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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 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.
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.
(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.
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.
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. [...]
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.
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
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:
Here are four excellent photos of the 1-24 INF, taken Dec. 10-14, 2004 by Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson and posted on the DOD web site. One, Two, Three, Four.
Yahoo! News continues to post a few new photos associated with the Dec. 21st attack on FOB Marez. Most of these are from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany.
Link to Full Article
By Robert Burns, Associated Press
MOSUL, Iraq (AP) U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld visited wounded soldiers and brought holiday greetings on Christmas Eve amid tight security at an air base in northern Iraq where an insurgent's attack killed 14 U.S. troops and eight other people earlier this week.
We've enabled the comments feature again with one change - comments are now "moderated". When you submit a comment it will not appear on the site until one of the administrators "approves" it. This process could take minutes or hours depending on our availability. Rest assured, it will appear on the site, so there is no need to submit your comment multiple times.
The photo gallery is still disabled, however. We are in the process of implementing a permanent solution, but with all of the activity this week our first priority is news content. Thanks for your patience.
CLARIFICATION: This change has nothing to do with the content of comments we've received. Moderating will temporarily allow us to reduce the load on our server, but still let you comment.
The following is another in depth article regarding Michael Oreskovic from Jeff Wright with The Register-Guard. As he mentions in the article, you can donate to a fund that has been established for him. You can find all the details in this entry we posted previously. This article has been reprinted in full with permission.
Link to Full Article
By Jeff Wright, The Register-Guard
All Michael John Oreskovic wants for Christmas is his left arm back.
The Army specialist from Eugene lost the arm in a suicide bomber's car attack in Mosul, Iraq, on Oct. 11 - on his final mission after a yearlong stint in Iraq. The attack came four days after he was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries sustained in a similar attack Oct. 5.
The 23-year-old was flown to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he's undergone 11 surgeries in preparation for a prosthesis. He faces at least six more months of rehabilitation and physical therapy.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The person who attacked a U.S. military base in Mosul was likely wearing an Iraqi military uniform and carried a bomb in a vest, Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, U.S. commander in Mosul, told CNN Thursday.
The December 7, December 13, and December 20 editions of The Olympia Observer, the official newsletter of Task Force Olympia, are available for download.
(This message will remain at the top of the page throughout the day. Scroll down for new entries.)
Traffic spikes are putting a big strain on our server right now. To manage the problem we've temporarily disabled comments and the photo gallery section of our site. We're working to address the issue, but I can't tell you for sure when everything will be working again. Thanks for your understanding.
UPDATE: We are currently exploring long-term solutions, but for now the gallery and the comments will remain disabled.
The transcript is worth reading in full. Excerpt below.
GEN. MYERS: Thank you, Mr. Secretary, and good afternoon.
I wish to also extend my sincere condolences to the families of our forces who have lost their lives throughout this conflict and this war against extremism. Of course, most recently we regret the loss of life in yesterday's attack in Mosul.
And here's what we know about the attack.
Once again the news is coming very quickly, so we're switching back to quick links to try and get information out as fast as possible.
Yahoo! News has a number of new photos taken in Mosul and at Ramstein airbase, Germany, since yesterday's attack.
From embedded reporter Bill Nemitz.
Link to Full Article
By Staff Columnist, BILL NEMITZ
MOSUL, Iraq — A powerful explosion ripped through a crowded dining facility at Forward Operating Base Marez during the noon lunch hour Tuesday, killing 22 people and wounding 66. Two of the dead and 12 of the wounded were members of the Maine Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion. A military spokesman in Baghdad said 20 Americans were killed, 15 of them soldiers, in what was the deadliest single attack against Americans here since the start of the war. Names of the casualties were being withheld pending notification of relatives.
Link to Full Article
BY JEREMY REDMON PHOTOS BY DEAN HOFFMEYER
MOSUL, Iraq - Sgt. Kyle Wright was about to take a bite of chocolate cake when the blast knocked him out of his chair.
Two other Virginia National Guardsmen picked him up and rushed him out of the chow-hall tent on Forward Operating Base Marez.
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The explosion rocked Forward Operating Base Marez at its most vulnerable point – the huge plastic-and-aluminum chow hall, where thousands of soldiers converge for meals four times each day.
The structure is a good mile inside the base perimeter, as big as a football field and surrounded by 10-foot concrete barriers. The only thing shielding its big white roof against the near-daily incoming rockets and mortars has been the Iraqi insurgency’s erratic marksmanship.
We'll add articles to this entry that provide new information regarding today's attack.
Reporter Jeremy Redmon and photographer Dean Hoffmeyer of the Times-Dispatch have been embedded with the 276th Engineer Battalion of the Virginia National Guard in Mosul. Redmon filed the following story from the scene of today's attack, which has since been picked up by the Associated Press.
Casualty figures are still in dispute, but BG Carter Ham, commander of Task Force Olympia, confirms many of the details in an interview with CNN.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of these men and women, and their families.
Link to Full Article
BY JEREMY REDMON, TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, Iraq – Insurgents hit a dining hall tent at a U.S. military base in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul today with a suspected rocket attack, killing 24, including two soldiers from the Richmond-based 276th Engineer Battalion.
As of 11:15 a.m. EST, 64 were reported wounded; civilians may have been among them. It was around noon and hundreds of soldiers had just sat down for lunch.
There have been numerous stories published by news organizations this morning regarding the incident in Mosul. The information I've seen so far has been contradictory, and some reported facts have been disputed by spokesmen for Task Force Olympia. Therefore, we won't be posting any stories until a clearer picture emerges.
