Publication:Chattanooga Times Free Press
Date:Saturday, January 29, 2005
Section:Front Page; Page:1

278th and Iraqi soldiers engage insurgents less than two days before election

By Edward Lee Pitts Military Affairs

AS SA’DIYAH, Iraq — Showing greater boldness two days before the country’s first democratic elections in 50 years, Iraqi insurgents Friday launched a coordinated attack on 278th Regimental Combat Team soldiers attending the grand opening of a hospital.

The sunset firefight involved a nearly eight-minute barrage of gunfire and put about 35 soldiers, primarily from the 2 nd Platoon, L Troop, Bravo Section, right in the midst of the countrywide war being waged between prodemocratic and anti-coalition forces.

"I think we earned that combat patch now," Spc. Denmark Petersen, 25, of Ashland City, Tenn., said moments after the hail of bullets subsided just before the sun disappeared. No one was injured in the incident. The gunbattle interrupted a ribbon-cutting ceremony inside the new hospital’s walled courtyard.

The event began peacefully as a group of Iraqi religious and political leaders, heavily guarded by Iraqi security forces, gathered in a tight circle around the governor of the Diyala Province, Abdulla Al-Jubori.

As Gov. Al-Jubori and Lt. Col. Jeff Holmes, commander of the 278 th’s 3 rd Squadron, listened to the concerns, a high-pitched whistle silenced the crowd. As the sound grew louder, the gathering of U.S. soldiers and Iraqi citizens saw a rocket-propelled grenade sail overhead and explode beyond the hospital.

Moments later, while those inside the courtyard shared nervous laughter over the errant grenade round, automatic gunfire erupted from several directions. Iraqi civilians scrambled for cover along the courtyard’s high walls as U.S. and Iraqi soldiers darted outside in the direction of the attack.

"If you have a clear shot, then take it," a 278th soldier said through his radio to the rest of the unit, echoing the commands of Lt. Col. Holmes as the two soldiers headed through the courtyard’s gate.

While the fighting still raged outside, the Iraqi leaders regrouped, determined to finish their ribbon-cutting ceremony in the courtyard. After a quick cut and brief applause, largely drowned out by the incessant popping from various machine guns, the Iraqi men poured inside the new hospital.

IRAQI SOLDIERS GIVE CHASE

More than 50 members of the Iraqi police and army as well as Iraqi bodyguards for VIPs assisted the 278 th soldiers in repelling the attack.

As tracer rounds from the insurgents bounced down the dirt road in front of the hospital, Iraqi soldiers in white Toyota pickup trucks raced toward the enemy fire across a barren field. Blue flames trailed behind the 12.7 mm bullets fired from the heavy machine guns mounted on the bed of each truck and manned by standing Iraqi soldiers.

U.S. soldiers on foot and inside Humvees and Bradley Fighting Vehicles also secured the area but proved more disciplined with their trigger fingers on the M-4 rifles and .50-caliber machine guns.

After arriving back at Forward Operating Base Cobra, Lt. Col. Holmes speculated the majority of the firing came from the Iraqi security forces and body guards, who have been known to shoot without discretion.

"Their primary means of protection is to fire all their weapons as fast as they can all over the place," he said.

Capt. Matthew Smith, the L Troop commander, said he pulled some of his men back from giving chase because he felt the rapid and random shooting from the Iraqi security forces put his men at risk of friendly fire.

But before discontinuing his foot chase, Staff Sgt. Mark Meador said he saw about six armed men disappearing into a palm grove behind the plowed mud field where the grenade and AK-47 fire originated.

The six men, as well as more attackers firing from another position, escaped unharmed.

"We didn’t fire because we didn’t have a clear target," said Staff Sgt. Louis Crocker, 38, of Nashville.

Hours later, more than 30 members of the 278 th gathered around a conference table inside operating base Cobra to break down the attack. Four soldiers raised their hands when Lt. Col Holmes asked how many had fired their weapons. "How many more wanted to return fire?" Lt. Col. Holmes then asked, and his men responded with a unanimous show of hands.

ANALYZING THE FIREFIGHT

Trying to impose order on the day’s chaotic events, the soldiers — many still in their full battle gear — broke down what they witnessed. One officer drew a diagram of the event on a dry eraser board.

The soldiers determined that between six and eight Iraqis tried to hit the hospital ceremony from behind two sand hills in the farm across the street.

Spc. Timmy Wells, 34, of Lebanon, Tenn., said the grenade round hit an electrical wire before spiraling nearly straight up in the air well above the hospital. Sgt. Norman Goble, 43, of Clarksville, Tenn., said the grenade round looked like a flare shot in the air by an insurgent who didn’t waste any time aiming.

The volley of AK-47 fire following the rocket blast kicked up dirt as close as 8 feet away from U.S. military vehicles blocking traffic on either side of the hospital. The insurgents also hit an Iraqi army checkpoint further down the road.

The 278th soldiers responding to the attack said having four different coalition forces in the fight at once added to the confusion of battle. Lt. Col. Holmes told the soldiers to work on coordinating their efforts with the Iraqi police, army and private bodyguards.

"If they can’t do it, we will back them up, but it is their country," Lt. Col. Holmes said.

The soldiers concluded the insurgents initiated a rare direct engagement with a combined force of more than 80 Iraqi and American solders to make a spectacular statement before Sunday’s election.

"This was just an opening for a hospital, and they sent six guys after us with a (rocket-propelled grenade)," said Spc. William Thomas, of White Bluff, Tenn. "And now the elections are coming up."

About 30 minutes after the firefight began, Capt. Smith sent soldiers with his company out on patrol through the town to find the attackers and to secure the city’s polling sites. But before they left the hospital area, U.S. troops gathered with members of the Iraqi army to take a group photo in front of the field where the brief exchange of bullets occurred.

Fully aware an attack may come again, an L Troop platoon ventured back outside Cobra’s gates for a night patrol of As Sa’diyah just hours after the attack.

E-mail Lee Pitts at lpitts@timesfreepress.com

U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika Soldiers with the 278 th Regimental Combat Team, with elements of the Iraqi army, respond to fire in As Sa’diyah, Iraq.

U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika Soldiers with the 278 th Regimental Combat Team are involved in a firefight with insurgents Friday in As Sa’diyah, Iraq.

Story Copyright to Chattanooga Times Free press