Active Unit News

Danger, Tedium In New Digs
Infantry combs for arms in Mosul
By Dionne Searcey
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
April 24, 2003
Mosul, Iraq - There is danger everywhere here. Unexploded rockets, missiles and mines lie in the middle of the road, in ditches and underneath staircases. One group of infantrymen found more than 5,000 stockpiled tank missiles. Others found dozens of mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, anti-aircraft ammunition and artillery rounds. "Hey sergeant, you might want to move," Spc. Matthew Larocque shouted to a soldier eating dinner as he dangled his legs into a foxhole. "There's an unexploded 50-caliber round right under your feet." "I'll be all right," said Sgt. Dana Alexander, who carried on, spreading soft cheese on a cracker. In the background, high-pitched gunshots could be heard, probably from an AK-47, the soldiers said, aware that Mosul is now among the most hostile environments in Iraq for U.S. soldiers. Moving into a new home is always a long, difficult process, but for the U.S. Army setting up digs in enemy territory, it's downright grueling. Fourth Infantry Division soldiers yesterday began the tedious task of taking over the Republican Guard's 5th Corps headquarters complex. Armor, artillery and infantry units plan to run their operations from the grounds of the sprawling military post, abandoned weeks ago after coalition air strikes. But first, soldiers must sweep through each of the hundreds of buildings here, some of them bombed-out shells and many of them housing ammunition stockpiles. And they must drive out the hundreds of looters who are roaming the area in search of scrap metal, wood and anything they can find. The entire process will take several days. "The threat here is high," said Sgt. Carl Lawrence, an Army medic hoping he wouldn't be needed yesterday. "This place has been abandoned for a while. There could be ammunitions caches for one of the rogue factions here. The whole room could be booby-trapped. There are too many unknowns. This area is not stable." "It ain't fun for my feet," said Corp. Wesley Barton, who took a quick break on the grass after spending the day clearing out dozens of rooms in about 20 of the squat, tan buildings. The Army units started their invasion at 7:30 a.m., rolling through downtown Mosul and into the gates of the complex. Looters inside scattered out of the way of the armored tanks and Bradleys. The weed-covered complex contained firing ranges, a medical facility littered with syringes, several junkyards full of rusting tanks and a warehouse of new tanks. Pieces of gas masks were strewn about the camp and one set of soldiers discovered a training area for donning them. All day long, soldiers stopped and searched Iraqis and their vehicles. They were suspicious of everyone, even the young boys who clamored around them asking for food and water or, in some cases, handing them bright orange and pink flowers. A psychological operations unit truck roamed the roads as an officer shouted in Arabic for everyone to stop looting and go home. Eventually, military officials decided to permit the looters to keep looting, as long as they weren't armed or stealing ammunition. So men toting large boards, tearing down metal siding and hauling books went about their work as the soldiers went about theirs. The U.S. soldiers did some looting of their own, despite warnings from their commanders to leave things be. Discreetly, they took Iraqi flags, military medals and books labeled with the Republican Guard insignia. At the end of the day, teams gathered all the unexploded artillery they'd come across and burned it. It crackled and popped and occasionally boomed as black smoke poured from the burning pile. A group of ground troops from the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, rested on the side of the road nearby, reflecting on their day. "At first we were nervous but when we got a good routine down it was easier," said Pfc. Matthew Shaw, a member of Alpha Company. Spc. Orlando Garcia interrupted: "Then the monotony set in. And monotony," he said, "makes you tired and not expecting things." Copyright © 2003, Newsday, Inc.