BAGHDAD: The late night drizzle has finally ended as
the 1st Squad, 89th Cav. 2nd Brigade of the 10th
Mountain Division waits at their heliport on the west side of BIAP (Baghdad
International Airport) here in Iraq.
They’re part of a four chopper, two lift operation that will land them
on the outskirts of Al Fetah, a farming area a dozen miles SW of Baghdad. This type of air assault has become more
common as the SURGE continues in Baghdad, and the SEARCH is ongoing for the
three GI s from the 2nd Brigade that are still missing and presumed to be
captives in the Yusufiyah area, a few more miles to the SW.
“It shouldn’t be much longer,”
said Lt. John Breslin, CO of the squad.
This native of Albany, NY and graduate of Boston College is a firm
believer in the night’s mission. “The
purpose is the gathering of intelligence.
We’ve had human intel from that area on a continual basis. We’ve been sitting on it, letting it improve,
but with the three men from our unit captive, we’ve got to bring it all
together to locate them. Supposedly
these houses are a haven for terrorists and kidnappers,” he said as he turns toward the south.
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| Sp.4 Doctor mounting up for the operation. |
The unmistakable sound of
Blackhawk helicopters approaching begins to drown out the conversation. Lift off was scheduled for 2:30 am and it’s
now nearly 4:00. The men have been
getting restless, and sleepy. The
increasing decibels of the flying machines, the thumping of the rotors, get the
adrenalin flowing. The squad is on its
feet, armored up with vests and helmets. Each man has his assigned weapon, all
of which are equipped with laser aiming devices. Each soldier has on night vision
goggles. This reporter has neither.
The Lt. has lined up the men
and taken a final headcount as the choppers set down. The squad runs with heads bowed to fill the
two Blackhawks assigned to them. In a
matter of minuets they’re airborne, leveling off just high enough to clear
terrain. It’s lights out all around and
pitch black in every direction as the choppers slow and settle to the
ground. They’ve barely touched as the
door gunner waves everyone out. In
seconds they’re airborne once more and their sounds fade in the distance.
The men have been dumped off
in the wrong location. Plowed ground and
a fence are between the house that’s to
be searched; its inhabitants to be interrogated. Gunfire erupts as flashes from gun barrels and tracers bounce
through the field. “Hit the dirt,” yells
someone and everyone does. “Someone ran
into the rushes left of the barns,” whispers another.
 |
| One legged Iraqi man handcuffed for 'whatever' . |
“He got away” is heard from
somewhere. “Let’s move on to the house
and do our job,” says Lt. Breslin, “between the chopper and gunfire there’s
probably no able bodied men left anyhow.
The men push in the door
and begin to look through the
house. They’re accompanied by an
interpreter, a young man from Baghdad who has learned English primarily from
movies and music. There’s only one
person in the front room, a man with one leg.
He’s lying on the floor and doesn’t dare to move. There’s no furniture in the room. The interpreter begins questioning him.
“He says it’s his brother’s
house and that his brother is not here.
He says he was taken away by the Americans 3 months ago and we don’t
know what happened to him.” The
interpreter turns to a Sgt and asks what more does he want to know.
“Ask him what happened to his
leg” said the Sgt. “He’s really f-----
up.” The terp does so. (Terp seemes to be the name used for all
interpreters for they don’t want their real identities known to anyone) “He says that he lost it in an explosion in
Baghdad two years ago. He also says
there are no other men in the house.” “Ya,
well we’ll see.’ said another GI.
A search of the back room
turns up three women and a baby. They
begin wailing as a light is shined on them.
They huddle closer together. The
baby begins to cry. “They don’t know
nothing” says one of the men.
“Ask them,” says another.
Terp does so. “They say they know
nothing. They say they and their family
just live here and work this farm.” says the interpreter.
“Ask them who ran from the
house as we approached” said Lt. Breslin.
“They say they don’t know” said Terp.
“How the hell can that be” said the L T.
“They live here.”
“They say they don’t know”
said Terp. By this time all of the women
join the baby, crying and wailing. “I
don’t think they know anything” said Terp.
 |
| Lt. John Breslin questioning the boy that got away. |
In this situation it’s
difficult to know what’s going on between the interpreter and the people he is
questioning. He may mean well towards
the soldiers and he may be honest in the translation to the Americans. It
seemed however that some sympathy was with the locals, which would be human
enough response considering the situation they were in. Terp’s translations ruled, since no one else
knew a word of Arabic.
The men had taken up
defensive positions around the area of the farmstead. As dawn broke a peacefulness seemed to
prevail over the situation. In a short
time one of the other interpreters showed up with a boy of about 14. His hands were bound behind him. He was ordered to kneel down in the front
yard with his head bowed. After rather
intensive questioning by another terp it was decided that he probably didn’t
know enough to be brought in.
By now the sun is beginning
to rise and the men are eagerly awaiting the choppers to get them back to the
base. “I need to get back for breakfast”
said one of the men. “We’ve been doing
these night OPS, or ground patrols every day and night for the past few
days. I‘m getting f------hungry, man”
Choppers once more are heard
in the distance. “Ok men, back to the
field.” said Lt. Breslin. “and release
that kid. He doesn’t know anything.”
 |
| Loading up for the ride back to headquarters. |
Two Blackhawks appear from
behind the tree tops, just below the rising sun. They slip in for a quick landing and the men
run for the ships. In a matter of
minuets they’re off and on their way to BIAP.
It’s just minuets more before the ships settle in over the concrete near
the headquarters of the 2nd Combat Brigade. The men pile off, relaxed now, and walk back
to the compound.
"You’ve got six hours to
clean up, eat and sleep”, said Lt. Breslin.
“We’ve got a mounted patrol scheduled for a stretch of Tampa Highway,
just below Baghdad. Be sure you’re ready
to go.”
One more day in the life of a
Tenth Mountain Div. soldier has passed.
In six hours another will begin.
‘Thanks for coming along,”
said Lt. Breslin. “I’ve got to get some
sleep.”
*A version this article appeared in the Watertown Daily Times May 20, 2007.
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