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| 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
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A Week of Contrasts
From the mother of a TF Ironhorse soldier who is also the wife of a 1st Cav officer:
It's been a week of contrast. My daughter was going to fly straight from Kuwait to Ft.Lewis with a group from the 14th Eng. but her journey actually landed her on the ground here at Ft. Hood for a few hours!
I got a call and picked up she and the rest of her traveling companions and brought them to the house for a shower and "anything homemade." They enjoyed washing the desert off immensely. They liked feeling water between their toes and the smell of the fresh towels. They especially liked walking down the hall for a 20 minute extended bath rather than hiking a mile for 2 minute shower.
They changed into civilian clothes but I noticed they were still moving in a group. All in the kitchen then all in the living room, then all on the carport to check their gear, then all to the backyard to smell the fresh air. Over the next few hours they seemed to visibly relax, one went to the TV room, one to send an email of his arrival, another outside to call his wife.
I must say, I've never seen such an appreciative group of guests! The big hit was BLT's. We had eggs, and toast, donuts and steak biscuits. Lot's of fresh coffee with real cream. One soldier just wanted to sit on the floor. She stroked the carpet and remarked how much she missed carpets. Another wanted to play Ping-Pong and a little football with my son.
After a few hours they got their plane tickets and we had about another hour before they had to leave. I asked if anyone knew the workings of a charcoal grill. I'd had my husband get one for me but hadn't had success working it. This became a major project! Much discussion of technique, airflow, etc. They worked it like a field problem. The fire set, we all gathered to watch. We must have spent a good 30 minutes sitting or standing staring at the coals go from black to gray with very few words. Each were clearly lost in thought.
I went to the kitchen and returned with some hot dogs and the ceremony began. Dogs carefully placed, discussions about how good they were going to taste, the smell of the grill reminding them of camping trips of years gone by. Bob, that was the best hot-dog I ever ate! They grabbed some soda in bottles out of the aluminum washtub where I had them iced down and a great time was had by all.
The doorbell rang and it was time for them to "do the duffle drill" and get off to the airport. It was hard letting go of my daughter but she elected to return with her unit rather than sign out here at Hood. She'll be back in a few days when she's signed into the 864th Eng. and I'll count all her toes again, just like I did when she was born 23 years ago.
This week also brought the news of several casualties and many, many wounded to my husband's unit, 1st Cav. The news of the attacks came just before her arrival. It was as though the war was captured in a snap shot. It's that odd mixture we family members know well; dread and pride. Yes, a week in contrast indeed. Continue prayers for those down range, and give thanks for those who've made it back.
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A Few Words From Bob:
Just as I was wrapping this up this morning, I got the following note from one of our readers:
Hi, Bob, just got a 4:30am call from our son, in the 1st Armor Div. He has just been told that he has to put in (up to) another 120 days in Iraq. He had just gotten to Kuwait. We are so sad. He now will not make his sister's wedding, his only sibbling, not to mention another full summer of heat, worry, and stress for this family. He says that he personally will not be going back to Central Baghdad but couldn't tell us where he and his tank would be going. Doesn't sound like he will get to have communication with home for a long time again. Would appreciate your prayers.
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We need to keep all our Soldiers and Marines and their families in our prayers - especially those who are being held over beyond the time they expected to come home.
In light of what is going on in Iraq now, be aware that your Soldier may not be as happy as you are that he/she is safely at home. The Soldier ethos is such that when there is a fight going on and a job to be done, our Soldiers want to move toward the gunfire. Just be aware that you may have a Soldier who seems more unsettled in light of the current news. Many of us Vietnam vets, while happy to be home and away from the danger, were also unsettled when we knew that we had left before the job was finished.
Our 4ID and TF Ironhorse Soldiers accomplished the mission they were assigned, did it with great skill, will soon be preparing for the next mission that comes our way, and have lots to be proud of. But that still doesn't take away the very core nature of Soldiering - they want to be where the action is and where they feel they are needed. Be sensitive to that.
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Coalition Working to Pacify Fallujah, Destroy Sadr Militia
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 8, 2004 – Coalition forces are working to pacify Fallujah and other parts the Sunni Triangle area, and they are destroying the militia led by Muqtada al-Sadr in the central and southern areas of Iraq, the commander of coalition forces in Iraq said today.
Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 7, said during a briefing from Baghdad that the coalition will not allow thugs, extremists and terrorists to stop the transition to Iraqi sovereignty or to try to control the country with a violent power play. "Coalition and Iraqi security forces are conducting deliberate, precise and robust combat operations to separate, isolate and destroy the enemy wherever we find him on the battlefield," Sanchez said. "We cannot tolerate acts of violence directed against the Iraqi people and its fundamental government and security structures."