Link to Article
Story by Spc. Jessika Ross
MOSUL, Iraq- For many military couples, deployment means not seeing a beloved spouse for as long as a year while they serve in a foreign land. Not so for four couples in the 67th Combat Support Hospital from Giebelstadt Military Base, Wurzburg, Germany. It means a time to grow as a couple and learn how to adapt and overcome with the power of love while doing their job to serve the United States Army.
There are more than 20,000 dual-military couples serving in today’s United States Army. Each couple has their own unique story and Sgt. Miriam Scott and Master Sgt. David Scott are one of those couples.
Mosul is mentioned throughout the following article.
Link to Full Article
By Annia Ciezadlo, The Christian Science Monitor
SULAYMANIYAH, IRAQ – For six weeks, the US military pounded Fallujah in an effort to crush the core of Iraq's insurgency - and kill or capture its putative leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
But two top Kurdish intelligence officers say that even before the campaign destroyed that base, insurgents were scattering, evolving into dozens of small cells determined - and empowered - to disrupt security ahead of the country's national elections Jan. 30, with or without Mr. Zarqawi. [...]
Two very worthwhile entries to explore.
Link to Full Article
By Bradley Graham, Washington Post
AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar -- A giant video screen, hung inside a warehouse here that has been transformed by the U.S. Air Force into a state-of-the-art operations center, provides a window on the military action that still occupies the skies over Iraq.
One day earlier this month, the radar signatures of a half-dozen U.S. fighter jets could be seen over Mosul, Fallujah and Babil Province south of Baghdad, their locations reflecting the best guesses of military commanders about where trouble might flare.
The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is an organization we've had listed on our Links Page for some time. It just got a big boost in funding.
Link to Full Article
By Cindy Clark, USA TODAY
A fund supporting spouses and children of military personnel who were killed while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan is $17 million richer today.
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation is donating the money to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which provides $5,000 grants to each dependent child and $11,000 for each spouse of U.S. or United Kingdom armed service members who were killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Michael Dell, of Dell computer fame, and his wife, Susan, launched the foundation in 1999 to help needy children. Their donation will pay specifically for the grants for children. [...]
Dear Friends,
Scott and I got up and prepared ourselves for the big day. It was a bit windy, but that wasn't a problem. Fortunately, one of the other Fisher House residents was heading over to the hospital so I didn't need to walk the cart back over there. Unfortunately, I therefore forgot to leave the key to the room (It's not locked, but you can't lock it from the outside without the key). Fortunately, I found someone at the airport who could take it back for me. Just too focused on the mission today, it seems.
Yahoo! News has three new photos of soldiers in Mosul. The first shows American and Iraqi soldiers on patrol. The second is a new picture of Sgt. Bill Whittaker of the 361st Psy Ops Bn. The third depicts SFC Eugene Hicks of the 1-24 INF.
U.S. Army Photos by Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 18, 2004) – Iraqi Security Forces defeated two separate attacks in Mosul by anti-Iraqi insurgents as they attempted to ambush an Iraqi National Guard patrol and seize a police station in northern Iraq. In addition, anti-Iraqi insurgents attempted to attack a Multi-National Force patrol with a roadside bomb but instead the blast hit and Iraqi school bus killing one student and injuring six.
Insurgents attempted to ambush an Iraqi National Guard patrol with small arms fire in western Mosul. ING soldiers quickly maneuvered on their attackers returning fire and eliminating three while detaining one person. No ING Soldiers sustained injuries during the attack and the detained individual is in custody undergoing questioning.
Link to Full Article
Edmund Sanders, Los Angeles Times
Baghdad -- Masked gunmen in the turbulent Iraqi city of Mosul ambushed a car carrying Turkish police officers Friday, shooting three to death and decapitating a fourth who tried to run away, witnesses said.
In a daytime attack reminiscent of the killing in March of four U.S. security contractors in Fallujah, militants looted the policemen's weapons and set the car ablaze before escaping.
Dear Friends,
FIrst, I'd like to apologize to the citizens of the Minneapolis metropolitan area. I've had to hold back winter conditions until Scott can safely make it to the airport. As soon as we've taken off, you can have it full blast. OK? Thanks.
Greetings everyone. Wow, what a long couple of days it was but we finally made it home, safe and sound. Michael did pretty good on the flight home except the rules have changed since he last flew and having military orders doesn't mean spit at the TSA security points. Standing in those long lines with so many people real close was a bit unnerving for him but he handled it ok. He did get his Gerber multitool confiscated, which really upset him. He carried that thing the whole time he was in Iraq and forgot it was in the bottom compartment of what he ended up with as a carry on. We already had to pay extra for some bag weight and were at the limit of checked items. Bummer. If we could have had more time, I could have sent it in the mail but the other plane was getting ready to take off and he did not want to miss it. I sure hope the TSA manager puts the tool to good use as I doubt they just throw them away. (evil grin) Done venting now....
Military history fans out there might be interested in the new Army website commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Highlights include an overview of the battle, newsreel footage, and a slideshow. From the website:
Sgt. Bill Whittaker of the 361st Psy Ops Bn., 24 INF, 1-25 SBCT, is pictured in this photo from Army Images.
Photo by Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson
[Link to Full Article] with photos
Spc. Tiffany Levesque
20th Public Affairs Detachment
U.S. Army Alaska – The 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team took part in the Warfighter Exercise at the Battle Command Training Center and Soldiers learned how to set up new digital networks and manage the digital information from those systems.
“We now have a faster and better flow of information out on the battlefield,” said Sgt. Iran Torres, during the exercise, Dec. 7-13.
“This exercise is helping us to familiarize ourselves with the new technology, but it is also telling us where we stand in our training,” said Torres, a fire support sergeant with 172nd SBCT.
