This page www.a-1-8.org: /Docs/activeunit/03-12hearing.php last modified on April 12, 2005 10:42 AM
| A-1-8 Chapter of the 4th Infantry Division |
Active Unit News
Bob Babcock - "Deeds not Words"
President, Americans Remembered, Inc. - http://www.americansremembered.org
President, 22nd Inf Regt Society - http://www.22ndinfantry.org
Past President/Historian - Nat'l 4th Inf Div Assn - http://www.4thinfantry.org
babcock224@aol.com
Click to Send us your news
=======================
March 10, 2004
Task Force Ironhorse Soldier killed, two wounded in IED attack
Tikrit, Iraq - One Taskforce Ironhorse soldier was killed and two wounded this afternoon at approximately 12:00 p.m. when their convoy was attacked with an improvised explosive device near the city of Ba'qubah. Two of the soldiers were evacuated to the 31st Combat Support Hospital in Balad for treatment, however one soldier later died from wounds sustained in the attack. The other soldier is in stable condition and will be further evacuated to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The third soldier was treated for minor wounds and returned to duty.
The name of the deceased soldier is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. (See below for name).
The incident is under investigation.
----------------------------------
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Bert. E. Hoyer, 23, of Ellsworth, Wis., died March 10, in Baqubah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device hit his convoy. Hoyer was assigned to the 625th Engineer Company, U.S. Army Reserve, Ellsworth, Wis.
The incident is under investigation.
(Our prayers go out to the families and fellow soldiers of PFC Hoyer).
=======================
>From CentCom news release dated 3-11-04:
4ID, TF IRONHORSE OPERATION UPDATE
TIKRIT, Iraq - 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse conducted 162 patrols and seven raids and captured 21 individuals Monday and Tuesday.
Twenty-eight of the patrols were joint operations conducted with the Iraqi police, Iraqi Civil Defense Corps and Border Guard.
Weapons and equipment confiscated in raids and patrols throughout the Task Force Ironhorse area of operations include seven AK-47 assault rifles, two machine guns, one pistol, one mortar, 12 mortar rounds, nine rocket-propelled-grenade launchers, 16 rocket-propelled-grenade rounds, eight grenades, 12 262 mm rockets, six bayonets, one shotgun, one rifle, 1,000 blasting caps and 550 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition.
Task Force Ironhorse soldiers from 1st Battalion, 68th Armor regiment discovered seven improvised explosive devices during a convoy west of Tarmiya Monday. Five of the devices consisted of 130 mm mortar rounds and two were 155 mm rounds. Firing mechanisms varied and included electronic blasting caps, daisy chains and detonation cord. Explosive ordnance disposal personnel destroyed the IEDs.
Task Force Ironhorse soldiers with 244th Engineer Battalion captured one individual and confiscated 1.7 million dinar along with 1,000 electric blasting caps during a search of a house located just north of Taji Monday. The individual and contraband were turned over to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team.
Iraqi police conducted a raid on a mosque in the town of Hib Hib Monday. They discovered the targeted individual, Tariq Abu Abdullah, making an improvised explosive device. The individual was taken to Khalis jail and will be transferred to the 2nd BCT detention facility for questioning.
Task Force Ironhorse and soldiers from the Iraqi Armed Forces' 1st Battalion conducted a joint raid south of Mandali Monday that resulted in the confiscation of one AK-47 assault rifle, one shotgun and two grenades.
4th Infantry Division soldiers at a traffic-control point southwest of Abu Sayda were attacked with small arms fire from a white Kia Monday. The soldiers returned fire, killing the driver. The two passengers were captured. No soldiers were injured and no equipment was damaged.
Task Force Ironhorse soldiers from 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment captured two targeted individuals, Hawas Maneh Salleh and Makmed Mohammed Hussein, in a raid near Huwijah. The targets were suspected of attacking coalition forces. The Monday midnight raid also resulted in the confiscation of two heavy machine guns, a spare barrel, nine rocket propelled grenade launchers, seven RPG rounds, six antiarmor RPG rounds and 7.62 mm and .30 caliber ammunition.