The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps "have made tremendous progress in restoring legitimate authority to Fallujah," Sanchez said. He characterized opposition as "moderate," made up mostly of insurgent attacks. He said the Marines continue their pursuit of key targets in the heart of the city.
The Marines launched Operation Vigilant Resolve following the killing of five soldiers north of Fallujah, March 31, and the murder and mutilation of four American private security specialists in Fallujah the same day. Sanchez said once the area is pacified, the Marines will move to stability operations in the city of about 300,000. "The security situation will improve over the days and weeks ahead," he said. "Once the security situation in Fallujah is stabilized, the citizens in Fallujah will find no better friends than the Marines of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force."
He said the Marines are experts at civil-military operations and will bring substantial resources to improve the quality of life in Fallujah. Sanchez said coalition forces are allowing food and humanitarian supplies into the city.
In the central and southern areas of Iraq, coalition forces have launched another operation dubbed Resolute Sword. This operation is aimed directly at the militia forces of Muqtada al-Sadr. Pentagon officials said Sadr is a minor Shiia cleric who is launching a power play to increase his stature in the country as transfer of sovereignty approaches. The cleric is anti-American and has urged followers to kill coalition forces. An Iraqi judge issued a warrant for Sadr's arrest in conjunction with the brutal murder of a rival Shiia cleric last year.
On April 3, demonstrations following the coalition's closing Sadr's newspaper turned violent in Najaf. Officials had closed down the newspaper for encouraging and trying to incite violence against the coalition. The unrest spread to other cities including Baghdad, Nasiriyah, Kut, Amarah, Basra and Karbala.
"In Baghdad, our forces remain on the offensive, conducting intelligence-based raids to destroy Sadr's militia as they attempt to intimidate the population," Sanchez said. "Despite attempts to incite violence, attack government facilities and disrupt the lives of Iraqis, coalition units are in firm control of Baghdad."
Sadr's militias do control portions of Kut and Najaf. Complicating the situation in Najaf is the presence of thousands of Shiia Muslims in the area for the annual Shiite pilgrimage holiday called Arbaeen, which starts April 9. Sanchez said the coalition has been working with religious and security leaders in the region to beef up security. Even with this effort, the area will be dangerous.
He said Abu Musab al- Zarqawi, an al Qaeda ally operating in Iraq, has vowed to kill Shiia. Sanchez cautioned pilgrims to be vigilant. The general said that offensive operations will continue to fight Sadr's militia, its leaders and its facilitators. "Sadr's gang is attempting without success to sabotage progress toward a free and independent Iraq," he said. "It is attempting to intimidate the majority of moderate Iraqis who seek democracy and a society that is ruled by law and not by the barrel of a gun."
Sanchez said violence will continue in the area until Sadr turns himself in or his militia is destroyed. "Coalition military forces will conduct powerful, deliberate and very robust military operations until the job is done," he said. "We are committed, and we will not be deterred."
Helping the command is the fact that it is in the midst of a major troop rotation, and this provides an increased number of U.S. troops in the country. "We are taking advantage of these forces, and we will manage the redeployment to give us the combat power that is necessary to accomplish the mission at hand," he said.
The current coalition strength troop strength in Iraq is about 160,000 -- 134,000 Americans. More than 200,000 Iraqis serve in the country's security forces.
"There is a new dawn approaching for those Iraqis that have chosen to support freedom and democracy," Sanchez said. "That is what we stand for, that is what Iraqis expect and that is what we are committed to in this country."
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>From the Belton, TX Journal 4-7-04:
Students hold a piece of history
By Jonathan Blundell
Editor
For third graders at Lakewood Elementary, they had an opportunity to see a unique piece of history Tuesday afternoon.
The students in Becky Brown’s class were able to see a unique box seized by the 4th Infantry Division during the capture of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein Dec. 14, 2003.
The box held $750,000 U.S. dollars and was in the same hole 4th I.D. soldiers found the former Iraqi president.
Lt. Col. Scott Schmidt, Financial Battalion Commander for the 4th ID 230th Finance Battalion brought the metal box to show the students while he told them about his tour of duty.
Schmidt served with the 4th ID in Kuwait and Iraq and his daughter Jennifer read Schmidt’s letters to her class during his year-long tour of duty.
Schmidt returned home to Texas last Wednesday with the historic box.
“The night we captured Saddam I was called into the Commanding General’s office and the box was sitting open,” Schmidt said. “Our battalion handled any seized money and once the money was taken care of I decided to keep the box. I didn’t want it to get lost or stolen.”
