Battle at Entry Control Point 5/ Battle Position 4

Courtesy Photo | Two Soldiers patrol entry control point 5 in the Sufia District of Ramadi, Al Anbar Province, Iraq in July. Photo by Sgt. John Debo.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

12.30.2005

Courtesy Story

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By Staff Sgt. Julie Nicolov, Multi-National Corps " Iraq Public Affairs

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Of all the troops deployed in support of Operation Iraq Freedom, 6 percent are National Guard or Reserve. They are often tagged by active duty soldiers as "weekend warriors" who train soft, know less and are rarely in harm's way.

Two days in the fall of 2005 changed that stigma for the men deployed to Camp Corregidor in Ramadi, Iraq.

The post was under the jurisdiction of 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, one of the most famous and decorated combat divisions in the United State military. Pennsylvania Army National Guardsmen from Animal Company, 3rd Battalion, 103rd Armor Regiment joined Task Force 2-69 Armor in July 2005. They immediately took on their role guarding various observations posts throughout the city, patrolling the streets and conducting house raids for target insurgents.

Two of those outposts, entry control point five and battle position four in the Sufia district, would test the endurance of 3rd Platoon of Animal Company.

"I thought my time was over," said Staff Sgt. Robert McDonald, tanker, 3rd Platoon of the battle at Battle Position 4 on Sept. 15.

McDonald and Spc. Kristopher Trayer had just began their watch when the insurgency took their chance.

"We were just getting comfortable and Trayer looked down and said, "why are those people leaving?"" McDonald said. "I stood up and looked out and that's when the shots started. It just went to hell from there."

McDonald believes that Trayer's observation may have saved his life.

"If he wouldn't have seen that, I would have been right there at the doorway," McDonald said. "That's where the sniper had me in his sights. He shot the soda can which was right above my head."

On Sept. 15, a platoon-sized element of insurgents mustered an attack against the battle position instead of firing a few rounds and running away.

"It was uncharacteristic in that it was an actual sustained fight and not just a hit and run attack," said Cpt. Kevin Kearney, commander, Animal Company.

The attack happened so quickly, that McDonald and Trayer only had time to react.

"It's amazing; you have no time to be afraid," McDonald said. "The training kicked right in and I'm thankful for that."

McDonald's first thoughts, when there was lull in the fight, were of his family and what the battle might mean to them if he didn't survive it.

"I remember as I was reloading, I looked down at my watch and I thought, "Damn, it's my dad's birthday,"" McDonald said. "I thought he would never be able to celebrate his birthday again. I felt so bad that I had put my family in such a terrible situation."

McDonald's life was saved a second time by an Iraqi soldier.

"I found out that an Iraqi Soldier shot a guy who had a rocket propelled grenade, just as he was about to fire at the tower," McDonald said.

Two weeks later, insurgents attacked Entry Control Point 5, which is in the same vicinity as BP 4. This time, the insurgency mustered a company-sized element of fighters.

Third platoon was again ready for them.

"I saw the cars start to leave, then I saw the civilians running off," said Staff Sgt. Frank Jost, tanker, 3rd Platoon. "We locked and loaded and waited."

When civilians leave the streets, it is often a sign of an insurgent attack.

"When everyone was taking off, it was like, "Aww, shoot," because you know bad things are going to happen."

They were ready; even the men who had just gotten off-duty.

"I had just fallen asleep and all of a sudden all of these bangs were going off," said Sgt. Lee Hardin, a scout who had just gotten off shift at ECP 5. "No one was on the MK-19 Grenade Launcher, so I just moved it up and stayed on it for two hours."

Hardin was in such a hurry to help his platoon mates that he had forgotten to put on his boots, running up to his post in his flip flops.

"I don't think anyone noticed right away," Hardin said with a chuckle. "I put my boots on eventually."

Hardin, Jost and the other men at ECP 5 held their own for several hours.

"There were a hundred bullet holes in the tower, but none of us got hit," Jost said.

No Coalition Soldiers, including Iraqi Soldiers were killed. Two Americans were wounded.

"The only thing I had were splinters down my back from the sniper," Jost said. "He hit the boards right by my head. The one guy dug the bullet out of the wood and gave it to me."

The battle has changed Jost's perspective of life.

"Man, you always feel good to be alive, but after that, it gives you a totally different meaning to it," Jost said.

The two battles set an example of the American will to fight in the Sufia District. Since then, the insurgents have quieted down a bit.

"Since Oct. 3, my numbers have been very calm," said Lt. Col. Robert Roggeman, commander, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment.

In late October, Roggeman relocated the troops from that observation point to a particularly dangerous stretch of Route Michigan. The number of improvised explosive devices that have detonated on Route Michigan since that move have decreased by half.

"The insurgents will claim that they threw us out of there because of the armed conflict, but the numbers speak for themselves," Roggeman said.

Roggeman estimates that 3rd Platoon killed 100 insurgents in the battles.

"It pretty much set reality that we survived that," Jost said.

Since the Pennsylvania Army National Guard have relocated to Route Michigan, local militia have taken on much of the security in the area where ECP 5 and BP 4 were located.

"I'm glad that the Iraqi people are stepping up," Hardin said. "I'm glad that they're trying to be stronger and more independent."

Roggeman has great faith in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and their contribution to the security of Ramadi.

"They're phenomenal," Roggeman said of 3rd Platoon in the battle at ECP 5. "They're a great bunch of Army men, not just National Guardsmen."

• Date Taken: 12.30.2005
• Date Posted: 12.30.2005 12:31
• Story ID: 4233
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