Routine patrol – no such thing

Photo By Master Sgt. Jerry Saslav | The crater left from an improvised explosive device attack against a M1A1 Abrams tank...... read more read more

Photo By Master Sgt. Jerry Saslav | The crater left from an improvised explosive device attack against a M1A1 Abrams tank from for Alpha section, 1st platoon Company C (Team Steel), 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, in Baghdad's Sadr City District, Dec. 17. The two tanks were conducting a route disruption patrol, a random patrol designed to make it harder for terrorists to have the time to plant an IED or explosively formed projectile. No one in either of the two tanks were injured and the tanks were undamaged by the blast.  see less | View Image Page

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

12.17.2008

Story by Sgt. Jerry Saslav 

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

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By Sgt. Jerry Saslav
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

BAGHDAD – It was supposed to be a quick patrol for the two M1A2 SEP Abrams tanks from 1st platoon as they left Combat Outpost Ford in Baghdad's Sadr City District, Dec. 17.

It wasn't quick at all.

The tanks of Company C "Team Steel," 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, were conducting a route-disruption patrol, a random patrol designed to make it harder for terrorists to have the time to plant an improvised explosive device or explosively formed projectile.

The patrol route this day was over an area regularly traveled by coalition forces.

"Historically ... it's probably the densest concentration of EFPs that we've seen," said Capt. Todd Allison, who serves as the platoon leader for 1st platoon, Co. C, 1-68 AR.

In the beginning, it was a quiet patrol; there were not many vehicles on the road, and no one wanted to be in the way of the tanks, so the patrol was making good time.

"It's normal; we've done this several times," said Allison, a native of Austin, Texas.

As the tanks drove down the road, they began to acquire a following: Iraqi drivers were following the path cleared by the tanks, similar to the way Americans might follow a fire engine. The turret of the second tank, Allison's tank, swiveled its main gun to the rear to remind the Iraqi drivers to keep their distance.

Approximately thirty minutes into mission, the patrol passed by an Iraqi national police checkpoint. On the left, there was a vehicle pulled to the side of the road.

Capt. Allison was crouching down in the tank's turret in an area he said was a dangerous stretch of road.

In the lead tank, Staff Sgt. Joshua Everett, a native of Romney, W.V., was also crouching in the turret and scanning the road for possible IEDs.

"I saw the IED go off approximately 50 meters in front of us," said Pvt. William Dawson, a native of Dayton, Ohio, the driver of Allison's tank.

"I initially heard the blast," said Everett, who serves as a section Sgt. with 1st Platoon, Co. C. The IED, buried next to a light pole in the median of the road, detonated less than 30 feet in front of Everett's tank.

Initially, there was confusion in Allison's tank as the Soldiers speculated about what happened, if anyone was hurt and, finally, what the damage was.

"We've been hit by an IED," Allison said.

The blast wave was powerful enough to be felt by the Soldiers inside Allison's tank.

"Suddenly, a big dust cloud burst up in the air, a big boom followed it, lots of debris ... shrapnel ... stuff like that came off of it," said Dawson. This was his first encounter with an IED.

For Allison and the rest of the section, this was not their first encounter with an IED and their training kicked in.

"I saw the mushroom cloud," said Everett, who quickly checked on his crew. "I sent a report back to [Allison], no causalities,' no BDA [battle damage]."

"Immediately, when something goes off like that, you begin to try to put the pieces together," said Allison. "What side of the road was it on?"

"I heard the bang and then felt the concussion," said Sgt. Michael Emmons, a native of Eureka, Calif., who serves as the gunner in Allison's tank. "I immediately traversed (the tank's turret) to the sides to try to find the triggerman."

Allison radioed his headquarters and told them what had happened. Company C dispatched its quick reaction force and a nearby explosive ordinance detachment was sent out to the scene to look for any secondary devices that may be there and to collect evidence.

As this was going on, an airborne asset reported seeing some men acting suspiciously in the yard of what appeared to be a junkyard just before the attack. The junkyard is right next to the scene of the attack. After the explosion, the men entered a building on the property. The Quick Reaction Force headed to that location.

The EOD team arrived on the scene and, upon determining that there was no secondary device waiting to be detonated, investigated the scene.

When the QRF team arrived, the Soldiers found the men they were looking for. After a search of the area, the Soldiers found enough evidence to take two men into custody.

A little over two hours after the IED exploded, Allison and his men were able to clear the scene and continue their "quick patrol."

"It's a little unnerving," said Allison. "I'm just glad no one got hurt. That's the main thing."