Link to Full Article
THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Thousands of servicemen and -women from the South Sound will be spending the holidays at war.
To help our troops feel a little closer to home, we are encouraging readers to e-mail Christmas greetings to them via The News Tribune.
Excerpts from yesterday's press briefing at the Pentagon by Gen. Casey.
Q: All right, you had said that with the fall of Fallujah for the insurgents, they don't have a safe house inside the country anymore. Mosul, since Fallujah has seen a lot of trouble up there, what is the status of Mosul now? And do you think that is becoming a safe haven for insurgents? And what are you doing to try to alleviate the ongoing problem up there?
GEN. CASEY: Let me talk about safe haven for a minute, what I mean when I say safe haven. For me, a safe haven is a place where insurgents and terrorists can go and plan, and build improvised explosive devices, and bring in recruits and receive them in, give them training, link them up with operations, stage for operations, rehearse operations, with impunity. And that's what they had in Fallujah, and that's what they don't have anymore. That's what they had in Samarra for a while. They don't have that -- (inaudible). That's what the Muqtada militia had in Najaf. They don't have that anymore.
Dear Friends,
The Advance Party moved out today. Tiff and Aly got to the airport and home without problems. Julie got to the airport and home without problems, too. I got moved over to the Fisher House with the problem of having too much stuff to lug around. I may have to go buy another bag tomorrow...
Here are a few articles regarding the brigade's deployment announcement.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 16, 2004) – The residents of Al Fayida, a refugee settlement in a former Iraqi Army training facility near Dahuk, crowded the streets and cheered when seven flatbed trucks laden with food arrived in their village December 15.
They were the recipients of a large shipment of rice, noodles, cooking oil and other non-perishable food products purchased by the Islamic Supreme Council of America (ISCA) and delivered by Multi-National Forces Soldiers.
Here is a photo that I've not seen before. It was posted on the DOD's Defense Visual Information Directorate home page. The caption reads:
Pfc. Matt Baugh and Pvt. Josh Murray, both with 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., search vehicle occupants at a traffic control point near Hammam Al Alil, Iraq, Nov. 27, 2004. DoD photo by Spc. John S. Gurtler, U.S. Army
Dear Friends,
A quick administrative note: Updates for 12/16/04 and 12/17/04 (assuming anything worth reporting happens) will be from the Fisher House where I will have Internet access via AOL dial-up. I'm not complaining because it's better than nothing. On 12/18/04, the update will be sent from my house via cable modem, baby! Whoo hoo! Ahem. Sorry.
Greetings all. Well, it took over two weeks worth of running around and paperwork, we finally got the go ahead for convalescent leave for Michael. The bad news is we have to wait until after midnight for the final sign out and if no one knows where the papers are, the sgt may get a call at 4AM. LOL. It is amazing to me the amount of paperwork that was generated and the signatures that were needed. With all the meds Michael is on there would have been no way he could have gotten all of it done in time. I think they need to streamline the process for less stress to the soldiers. Not all of them have family members available to help with stuff like this. Sigh....
Link to Full Article
By BETH IPSEN, Staff Writer
Some 3,800 Alaska soldiers are slated to join the fight on terrorism starting in August, Army officials announced Tuesday.
The 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team has known about an upcoming deployment for some time, but couldn't publicly talk about it until the Department of Defense announced Tuesday it would be one of six large units going to Iraq, said Maj. Kirk Gohlke, spokesman for soldiers in Alaska.
Dear Friends,
After I arrived at the hospital this morning, I sought out Stacy the Social Worker to get the latest news about when Scott was to report at Walter Reed. It seems "they" don't want him there until a date closer to the six month date (3/14/05), which means Scott will remain on convalescent leave until then.
Here is a photo from Dec. 3rd of 1-5 soldiers patrolling Qabr Abd, Iraq. Thanks to Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson and Army Images
I don't know how many of you are familiar with DVIDS, which is essentially a clearinghouse for print stories, photos and videos from Public Affairs units operating in Iraq and elsewhere. A significant portion of the content requires registration to access, but one notable exception is the huge archive of holiday video greetings from deployed soldiers. If I'm reading the page correctly, there are over 3,000 archived greetings, categorized by home state. Be sure to look for your loved one's name there.
Link to Full Article (Photos included)
By Sgt. 1st Class Julie Friedman, The 133rd Engineer Battalion
MOSUL, Iraq ‚ Soldiers of the Iraqi National Guard's 104th Battalion will enjoy warm and dry living quarters this winter, thanks to the efforts of a Multinational Forces engineer unit.
The 133rd Engineer Battalion, an Army National Guard unit from Maine, recently built 18 wood structures with electrical wiring for lights, heat and air conditioning. The engineers are now delivering the buildings to 16 traffic control checkpoints on the main highway between Mosul and Dahuk, where the ING soldiers currently live in tents.
Blackfive has a couple entries we wanted to note.
This edition of Frontline Photos contains four photos of the 1-24 INF in action last Saturday. Two of these photos are new. Start here and page forward through the gallery.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 14, 2004) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained 12 people suspected of anti-Iraqi activities and discovered a large amount of weapons and munitions during operations Monday in northern Iraq.
A concerned citizen came to Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment and provided information that led to the detention of six individuals with suspected terrorist links in the village of Haj Ali. The suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported during the operation.
Dear Friends,
I received a copy of Scott's promotion orders today and need to make a slight correction to what I reported previously. The date of rank and effective date are 1 DEC 04, but the orders are dated on his birthday (so I was sort of right). Also, he incurs a one year service obligation with the promotion, which suits me just fine, as there are evil forces lurking in the world who may want to terminate his service prematurely.
