'America's Battalion' makes big catch

Photo By Cpl. Erik Villagran | Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew J. Dutcher, a hospital corpsman from Silver Creek, N.Y., attached to F Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, stands security over 71 Iraqi males. F Company detained 14 known insurgents during the raid. It is the biggest hit the battalion has made.  

SAQLAWIYAH, IRAQ

09.16.2006

Courtesy Story

I Marine Expeditionary Force

by Lance Cpl. Erik Villagran
Regimental Combat Team 5

SAQLAWIYAH, Iraq (Sept. 16, 2006) -- Marines from 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment dealt the insurgency a heavy blow in their area of operations.

Marines from F Company serving detained a high-value individual and 70 others in Saqlawiyah Sept. 14.

Marines patrolled the countryside of Saqlawiyah in the early part of the day to gain information on insurgents rumored to be in the area. They went to homes in the area to try and get help from the locals.

"The mission was to roll down west Saqlawiyah, show our presence and find improvised explosive devices," said Cpl. Nathaniel A. Clough, a 21-year-old squad leader from Kennebunk, Maine.

Marines from 3rd Platoon sat with locals to talk about problems in the area and insurgents. They invited Marines into their homes and shared information. They offered Marines chai, an Iraqi tea, and discussed the insurgency in the area.

"It's good that people actually care," Clough said. "They share their problems with us and sometimes give us 'intel'."

Marines received a call over the radio about a known insurgent believed to be in the area. They were instructed to wait for supporting units before moving into the location.

The word to move in came over the radio minutes later and they sped to the area.

The units arrived simultaneously and began to search houses in the area. Marines moved through every house systematically. They entered rooms and checked all possible hiding areas and moved on to the next until they reached the rooftop of a house. On the rooftop, they moved to every corner to ensure no one was hiding there.

The searches did not turn up anything, but they did not go without incident.

An Iraqi male was seen running into some bushes during the search. Marines ran to where he was spotted but did not catch him. He later returned to the scene and told Marines he ran because he was scared. He was questioned and released.

"It went well," Lance Cpl. Derrick W. Bolden, a 19-year-old machine gunner from Van, W.Va. "The mission was accomplished with no injuries and everything ran smoothly."

• Date Taken: 09.16.2006
• Date Posted: 09.20.2006 15:17
• Story ID: 7789
• Location: SAQLAWIYAH, IQ