Eroding Insurgents’ Resources, one Weapons Cache at a time

MNF-Iraq ^ | November 2, 2007 | Sgt. Jason Stadel 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO

[mdittmar]

FOB KALSU — The month of October was a fruitful one for the Soldiers of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. More than 30 enemy weapons caches were discovered in the brigade’s area of operations - Arab Jabour and Hawr Rajab.

U.S. Soldiers, Iraqi Army (IA) forces and Concerned Local Citizens (CLC) groups were all involved in finding the caches.

The caches found consisted of a variety of different bombs and bomb-making material. Mortars, homemade explosive, rockets, fire extinguishers used to make improvised explosive devices (IED), IED triggers such as pressure plates and pressure wire, and rocket-propelled grenades were just a few of the items found in the caches.

From Oct. 19-23 the CLC, working with 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, currently attached to 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. in Hawr Rajab, found and reported to Coalition forces more than (15) IEDs and numerous mortars, rockets, pressure plates and other bomb-making materials.

The Paratroopers of 1-40th Cav. Regt. have also made an impact in finding weapons caches. One cache, found in Hawr Rajab, consisted of enough artillery rounds, homemade explosive, and electronics to make more than (200) IEDs.  

Troop C 1-40th Cav. Regt. was re-sweeping an area where a weapons cache was found the week before. Just a few meters away from the prior week’s cache find, the Paratroopers uncovered two buried barrels filled with mortars and rocket propelled grenades and dug artillery rounds out of a canal.

“Anytime you can find as big of a cache as we did the other day, it makes it worth it,” said Capt. Derrick Goodwin, Troop C commander. “There are fewer weapons and less IEDs on the battlefield (because of the find). When we can go out and have a successful mission like we did the other day, it’s good for the Soldiers’ morale,” added Goodwin, a San Diego native.

CLC have been active in the 1-40th Cav. Regt. area when it comes to finding weapons caches. The CLC provide tips of where to find caches or bring the munitions to Coalition forces at checkpoints or patrol bases.

“They’ve been really helpful, especially in the last month, identifying caches, IEDs and al-Qaeda,” said Goodwin.

IA patrols and missions are also increasing in Hawr Rajab. In mid-October an IA mechanized company became a permanent presence in Hawr Rajab, and right away the Iraqi troops made an important find.

Forward Operating Base Falcon had been receiving indirect fire from a point of origin near the FOB. The IA troops planned a mission to investigate the indirect fire and found a cache believed to be the source of some of the recent indirect fire attacks.

“The cache that was found (near) Falcon, the IA had gone through that area and didn’t find anything. But that area is where a lot of the mortar attacks come from so they went back out on their own and found the rockets and stands,” Reese said.

In Arab Jabour, the area of operations of 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., finding caches has become nearly a daily occurrence as numerous caches were found in October.

“With the large number of caches that we have found in a relatively small area, we have significantly disrupted the enemy’s ability to conduct attacks against Coalition forces and local nationals,” said Capt. Eric Melloh, Company A 1-30th Inf. Regt. commander. Melloh and his company are stationed at Patrol Base Murray in Arab Jabour.

Melloh, out of Huntsville, Texas. He said the finding of the caches is a credit to the troops on the ground every day providing security in the area.

“We have been very successful finding caches due to the hard work and attention to detail by the Soldiers in the company.  Their motivation in eroding the enemy’s resources is amazing,” Melloh said.  

[SandRat]

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[FreeAtlanta]

If they are using fire extinguishers, then it seems they might be running out of the more effective manufactured weapons.