Posted on 05/14/2007 7:30:33 AM PDT by ParsifalCA
America is caught up in a debate of whether we should bring our troops home or if we should make one last attempt to bring peace and stability to Iraq. Yet, we don’t pay attention to the details of the war. Last weekend, an American hero received one of the Army’s highest honors – a Silver Star. His award was largely unnoticed, overshadowed by Paris Hilton’s incarceration.
Late last year, Major James Gant and his men were returning home to Baghdad after weeks of fighting insurgents. Gant and his advisory team were riding in up-armored HMMWVs. These were not the HMMWVs of Jessica Lynch’s era. These were mini-tanks on tires with bullet proof-glass, blast-proof armor plate and turret mounted machineguns. His men, Iraqi National Police, were riding in soft-skinned trucks.
Al-Qaeda had planned an elaborate running ambush in which they hoped to destroy the unit that had been their nemesis for more than a month. They had prepared three separate ambush sites along a four kilometer stretch of road. Gant and his commandos were forced to run a gauntlet of machinegun fire, mortar attacks and IEDs. The story of Gant’s, fight that day is an amazing tale of heroism, filled with scenes you would expect to see on the silver screen. Gant repeatedly risked his life to save others. The insurgents had planted IEDs hoping that an explosion would force the embattled convoy to stop.
(Excerpt) Read more at californiarepublic.org ...
What kind of tactic is this? Have the enemy try to take you out first?
From the description I would have to assume that all IEDs are not created equal, and that the driver could tell that the ones he was triggering would bounce off his vehicle, but not off the softskins.
Complete guess on my part, of course.
In an ambush, you attack toward the threat. SOP Standard Operating Procedure.
The idea of an ambush is to stop or direct the forces you wish to attack to gain the tactical advantage. The action to take is to basically do the opposite and start an attack of your own.
Lot better armor up front...Plus a big engine to catch zingy little pieces that can annoy you...
If the vehicle is disabled, someone is bound to swing up from behind you and you can dog pile into that vehicle and beat feet...
If his took two good hits and no real problems...Why stop???
Like I said, I would like to see a bunch of my guys pass me up, (if I’m ok) somebody is bound to pick you up on the fly...
I dunno, call me crazy...Maybe I’m just a sucker for good sized potholes or something...Driving in Houston for years may have desensitized me or something...;-)
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