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War Stories

Page 33

by Oliver North


  LAR: Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion

  Marine unit equipped with LAVs for rapid ground reconnaissance forward and on the flanks of a larger force.

  LAV: Light Armored Vehicle

  LAV-25, wheeled light armored vehicle employed by Marine LAR Battalion. Carries six troops; armament: 25mm chain gun.

  LVT: Landing Vehicle, Tracked; See also AAV.

  LVTC: Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Command

  An LVT equipped with communications equipment and configured so that a commander can use an LVTC-7 as his command. Armament: .50-caliber machine gun.

  LZ: Landing Zone

  MAG: Marine Air Group

  MAW: Marine Aircraft Wing

  The 3rd MAW served as the Air Combat Element of 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

  MAWTS: Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron

  MEU: Marine Expeditionary Unit

  The smallest air-ground task force, consisting of a reinforced infantry battalion, a composite helicopter squadron, and a logistics support element.

  MIA: Missing In Action

  MOPP: Mission Oriented Protective Posture

  Designation for the protective suit, mask, and other equipment worn to shield troops from nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. See also NBC suit.

  MP: Military Police

  MPS: Maritime Prepositioning Ship

  Large “roll-on roll-off” vessels full of military equipment, weapons, and ammunition; strategically placed to expedite the deployment of U.S. military units.

  MRE: Meal, Ready-to-Eat

  Mukhabarat: The foreign intelligence service of Iraq

  NBC suit: Nuclear, biological, and chemical protective gear

  NCO: Non-commissioned officer in the military services

  NOK: Next of Kin

  NVG: Night-Vision Goggles

  OGA: Other Government Agency

  Euphemism for CIA or other intelligence service personnel operating in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places.

  Overwatch: A base of fire from heavy weapons in support of a maneuver

  PAO: Public Affairs Officer

  PAX: U.S. military abbreviation for passengers, usually in an aircraft. Also “packs.”

  PFC: Private First Class

  POW: Prisoner of War

  QRF: Quick Reaction Force

  RAP: Rocket-Assisted Projectiles

  RCT: Regimental Combat Team

  Rein.: Reinforced

  ROE: Rules of Engagement

  RPG: Rocket-Propelled Grenade

  RPV: Remotely Piloted Vehicle

  Radio controlled aircraft used to conduct reconnaissance and/or intelligence collection. See also UAV.

  S-1: Staff officer that performs administrative record-keeping and personnel function for a battalion or regiment.

  S-2: Staff officer that performs intelligence and counter-intelligence function for a battalion or regiment.

  S-3: Staff officer performing operations plans and training functions for a battalion or regiment.

  S-4: Staff officer who performs logistics, maintenance, and supply function for a battalion or regiment.

  SAM: Surface-to-Air Missile

  SAW: Squad Automatic Weapon

  Carried by one member of each Marine infantry fire team.

  SERE: Survival, Escape, Resistance, and Evasion

  Plan followed in the event a pilot or other Armed Forces member is down or lost behind enemy lines.

  sharqi: Iraqi sandstorm

  Sit Rep: situation report

  SOP: Standard Operating Procedure

  TAA: Tactical Assembly Area

  TF: Task Force

  TOC: Tactical Operations Center

  TOT: Time on Target

  TOW: Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided

  Is the primary anti-tank missile used by the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army.

  UAV: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

  Reconnaissance aircraft operated by remote radio control and/or GPS.

  UN: United Nations

  UNSCOM: UN Special Commission

  The organization appointed by the UN to seek weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

  V Corps: U.S. Army forward-deployed headquarters for two divisions, a corps support command, and nine separate brigades totaling approximately 41,000 soldiers.

  VBIED: Vehicular-Borne Improvised Explosive Device

  VMU-2: Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron Two

  Operated RPVs over the battlefield for the Regimental Combat teams. See also UAV.

