But for me, it is over. I have passed my rifle and scope to others who are also gifted in this arcane and secret craft, and there is no one left for me to shoot.
As I finished writing this book at the end of 2004, both of my kids were still asking if I was going back to the war. “No,” I told them. “Daddy’s wars are over.” But I knew they would believe that only when my uniform came off for the last time, when I retired in early 2005.
I will never fight again.
INDEX
AAVs (Amtracs; amphibious assault vehicles), 59, 84, 93, 107, 118, 124, 136, 140, 165, 183–84
as ambulances, 169
description of, 68
ABC television network, 273–75
Abrams M1A1 tank, 59, 68, 80, 98–99, 107, 124, 168, 177, 196, 257
main guns of, 84
suicide bombing of, 181, 225
as target, 88, 115
Abu Ghraib prison, 189
AC/DC band, 68
“Achmed,” 151, 154, 158–60
Ad Diwaniyah (Iraq)
Marines’ original fight through, 113, 117, 141, 149–57, 163
stop at, on way home, 283–88
advance regimental quartering party, 4th Marine, 68–70, 99, 103, 164, 181, 236, 288
Afak (Iraq), 124–33, 140, 149
Afak Drill, the, 141
Afghanistan, 48–49
AKM automatic rifle, 241
Al Aziziyah (Iraq), 181, 187
Al Budayr (Iraq), 135–40, 145, 148
Alexander, Robert, 26
Ali Hassan al-Majid (Chemical Ali), 83, 100
Al Jazeera network, 263, 276
Al Kut (Iraq), 113, 167, 172, 175–76, 185
Al Nida Division (Iraqi), 181, 189
Al Numaniyah (Iraq), 163–64
ammunition
Lake City Match, 87
precision-made, 201
Amtracs (AAVs; amphibious assault vehicles), 59, 68, 80, 93, 107, 118, 124, 136, 140, 165, 183–84
as ambulances, 169
description of, 68
An Nasiriyah (Iraq), 102–4, 113
anti-Americanism in Iraq, 263
antiwar protesters, 258, 261–62
Apache helicopters, 101
April Fool’s Day, 162
Arabian Nights, The, 82
Arias, Norm “Normy,” 54-55, 85, 94–95
Associated Press, 191
AT4 missile, 53, 92
Atkinson barrel, 63
Az Zafaraniyah (Iraq), 199, 201
B-52
bomber, 188
Ba’ath Party, 139–40, 249, 277
Baghdad (Iraq)
attempted smart bombing of Saddam
Hussein in, 76–77
chaos in, 269–70, 278, 286
descriptions of, 240–41, 257–58, 284
Firdos Square, 257–67, 270
hotels in, 245–46, 255–56, 258–60, 269–77
International Airport, 187, 235, 258
Iraqi air force compound in, 253–55
police and crime in, 279–82
Red Zone area around, 164, 166
Tracy’s feelings about, 75
U.S. drive on, 66, 101–85
U.S. troops in, 235–84
“Baghdad Bob,” 187, 270
Baghdad Division (Iraqi), 167, 175
“Baghdad SWAT,” 280-82, 284
Baker, Matt “J-Matt,” x, 116, 130, 155, 169
Balkans, 30
bank robberies in Baghdad, 279–82
baseball, author’s playing of, 13–14
Basra (Iraq)
attack on, 60, 66–67, 79, 83–97, 100–01, 141, 235
description of, 82–83
battalion, 1st Tank, 59, 80, 89. See also Bravo Company
Battalion Sniper Operation, 246–56
Black Hawk Down, 165, 244
Blandford, Steve, 132, 140
BM-21 rocket, 238
bombs, Mk-82, 188
“Bonus Town” (Iraq), 118–19, 140
Bravo Company, 59, 168, 176–77, 189–90, 192, 239, 242, 243, 247, 257–58, 260, 264, 284. See also Abrams M1A1 tanks; Lewis, Brian
brigade, 7th Armored (British), 97, 235
British Army in Iraq, 73–74, 83, 91, 97, 100, 141, 235
Broadsword unit, 280–82
“Bull, the,” definition of, 41
Bush, George H. W., 100
Bush, George W.