========================
From CBS News (on the web):
....Fresh U.S. troops arriving in northern Iraq will find themselves fighting a different sort of war, with fewer Iraqi-led assaults on U.S. soldiers and more foreign-led attacks on Iraqi civilians, a top U.S. commander said Wednesday.
A week before he is due to transfer power to the Army's 1st Infantry Division, Maj. Gen. Raymond Odierno said his Texas-based 4th Infantry Division faced dwindling numbers of cells of disgruntled former members of Saddam Hussein's regime.
Now, Odierno said, nationalist-minded Iraqis wanting to fight the occupation were banding with religious extremists, foreign fighters and a few members of terrorist groups, including al Qaeda and the Kurdish Sunni Muslim extremists, Ansar al-Islam.
"They'll try to attack what's been successful for the Iraqis," Odierno said. "They'll try to kill a lot of people without getting injured themselves."
Other U.S. commanders, including Brig. Gen. Martin Dempsey of the Army's 1st Armored Division, have reported a similar metamorphosis, saying fundamentalist fighters from Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Syria have been crossing into Iraq and funding or directing attacks. Iraqis have helped facilitate their attacks, military officials have said.
Copyright CBS News.
========================
Transfer of Authority (TOA) Ceremony - 4ID to 1ID
>From my 4ID contact in Iraq: TOA is the 16th of March. You can announce it. I sent the Press Advisory out today. Hopefully we'll get lots of media. We are going to feed live to Division Conference Room at Fort Hood. Hopefully we'll get a few more outlets that will also feed live. Peter Jennings will interview the CG on the 15th and ABC will tape the ceremony. Will let you know more as I get more details.
========================
LADIES OF THE IRONHORSE
I would like to thank all of you who have submitted your written work to this project. It is still not too late to submit something. So wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and grandmothers look back over the last year and write about what has encouraged,
inspired, edified, or just given you a lift to help you carry on. As you write think of someone who is in your position right now sending their soldier off to foreign lands, and if you could speak to them directly how could you encourage them with your experiences.
What some have sent have been four or five lines and some have longer articles. Some of you have sent poetry you have written or poems that have been
hanging on refrigerators for years. Please send to rheggle@yahoo.com and put "Ladies of the Ironhorse" in the subject box so I know that it is not junk mail.
Thanks again for all you have sent.
========================
Memories of a Year Ago - Waiting for Deployment to Turkey through the Early Days in Iraq
1) We had just moved here to Ft. Hood in November (2002), coming here from recruiter detail. We were enjoying our long weekend for MLK's day when my husband was called in the middle of the night informing him of an early morning formation..no other details were given, but I just knew it was for deployment. Although I was pretty confident that he would be going over to Iraq, when he called around lunch time to confirm my suspicions I felt like I had been sucker punched. We have managed 9 years in the Army without a deployment to combat, so our time, sadly was up. I began making as many mental preparations as I could..I would talk to our two year old son about Daddy going bye-bye and knew it was impossible for my 11 month old daughter to understand. I began reviewing our budget and making sure all the things in the home that needed his attention were taken care of. I joined a mothers group, knowing I was about to be in dire need of some friendships here. I learned my way around the area and made myself a phone roster for anything that could possibly come up. Through all of this, the date kept changing. Our country invaded Iraq and my husband was still here. I was so glad that he was missing the beginning. We watched all the drama unfold on television and my anxiety rose about what he was heading into. I quickly learned to turn off the television and rely on God for strength, mine was spent. When that day in early April rolled around and I had to take him to the barracks, (he was helping his soldiers) I just broke down. I had tried to be as strong as I could, but ultimatley fear set in. He was going to war. I had thought of all these wonderful encouraging things that I was going to say to him, but all I could mutter was "Just come back". I drove home shaking and crying and told myself, "this is it...get it together, we need to survive this." My mother had come down to help me ease into single parenting in a new community. She did great by taking me shopping that first night...what a great distraction. We are now almost done with the tour that was only supposed to last 4-6 months and I have gained a confidence in myself that I didn't quite have before. I am so excited to have my husband home again and I have a much greater appreciation for all of the work he did around here before. (I may keep that lawn service though, he might appreciate that break too, haha). My friendships that I have made have been wonderful and now as these women are sending their soldiers over to Iraq, I am ready to step up and do what I can for them now.