  WIA: Wounded In Action

  WMD: Weapons of Mass Destruction

  XO: Executive Officer

  INDEX

  Abazid, John, 83

  Abbas, Abu, xlvii, 207–10

  ABC, 245

  Abraham, xiii, xvi, 70

  Abraham Lincoln, USS, 1–4

  Achille Lauro, xlvii, 207, 209

  Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq, 84, 92, 103, 104, 110, 119, 120, 127–28

  Afghanistan, xxxii, liv, 25, 40, 50, 75, 126; Operation Enduring Freedom in, 2–3, 8, 257; Soviet invasion of, xxxii

  Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, 52

  Ain Sifni, Iraq, 173

  Al Amarah, Iraq, 199–200

  Al Aziziyah, Iraq, 138–42

  Al Budayr, 119

  Alexander the Great, xvii, 204

  Al Faw Peninsula, 40, 49, 55

  Algiers, xxx

  Ali, 10–13

  Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, 26–37, 39–42, 48, 67–68, 101, 233

  Alibhai-Brown, Yasmin, 251

  Al Jazeera, 47, 75, 81, 85, 176

  Al Karradah, Iraq, 177

  Al Khulafa Mosque, 182, 184

  Al Kut, Iraq, 84, 85, 103, 110, 116, 138

  Allah, xvii

  Al Qaeda, xlvii

  Al Qurnah, Iraq, xlvi

  Al Rasheed Air Base, 179

  Al Rasheed Medical Center, 177

  Altman, Robert, 251

  Amman, Jordan, 228

  Amn Al Khass, xxxi, xli, 45, 240

  Amos, Jim, 52

  Anderson, Joe, 240–41

  Anglo-Iraq Treaty (1930), xxii

  Ankara, Turkey, 217

  Annan, Kofi, 43, 252

  An Nasiriyah, Iraq, 72, 103; Army convoy ambush in, 77–79; cas-evac missions in, 76; firefight in, 76–83

  Ann-Margret, 250

  An Numaniyah, Iraq, 110, 129, 130, 136–37, 199–200

  Antarctica, 41

  anthrax, 15, 16–17

  Arafat, Yasser, 208, 209

  Arif, Abd al-Salam, xxiv–xxv

  Armstrong, Louis, 250

  Arnett, Peter, 122–23

  Ashby, John, 110, 112–13

  Asman, David, 68

  Assad, Hafez al, xxxi

  As Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, 46

  Atlanta, 110

  Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 21

  Aubin, Jay Thomas, 60, 63

  Aziz, Tarik, 231

  Aznar, José Maria, 34

  Az Zubayr, Iraq, 54, 67

  Baathist National Council of Revolutionary Command, xxiv

  Baathists, xxviii, 83, 89, 236

  Baghdad, Iraq, xx; 4th Infantry Division in, liv; coverage of war from, 74; Dora Command Complex in, 45–47, 53; looting in, 195–97; march on, 119, 145–66; occupation of, 167–90, 191–97; Task Force Tarawa and, 72

