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U.S. Seals Saddam's Final Hiding Place
By CHRIS BRUMMITT
.c The Associated Press
TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) - U.S. Army engineers have sealed the underground bunker where former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was captured to prevent it from becoming a tourist attraction, a military spokesman said Saturday.
Meanwhile, the international Red Cross said Saturday that U.S. authorities have given the organization permission to see Saddam, but no date has been set.
The ICRC requested permission to visit Saddam soon after he was captured on Dec. 13 and the United States declared him a prisoner of war.
``We have had a green light for a visit,'' Jakob Kellenberger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a newspaper interview. ``However, we don't yet know when it will take place.''
Kellenberger's comments were published Saturday in the daily Tribune de Geneve.
U.S. soldiers lowered a 300 pound slab of concrete over Saddam's hole Feb. 4, said Master Sgt. Robert Cargie, a spokesman for the 4th Infantry Division.
Saddam was captured in the bunker in the small farming village of Adwar, a short drive from his hometown of Tikrit.
Cargie said the hole was sealed to ``limit human traffic'' to the area. Since his capture, a steady stream of U.S. soldiers, journalists and visiting foreign officials have traveled to Adwar to have their picture taken next to - or inside - the bunker.
Cargie said that the cover could be removed if access to the hole was needed in the future.
``It was put in place to allow time for future decisions to be made,'' he said without elaborating.
Saddam, who had evaded U.S. forces for nearly eight months, escaped to the bunker when he heard U.S. patrols pass by. It is next to a small cement-floored bedroom, an outdoor kitchen and a humble bathroom, which all remain in place, Cargie said.
U.S. officials had hoped his capture would help break Iraqi resistance to the occupation, but attacks have continued unabated, especially in the ``Sunni Triangle'' region of the Iraq to the north and west of the capital, Baghdad.
Saddam is being held by U.S. forces at an undisclosed location. U.S. officials have said they plan to bring Saddam to trial for alleged crimes against Iraqi people, but the location of any trial and its format have yet to be decided.
02/14/04 11:54 EST
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press.
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>From CentCom news release on 2-13-04:
4TH INFANTRY DIVISION'S 24-HOUR ACTIVITY
TIKRIT, Iraq - Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse conducted 150 patrols and two raids, capturing 44 individuals over the past 24 hours. Ten of the patrols were joint operations conducted with the Iraqi Police, the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps and the Border Guard in order to continually improve the safety and standard of living of the Iraqi people.
A Moldovan patrol from 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment discovered a weapons and ammunition cache during the evening of Feb. 12. The cache consisted of 27 rocket-propelled grenades, 32 RPG propellants, two RPG launchers, three pounds of PE-4 plastic explosives, 500 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and 10 AK-47 ammunition magazines.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment raided a location in the village of Juspa, 23 kilometers northwest of Jalula, during the early morning of Feb. 12 searching for a suspected weapons dealer. The target person was captured and soldiers located and confiscated one RPG launcher, one AK-47 assault rifle with a full ammunition magazine, a tripod and mount for a machine gun and one bolt-action rifle. The individual was captured without incident.
Iraqi Civil Defense Corps forces and 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment initiated the next phase of the ongoing Operation Final Cut west of Bayji in the early morning of Feb. 13. Soldiers cordoned off an area west of Bayji and began the search for the suspected leaders of an anti-Coalition cell in Sulayman. Soldiers raided numerous locations and captured four individuals specifically targeted. The soldiers also located and confiscated two AK-47 assault rifles, five pounds of PE-4 plastic explosives, 50 blasting caps, 150 feet of detonation cord and 400 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition.
An Iraqi citizen came to the civil-military operations center in Ba'qubah during the evening of Feb. 12 and told soldiers he thought an improvised explosive device was buried in his front yard. An explosive ordnance disposal team went to the site and discovered a device consisting of eight 120 mm artillery shells. The EOD team retrieved the IED and moved to a nearby forward operating base. The device is scheduled for destruction.
Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team raided a building 8 kilometers south of Ba'qubah during the afternoon of Feb. 12 after an Iraqi citizen informed them that a person targeted for capture, because he is a suspected financier of attacks on the Ba'qubah radio tower, would be attending a meeting. Twenty other individuals were captured in the raid without incident.