2) I can still remember the phone call when my son was told he was going to Iraq the first time, he was driving home in his car from the base and he was calling me on the cell and he was yelling,"We are going to War!" He was grinning ear to ear and I could hear the excitment in his voice. Of course I was devastated but I did not want to say too much to bring him down. Then, of course, being with the 4th ID (1-44 ADA) he played the waiting game. This was really hard on him. The night he finally was to leave, he sat down on the computer and wrote us a beautiful letter and he wanted me to send it out to all the family. It was a touching story and I can still feel his worry and excitement all in one all over again....
3) My memories from last winter and spring are several. I just could not accept the fact that we were going to war and my son was on this runaway train. I became involved with a mom's military group. The first meeting there were six of us. The next meeting needed an adjoining banquet room and was packed with mothers and fathers. As each mother introduced herself and showed a picture of what looked like just a boy in uniform, there was not a dry eye. The fear in that room could have been cut with a knife.
I remember feeling like I had become an expert on Turkish Parliament. How I rejoiced when they would not let us in! I thought that we had escaped this war!
Listening to my 19 year old discuss his will with me.
The five phone calls a day he made leading up to this deployment. Each time swallowing my own fear and just reinforcing what he already knew, he was well trained, he would be fine, and just being there for him to talk to.
Having a mother of a college student/reservist call me just overcome with worry. And I was able to watch CNN and tell her exactly where her son was and that he was safe.
When I came to Ft. Hood to see my son off, we went to get his picture taken. We had to go to two different stores and they were incredibly busy with all of the soldiers deploying. At 19, he was becoming quite irritated, dressed in his camos, about getting what he saw as such a chore accomplished. In the car he said, "Mom, why do we have to this now? Can't we wait until I come back?" I remember staring straight ahead and silent because I could not express my worst fear and why we were really doing this now. He grew silent. And it hit him why. He was very agreeable after that. Behind us in line was another mother from Alabama with her 19 yr. old son. When our eyes met, we didn't have to say a word, we could each read the other's heart.
My best memory was when we were leaving to come back to Ohio. My son's ride picked him up at the hotel and he did not want me to come downstairs. I thought he was gone and I began taking things to the car, tears streaming down my face. Just then my son went by and the car stopped some ways from me, he hopped out and ran for me and threw his arms around me and said, "Don't cry, Mama. I love you. I'll be fine". Then he grabbed me again and again and again saying each time, "Give me another hug, Mama".
Oh, no, now I'm crying....
Yesterday, thanks to you, I got an e-mail from my son's Captain's wife. I had a chance to briefly send a thanks to her husband for being true to his word and bringing my son home safely. I had called the base last March to ask about guest lodging. I was transferred to Captain Jak. I was very embarressed at first. I certainly hadn't expected this and did not want to interfere. This man was so nice to me. I am sure he had more important and desirable things to do than to speak to a distraught mom. Through this year, when I have felt that fear come back, I have remembered the things he told me. How confident he was being with this unit, he told me about the tanks, where my son would be in this "line" of the military machine, and that he would bring my son home. Come to find out, he even let my son experience the cockpit on the ride to Iraq, knowing his fear of flying. This man was the epitome of self assurance and kindness. Everyone in our family knows who "Captain Jak" is. He fullfilled every expectation of what an officer and a true leader should be. I will never forget him from that brief conversation and will always be eternally grateful to him.