  Baghdad Bob. See Sahhaf, Saeed al-

  Baghdad International Airport, 232

  Baghdad Pact, xxiii

  Baghdad University, 177, 179

  Baghdad Urban Renewal Project, 39, 160

  Bahrain, 8

  Baier, Brett, 130–31

  Bakr, Abu, xvii

  Bakr, Ahmed Hassan al-, xxvi, xxx, xxxii

  Baldwin brothers, 251

  Balkans, xix, 25, 40

  Bangladesh, 23, 168

  Barry, Tom, 94–97, 98, 156

  Barzani, Mustafa, xxviii, xxx

  Basco, Shawn, 188–189, 194

  Basinger, Kim, 251


  Basra, Iraq, xx, 55, 58, 67, 72, 75, 103, 173, 230

  Bataan, USS, xlvii

  Bayji, Iraq, 223, 227, 229

  Bay of Pigs, 246

  Beamer, Lisa, 251

  Beamer, Todd, 251

  Beaupre, Ryan Anthony, 60, 63

  Bedouins, xviii

  Beirut, Lebanon, 50, 246

  Benitez, Erik, 87

  Beria, Lavrenti Pavlovich, xxvii

  Bible, lvii, 50

  Bing, Steve, 250

  bin Laden, Osama, xlvii, 47, 75, 251, 257

  biological weapons, 16

  Black Hawk Down, 82

  Blair, Tony, xlvi, 34, 82–83

  Blame America First, 21, 243, 253

  Blix, Hans, xlviii, 252–54

  Blount, Buford, 103–4

  Bohr, Jeffrey, 191

  Bosnia, 55

  The Bridges at Toko-Ri, 165

  Britain: occupation of Iraq by, xx–xxii; Operation Iraqi Freedom and, 38, 43

  Brooks, Vincent, 134

  Brussels, Belgium, liii

  “bull sessions,” 88–89, 111

  Bunker Hill, USS, 46

  Bush, George H. W., xxxv, xxxix, xliv

  Bush, George W., 250; Abbas and, 209; addresses to American people by, 38–39, 47, 82; criticism of, 1–4, 251; diplomatic efforts of, 34; Saddam and, xlvi–xlvii; trip to USS Abraham Lincoln by, 1–4; ultimatum to Hussein by, 38–39, 40, 42–44; WMD and, 252–55; Operation Iraqi Freedom and, 46

  Butcher of Baghdad. See Hussein, Saddam

  Butler, Richard, xlv

  Byrd, Robert, 2, 4, 254

  Calcutta, India, 168

  California, 20

  Campbell, Don, 223

  Campbell, Joe, 230

  Camp Lejeune, N.C., 72

  Camp Pendleton, Cali., 20, 30, 56, 155

  Camp Pennsylvania, 214

  cas-evac missions: in Al Aziziyah, 139–42; HMM-268 and, 40–42, 65–67, 91–101, 148–57, 183–89; in An Nasiriyah, 76; at Saddam’s palaces, 183–89; in Salman Pak, 154–57; sandstorms and, 91–101; in Tuwayhah, 150–54

  Cecil, John, 63

  Central America, liv, 50

  Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 45, 46, 197, 254

  CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters, 26, 30

  Chalabi, Ahmad, xlvii, 45–46

  Charleville, Chris, 55

  Chartier, Jim, 170

  Chastain, David, 95

  chemical weapons: precautions against, 36–37, 48; Saddam’s use of, 42; Saddam and, xxxiii–xxxiv; threat of, 168–69

  Cheramie, Gunnery Sergeant, 135, 149, 153, 211

  Cheyenne, USS, 46

  Chin, Edward, 5, 178–79

  China, 38

  Chirac, Jacques, 43, 44, 252

  Churchill, Winston, xxi

  CIA. See Central Intelligence Agency

  Clancy, John, 8

  Clark, Wesley, 85

  Clinton, Bill, xliv–xlv

  CNN, 9, 244

  Colmes, Alan, 207

  Comeaux, Jason, 94–97, 98, 101, 142

  Compton, S/Sgt., 164, 165

  Conlin, Chris, 177

  Constantinople, xix

  Conway, James, 52, 178, 201

  Cope, Sara, 120

  Cosby, Bill, 250–51

  Cowpens, USS, 46

  Cox, Douglas, 215–16, 219–20

  Craxi, Bettino, 209

  Cyrus the Just, xvi

  Damon, Matt, 251

  David, xvi

  Dean, Howard, 255

  DeNiro, Robert, 250

  Derek, Bo, 250

  Desert One, 246

  de Villepin, Dominique, 43

  Dickerson, Derrick, 95, 96

  Diego Garcia, 22

  Digital Division. See 4th Infantry Division

  diplomacy, 34, 38

  Dixie Chicks, 250, 256

  Diyala River, 161–64

  Doha, Qatar, 233

  Donald Cook, USS, 46

  Donohue, Pete, 136

  Doocy, Steve, 193–94

  Dora Command Complex, 45–47, 52

  Dowdy, Bob, 131, 132

  Dowdy, Joe, 111, 145–46

  Driscoll, Jerry, 84, 145, 210, 211, 214; beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom and, 40, 49; cas-evac missions and, 42, 91–93, 95, 97–99, 139–42, 148–54; embedded reporting and, 28; helicopter crash and, 63, 64; HMM-268 deployment and, 31; initial assault and, 55, 58, 59; march to Baghdad and, 166; supply delivery and, 81

