Help From The Sky - Part II

After being here for seven months, “Delta Company”, has been very fortunate. Back in the fall last year we lost two soldiers to a suicide car bomb and then in January I was wounded from a roadside bomb. But since then our company has been very lucky. Granted we have had our share of losses, we have done what we needed to do and faired better then many other companies out here.

That was until 1700hrs (5pm) last night. At around dusk yesterday, 1st platoon, “Danger Platoon” was moving into hide positions to over watch the highway and hunt IED Teams that have been very active in the area. That is when their lead tank, Danger 1-3 stuck a massive IED, detonating it under the track on the right side engulfing the tank in a cloud of smoke and dust.

We have learned from the lessons of others that when there is one IED there is almost always another and no matter how bad you want to run to their rescue, you may just be running into more trouble. Seconds after the blast the rest of the platoon began to search the area for secondary attacks and to clear a path to the disabled tank that was several hundred meters from them.

As the rest of the crew crept safely towards the disabled tank the Tank Commander of the Danger 1-3 began to evaluate his crew. The loader had been blown out of the tank was laying on the top very dazed and suffering from a serious concussion and his foot was dangling in a “not normal” direction and appeared to be broken extremely bad. His gunner was alert but in serious pain. He was saying that his legs and feet hurt really badly and wasn’t going to be able to move on his own, but that he wasn’t bleeding and believes that they were broken badly from the blast that had raised the floor of the tank that had risen up like a loaf of bread in the oven. The driver of tank unconscious at first but came to moments later and only suffered a serious concussion. Which was extremely lucky considering he was the lowest and closest to the blast and a fuel tank next to him had been penetrated and was now spilling fuel. At that point the tank commander began to pull his wounded crew from the tank and prep them for the medic who was moving towards them in another vehicle. By the time the medic “Doc” was there the crew had been pulled out of the tank and the platoon could begin to prepare to evacuate them.

At this same time my platoon was at the FOB nearly 22 miles away and was being “Spun Up” to go and assist our fellow tankers. We moved quickly and were out the gate headed to the area to help secure and support them with whatever they needed. As we crossed the Tigris we were passed over head by two UH-60 “Black Hawk” helicopters headed thier direction, full speed and just over the tree tops. Across the company “net” (The company net is the radio that is set on the channel that the entire company can talk to one another on, as well as support elements with us.) you hear, “Danger 1-5 this is Bad Blood 7-7 in flight to your location for air evac, we are one minute out needing current enemy situation”.

Moments later the birds were on the ground and loading up our guys to take to the next level of care. Soon thereafter we arrived on the scene and helped secure it while a recovery team began limp the tank onto a trailer to bring back to the FOB.

The human body does pretty amazing things when adrenaline takes over. One textbook case would be that of the tank commander of Danger 1-3. He evac’ed his crew and prepped them for evac with an ankle that was broken in 4 places and several shrapnel wounds along his right leg. He did what needed to be done to ensure that his guys were going to be alright and receive the care that they needed.

Today everyone is stable and secure at a hospital up north. Two of the guys will be headed to Germany later to begin many surgeries to fix all the factures in their leg and ankles. There is no doubt that if a Gun Truck were to have hit that IED it would have killed everyone in it. The blast was massive and everyone on that crew is extremely lucky to escape with their lives. These guys were all friends of mine and I have known most of them since I arrived at Ft. Hood a few years ago. With the wounds they sustained it will be a long recovery process for them. Hopefully they will all recover 100% and be there when we all return sometime next year. Thank you all so much for all your prayers and please keep these guys in your prayers as well.