E
Epar
In May 2007, Iraq approximately 10 klicks from our patrol base an O.P. from our brother battalion was attacked, overwhelmed, and destroyed by Al-Queda. 5 men were killed after fighting fiercely and 4 were captured to be tortured and killed later. My company had DOD, Asymmetrical Warfare, Intelligence and Marine Corps dog teams as attachments. We never found the body's. We lost 3 NCOs dead and one soldier wounded in 2 days of searching. Later that year the unit of the soldiers that were killed took over our patrol base. A comment was made to one of their officers about never leave a man behind. Their soldiers took their anger out at us. Our guide on was stolen an shoved in a Porto shiter. Our Humvees were spray painted and lug nuts removed from tires, probably in the hopes we would roll over into a canal. I was not only worried about Al-Queda killing me but people in my own division. In August I was involved in a fire fight with Al-Queda forces in a village close to our patrol base. That night I killed a terrorist at point blank range. His man dress was charred black from my muzzle flash. His chest was cauterized and did not even bleed. He was our Brigade's #1 HVT responsible for the attack on the O.P. and a attack that captured and killed 2 101st Airborne soldiers in 05-06. Killing him did not bring them back or ease our units suffering. I only find good in the fact that he will never kill or torture again.