  Dunford, Joe, 77, 103, 114, 142–43, 210, 211; in Baghdad, 181, 183, 188, 192, 201; cas-evac missions and, 153; entrance into Baghdad and, 172, 176, 179; march to Baghdad and, 138–39, 151, 162, 163; march to Tigris and, 125, 126, 128–29, 135–36; operational pause and, 116; RCT-5 and, 69–70, 75, 84

  Durao Barroso, José Manuel, 34

  dust storms. See sandstorms

  Eckerberg, Aaron, 99, 166; cas-evac missions and, 91–94, 95, 97, 99, 101; initial assault and, 56

  Egypt, xxxiii, 208

  82nd Airborne Division, 219

  Eisenhower, Dwight, 217

  11th Attack Helicopter Regiment, 71–72

  11th Infantry Division, Iraqi, 77

  11th Marine Division, 51, 52, 170

  embedded reporting: Ali Al Salem Air Base and, 26–28, 29–32; bias of, 4–6; broadcast gear and, lii, 27–28, 70–71; in Kuwait, 7–17; live, li, 71; military’s attitude toward, 13–14; perspective of, 71, 74; precautions and, 28; preparations for, 15–17; restrictions on, 29–30; sleep and, li, 56

  enemy prisoners of war (EPWs), 70

  EPWs. See enemy prisoners of war

  Espinoza, Captain, 184

  Euphrates River, 10, 69, 72, 84

  Evans, Llewelyn Karl, 63

  Fahrenheit 9/11: The Temperature at Which Freedom Burns (Moore), 251

  Faisal, xxi–xxii

  Faisal, Ghazi Ibn, xxii

  Faisal II, xxii–xxiv

  Falklands, 55

  Farouk, Kin, xxiii

  fedayeen, 5, 47, 85, 86, 134

  15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 55

  5th Marine Division, 6, 51, 181, 188; Iraqi 51st Mechanized Division and, 64; Regimental Command Post of, 69–83

  5th Marine Division Regimental Combat Team (RCT-5), 54, 68, 72, 73, 126, 145, 161, 169

  51st Mechanized Division, Iraqi, 55, 64, 67, 73

  1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 162, 164–65, 180

  1st Marine Division, xxxix, 6, 52, 77, 119, 170

  1st Marine Division Regimental Combat Team (RCT-1), 68, 72, 73, 77, 161, 179

  1st Marine Expeditionary Force (I-MEF), 20, 68, 70, 83, 125

  507th Maintenance Company, ambush of, 76–83

  flame trencher, 70

  Fleischer, Ari, 1–2

  Fonda, Jane, 251

  Ford, John, 250

  Fort Bliss, Texas, 131

  Fort Hood, Texas, 203, 216, 218

  4th Infantry Division, 6; in Baghdad, liii; deployment of, 216–18; as diversion, 217–18; embedded reporting with, li–lvii, 211, 213–33; entrance into Iraq of, 104; entrance into war of, liii; mission of, 220; TOC of, lii

  4th Marine Division, 170, 177

  FOX & Friends, 32, 120, 193

  FOX News Channel, li, 20, 36, 67, 76

  France, 21, 34, 38, 44, 217

  Franks, Tommy, 53–54, 83, 85, 217, 257–58

  Frei, Jason, 114

  friendly-fire incidents, 79–80

  Frogs. See CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters

  Gable, Clark, 249

  Gabriel, xvii

  Galdabini, Christian, 27, 201

  Gastelu, Gary, 233

  Geneva Convention, 81, 83

  Gephardt, Dick, 255

  Germany, xxii, 34, 38, 44, 193, 249

  Gibraltar, TAA, 51–62

  Gibson, John, 175

  Glaspie, April, xxxvi

  Glover, Danny, 251

  Godfrey, Larry, 15–16

  Goode, William P., 8

  Graham, Bob, 255

  Graham, John, 29, 36, 1
84; cas-evac missions and, 65–67; helicopter crash and, 64