An interesting look at what our soldiers might wear in the year 2025.
[Link to Full Article] with photo
Sgt. Lorie Jewell
Army News Service
ORLANDO, Fla. – Dressed in black from head to toe and wearing a helmet that allows barely a glimpse of his face, Staff Sgt. Raul Lopez looked like something out of a science fiction thriller. Lopez, an infantry Soldier stationed at the Natick Soldier Center in Massachusetts, spent four days in what could be the Army uniform of the future at the 24th Army Science Conference, explaining the technology behind it.
The black fabric of the form-fitting suit would be made through the wonder of nanotechnology, which involves manipulating atoms and molecules to create things at the nanometer scale. That’s about 50,000 times smaller than the diameter of a strand of hair. Soldiers wearing the suit would have the ability to blend into any environment, like a chameleon.
This article provides a bit more detail about an operation previously outlined in this TFO press release.
Link to Full Article (Photo included)
By Spc. Aaron Ritter
MOSUL, Iraq (Army News Service, Dec. 13, 2004) – Soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) located and destroyed a large weapons cache Dec. 7 in Mosul.
Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, known as “Deuce Four,” discovered the cache during a search of a scrap yard in the western Mosul neighborhood of Uhud.
Link to Article
American Forces Press Service
NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2004 -- Dream Big Media, Inc. is offering members of the U.S. armed forces stationed overseas a new way to connect with their kids back home during the holiday season.
Through Operation G.I. Jingle, military moms and dads can send heartfelt holiday sentiments and well wishes to their children with a free "Jinglegram(tm) Greeting" – a streaming video and personalized letter from Santa Claus delivered via the Internet, according to Lori Anne Wardi, chief executive officer of Dream Big Media.
Provided below is a list of selected news summaries and articles to browse.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 13, 2004) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained two people suspected of anti-Iraqi activities and discovered a large a cache of weapons and munitions during operations Sunday in northern Iraq.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment conducted a cordon and search in southern Mosul and detained one person suspected of manufacturing roadside bombs. During a search of the residence, Soldiers discovered roadside bomb components such as batteries and wires. The suspect is in custody with no MNF injuries reported during the operation.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 12, 2004) – Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces decisively defeated separate attacks in Mosul by anti-Iraqi insurgents as they attempted to seize a police station and attack an MNF convoy yesterday. In addition, MNF Soldiers detained six people wanted for anti-Iraqi activities and destroyed a large cache of weapons and munitions.
The Iraqi Police Academy came under attack during a coordinated effort by insurgent fighters to overrun the academy in southern Mosul. The Iraqi Police at the academy successfully repelled the attack preventing a reoccurrence of the events of November 10 when many police stations were abandoned and later looted. This is the second time since November 10 where insurgents have tried but failed to take police stations.
(Email from Angel)
Evening Folks,
The kids and I just got home from another visit with Travis. 3rd time is truly a charm, not only did we have no incidents making it to the hospital, but we found Travis and Dorothy on the first try!!!
Dear Friends,
I was thinking that I should use "Mr. Ed Rules" on these updates now. Never speak (write) unless I have something to say.
(Email from Angel)
Evening folks,
The kids and I went down to visit with Travis this evening. Once again, it was an adventure getting to see him. While we did go directly to the proper hospital this time, when we walked in to his room the bed was empty!
Link to Full Article
BY TODD MCADAM, Press & Sun-Bulletin
GREENE -- Twenty-seven years ago, 17-year-old Mike Rounds led 300 students in a two-day protest of a biology teacher's dismissal.
The task required planning, organization, leadership and the courage to face suspension. The teacher was still fired, but the students forced the Greene school board to review the principal's decision.
Three months later, Rounds was accepted into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
If you've visited our Photo Gallery today you may have noticed that we reorganized the albums. Everything is still there, but we wanted to reduce the clutter on the main gallery page.
Additionally, there is a new album created by Linden Jackel, who occasionally produces group photos for units at Ft. Lewis. Originally he created the album to share a few of the photos he took at the recent 3/2 SBCT homecoming ceremony. I asked if he would be willing to take orders for high-quality versions, and he said "Yes...and I'll sell them at cost". Visit the album for his contact information. Thanks Linden.
Yahoo! News has two photos (one, two) of 1-24 INF responding to the ambush mentioned in an earlier story. Thanks to Adam for the links.
Link to Full Article
By C. Mark Brinkley, Times staff writer
MOSUL, Iraq — For commanders in war, fighting the enemy can sometimes be only half the battle. Weather can be just as challenging. Consider Mosul. Once a relatively quiet city, it is now a key battleground.
Insurgents launched coordinated attacks on police stations last month, driving thousands of officers away. Since then, insurgents have been targeting individuals cooperating with Americans or the Iraqi government, assassinating them and leaving their bodies in public places as a warning.
Link to Full Article
By Maher al-Thanoon
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - A U.S. aircraft dropped a half-ton(500 lb) bomb on the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Saturday after guerrillas attacked a U.S. patrol that was trying to capture an insurgent arms dump, a military spokesman said.
The powerful blast shook the west of the city. There was an "unknown number of enemy casualties" and eight soldiers were slightly wounded, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Hastings said.
South Carolina military officials confirmed on Friday that First Lt. Andrew C. Shields was the second soldier killed on Thursday at the Mosul airfield. 1LT Shields was assigned to S.C. Army National Guard’s Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 151st Aviation, stationed at McEntire Air National Guard Station. Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones he leaves behind.
Relatives have confirmed to the press that Chief Warrant Officer Patrick Leach was one of the two Task Force Olympia soldiers killed in the helicopter collision Thursday evening in Mosul. CWO Leach was assigned to S.C. Army National Guard’s Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 151st Aviation, stationed at McEntire Air National Guard Station.