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The following was sent to me by a 4ID Vietnam vet who served in my platoon in 1966-1967 (shows we 4ID and all vets look out for each other and build a lifetime bond when we serve together in combat), taken from the Connecticut Post:
Captain serving in Iraq marks Valentine's Day with sign of his love
Bridgeport woman startled by greeting that's the 'mostest'
By SUSAN SILVERS
Friday, February 13, 2004 - Valentine's Day came early for Evelyn Englis, and in a very big way. A giant billboard proclaiming love and greetings from her Army captain husband in Iraq was hoisted high over Interstate 95 on Thursday - where hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions - will see it.
"Oh my God! Oh my God!" exclaimed the Bridgeport resident, falling back into the arms of her father-in-law, James, after he pointed to it Thursday morning.
"Evelyn Englis, I love you mostest, Your Valentine from Iraq XXOO," the 48-by-15-foot billboard reads, along with a portrait of Capt. Michael Englis, who is with the U.S. Army 4th Infantry Division, Samarra. It is visible to I-95's southbound traffic off the south side of the P.T. Barnum Bridge near exit 28 in Bridgeport.
The scene in an empty lot off Stratford Avenue where Englis could view her giant valentine was the climax to a small conspiracy by family and friends hatched to avoid possible mishaps if she suddenly spotted it while driving on the highway.
"I am in shock!" the 28-year-old mother of three declared.
Then again, considering her husband's track record, she probably shouldn't have been all that surprised.
This is the soldier, after all, who caused something of a small sensation last month when, despite his deployment in Iraq, he called a downtown deli to have lunch delivered to his wife. He also regularly sends her flowers and other gifts.
The two have been best friends since meeting through a friend as teenagers. They were married three years ago. After Michael was sent to Iraq last year, Evelyn returned to their home state to provide a more stable environment for their children. She also is studying for an associate's degree.
Despite their separation, the couple try to talk every morning and night, and the phrase on the billboard is a special one for them. "That's basically our biggest fight, who loves who most," she said.
"He's a romantic at heart," said the captain's mother, Angela Englis of Milford.
But unlike many of his other gestures, the billboard caper required a small army of its own.
It started Jan. 5, when the captain sent an inquiry to Barrett Outdoor Communications, which owns nearly 100 billboards along highways in Fairfield and New Haven counties.
John E. Barrett, the chief operating officer for the West Haven company, wrote back, telling Englis such a project - which normally would cost about $6,000 - would be "very expensive and not very practical," but that he would try to come up with something else.
Barrett investigated other options - maybe putting a sign on a van near the family's home - but ultimately decided to donate space as a show of support for the captain and others like him who can't be home. "Symbolically, it was for everyone who was out there," Barrett said.
Still, it wasn't simple. It took the captain a week to locate someone who could take a digital photo of him that could be e-mailed to Barrett. Then, artist Russell Rainbolt painted the 15-by-12-foot portrait featured on the billboard.
"I was really happy to be part of this," Rainbolt said.
A trainee at State Farm Insurance, Evelyn was brought to the site by her boss, Steve Boyle, who told her he needed her assistance at a meeting. As they drove, he pointed to the small gathering on the lot and said, "Let's see what's going on here." She noticed her in-laws, and then James Englis pointed to the sign.
Though the billboard will come down next week, Evelyn Englis was presented with a 3-by-10-foot reduction that she can unravel and show her husband. He is scheduled to return next month.
Meanwhile, his wife won't have to worry about people asking what her husband did for Valentine's Day.
"It's the most dramatic, best valentine I could have had," she said. "I'll never forget it."
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More good news - additional planes are being made available to transport our troops home:
Patriot Express missions diverted to support redeployments
by Cynthia Bauer
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
2/12/2004 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFPN) -- Air Mobility Command officials have temporarily cancelled several Patriot Express missions between the United States and Europe to use those aircraft to fill requirements for the massive Southwest Asia rotation of forces. AMC is supporting the movement of 250,000 troops in 60 days, a feat military leaders have called "historic."
Patriot Express is the commercial charter air service for service members and their families traveling on official orders to or from overseas locations. With the approval of the AMC commander, seven missions and return flights have been cancelled between Feb. 8 and 24 that were scheduled to depart Atlanta and Baltimore-Washington International Airports for Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany; Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England; and Aviano AB, Italy.
March will bring the cancellation of an additional five Patriot Express missions March 1 through March 14 from Atlanta and BWI to Rhein-Main, Mildenhall and Aviano, and return, said Col. Jeffrey Ackerson, AMC's deputy director of logistics. The new cancellations affect 642 passengers and 57 pets.