  Great Depression, xxii

  Great Giant Voice, 28, 32, 36, 48, 63

  Greeks, xvii

  Grinalds, Allen, 111, 198–200

  Grinalds, John, 111

  Grosz, Matt, 248

  Gulf War syndrome, 16

  Guy, Philip Stuart, 63

  Haiti, 168

  Hammurabi, xiv, xvi

  Hamza, Khidir, xlv

  Hannity, Sean, xiii

  Hannity & Colmes, 74, 88, 115, 134, 135, 143, 145, 160, 207, 231

  Hantush, Iraq, 110, 115, 119

  Harper’s magazine, 5, 6

  Harrell, Gary, 233

  Harrelson, Woody, 250

  heavy equipment transporters (HETs), 12, 214

  Hedenskog, Sholto, 63

  Helmick, Frank, 237

  Hersh, Seymour, 247

  HETs. See heavy equipment transporters and human exploitation teams

  high-value targets (HVTs), liii

  Hilton, Kuwait City, 14

  Hitler, Adolf, xxii, xxiii, 217, 258

  HMM-268. See Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 268

  Hoenes, Amanda, liv, 189

  Holden, William, 165

  Holley, Frank, 129, 159

  Hollywood, antiwar activism in, 20, 243, 249–51

  Homeland Security Department, 49

  Hope, Bob, 250

  Housley, Adam, 20, 22

  Hudson, Lt. Col., 36

  Hughes, Shawn, 162–63, 164

  human exploitation teams (HETs), 214–15

  Hume, Brit, 232–33, 245–46, 247

  Hummer, Steve, 22, 170

  Hunt, Dave, 36–37

  Hussein, xviii

  Hussein, Mustafa, 236

  Hussein, Qusay, 45; Bush’s ultimatum to, 38–39; cruelty of, 238–40; death of, 240–42; search for, 160, 173, 176, 181, 236–38

  Hussein, Saddam, xxiv, liii, 11, 21, 40; biological weapons of, 16; Bush’s ultimatum to, 38–39, 40, 42–44; career of, xxv–xxvi; chemical weapons and, 42; death of, 242; fedayeen of, 5; intelligence on, 46; Iraq’s history and, xxv–xlix; Kurds and, xxvii–xxix; Kuwait and, xxxv–xl, 55; messages from, 161; An Nasiriyah uprising and, 77; palaces of, 160, 179–80, 196, 223–25; Persian Gulf War and, 11; search for, 160, 173, 176; statue of, 5, 178–79; WMD and, xxxiii–xxxiv, xlv–xlviii, 34, 43, 168–69

  Hussein, Uday, 47, 223; Bush’s ultimatum to, 38–39; cruelty of, 238–40; death of, 240–42; search for, 160, 173, 176, 181, 236–38

  HVTs. See high-value targets

  Ilah, Abdul al, xxii–xxiv

  I-MEF. See 1st Marine Expeditionary Force

  The Independent (London), 251

  Indian Ocean, 22

  Institute for Public Advocacy, 250

  InterContinental, 10

  Iran, xxiii, xxvii, xliv, xlviii, 46, 78

  Iran-Iraq War, xxix–xxxiv, 50

  Iraq: ancient history of, xv–xxv; as axis of evil, xlviii; British occupation of, xx–xxiii; Iran-Iraq War and, xxix–xxxiv; modern history of, xxv–xxxv; no-fly zones over, 3; Persian Gulf War and, xxxv–xlix; religion in, xvi, xvii, xviii–xix; Saddam and history of, xxv–xlix

 

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