Leach was originally from Federal Way, WA. We'd like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.
Here is a photo essay of the 2-14 CAV conducting search operations in Tall Afar, Iraq.
Photos by Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson on the Defend America web site.
Katlin sent us links to two galleries of 1-24 INF photos at The Olympian (one, two). I've seen most of these photos scattered around other news sites, but it's nice to have them all in one spot. Thanks.
Link to Full Article with photo
1st Lt. Sean Loosen
Co. C, 2nd Bn., 1st Inf.
FORT WAINWRIGHT — For months, the Soldiers in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment were Stryker warriors without Strykers.
Last month, with vehicle fielding completed and the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team scheduled for a Joint Readiness Training Center trip next spring, the battalion went to the field to break in their new rides.
“The task organization we had for our missions is the same task organization being used by units deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan right now,” said Capt. Michael Spinello, Company C commander.
Debbie Bridges has graciously agreed to share the following poem she wrote for her husband, SSG Steven Bridges. He was one of three Stryker Brigade soldiers killed on December 8, 2003 in Iraq. She wrote this poem shortly before Christmas last year. Thank you for sharing this Debbie. You are your family will be in our prayers this holiday season.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 10, 2004) – Two Task Force Olympia Soldiers were killed and four TFO Soldiers were wounded following an accident involving two Multinational Forces helicopters yesterday.
The accident occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m., December 9.
The wounded Soldiers have all been returned to duty.
The names of the soldiers killed are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
UPDATE: Washington Times carries this UPI article with additional details about the incident.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 10, 2004) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) collected a variety of weapons and munitions Thursday in northern Iraq.
Based on a tip from a concerned citizen, Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment searched a gas station near the Yarmouk Traffic Circle in western Mosul. They discovered a cache consisting of multiple Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), blasting caps and mortar fuses. The U.S. Explosive Ordnance Disposal team destroyed the rounds in place with no injuries or damage reported.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 9, 2004) – Multi-National Forces, as part of Task Force Olympia, have worked hard to complete projects throughout the northern region that will benefit local citizens, improve the education system and the nation’s security capabilities.
Taking on 138 projects in November alone, the 133rd Engineer Battalion, an Army National Guard unit based in Portland, Maine has committed more than $13 million to improvements in the Ninevah, Irbil and Dahuk provinces.
Link to Full Article
By BETH IPSEN, Staff Writer
Army officials are pleased with the combat performance in Iraq of the Stryker vehicle Fort Wainwright troops are fielding as they work their way toward a combat deployment.
"It's fast, it's quiet and it tracks incredibly well on the snow," said Col. Michael Shields, commander of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Fort Wainwright. "Soldiers have total confidence in the weapon system. It's incredibly accurate and lethal. It works very well in the Arctic environment."
However, Iraq is considerably warmer and more hostile than Interior Alaska.
Dear Friends,
Julie and I met up with Scott and Tiffany in time for the 9:30 a.m. meeting with the neuropsychologist. She wanted additional background information in order to prepare her report. She was interested in any previous brain injuries (there were none), how he did in school (we had the IEP's from 2nd to 10th Grades and Julie left those with her) and so on. At 10 a.m., Scott went to Speech Therapy while we continued with the meeting.
Link to Full Article (Photos included)
By Keith Eldridge
FORT LEWIS - Two young soldiers from Fort Lewis who were killed in Iraq both leave behind wives who are expecting.
Staff Sergeant Salamo Tuialuuluu and Sgt. David Mitts were killed in an ambush. Fellow soldiers vow to keep the men's memories of heroism alive for their children.
Army Chaplain says, "These two men were heroes." The base chapel was filled to overflowing and filled with emotions to honor their memories.
Soldiers' Angels sent us an alert regarding the last request of Specialist David Mahlenbrock, who was killed in Kirkuk, Iraq on December 3rd. David's family and friends are asking radio stations nationwide to play Toby Keith's "American Soldier" on December 15th at 1pm EST with a dedication to Specialist David Mahlenbrock. Blackfive has additional details, including the full text of his final letter, and Lt. Smash points to a site where you can find your local country music stations. Let's see if we can help.
The following is a list of recently released video segments from Mosul. Most of these were taken on Thanksgiving. I know from emails that many of you were trying to catch a glimpse of your loved ones on television that day, so perhaps you'll find them here.
This is a "must read" (or "must listen" in this case) for long time visitors. Rick & Nancy, a.k.a. Dog Sitter & Alpha Dog Sitter, have been contributors to this site since the beginning. Ever wonder how they came up with those nicknames? Well, listen to this story from NPR to find out. This segment, which was produced by a local NPR affiliate, was picked up and broadcast nationally. Stay strong Cooper!
The plaque honors 17 fallen soldiers from Task Force Olympia.
Link to Full Article
By DAN McGILLVRAY, Staff Writer
AUGUSTA -- Bob Wing never considered charging the military for his handiwork that recognizes the ultimate sacrifice of 17 soldiers in Iraq, including a Maine man.
"It made me stop to think what these men are doing over there, losing their lives for our freedom. This is the least I can do," said Wing, owner of American Awards Inc. of 283 State St.
3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment of the Tenth Mountain Division, which worked alongside the 3/2 SBCT in Mosul, recently returned home to Ft. Drum. Welcome home! If you haven't already, I recommend viewing the unit's album in our gallery. MAJ Kaufmann contributed some of the most stunning photos I've ever seen.
Link to Full Article (Video clip included)
By: Amy Ohler
Families filed in all smiles, excited to welcome back their loved ones. Heidi Starke didn't let anything stop her from attending Tuesday's ceremony.