"We understand the impact of these cancellations on our Patriot Express customers, and AMC and the Tanker Airlift Control Center are doing everything possible to notify them of the changes," Colonel Ackerson said. .......
"We are moving America's warriors, and they deserve every consideration,” Colonel Ackerson said. “We will continue to press hard to do everything we can to catch passengers early and reduce some of the inconvenience these cancellations will cause." (Courtesy of AMC News Service)
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Loose Lips Sink Ships
Security has to be on all of our minds as our troops start movements from their bases to Kuwait and then on back to the US. The following was sent by one of our readers that she got from her FRG:
If anyone gets a "public inquiry" (ie- someone asks you a question that you don't know if you should answer) about just about anything including troop movements and soldier injuries.......refer that person to hotline below.
The best choice if asked your opinion or other info on troop movements, etc...is "No Comment"--- this includes family members. The media also has a habit of asking for your thoughts or feelings on one issue or another to get a story. PLEASE keep in mind that what you say could be plastered all over the TV . Let's all support our soldiers even if you personally don't agree with Army policy.
There have been instances in the past of reporters casing the military quarters such as "Pershing Park" that are easier to access than the main installation looking for a story. THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THIS. It is a violation of military regulations and THEY KNOW IT. If this happens to you, just say "no comment" and call the MP's.
We all want our soldiers home safely
The Army's Public Information "Hot Line" is 1-800-833-6622.
And don't go posting future troop movements in chat rooms or bulletin boards - that is very confidential information that does not need to be broadcast across the internet, regardless of how innocent the people sound that you are telling it to.
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59 Years Ago Today - 4ID In Germany:
14 February 1945 - D+254
The enemy defended along the same line and remained for the most part unaggressive, utilizing all available time in improving its defenses and fields of fire. A counterattack consisting of 150 men armed with bazookas, machine guns and mortars was directed towards Prum from the north. This attack started at 0700 when the striking force crossed the Prum river and advanced south parallel to the Prum river. The mission of this force was to recapture the eastern part of Prum and establish a bridgehead there. The attack was repulsed with no loss of ground. Tank fire was received in Olzheim during the period.
15 February 1945 - D+255
A letter was received from VIII Corps authorizing an allotment of British Awards and Decorations.
The enemy continued to defend the same line and sent patrols west of this line in order to probe our positions to determine strength and disposition.
The 4th Infantry Division continued to organize and defend within its sector. Forward elements received intermittent artillery fire throughout the period.
Thanks to Philippe Cornil at www.revive-it.com.
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What Our Families Are Hearing From Our Soldiers in Iraq:
1) Just had to write to pass along a HUGE "Thanks!!!!" to the ladies of the 1-68 Armor of Carson. What a fun, clever group of women...they made me laugh and cry (at the same time!!!) and it was if they were writing about many of my past and present actions/thoughts! There are several sayings on the lists that apply to me and for my husband to take note of! It's so good to know that I'm not the only one who has experienced many things they wrote about . We are truly a unique group of women! Way to go, girls, and keep up the good work!!!
2) My son will be coming home the end of March, back to Fort Hood. You can bet his dad and I will be there. He is our only son and we have spent a very long year worrying about him and all the other soldiers, like all other parents have. Every time you hear about someone getting hurt or killed you wonder if it is your soldier. My son has a girl friend and she will be there with us when our soldier comes home. I just have to see him and get a hug, then he can have all the time he needs by himself or with his girlfriend or with us. Who knows, maybe my husband and I can have some time to ourselves while we are there. God bless all our soldiers and may they all have a safe trip home.
3) We got a nice wake up call this morning (2/11) at 6 AM. My son called said it was raining yet again. He is with the 475th in Tikrit. He sounded great and the phone worked well. He said they are starting to get their equipment washed and cleaned to be shipped out. No official date as of yet. He is enjoying the gym, they have created, said I won't recognize him. We were able to talk for half hour. And he said that at the mess hall today, the Washington Redskins cheerleaders were there! he was thrilled even though he is a Bills fan and I'm a Cowboy fan! LOL It is nice to know that they are not forgotten over there. My prayers go out to all of those who will be replacing them in the months to come.
