Raid at AO Crazy Horse

BAGHDAD:    A full moon is predicted as newly promoted US Army Capt. John Breslin was leading an armed team of twenty soldiers in four Humvees down Highway Tampa.  Their destination is Crazy Horse, this squadrons’ area of operations just south of Baghdad and east of highway Tampa.  They have human-intelligence indicating the presence of a ‘bad guy’ in a farm house at that location, and their mission is to locate the suspect and apprehend him.  The mission also entails checking in with the local security forces who man the checkpoints in that area.

  Capt. Breslin is an Albany, NY native, and a graduate of Boston College.  Thomas and Judith Breslin, also of Albany are his parents. He is a squadron leader in the 1-89 Cavalry of the 2^nd Brigade Combat Team, 10^th Mountain Divison, stationed at Camp Striker, Iraq.  This is far from being the first patrol or aerial assault that Capt. Breslin has led.

“I’ve been leading these raids for some months now,’ said Capt. Breslin.  ‘We have to be very careful because obviously breaking into someone’s house, especially in the middle of the night with a band of armed men, can be very traumatizing.’

‘More often than not,’ he continued, ‘we spend our days working at keeping these people on our side.  We have medical outreach programs, veterinary clinics for the farm animals and the normal civil-military operations.  On the return trip later tonight, I have to stop and see a local shiek about a contract to clear out one of the main irrigation canals.’

Capt. John Breslin l., through his interpreter explains his position
to Iraqi residents after searching for a suspect in their house.

The Humvees continued down Tampa, along the 30 mile stretch whose security is the responsibility of the I-89 Cavalry.  As the organization of the local security forces has improved, and their checkpoints have become effective in keeping outsiders and troublemakers from their home areas, the I-89^th has been able to expand their influence a good distance among the villages bordering on this main artery which begins in Kuwait and ends in Turkey.

‘Since we’ve organized these IPVs (Iraqi Provincial Police),’ said SSG. Johnnie Ferree, currently a resident of Carthage, NY, ‘we’ve seen a 90% drop in IED placement.  A couple of months ago we never came this far without tripping off a least a couple.’

A crackle on the radio and the convoy pulls quickly off just before the next exit and takes a secondary road into the countryside.  A short distance down a farm lane, the lead vehicle crashes through a metal gate and enters into a the courtyard of a modern and good sized country house.  By this time two armed Kiowa helicopters were circling the premises.

An older man who resides in this compound.

The order had been given to go in ‘soft’ as opposed to ‘hard’.  Consequently it was a rather low key entry and search.  The ‘bad guy’ was nowhere in sight.  Eventually the mistaken operation was explained and smoothed out with the residents, including  the local shiek, by Capt Breslin.   On the return back to Camp Striker Capt. Breslin made his stop with Shiek and worked out his contract for the canal clearing job. 

Late night meeting with local Sheikh regarding raid.

The intended ‘insurgent’ wasn’t apprehended.  However the operation was considered an overall success.  The search of the home was, after some diplomatic explanations, was accepted by the residents of the house as acceptable.  The volunteer security force had been performing its duties adequately at the check point, and Capt. Breslin negotiated a successful contract with the Shiek for the canal upgrade. 

*A version of this article appeared in the Press Republican on August 17, 2007.