Soldiers, Marines Make Big Find

A soldier, center, escorts a detainee to be questioned about illegal weapons and anti-Iraqi activity. The soldier is assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division's Company A, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment. Forty men were detained during a raid conducted by the soldiers and U.S. Marines Operation Mustang Socko. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Al Barrus

OPERATION MUSTANG SOCKO
Soldiers, Marines Make Big Find

Soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division join forces with Marines to
conduct a productive raid in Southern Baghdad.

By U.S. Army Cpl. Benjamin Cossel / 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

BAGHDAD, Iraq — In order to prevent anti-Iraqi attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, along with elements of the U.S. Marine Corps' 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, conducted a large-scale operation in the southern outskirts of Baghdad in mid-October.

A significant weapons cache was found in the Marine sector in the southernmost portion of the operation, according to U.S. Army Capt. Rodney Schmucker, planning officer for the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment,. There, Soldiers and Marines found ten 500-pound bombs, 100 mortar rounds, seven rocket-propelled grenades, and a sundry of small arms and other explosives.

"Hopefully, the people will see that there isn't any good to what these extremists are doing," U.S. Army Capt. Rodney Schmucker, 1st Cavalry Division

Forty individuals were detained during the raid. Many of the 18 intended target individuals were found, while others were primarily taken into custody for questioning, he said.

The 12-hour operation spanned over five cordoned sections within a 15 kilometer area along the Tigris River. The mission, named Operation Mustang Socko, sought terrorists and weapons in this rural sector, which is mainly populated by members of the former regime.

Starting out with the cloak of night surrounding them, individual platoons inserted into target homes, detaining suspected terrorists and questioning them.

"Our mission is to conduct a series of cordon and search operations in order to detain anti-Iraqi forces and to discover and take contraband materials they are using to disrupt Multinational Forces operations," said Capt. Scott Sentell, commander of the battalion's Company A. "What we wanted to do is flood the area with enough combat power to root out the anti-Iraqi forces and the weapon and ammo caches."

Roughly 100 mortar rounds were found during Operation Mustang Socko in southern Baghdad. Also found were ten 500-pound bombs, seven rocket-propelled grenades and many other explosives and small arms. Photo courtesy of 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment

This mission also ties into a similar objective where the entire battalion cordoned off areas in one of their more dangerous sectors, Abu Dashir, earlier in the month.

"That last operation [in Abu Dashir] wasn't linked directly to this one, but it was similar in the fact that we wanted to disrupt insurgents before Ramadan," said Schmucker. "To protect local nationals, we wanted to conduct some offensive operations."

In the Army battalion's area of operations, it is important to stay offensive, according to Schmucker. Especially when you never know when your enemy will strike.

"We need to be offensive and go after these guys," he said. "This operation may even have negative repercussions, but you can't just sit back and say 'We won't bother you, if you don't bother us.' It doesn't work that way."

In keeping successful operations like Operation Mustang Socko consistent, the battalion can complete their overall mission in helping to make a stable and free Iraq.

"There may be no end to those who believe they need to disrupt a peaceful, democratic government," Schmucker explained. "Hopefully, the people will see that there isn't any good to what these extremists are doing. We want them to see the terrorists aren't trying to provide a better life for the people like we are."

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