War on terror - results in our favour...

U.S. Soldiers locate source of deadly rocket attack

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Task Force Baghdad Soldiers investigating a rocket attack in east Baghdad Oct. 31 that killed one Iraqi and wounded three others, arrived at the suspected scene to determine from where the rocket may have been launched.

Local Iraqi Police evacuated the wounded and secured the site as Iraqi firefighters doused fires caused by the explosions.

Task Force Baghdad Soldiers investigated the scene and questioned local residents at the suspected launch site of the rockets.

“The Iraqi Police responded very quickly to this terrorist attack,” said Lt. Col. Edward Chesney, deputy commanding officer, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. “It is impossible to know who the terrorists were targeting in this attack but in the end it does not matter – they murdered and maimed innocent civilians.”

A crater analysis team from 2nd BCT went to the site the next morning to verify the type of munitions the terrorists used in the attack.

The crater analysis team often deploys to the site of indirect fire attacks to verify what the fire direction computers tell the unit about the enemy fire.

“I am 100 percent confident that the rocket was 127-millimeter, due to the range it was fired from and the acquired acquisition,” said Chief Warrant Officer Chad Barrett, a radar technician and targeting specialist with 2nd BCT.

The crater analysis team uses well-proven devices and techniques to get their data.

“We use parachute cord to measure the intersection of the point of impact in the crater, a compass to discover the direction of where the round was fired and a Global Positioning System for confirmation,” said Sgt. Kenneth Sutton, a fire support NCO. Shrapnel discovered at the site will also provide information on what type of munitions were used, he said.

Iraqi, U.S. dragnet scoops up 12 terrorists after attack

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers detained a dozen terror suspects after a bomb attack against Coalition Forces in the early-morning hours of Nov. 1 in the Rusafa district in east Baghdad.

Task Force Baghdad’s 720th Military Police Battalion, joined by 2nd Iraqi Army Battalion, conducted an early morning raid, capturing 12 suspected terrorists and numerous small arms.

At 12:50 a.m., the 720th MPs came under a roadside bomb and small-arms attack. No casualties or damage to equipment occurred.

Following the attack, the unit linked up with the Iraqi Soldiers and conducted a hasty cordon and search of a nearby cement factory.

After three hours of searching, the joint Coalition and Iraqi Army mission yielded, in addition to the terrorists, more than 65 AK-47 rifles, 120 AK-47 magazines, three PKC machine guns and three PKC ammunition drums.

“What could’ve been an unfortunate, negative situation turned out positive,” said Lt. Col. Edward Chesney, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division deputy commander. “Both U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers’ vigilance is directly responsible for the success of this mission.”

Baghdad raid nets Al Qaeda suspects

ZAFARANIYA, Iraq – Task Force Baghdad Soldiers raided the homes of two suspected Al Qaeda conspirators and took the men into custody in south Baghdad Nov. 1.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team detained the two suspected members of a Yemeni branch of Al Qaeda who were on a reconnaissance assignment in Baghdad. Both were in possession of Yemeni passports.

“They admitted to being from Yemen,” said Capt. Matthew Wheeler, 1st Bn., 9th FA intelligence officer. “There’s a lot of circumstantial evidence against the detainees, and that will solidify as we examine the evidence more closely…The capture of these two guys is another solid step forward against Al Qaeda in Iraq.”

After the detainees were transported to a military internment facility, Soldiers and Iraqi Public Order Brigade troops searched several large fields nearby.

”It’s possible insurgents use the field as a staging area for (car bomb) attacks, so we just wanted to check it out,” Wheeler said. “The POB added a lot of combat power to the search force, and it was good training for them.”

Husaybah terrorists hit

BAGHDAD, Iraq – A series of Coalition air strikes Nov. 2nd in and around Husaybah destroyed several safe houses, killed at least one terror leader and caught an IED cell in the act of emplacing roadside bombs.

Coalition Air Forces, acting on multiple intelligence sources and tips from local citizens, conducted air strikes against three al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist safe houses in Husaybah. Targeted at the safe houses were a senior al Qaeda in Iraq foreign fighter facilitator, a terror cell leader and an IED terrorist cell that were linked to al Qaeda in Iraq and foreign fighters in the Husaybah, Karabilah, and al Qaim region.