4) Tuesday I opened my email and found a response from my husband who is with 1/12 HHC Fort Carson. He rarely has time to email, so this was very welcome. He told me how much he was missing my cooking and home, but mainly gave me a riddle as to what to expect for Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, he made the riddle too hard and I don't have a clue what he is giving me. I can't wait! The best was that an hour later he called and we got a chance to talk for an hour. This has never happened. We were able to discuss everything on my list and just "be" with each other. It was such a good time. He let slip that he sprained his wrist but wouldn't tell me how. If all he gets is a sprain during this deployment I won't cry over that. He expressed that he doesn't want anyone in the house for several weeks when he returns, so I am making sure everyone knows. Except for missing me and home he sounded good about his work in Iraq. After I talked to him I had so much energy, I rearranged the house. Today, I saw the update from the wife whose husband was angry about the changes in rearranging her living room. I'm not perfect so sometimes I forget he should be in on decisions like this too; with him gone I get used to doing things on my own. I am really glad of the updates because they give me ideas for redeployment and how to handle things when he returns.
5) I was able to IM my husband today (3/67 AR in Ba'qubah). He says, "Hey hon, doing something a little different today.....starting to recover my gear." He sounds awesome - really looking forward to the return trip (whenever that may be!) I can't wait for him to see the kids. I think the boys have grown about 6 inches each since he deployed. Since he didn't come home mid-tour...the last time he held the baby, she was about a week old!!! I have lost 55 lbs (mostly baby weight, but hey - it was there when he left!)!!! My job on redeployment is the same as it's been several other times.....keep an open mind, listen as much as talk, and MOST importantly maintain a sense of humor!!!!!!!! :o)
6) The wives of 1-68 AR put it exactly how it is. In my part I would have added to tell my husband not to tell me: What are we going to do with a new puppy and a pregnant dog? What do you mean you smuggled a parrot into the states? This year has been a pretty big adventure for me, and it has been all done my way. All I hope is that when he comes back I can remember that I have a husband and that everything has to go by him at least once even though I don't quite listen to him. Thank you for the updates.
7) Our son is with the 1-10 Cav in Military Intel. We thought he would be coming back early with the advance team, which was the way he went to Iraq, in the lead group. This would have meant arriving back at Ft. Hood in late Feb.- early March. However, we have learned that he was asked to stay and work with the air cavalry to organize and act as a liason as the helicopters fly cover for the 4ID troops as they make their way south to Kuwait. This means he will be one of the very last to depart and only after all the others have safely left. Obviously, we are distressed that he will not return so quickly but proud that he was chosen for an important role. Keep him in your prayers and thanks again for all you have done.
8) On Feb. 12, my wife and I had a similar experience like you had last year on this date. We went to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in 29 Palms, CA where the first group of Marines were deploying back to Iraq. We talked with many of them and when they noticed my 4th ID hat they praised the good job the Army did. A lot of them knew the patch, and said the Army did a good job but now it is their time to give them a well deserved rest. It was very nice to hear that there is no competition between the services. We all are focused to the same end.
9) Would like to thank you for letting several ladies use your updates who were looking for info for their books. I am happy to say that two of the poems I wrote to my son are being published in "Women write the war" and the Blue Star stained glass that I did will also be used in the yellow ribbon book.....and last..... Our son surpised us last month by taking R&R.......we were in shock for several days. It was a busy 2 weeks. We had some really cold weather -46 and it was the first time to see him put longjohns on and use the electric blanket. Gorilla fireworks donated a lot of fireworks to us so we had a big finale before he went back to Iraq. Saying good bye wasn't as hard this time, just knowing we got to spend some time with him was
awesome and not worrying for 2 weeks was a nice relief and that he only has 2 months to go.........4th MP CO 4ID mom
10) An answer from a soldier in Samarra to his family about what's going on there: "No not leaving just yet, getting close though. I guess we only have about a month more until we start heading south. Tomorrow's a big day, about 60 people from the unit replacing us get here and the advanced party for my unit leaves tomorrow as well. So to see our guys start to get out of here is a real good sign. I'll try to mail you more before I get out of here but you're right, we've been really busy. I'll talk to you again soon. love ya!!!!"
11) I hope you have a good Valentine's day. I did, my hubby called and he got to talk to me and our 6 yr old too. She is so happy. He told her just one more month and he will be home. She was jumping up and down. He is with 1/10 Cav 4th ID. Him calling is better then any gift I can get on this day.