4) This deployment started for me and my then Fiancé on December 18th 2002. She called me at midnight to break the news that she was being sent to Iraq. She was able to come home for Christmas that weekend. That was when we decided to move our wedding up from the coming October to Christmas Eve. So we threw together a small wedding with family in 2 1/2 days. I was then able to take a week of vacation from my job in Ohio to spend with my wife at Fort Hood. During that week I broke and severely dislocated my foot so I got to spend the week on crutches and on the couch.
The next few months was made up of frantic attempts to get airline tickets at the last minute when we were sure that she was not going to be sent out. My wife was a 2LT in 704 DSB at the time so much of her time was spent getting everything packed and on ships. We were lucky that I got to see her 3 times prior to her leaving Fort Hood on March 26th. The next few weeks were a tense mix of wondering were she was and what was happening to her. Finally I heard from her on Easter Sunday. We got to talk for 10 minutes before the phone cut out, before I got to tell her that I loved her. This was when I learned to tell her I love her at the start of the calls. I also learned how much to cherish those few minutes because they came very infrequent over the next few months as she was on convoys to move equipment to Iraq. "Proud to be the husband to an United States Army Officer"
========================
59 Years Ago Today - 4ID in France:
This feature will resume next week when 4ID returns to the line and back to chasing the Germans through Germany....
========================
What Our Families Are Hearing From Our Soldiers in Iraq:
1) I have finally gotten information from FRG that my son's unit 3/66 AR is on the move and a general time frame for their return to Ft. Hood. It is so exciting just waiting for that phone call!! I have been trying to think of things that need to be done before he gets to Ft. Hood. As soon as we are given a date, we are on a plane to Texas! I've been busy putting together a suitcase of his civilian clothes (mostly purchased during his R&R time) to take with us to Ft. Hood, so he will have something to wear besides the BDU's the first few days. I wouldn't have thought it would be so exciting to go to Walmart to buy underwear and socks for him!!! May God continue to be with all our soldiers as they journey home.
2) Just reading the opening paragraphs today put my heart at rest. I thought I had to be unreasonably upset and stressed - why now? At least now I know that this is a normal reaction to the times. Thank you for instant sanity~ My son has been attached to the 4ID since May and should be home sometime before the end of May. We don't hear from him much now - and it truly is harder waiting to just hear anything about his homecoming. I cannot imagine the time and effort you put into these updates. But, for me and my family, they have been the link to our son a National Guardsman with the 229th in Wisconsin..
3) Like many other families we have received our long awaited call. Our son is soon to leave Iraq and head to Kuwait. We were excited to say the least, and then our son shared his news. Being single, he decided to volunteer for port duty in Kuwait. He isn't sure how long it will take, but he will be several more weeks before heading home. He thought some 200 others had the same duty, so we are not alone in this. All I could think to tell him was like the other dad, "Son, the Harley's are ready whenever you get here". It always thrilled us to read when others gave R&R to married buddies. Now while we want our son home, we are thrilled that he thought enough of others to volunteer. I never dreamed Army life would make such fine young men and women out of our sons and daughters. If anyone else has a soldier doing the same, we would like to hear from them in an update. I hope they are welcomed home like the others.
4) I just wanted to share some very special words with you, "As of the other night we are no longer conducting combat operation in the east Tikrit area. All we are doing now is preping our gear for redeployment. I should be leaving for Kuwait soon." These are the sweetest words I have read in a very long time; they made me cry. They were emailed to us by our son in G Troop, 10th Cav. The day before he emailed us, he had called his wife with the same words, and she shared with us her excitement of his approaching return. Since we are just 4 hours from Fort Hood, we are planning to go up with her when we get the phone call that he is on his way home. These are our plans. After our reunion and a meal out together, our son and his wife will head home (she has been getting unpacked and set up in the new rental home) and my husband and other sons and I will come back home to the Houston area. I have imagined every part of these special days ahead as our friends keep asking when he will arrive. I will continue to be praying for all of our troops: those who have returned home and those who continue to be deployed. We have so much to be proud of and thankful for!!
