Sgt. Sean Kimmons
FORWARD OPERATING BASE MCHENRY, Iraq -- When Soldiers conduct convoys within Iraq, one big thing they watch out for and stay far away from are improvised explosive devices.
For the Sappers of Company B, 65th Engineer Battalion, attached to Task Force 1-27 Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, it's a little different. Because when the Sappers perform route clearances, they're intent is to hunt down these IEDs and make sure they get destroyed.
Route clearance missions are carried out on a daily basis inside TF 1-27 Inf.'s area of operations. The Sappers have been executing these missions three to four times a week in this AO.
"The main thing about the route clearances is ensuring that the [Multi-National Forces] can use the main supply routes safely and also to help out the civilians. We make sure no one gets hurt or hit by an IED," said Staff Sgt. Earl Mendoza, a squad leader with Company B, 65th Eng. Bn.
Since February, the Sappers have cleared more than 50 IEDs as part of their route clearance missions. The busiest month was July, when they found 13 IEDs in just seven straight days.
In order to find IEDs, the Sappers drive in the middle of the roadway at about 10 to 15 miles per hour. If something looks suspicious along the roadway, they stop and investigate.
"We look into common spots where [insurgents] would place IEDs, like an old IED hole or underneath culverts," said Sgt. Joseph Gumbakis, a team leader with Company B, 65th Eng. Bn.
Disturbed dirt and trash with wires or antennas protruding from it are other things they also look out for along the roadside, Gumbakis said.
When the Sappers do find an IED, they secure the area, look for secondary explosive devices, find the trigger man and call the explosive ordnance detachment guys who either disarm the IED or destroy it on sight, Mendoza said.
While performing route clearance, Nov. 12, the Sappers found a 500-pound bomb rigged up as an IED hidden inside an old IED hole.
"That bomb, hooked up as an IED, could have done some major damage," Mendoza said.
Stories like the 500-pound bomb discovery and many more help build the confidence of Soldiers who travel along these main supply routes, Mendoza said.
Unfortunately, being in harm's way has taken a toll on the Sappers.
"There have been times where we've found IEDs the hard way," Mendoza said. "We've been lucky only to have very minor injuries."
On top of their route clearance obligations, the Sappers also conduct other engineer-related missions, such as force protection and weapon cache destruction.
| Date Taken: | 11.30.2004 |
| Date Posted: | 11.30.2004 16:58 |
| Story ID: | 668 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE MCHENRY, IQ |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 17 |
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