'Red Dragons' keep guns hot, ready for action

Photo By Spc. Cal Turner | Sgt. Steven Lucero, an Edgewood, N.M., native and section chief with Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, checks the hydraulic fittings on the 155mm howitzer he and his team man at Forward Operating Base Falcon, Feb. 8.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

02.19.2007

Story by Spc. Alexis Harrison 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

By Spc. Alexis Harrison
2nd BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq – Artillery has always been considered the "King of Battle," but when troops from the 3rd "Red Dragon" Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division arrived in Iraq a few months ago, they found out their job was less about artillery then they might have thought.

The Soldiers have been stationed at FOB Union III performing escort duties for the U.S. embassy and missions handed down from the brigade. While most of the Soldiers stay busy with the "Red Dragon Express," as it's called, some Soldiers get a chance to practice and perform the duties that truly make them the "King of Battle."

Several miles south of their home base in the International Zone is where a platoon of artillery-men rotate in for a month-long stay to keep their mobile howitzers hot and ready for any mission. They call it "keeping the guns hot."

Around the clock, Soldiers man a few Paladins and stay ready to send rounds downrange, when needed.

Sgt. Steven Lucero and his team have the overnight shift on the guns. As soon as the shift change is over, Lucero, a section chief, readies his team by performing all the necessary checks in his machine and monitoring the radio.

"The call for fire could come at any time, so we have to be ready to go," said the Edgewood, N.M., native.

Lucero and his team went through a few dry-fire exercises to make sure they were on-point with their targeting system. Although they didn't fire anything, the team worked furiously to get the imaginary rounds fired.

What may seem as simple as firing an oversized rifle actually involves quite a bit of science. Not only do the gunners know how to aim the cannon, they know the properties of the propellant, the exact timing of the fuses and every step it takes to send a massive 155mm round out into the battlefield.

"Everybody on the crew is just as important as the next guy," Lucero said. "We all know how to run the gun."

While the night lingers, the temperature drops. The crew does everything it can to stay warm and awake during its 12-hour shift through the night.

Just as it seemed nothing was going to happen, a call came over the radio for a possible mission. In seconds, the crew was on its feet and in position.

Sometimes the Soldiers are tasked with firing illumination rounds out into the dark sky to help fellow Soldiers out on the streets see better and possibly spot any insurgent activity.

Sometimes the Soldiers get to fire more lethal, high-explosive (HE), rounds. According to everyone in the paladin, these rounds are capable of obliterating just about anything they come into contact with.

As they stand ready, another call comes across the radio telling them to stand down.

Hours later, the sun breaks over the horizon signaling not only daylight but the end to another long shift for the four Soldiers manning the gun.

After an uneventful night, the Soldiers open the hatch, climb out and begin preventative maintenance.

Lucero said they check the oil and hydraulics every morning. He again stressed the importance of having his vehicle in the best shape possible, in case a fire order came down.

After the checks and services, the team waits until its relief shows up. The Soldiers get chow and go back to their rooms to get some rest before the next night's shift when they have another chance to prove themselves as the 'King of Battle.'

• Date Taken: 02.19.2007
• Date Posted: 02.19.2007 12:04
• Story ID: 9178
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