Sources report that Abu Asim was killed at one of the safe houses when it was attacked. Asim was a senior al Qaeda in Iraq foreign fighter facilitator who was recently brought in to replace another facilitator thought to have been killed by Coalition Forces. Sources report that Asim had contacts across the border in Syria, who would arrange the smuggling of foreign fighters and suicide bombers into the Husaybah and al Qaim region.

Another safe house, also destroyed by close-air-support assets, housed a senior Husaybah al Qaeda member as well as a number of other terrorists who operated from there. The senior terrorist was an assistant and close associate of the current al Qaeda in Iraq Emir of Husaybah and helped the Emir in running daily activities and communicating with terrorist cells.

During the strike against the known safe houses close-air-support assets discovered and attacked an IED cell while it was finalizing the emplacement of roadside bombs along a main route. They then attacked and destroyed a nearby safe house that the terrorists were using to support IED operations. An unknown number or terrorists were killed in the engagement.

Sources indicated that, following the air strikes, surviving terrorists from neighboring houses retrieved the bodies of six terrorists killed during the attack. They moved them into a nearby school in an apparent attempt to hide their losses.

During the attacks, Coalition air assets received ineffective small-arms fire from terrorists operating from the safe houses and nearby locations.

The use of precision guided munitions, and direct fire weapons systems to destroy the terrorist safe houses and the timing of the strikes mitigated the risk to civilians in the local area.

Task Force Band of Brothers assumes mission in north central Iraq

TIKRIT, Iraq – Task Force Band of Brothers and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) officially took command of north central Iraq in a ceremony held at Forward Operating Base Danger Nov. 1.

The ceremony marked the transfer of authority from Task Force Liberty and the 42nd Infantry Division, a National Guard unit from New York that has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for a year, to TF Band of Brothers.

TF Band of Brothers is composed of two brigade combat teams and a combat aviation brigade of the 101st Abn. Div. from Fort Campbell, Ky., and two brigade combat teams of the 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Ga.

The 101st will continue the work Task Force Liberty began in the region by continuing to train the Iraqi Army and Iraqi security forces and assisting them as they protect their country from terrorist elements and insurgents. TF Band of Brothers is dedicated to preserving the evolving, democratically elected government of Iraq, and ensuring the safety of its people.

Soldier feels pride helping sick, wounded

Story and photo by
Sgt. Mitch Armbruster
207th Mobile Public Affairs

LSA ANACONDA, BALAD — Staff Sgt. Robert Fuentes, assistant shop supervisor with the 4th-159th Aviation Maintenance Company (AVM), found the sense of pride he needed to feel by volunteering to sit with injured Soldiers, and other hospital occupants, on Sundays at the hospital here.

Fuentes was shopping at the post exchange on the west side of post one day when he decided to visit the sick and wounded on post.

“I just needed to do it,” said Fuentes. “I felt compelled to visit [the patients].”

“Staff Sgt. Fuentes is great and would do anything to help out,” said Sgt. Amy Louise Brown, a fellow Soldier from the 4th/159th AVM Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment.

Fuentes and Soldiers of the 4th/159th AVM are redeploying to the states, however Fuentes took the time to visit Soldiers and Iraqi civilians undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Fuentes isn’t a stranger to helping others. He has spent the last 10 years working as a civilian in the volunteer office at Michigan State University.

His job is to help them find volunteer opportunities with the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps and other volunteer organizations.

“I wanted to help inspire people to make a difference,” Fuentes said.

Fuentes recalled a moment that will remind him of his deployment to Iraq. He walked by a room where a man was feeding a young girl.

“I asked the gentleman if I could take over bottle-feeding the 7-month-old.

She was an improvised explosive device casualty,” Fuentes said.

He added that being able to help made him feel great. The opportunity was an enormous one.

Not only has he connected to Soldiers and civilians, Fuentes had the opportunity to sit with members of the Iraqi Security Forces.

“They are hungry to talk to someone. I used that moment to build camaraderie with our partners,” Fuentes said.

“The Soldiers going outside the wire are my heroes because they go out every day. I’ve got it all, so I need to give back,” Fuentes said.

** Now thats the sort of person we need to see on the news...not the bs the BBC keeps spoon feeding us.

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