STORIES FROM THE DESERT

File: 970529_sep96_sagwi1_0007.txt
Page: 0007
Total Pages: 9
Subject = STORIES FROM THE DESERT                                         

Parent Organization = XVIII CORPS 

Unit = 101ST ID    

Folder Title = ANNODOTES OF THE WAR                                                                            

Document Number =          2

Box ID = BX001611






            Spc. Stuart Suchland
            C. Co. 1/187th INF
            798-6701

                In Iraq our unit seized a pumping station near the
            Euphrates river delta. The station was manned by very few
            soldiers when we took it. However, the defenses around
            the buildings were quite could,and it would have been a
            difficult place to take if the Iraqis had seriously de-
            fended it.
                THe station was about 1000m square. It was surrounded
            by two berms with a tank trap in the middle. The front berm
            was about six ft. tall. Then the trap dropped at least 12
            ft. from the top of the first berm. The inner berm was 15
            ft. tall. It was an excellent defense. We dug positions
            along the inner side of the second berm. The positions averaged
            about 300 sandbags. We also dug sleeping holes into the
            lower portion of the berm. Fences surrounded the actual
            buildings themselves. There were permanent concrete ADA
            postions within the station. Outside of the berm on one
            side there were ADA postions dug into the ground. The
            positions were basically large pits- and I mean large pits-
            surrounded by small dirt berms.
                Every night our platoon would send a patrol out to
            scout along the tank traps. Then they would angle out to
            the earthwork ADA positions and set up an ambush. One night
            third squad was patrolling when a soldier saw an object on
            the ground. It looked like a softball. He started playing
            around with it. His teamleader yelled for him to drop it.
            The next night first squad saw the same item. This time
            one of the soldiers kicked it at another one.
                In the morning,l went out to look at it. I took my camera
            and got some photos as well. I'm no ordanance expert, but I
            beleive the object was an unexploded cluster bomblet from a
            bomb casing that was 100m away.




















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