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Families Share R&R Moments:
1) Well, he is on his way back to Iraq! My husband (B 3-16FA) was able to take advantage of R&R. I was nervous to see him after being apart for so long, but when I saw him step off the plane everything was normal, It was as if he had never been gone. When we got home I showed him around the house (we bought a house a week before his Battery left) and watched him smile at the changes I had made. Oh, it was so good to have him home! We didnt do much during the week, he stayed home with our youngest son, while I worked and the oldest was at school. We got to have a family dinner, which was a relief to our oldest who is tired of microwave pizza and noodles. The weekends were very busy as we had family visiting both weekends. That is the way he wanted it so that is what he got! It was very hard to say goodbye again, but I just keep reminding myself that it will only be another 2 months before they are home for good.
2) My fiancé and I are so blessed. He is an officer in the 74th MRBC, Tikrit and was the very last person allotted a mid-tour leave slot. I just put him on a plane back to Baltimore (a very teary process, but thank goodness it is only for 2 more months) after two absolutely fabulous weeks in the Bay Area. That aside, my reason for writing you is to let you know how wonderful the people at Continental Airlines are and encourage other 4th ID families to patron them in the future as a thank you for taking care of our soldiers. Even in Oakland/San Francisco, a very military unfriendly area, the employees at Continental went above and beyond to make my fiancé and I comfortable at the airport. They gave me a security pass to stay with him until he reached the gate and even insisted that he stay off the plane until the last possible minute so that we could say goodbye for that much longer. It is incredible to see Americans rally around our soldiers regardless of their feelings for or against the cause overseas. God bless all of our men and women all over the world and here’s to a safe homecoming in April.
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Redeployment Tips:
1) I know you don't want to spend time on the issue of who should be there for the return of soldiers but, as I read about soldiers only wanting spouses there and no parents. I just thought, "Wow!"..... I am a wife of a soldier and I will never exclude his parents. All of the parents have gone through this emotional year just as well as the spouses. Some have even helped the spouses pull through some hard times. Like the lady said, there is only one mother in that soldier's life and she has shed her share of tears as well. Entertaining should not be on the mind of the soldiers. They didn't worry about being crowded by their parents when they were receiving packages and letters from mom and dad; and that was the only thing that kept them going out there. I just hope if you put this in your update some spouses will take into consideration the feelings of parents. I could never leave my in laws out. They have done so much for me out of love for their son, grandkids, and me; even while they had other problems. I want to thank them for that.
(Editor's Note: This is the note I've been looking for - the note of a mature and caring wife who understands the importance of and price paid over the past year by all members of a family. If I were the parent with our son coming home, my perfect scenario would be that we would go to Fort Hood (or Fort Carson or wherever), stay in a hotel, be at the Gym when our son came in from the plane, hug and cry with him and his wife and kids, spend some time with them all, buy them lunch, then let them head home while we went back to the hotel, or to check out the central Texas highlights, with a big smile and sigh of relief. After relaxing for a few days enjoying central Texas (even parents need a break from the stress they've been through), we'd stop back and see our son and his family, buy them dinner, give them all another big hug, and then head back home with a great feeling of relief and pride in our family and what we had all accomplished together. And be prepared to support them as they move forward into their future).
And now, as that famous philosopher Forrest Gump said, "This (truly) is the last I'm going to say about that..."
2) When your soldier comes home, don't stop receiving these updates too soon. First, when something happens with the 4ID that makes the news, your soldier will be very interested in it, and may ask you about it. I recall my mother stopped listening to the news as soon as I returned to the States from Vietnam. When the 4ID (my buddies) were in a big battle a few days after I returned home, I asked my mother, who had been on top of the news for a year, what was going on. It hurt me when she said she didn't pay attention any more - her soldier was home. Now I understand that she wanted to get away from the stress and worry, but at the time I only felt like she wasn't supporting my buddies who were still in harm's way after I got home.
Another reason not to quit reading the updates too soon is that I will pass along information that may still be of interest to you and your soldier. I have no idea what it might be but there will surely be things that will be of interest for your soldier and for you about the future after Iraq. You don't necessarily need to read the whole update but you should at least take a minute or two to skim the headlines and see if there is anything in there of interest to you and your soldier. You can bet your soldier will most likely be focused on other things and will depend on you to pick up the info that may come in after their return. These updates will continue until about April 30 and then they will cease, assuming all our 4ID / TF Ironhorse troops are home as scheduled.
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