Schmidt says he plans to deliver the box to the 4th ID museum.
As a member of the 230th Finance Battalion a large portion of Schmidt’s work in Tikrit and northern Iraq was working with Iraqi banks to re-issue new money printed in Morocco and England.
“We replaced the old money that featured Saddam’s face with new currency,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt brought each member of the class 250 dinari that was originally printed during Saddam’s reign.
“It was sad to see the situation in Iraq,” Schmidt said. “Saddam lived the life of a king in palaces while his people lived in mud huts smaller than this (class)room.”
The money found with Saddam was turned over to the Iraqi government to help fund infrastructure and civil service improvements. Overall Schmidt said the 4th ID recovered around $24 million dollars in northern Iraq.
“Our mission was a big success,” Schmidt said. “Saddam had 30 years to screw things up in Iraq and in the year we were there we made major changes.”
Schmidt told the class that part of the changes done was the destruction of two statues.
“There were two statues of Saddam on horseback,” Schmidt said. “We destroyed both of them. One on Saddam’s birthday and the second on Iraq’s Independence day.”
The ruble from the statues was shipped back to the U.S. to be a part of a memorial for the 4th ID at Fort Hood.
Schmidt has three daughters in BISD schools. His daughter Jennifer at Lakewood and a daughter at Belton High School and Belton Junior High.
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MG Ray Odierno on Fox & Friends Monday Morning
>From 4ID PAO: 4ID / TF Ironhorse Commanding General MG Raymond Odierno will be on "Fox & Friends" (in the studio in New York as their guest) on Monday, 12 April. His segment should be on about 0810-0815 EDT.
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For You in Texas - Watch Rangers Opening Home Game Today
An excerpt from an AP story about the home opener scheduled for 1:05PM CST on Friday:
Notes: The only tickets remaining for Friday's game were standing room only tickets. ... The U.S Army 4th Infantry Division based at Fort Hood, Texas, which was instrumental in the capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, will take part in the first-pitch ceremony Friday. Among the 63 unit members taking part will be 15 Purple Heart recipients. Don Campbell, the division's chief of staff, will throw the first pitch.
And from this morning's Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
The Rangers' home opener starts at 1:05 p.m. today. Don't show up at game time.
Do yourself a favor. Get there early. Have hot dog in hand 30 minutes before game time.
Be there when the UT-Arlington band plays. Be there when Chuck Morgan introduces the Rangers, when Cross Canadian Ragweed plays the national anthem, the B-1s fly over The Ballpark, and the balloons are released.
Be there when the Rangers continue a superb and growing tradition of honoring Texas heroes on Opening Day when they pay tribute to the 4th Infantry Division from Fort Hood. (From 4ID PAO - some of our Purple Heart recipients will be introduced by name before the game and several will be interviewed early this morning on local media in Dallas. Game is scheduled to be carried on Warner Brothers Cable, starting as early as 11:00CST).
Rangers fans like to be fashionably late. Not on Opening Day.
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Planning for April 22 at Fort Hood? Some Advice to Consider:
In less than two weeks, the big Welcome Home Ceremony for 4ID and TF Ironhorse soldiers and families will be held at Fort Hood, TX. As you prepare to attend, please keep the following in mind:
1) Normal security access control procedures will be in place at Fort Hood. All who want to drive their vehicle onto Fort Hood (without valid military decal) must get a temporary pass at the Clear Creek Entrance (about a mile further west from the Main Entrance). Seven day passes may be obtained from the Clear Creek Entrance prior to 22 April in order to alleviate traffic jam on event day. The Clear Creek inspection station is open 24 hours per day. You will need your driver's license, vehicle registration (or rental car contract), and proof of insurance. My experience has been that you should plan at least an hour or two for the inspection and temporary pass process, probably even more on April 21 and 22.
2) The 4ID Uncasing Ceremony begins at 10:00AM on Cameron Field, the 4ID parade ground in front of 4ID HQ, followed by a fun day of food, carnival rides and top entertainment for the soldiers who have deployed, their family members who endured their absence, and the community who supported them. If you fall into one of these categories, you are welcome to attend (no invitation is required).
3) All adults are required to have a picture id (driver's license is fine) to enter post, even if riding in a vehicle with a Fort Hood permit.
4) If you haven't made your flight arrangements yet, you might consider flying into Dallas (DFW or Love Field) instead of Austin or Killeen. It is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from DFW to Fort Hood (about twice the time it takes from Austin) but the airline tickets are considerably cheaper in most cases. I checked this morning, for example, and tickets from Atlanta to Dallas were over $200 less expensive than from Atlanta to Austin.