"I drove it took me like three days to drive here so I'm finally here though," she said.
It's been a year long deployment for soldiers from the Tenth Mountain Division, third Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment.
Jana sent us the following email and list from her husband, an officer with 2-8 FA. Her husband asked his soldiers what items they like to receive in care packages. Since this is such a popular question, we thought it would be helpful to post the answers here. Also, if you're interested, Jana's husband has agreed to distribute any Christmas packages that people would like to send.
Dear Friends,
I arrived in time to see Scott at Occupational Therapy. Scott used a piece of non-stick matting (the kind you might put in your kitchen drawers to keep things from sliding around) to butter some bread. Then, he had to prepare a shopping list for grilled cheese sandwiches. We discussed how he was caring for Alyson, but no panda diaper changes today.
Link to Article
By Spc. Autumn Grimsley
QAYARRAH, Iraq -- Earning two combat patches from two different wars is quite a feat. Earning them nearly four decades apart is even more amazing.
Many Soldiers serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom II weren’t born until after 1970; however, six Soldiers from the Army National Guard’s Columbia, S.C.-based 1st Battalion, 151st Aviation Regiment were not only alive, but had served at least one tour in Vietnam by then.
Link to Article
Story and photos by Spc. Gretel Sharpee
MOSUL, Iraq- When the Soldiers of 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division took over operations in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul from their Stryker brothers of 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, many did not expect to see the increased level of combat that has occurred in their area of operation.
Nevertheless, these Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) have proven their mettle to the insurgents operating in Mosul and demonstrated that they are a fierce and unyielding force.
Link to Full Article
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MOSUL, Iraq -- Militants bombed two churches Tuesday in Mosul, wounding three people in a coordinated attack apparently aimed at stirring trouble between religious groups in this ethnically diverse northern city.
Deputy provincial governor Khasro Gouran said one blast struck a church about 2:30 p.m. in eastern Mosul's Wihda neighborhood, wounding three people.
Su Ring at KING 5 News has been kind enough to provide us with a schedule of when holiday greetings from deployed soldiers would air on television. I saw on the news last night that the station now has an online archive of ALL of the video greetings. FYI - you will need to register for the site to access the archive. Thank you KING 5!
The following is a great profile of local artist Michael Reagan. We've mentioned Michael's work previously - he has provided free portraits for many Stryker families that have lost loved ones.
Link to Full Article
By Theresa Poalucci, Journal Newspapers
It is rare. Once in a while you meet someone who describes their work as a calling. Some of us feel passionate about what we do, but these chosen few feel compelled to accomplish a task that is far larger than themselves. They touch many lives with their work. Artist Michael Reagan, who is known internationally for his portraits of professional athletes, movie stars, and world leaders, describes his latest project as "something I've been preparing my whole life to do." The new path he has chosen may take the rest of his life to accomplish.
It started with an email request. Reagan had been featured in a segment of "Evening Magazine" showcasing his charitable work. The piece was filmed at his studio in Edmonds. Soon after the TV segment was picked up nationally and aired by other affiliates throughout the country. A young woman, Cherice Johnson happened to see Reagan's story on television, did a search on the Web, and emailed him a request. She wanted to commission Reagan to do a portrait of her husband.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 8, 2004) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) prevented a number of attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces after the Soldiers located and destroyed a large weapons cache in Mosul Tuesday.
Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment discovered the cache during a search of the Uhud neighborhood in western Mosul. Multi-National Forces uncovered a fully functional Iraqi Police truck carrying 17 large caliber mortar rounds in the truck bed, suspected of being rigged as a car bomb.
Dear Friends,
First, a clarification of the "winner puts the game away" rule discussion from a previous update. My sister reminds me that if she won, she put the game away and if she lost, she also put the game away. The Chair stands corrected.
Link to Full Article
by Jamie Swift, Journal Reporter
AUBURN -- Laura Philpot, the city's traffic engineer, knows plenty about street signs. But she never dreamed there would be a street named after her in Iraq.
``I was shocked,'' Philpot said Monday night after learning that one of the newest streets in Mosul, Iraq, is called Philpot Avenue.
She was given the honor by Master Sgt. Ed Johnson, an Auburn resident who is a member of the Army National Guard and the acting deputy mayor of Mosul Airfield.
The following are detailed compilations of recent news from Iraq.
Here's the full text of another article from The Olympia Observer.
Link to Article
Story and Photo by Spc. Gretel Sharpee
MOSUL, Iraq- Soldiers at Forward Operating Base Freedom have an award winning Paramedic on staff at their Aid Station. The Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Aid Station, Staff Sgt. Kevin Robischeau, was awarded the title of Massachusetts Paramedic of the Year on Oct. 28 by peer nomination and committee selection.
Robischeau, a Massachusetts National Guardsman, is a full-time paramedic in the state of Massachusetts for Fallon Ambulance Service. However this year, the one he has spent in Iraq, he won the title of Paramedic of the Year.
This article was included in the recent edition of The Olympia Observer, but we thought it would be helpful to post the full text here in case you missed it.
Link to Article
Story and photos by Spc. Blair Larson
As senior leaders travel through Iraq’s dangerous streets, they are always well protected by the Soldiers in their Personal Security Detail (PSD). Often these Soldiers go unnoticed, working behind the scenes to ensure the safety of their passengers, playing an important role in accomplishing the Multinational Forces’ mission.
Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 107th Field Artillery (MP), an Army National Guard unit from New Castle, Pa., have spent the last nine months escorting Task Force Olympia’s top officers throughout northern Iraq. Teams of Soldiers are assigned to protect the task force commanding general, the deputy commanding general and the provost marshal.
