O'Dell died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of SFC Paul D. Karpowich, 30, of Bridgeport, PA, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the Army Reserve's 2nd Battalion, 390th Infantry Regiment, Webster, NY. SFC Karpowich died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of SSG Julian S. Melo, 47, of Brooklyn, NY, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, WA. SSG Melo died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of SSG Darren D. VanKomen, 33, of Bluefield, W.VA, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, WA. SSG VanKomen died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of SSG Robert S. Johnson, 23, of Castro Valley, CA, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, WA. SSG Johnson died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of SGT Lynn R. Poulin Sr., 47, of Freedom, ME, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion, Belfast, ME. SGT Poulin died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of SPC Jonathan Castro, 21, of Corona, CA, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the 73rd Engineer Company, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, WA. SPC Castro died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of SPC Thomas J. Dostie, 20, of Sommerville, ME, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion, Portland, ME. SPC Dostie died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of SPC Cory M. Hewitt, 26, of Stewart, TN, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the 705th Ordnance Company, Fort Polk, LA. SPC Hewitt died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of SPC Nicholas C. Mason, 20, of King George, VA, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the Army National Guard's 276th Engineer Battalion, West Point, VA. SPC Mason died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of SPC David A. Ruhren, 20, of Stafford, VA, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the Army National Guard's 276th Engineer Battalion, West Point, VA. SPC Ruhren died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of PFC Lionel Ayro, 22, of Jeanerette, LA, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the 73rd Engineer Company, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, WA. PFC Ayro died December 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when his dining facility was attacked.
We will be creating individual entries for each of these soldiers in the near future, but we wanted to post this information as soon as it became available. Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of these men during this trying time.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of thirteen soldiers supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Dec. 21 in Mosul, Iraq, when their dining facility was attacked. Killed were:
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 24, 2004) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) prevented a potential car bomb attack and detained 38 suspects in separate operations over the past 24 hours.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment prevented a potential attack from occurring on security forces Thursday after they located a car containing a detonator, bomb making material and a video camera. Two subjects fled before they could be apprehended. An Explosives Ordnance Disposal team cleared the vehicle.
Link to Full Article
By Joseph Giordono, Stars and Stripes
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq — Unsettling as it is, most U.S. troops understand, if not accept, the possibility of being wounded or killed in direct combat.
But in the wake of the deadly strike on a base dining facility near Mosul, soldiers are talking more than ever about what amounts to a lucky shot, or worse.
Link to Full Article
By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr.; NY Times
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 23 - The suicide bomber who killed 22 people at an American mess tent in Mosul this week probably wore an Iraqi military uniform and made it through a screening process for new Iraqi troops that, in this case, was "likely not satisfactory," the American military commander in northern Iraq said Thursday.