5) We heard from our son (2/20 FA, C Btry )this morning, who's been calling every couple to three days. This morning his voice sounded so much better than it ever had. He had been really getting down, and only focusing on the date he would leave. I had emailed him, and told him to change his focus to waiting "on the Lord", and waiting ON others (serving them). His attitude seems better, and he had more of an excitement in him. But still says it seems like "forever" till he can get home. I asked him to get another camera, and take pictures of things he would not want "to forget". I know we are down to days instead of months...but the wait drains our emotions as well as his. Now, I can't imagine how happy that drive will be as we go to pick him up!
6) I got an e-mail from my son; HHC 1/67 at Camp Scunion yesterday. It seems they will be heading out a couple of days earlier than originally planned.YEA!!!! He said that the 1st ID are all there, and the place is a little crowded so he didn't think he would get to the phones until he was in Kuwait or Balad - he had to wait 30 minutes to use the computer. Our last phone conversation was about what he wanted to eat and drink when he got to the States... Amber Bock, Coronas, and a trip to a steak house near base. Apparently they have really good rolls and butter! I can just imagine them all talking about what they are going to eat and do when they get home.. I assured him that we would get him all the rolls and butter he could hold! (small thing to do after all he has done this past year) We are patiently waiting for the word from our FRG to hop in the car and drive like the wind to Ft Hood. This has been a tough year for all of us....
7) I heard from my husband this morning (C Co 124th Signal BN) and he is still in Tikrit, but informed me that he will be leaving (soon, details excluded for security reasons). The kids and I are sooo excited! It seems as though this year has flown by so fast at times, but yet it has seemed so long if that makes sense. We have been through so many emotional times during this year, but it has made us all stronger in the end. One thing is for sure, I am very proud of my husband and the whole 4th ID. They accomplished a mission - a big mission! Capturing Saddam was just one of the highlights. The kids and I drove down the motor pool road yesterday at Fort Hood and I couldn't hold back the tears. I remembered when they first left and all the things that he has missed. Then my tears of sadness turned to tears of joy and pride as I realized just how real all of this is and that he will be home (soon)..
8) Our son called at midnight PST to tell us he was halfway to Kuwait! (unit withheld for security reasons) So at least one of my boys is out of the combat zone! Yippee! Can't wait for both to be back home in the USA. Every day I thank God for keeping them safe and I thank you for these updates. Keep the faith, everybody!
9) My son, 4/42 FA, has arrived safely in Kuwait. He has showered and taken off the body armor that has been like a second skin for a year. He has had several good meals and is most anxious to get home...... It was about 3:30 am when he called and was apologizing about calling so late! How silly! He knows about all the prayers that have been said for him and all the military and is frankly quite humbled by it all. It seems to have been a time of great growth for this 22 yr old, who still has a lot to sort out.
10) An ice sculpture of the 4ID Fallen Soldier Memorial, done by a man from Japan can be seent on the internet at www.icealaska.com - when you get to the page, click on 04 webcam. It is item #9.
11) My son, my hero, serves as a SSG with HHS/2-20 FA 4ID. He was a master gunner and much more while serving a very long, dangerous, stressful year of duty in Iraq. HE IS BACK IN THE USA! HOORAY! I just wanted to let you know that my daughter-in-law called at 10:25PM on March 9 with the Great News, saying those words that I had prayed to hear: "The planes have landed". At 11:20PM, I got the second call from her saying, "The buses are on their way" and at 12:40AM on March 10, my precious daughter-in-law called to tell me my son had gone to pick up his belongings and that he is very glad to be back in the USA. Then, the fourth call, at 12:50AM, that wonderful call came, the one that I have been waiting for - this call was from my son, my hero. We talked a few short minutes, we will speak again, after he gets some much needed rest. I thank God for watching over him and bringing him home safely.....
