- Introduction
Introduction to the writer - Breaking the News
How I told my family I was leaving in ten days. - The Road to War
Planning for combat operations aboard the USS Bataan enroute to the Middle East - Hurry Up & Wait
Life in the assembly area - Camp Shoup, Kuwait - Attack Positions
Occupation of final staging areas in Kuwait - Crossing the Line of Departure
Attacking into Iraq. - Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Speeding down the highway at night, without lights (going the wrong-way). - Attack!
Attack to seize key bridges in An Nasiryah. - "Punch out the TAC CP"
More action in the Battle of An Nasiriyah. - Running the Gauntlet
Racing through 4 miles of enemy held city. - Return to Friendly Lines
My encounter with an Iraqi tank on the return trip. - Counter Attack!
Iraqi night attack on our rear area. - Jessica Lynch Rescue
The rescue of Jessica Lynch and the next mission.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
A Personal Account of the Battle of An Nasiriyah
Jessica Lynch Rescue
We got some pleasant news the following day. We had been designated the Coalition Forces Land Component Commander’s (CFLCC’s) main effort. That meant we now had priority for what ever we asked for: Air Support, Logistics Support and the like. This first became evident when as we improving our fighting positions and a bulldozer and backhoe arrived out of the blue to fortify our position.
Although alert, we spent the next few nights listening to the comforting sounds of Predator unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) buzzing around our positions looking for the Iraqi’s. I also thought the booming of the circling AC-130 Spectre Gunship’s 105 mm howitzer pounding Ba’ath Party buildings in the city was rather soothing. Kaa-chunk...Boom, Kaa-chunk...Boom, Kaa-chunk...Boom. After the fight on the night of the March 26th, these sounds were like a mother’s lullaby.
We spent the next several days expanding our foothold in the city. Fighting was still heavy at times, but we definitely had the momentum.After a week or so, people were shooting us smiles and waves on Ambush Alley instead of bullets and RPG’s.
Marines moving out
Several of the Iraqi’s we captured possessed clothing belonging to soldiers of the 507th Maintenance Company. I remember one chilling afternoon when the Intelligence Officer and I were examining an Army PT (physical training) shirt we had confiscated from an enemy prisoner of war. The named stenciled on the shirt was that of one of the missing soldiers.
An Iraqi doctor came to a Marine checkpoint with information that a female U.S. Army soldier was being held at one of the city’s hospitals. This was soon confirmed by another source. We passed this information up to higher headquarters and started preliminary planning on a mission to get her out. We had already conducted one such raid and found evidence the Americans had been there, but had been recently moved.
We received word that a Special Forces team was going to plan and conduct the rescue. We were directed to support.
The operation was conducted at night. We had one company of infantry conduct a feint in another part of the city and another ready to go in to help the Special Forces if required. One of our tank platoons was assigned to go in with the rescue force.
Their plan was simple, drive in, shoot anything that moves, grab the soldier, and get out, shooting anything that moves. We weren’t particularly enamored with their plan because we were tasked with rescuing them if anything went wrong. Fortunately for everyone involved, nothing went wrong. PFC Jessica Lynch was now a national hero and on her way home.
Further On (Up the Road)
Two days after we were told we were going stay at An Nasiriyah for several months, we were given orders to move. We packed up and headed north on our next mission.
Related Resources
Scuttlebutt & Small Chow -- A website dedicated to the history and lore of the Marine Corps. Contains candid recounts of the personal experiences of several Marines who participated in the Battle of An Nasiriyah.
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