Yahoo! News has a variety of photos from the past 4 or 5 days featuring soldiers from the 1/25 SBCT - too many to post individual links to.
Link to Article
by Master Sgt. Andrew Gates
354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
12/6/2004 - EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFPN) -- Combat in urban environments, such as that recently conducted in Fallujah, Iraq, is becoming more commonplace, said defense officials. Providing protection to ground forces in such close quarters is a challenge for Soldiers and Airmen alike.
During an exercise here, Soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade and Airmen from here worked together to practice urban close-air support techniques.
Mike Oreo posted a status report regarding DJ a while back. DJ's mother, Sandy, has set up a website at CaringBridge.org to keep everyone updated on his continued progress. She also includes a mailing address if you are interested in sending a card.
Dear Friends,
When I arrived this morning, I learned that Scott was undergoing a neuropsychological evaluation. The only therapy he had was Occupational Therapy at 1 p.m. He worked on bolts, nuts and screws, but got frustrated with his right hand after about twenty minutes of working with it. He and the therapist then went to the kitchen area to work on some meal preparation skills.
Comments are back on now. Sorry for the inconvenience. As I mentioned previously, I'm pretty sure it was one of the other sites hosted on our server that got hit by spammers, but comments for all sites were disabled until the problem was resolved.
The DoD has identified Sgt. David A. Mitts as the second soldier killed in Mosul on Saturday (see below). He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, WA.
Our thoughts and prayers are now with the loved ones he leaves behind. We will add any subsequent articles we find to this entry.
The DoD has identified Staff Sgt. Salamo J. Tuialuuluu as one of the two soldiers killed in Mosul on Saturday (see below). He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, WA.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Any additional articles we find will be included in this entry.
NPR posted another audio report last Thursday that includes a segment from Mosul. Follow the link and click on the "Listen" icon.
Registration required to view full article. Fricke has a son with the 1/25 SBCT as well.
Link to Full Article
By Amanda Covarrubias, Times Staff Writer
When U.S. Army Maj. Daniel E. Fricke visited police stations in Iraq this year, he was surprised by what he didn't see — flak jackets, gun belts, flashlights and batons.
As a sergeant with the Los Angeles School Police Department, which serves the Los Angeles Unified School District's 1,042 campuses, he knows how difficult it is to conduct police work even under the best circumstances.
Maine Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion is part of Task Force Olympia.
Link to Full Article
By Bill Nemitz
On any other time and place, this would be just another Saturday morning paint job. But as they rolled and brushed fresh white latex onto the interior walls of the Stevens Avenue Armory in Portland, members of the Maine Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion said to a man and woman that this detail was truly special.
"It's like cleaning the house before the parents show up," said Staff Sgt. Pete Charron, his arm in a sling from the surgery he had last week on his wrist. "You have a lot of guys here who wish they had a chance to go over there."
Dear Friends,
I was going to call this Weekend Update, but that's probably the intellectual property of NBC. Our weekend was not as entertaining as that segment of Saturday Night Live, but it was pleasant nonetheless.
Hello all. Well, it seems the spammers have been at it again on the server's side so our software has disabled the comments section. As always, this will be a temporary thing but a few changes need to be made to ensure we don't get hit again. Sorry for any inconvenience and hopefully we will be back up and running after making a few changes.
Take care.
UPDATE (Todd): The problem is not with our site - we have pretty good protection against spammers. Our site is co-hosted, so it's likely another site on our server that got hit.
Greetings everyone. Well, I made it back to DC without any sleep and ended up having a very eventful day. Many thanks to Cindy for the ride from the airport after my turbulence ridden flight. No sleep for me needless to say.
Michael is doing well, mom is about done for a few days. She hit her limit today I think so my return was just in time. Lots to get ready for seems to be the order of the day. :-)
Dear Friends,
I linked up with Scott after Speech Therapy. His Occupational Therapist had come by and I was talking to her when Scott came out. Scott was very gung ho to get to work (in other words, he's feeling better). We went to her office and worked on identifing objects from pictures. "Where is the lawn mower?" for example.
Su Ring from King 5 TV sent me the latest list of Soldier's Greetings that will be aired tomorrow. Check it out if you are in the area.
Friday, Dec 3:
SMAJ Steven Selman - KING 5 Morning News (5AM)
SSG Richmond Slan - KING 5 Morning News (6AM)
SFC Andre Williams - SEATTLE LIVE - 7AM (on KONG 6/16)
SFC Donmario Ynostroza - KING 5 News at 5pm
SPC Joshua Yuse - KING 5 News at 6:30pm
SSG Trevor Zonneveld - KING 5 News at 11pm
UPDATE:Tomorrow morning on SEATTLE LIVE, we are going
to reunite a Stryker Brigade soldier with his wife, through the
magic of satellite!
CAPT Robert Lacey will be live in Mosul.
His wife Whitney will be in our studio.
They got married one month before he deployed!
SEATTLE LIVE runs from 7-9am on KONG 6/16.
If I'm not mistaken, I think they are going to try to do a LIVE Stryker reunion every Friday morning.
[Link to Full Article] with photos
Submitted by
4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, Photos by Percy Jones
McLaughlin Range has been transformed into the small Iraqi village of Al Shiitar that provided a safe haven for insurgents to refit and reorganize. Safe, that is, until the Blackhawk Soldiers of Company B, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment cleared it and returned control to the Iraqi Municipal Government. By the time the insurgents saw the Strykers, the vehicles had dropped their ramps next to the front door of a building under a cover of smoke, .50 cal machine gun fire, and a hail of Kiowa gun fire.