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59 Years Ago Today - 4ID in Germany:
8 April 1945 - D+307
The enemy was believed to have held a defensive line along the high ground south of the Tauber river. Early in the period, CT 22 routed the enemy from the castle at Burg Neuhaus. CT 12 met stubborn resistance in Rottingen and after a house-to-house fight, reported the town clear as of 1335. Fighting was still going on in Weikersheim at the close of the period. Several enemy planes strafed in the vicinity of Gerlachsheim at 2100.
The 8th Infantry in conjunction with the 12th Armored Division completed mopping up operations within their zone.
The 12th Infantry initiated strong patrols to the south along the Tauber river. The towns of Rottingen and Elpersheim were occupied during the day. The town of Weikersheim was strongly defended by a small but stubborn enemy force, but at the close of the day, Company K reported one-half of the town cleared.
The 22nd Infantry carried on extensive patrolling with Company F reaching as far south as the town of Apfelbach. The town of Igersheim was completely cleared during the afternoon.
9 April 1945 - D+308
Opposite CT 12, the enemy front lines extended along the high ground south of the Tauber river. In addition the town of Bieberehren appeared to be defended by about 70 enemy. CT 12 cleared the towns of Elpersheim and Weikersheim. Considerable 75 mm or 88 mm fire from a self-propelled gun or tank fell in the area occupied by CT 12 during the period. Several towns along the front lines received intermittent fire.
Thanks to Philippe Cornil at www.revive-it.com.
It you plan to go to Normandy and the 4ID battlefields over the next months or years, I highly suggest you check with Philippe Cornil to be your guide. You can learn more about Philippe and Isabelle and their bed and breakfast facility in St. Marie due Mont, and his tour guide work, at: http://www.lamaisondeshotes.com. I can personally vouch for his great work, as can many more 4ID vets. Jan and I stayed with them over D-Day 2002 and will be back with them for the 60th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2004.
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What Our Families Are Hearing From Our Soldiers in Iraq:
1) I can't agree with you more about the troops who are now in Iraq and continue in their support. My brother just returned to Ft Carson 2 weeks ago and even though the weight has been lifted off our families shoulders, there is still that sick feeling in my stomache every time I hear that another soldier has died. Especially this morning driving into work. They say yesterday was the deadliest for our troops since Pres. Bush declared major battle over. Thank God my Soldier is home, but how many sisters, wives, parents, etc have to now deal with the worries and wonders and waiting for a phone call to say they're ok, like we just did for the past year. I have really become more appreciative of our military and so much more aware of what they do for us since the my brother was sent to war. You're right, we have to not question and criticize the efforts in Iraq just because our loved ones are safe and back home.
2) I am happy to tell you that my nephew returned home to Ft. Hood last week. I was not able to be there but did get to talk to him on the phone. What a relief. With everything that is going on in Iraq in the last week I have been thankful that he is home safe but at the same time saying prayers for all soldiers who are over there. I too have been dismayed with the news people and some politicians who are constantly criticizing President Bush and second guessing what our armed services are doing. Unfortunately, the news programs do not just report news any more, it is more like entertainment programming now. I am so proud of all our soldiers and appreciate what they are doing for us. God bless them and their families.
3) We have our soldier back! He came in on March 20th, 2004 into Ft. Carson. He is with the 104 MI BN of the 4 ID. We are so grateful to our FRG lady who kept in touch with us, even while on the road traveling to Colorado Springs. She gave us more exact times and dates for us to plan our trip there better. She was wonderful! Keep up the good work! We would have been lost in our own guessing, along with our soldier's news up to the last few times of getting on the plane.
4) After reading today's update, I empathized with the wife whose husband is still in Kuwait. My son is also still in Kuwait. After many false reports of "probably in 2 days" or " maybe Wednesday", I realized not to expect much but just live each day this week as it comes. Yes, the important thing is that our soldiers WILL be home soon. My love and prayers are with the soldiers who are in Iraq now, and their families. As you said Bob, "we are with you" all of the way!
5) My son (1-66 AR) is back at Fort Hood. I got a call on March 30 at 12:05AM to let me know he was in the USA, in Maine. He said to check my caller id. I did, it was his cell number. Yes, I cried I was so happy he was safe. Then he said he was going to let some of his fellow soldiers use his cell to call their families so that their families would know they were in Maine and OK. I knew my son was thoughtful but that was so touching to me. I wanted to let you know how proud I am of my son and all the soldiers. Thank God they are home safe. We will keep the ones still over there in our prayers. From one proud Mom and Dad from PA.
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