12) Howdy Bob...great news!! I got an E mail from my grandbaby Sunday...he said he will be leavin' Iraq (soon) and probably be home by th' end of the month...can't wait...I'm gonna hug him til his eyeballs pop out...heehee ..his PawPaw
13) Bob I am sure you are receiving less and less news from us as we are receiving very little news from our soldiers. I am sure part of the reason they are either moving out of Iraq or getting things ready to move. This is a very tense time for us as we wait but we know there really is a light at the end, we have seen it with the other troops coming home. We realize there are going to be some rough days ahead after our soldiers get home, there is going to be an adjusting period that has to be done. I pray we all continue to support our loved ones through this time and let them know how proud we are of them. Please continue to dig up some news so we can get these updates until all of the 4th ID and supporting units are home. (Editor's Note: I'll keep the updates coming until all our 4ID troops are home - current plan is to stop sending them at the end of April).
14) Hey Bob just wanted you to know we got that long awaited call this afternoon. Our daughter (HHC/1-4 AVN REGT)(Advanced Convoy) called and said they had made it safely to Kuwait and had been there for three days. She didn't have but 2 minutes to talk, but at that point I heard what I needed to know for that moment. Another big step behind us and heading into the home stretch. We have a fly out date and it can't get here fast enough. Not much longer. As of tonight it seems I have become a valuable source of information for a father whose son left Monday with 1st Cavalry. I told him I will be there in any way I can to help. I also know of another young man also with 1st Cavalry that has recently deployed that I plan to "adopt". It's going to be another busy year, but it's the least I can do, because like the rest of your readers, I've been there already and I know first hand what it's like to to send someone you love off to war. (Spoken like a true "Deeds not Words" sort of person).
15) Words cannot express the relief I felt when my phone rang this afternoon and the voice on the other end said, "Mom, could you tell by the ring this is not an international call!" My son finally arrived safely at Fort Hood (Bravo Co 1-22 IN). He sounded so wonderful and relaxed. He said he had a long and tiring trip but was ready to go out and celebrate tonight. Now counting the days until he can come home to us.
=======================
First Few Weeks at Home Stories:
1) I was completely taken back with my husband's emotions surrounding his homecoming. We were fortunate to have R&R time in December and he seemed just fine. In hind site, I see that when he was at home for R&R he was kind of in "mission mode". "Come home, check on the house and cars for the wife, kiss the kids, pat the dog's head and go back "home" to Iraq". Coming home for good, he had all these emotions surrounding the finality of the past year being "over" for him. He was very emotional about the one's he lost, feeling almost guilty for being home with his family and part of his unit still waiting to find out when they will be able to come home. I absolutely did not expect (and I'm sure he did not expect them either) these emotions. I think the best advice to offer from a spouse of 16 years having seen many deployments, is to not assume every homecoming and reunion is going to be the same as "last time". Be prepared for all kinds of emotions. Keeping certain expectations down may help get through the first few days much more easily and comfortably.
========================
Redeployment Tips:
1) Just wanted to pass this reccommendation along… I knew that my husband was coming home soon, but he refused to give me details, so I listened to comments from other wives and made assumptions and “read between the lines” in conversations I had with him (where he was not intending to talk in code!!) and truly psyched myself out that he’d be coming home tonight. Well, I completely drained myself working late this past week preparing for a leave of absence, making the house spotless (even cleaning the garage!), washing the cars, shopping for a new outfit (which quickly led to several outfits), and stocking the house with fresh fruit and veggies—a luxury that I have missed out on the past year after realizing that with only one mouth to feed, produce gets thrown away more often than not! Not to mention forgetting to eat balanced meals and missing hours of sleep in the process! Well, guess who called me this morning from Baghdad? I was COMPLETELY crushed that he was not on his way home. And now I am fighting a cold, thanks to the great stress I have put myself under. And I have to reiterate this story to everyone I had told (friends and family) that he was coming home today. I just want to encourage everyone to fight the urge to get worked up like I did to make his homecoming day perfect. I went to the reunion briefings that warned spouses about this, but fell for it anyway! My advice: if it stresses you out, don’t do it!!
=======================
Back to Active Unit Main News Page