FORT RICHARDSON – Eight months ago, the majority of Soldiers assigned to 4th Bn., 23rd Inf. cleaned empty arms rooms void of weapons with which to train or even qualify. The unit had just been activated and were undergoing the challenges of getting a new unit combat ready.
By Nov. 15, the Company B Blackhawks of 4-23 Inf. were able to execute platoon live fire exercises at McLaughlin Range under a cordon and raid scenario, said Capt. Bradley Velotta, Company B commander. Cordon and search/raid/knock are the types of missions expected to comprise the majority of 4-23’s war time role. The battalion’s Tomahawk Soldiers fielded, familiarized, qualified, and trained up to the platoon collective level in a very short period of time. More importantly, this exercise marked the first battalion exercise integrating the Stryker into LFX training on the platoon level.
[Link to Full Article]with photo
PAO staff report
FORT WAINWRIGHT – Family members of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team are invited to see the inner workings of the brigade’s upcoming Warfighter Exercise Dec. 11.
Three one-hour blocks are set aside for families to get an exercise overview, tour the Terry Wilson Battle Command Training Center and walk through the SBCT’s digital tactical operations center.
Visits are scheduled as follows:
9–10 a.m.– 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry and 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry
9:30–10:30 a.m.– 172nd Brigade Support Battalion and 4th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery
10–11 a.m.– 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry, Hq., 172nd SBCT and 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.
Visits will begin at the Jones Battle Simulation Center, Building 3438, on Luzon Avenue across from the Northern Lights Chapel. Family members are encouraged to arrive on time, as each visit is tightly scheduled.
Dear Friends,
When I arrived this morning, I learned that Scott was undergoing a neuropsychological evaluation. The only therapy he had was Occupational Therapy at 1 p.m. He worked on bolts, nuts and screws, but got frustrated with his right hand after about twenty minutes of working with it. He and the therapist then went to the kitchen area to work on some meal preparation skills.
Dear Friends,
No word yet on when we're leaving here. We were hoping for some indication today, especially since we are approaching a major transportation crunch time. Oh, well. Maybe tomorrow.
Here are two more photos from Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson. The first depicts soldiers from Company C of the 1-5 INF and was posted on Army Images. The second is from Nov.9th but I've not seen it elsewhere. It contains soldiers from the 1-24 and is particularly striking. It was posted on the DOD web site.
Dear Friends,
First, an addendum to yesterday's update (because I had a brain cramp and forgot). Julie and I talked to Dr. Champagne about the team meeting last night on our way out of the hospital . We discussed Scott's desire to go on a pass for at least two weeks. She said they seldom went with more than ten days on passes, but discharge had been discussed at the meeting. No set dates were given but she was waving her finger over December 17th on the calendar. (My guess at the time was sometime between the 15th and the 21st.) Julie asked her if she had found any research about cranioplasty and neurological recovery. She said she found two articles and gave them to me.
I'll be offline until Monday morning, so if you'd like to sumbit an item to be posted, please contact one of the other contributors. Also, if you send a request to set up a photo album I won't be able to sign you up until I return, but I will get back to you then. Have a good one.
Link to Full Article
By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2004 -- Successful military operations in Fallujah, Iraq, have put insurgents and foreign fighters on the run, and the military commander of coalition forces in Iraq said today the city is "no longer held hostage to terror."
In an interview from Baghdad with the Pentagon Channel, Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said coalition forces have taken a "major step forward" in the campaign to end the insurgent stronghold that has held the city captive. [...]
The Pentagon announced plans today to extend the deployment of certain units now in Iraq. According to the following transcript, the command element of Task Force Olympia will remain in Mosul through the January elections, which is slightly longer than originally planned. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this group is comprised of I Corps staff based at Ft. Lewis.
GEN. RODRIGUEZ: The 1st Infantry Division Headquarters, and also Task Force Olympia, which is the headquarters up in MNB North, as well as the MNC-I headquarters, which is built around the 3rd Corps, we delayed the replacement of those forces a couple of weeks so that they could remain through the elections, for the same reason, so that they had the most experienced personnel there through the election period.
Spc. Richard Stepp of Company C, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment is pictured in this photo posted on Army Images.
Photo by Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson
First Sgt. Hook, who has been deployed to Afghanistan for the past eight months, was recently promoted to Sergeant Major. He describes participating in his final formation as the Company's First Sergeant, and his feelings about leaving the "Stan" earlier than expected. Very good reading.
The following article was published by Defense Today, which requires a subscription to view full content. We've included an excerpt below. Thanks to Fred for the article.
By Scott Nance
The Army's project manager of Stryker brigade teams gave the new vehicle high marks in its initial use in the war in Iraq.
Some 311 Strykers in Iraq have driven more than 3 million miles, according to Col. Peter Fuller.
Speaking yesterday at a conference in Washington, Fuller heaped praise onto the new platform for its mobility, survivability and other capabilities.
Fox News has a short photo essay featuring Stryker Brigade soldiers in Mosul. Captions indicate one soldier was injured during the operation. Thanks to Englishmum for the link.
NPR has another audio report featuring BG Carter Ham in Mosul. Follow the link and click the "Listen" icon to hear the segment. Summary:
The U.S. steps up efforts to ensure the January elections for a transitional assembly are held on time, despite the intensifying insurgency in Iraq's Sunni Muslim heartland. NPR's Philip Reeves reports.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 1, 2004) ––Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained 17 people suspected of anti-Iraqi activities during operations yesterday in northern Iraq.
Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment conducted a cordon and search in east Mosul and detained six people wanted for planning and conducting anti-Iraqi activities. Of the six people detained, one was a known financier of anti-Iraqi activities. All suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported during the operation.