“axis of evil” speech of, 49
Firdos Square watched by, 263
9/1 land, 45, 47
Saddam Hussein warned by, 69
ultimatums to Iraq by, 55, 69
“Bus Stop,” 284-85
CAATs (Combined Anti-Armor Teams), 68, 74, 115, 117–18, 135, 164, 168–69, 192, 251, 275
Campbell, Dustin, x, 140, 142–43
Camp Doha (Kuwait), 64, 74
Camp Schwab (Okinawa), 45–46
Care packages, 285
Carrington, Doug, 213, 221, 227–31
Castillo, Luis, x, 75, 92, 184, 215
Central Asia, 30
Central Bank of Baghdad, 281
Chemical Ali (Ali Hassan al-Majid), 83, 100
chemical weapons, possible attack on U.S. troops by, 70–72, 83, 159–60, 166–67
Cheney, Dick
on Americans as liberators, 100
on WMDs, 55
Chinook helicopter, 172
Chosin Reservoir, in Korean War, 199
Churchill, Winston, 146
Cobra helicopters, 5–7, 84, 96, 135
Combined Anti-Armor Teams. See CAATs
companies
Bravo. See Bravo Company
507th Maintenance, 103
“Corporal Baby,” 76, 120, 142
corps, V, 101
Coughlin, Ashley (daughter), x, 19, 57, 145, 289, 293
Coughlin, Cassandra (daughter), x, 18–19, 57–58, 145, 289, 293
Coughlin, Jack, xi
boyhood of, 11–14
combat butterflies of, 79
Marine Corps training of, 14–17, 142
marriage of, 17–19
medals of, 10, 287
resignation from Marines by, 290, 293
return home by, 288–93
telephone calls back home by, 145–46, 179, 276, 288
on television, 273–75
youthful eye injury of, 13
Coughlin, Kim (wife), 17–19, 44, 57–58, 63–64, 145–46
author’s return and, 283, 288–90
Courville, Jean-Paul, 219–20, 222
Dagnino, Enrico, 206, 208, 211, 275
Darkside Six (McCoy’s radio call sign), 67, 83, 99
democracy, Baghdad discussion of, 261–62
Desert Storm (1991 attack on Iraq), 72–73, 100–1, 111
divisions, Iraqi
Al Nida, 181, 189
Baghdad, 167, 175
Medina, 72, 80, 83–84, 104
51st Mechanized, 67–68, 72, 83–84, 93, 95–97, 132
divisions, U.S.
1st Armored, 283
1st Marine, 41, 102, 109, 146, 164, 188, 217, 245
3rd Infantry, 79, 163, 187
3rd Marine, 42
4th Infantry, 101
10th Mountain, 1–3, 8–10, 49
82nd Airborne, 70–80, 190
101st Airborne, 70–80, 101, 163, 190
Diwaniyah. See Al Diwaniyah
Diyala River, bridge over, 194–95, 210–35
DPICM (Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions), 94–95
Dragon Eye unmanned drones, 60
dune buggies, 43
Dunn, Sean, 172–73
Eby, Chris, 103–4, 106–7
Engel, Richard, 273–74
Euphrates River, 82, 104–5, 108, 163
Evnin, Mark, x, 114, 155–57, 169, 171–73, 176, 179, 221
“Expectations of Combat Leaders” (McCoy), 189
FAC (forward air controller), 4–5
Falcon View computer imagery, 60
flag of Iraq, 239, 265–66
flak jacket, 176
Force Recon, 106, 113, 194, 280–82
France, 73
free speech, author in Baghdad on, 261–62
French Foreign Legion, 9
friendly fire, 91–95
Fuentes, Orlando “Panda Bear,” x, 74–75, 85–88, 92, 120, 130, 132, 135, 152–54, 158, 200, 214, 218–21, 233, 242, 252, 254, 257, 263
Geneva Convention, 189
George Air Force Base (California), 30–39
German television crew, 279
ghillie suit, 139
Grasso, Christopher, 188
Green Berets, 49
Greene, Bart, 272–74
Guadalcanal, in World War II, 199
guerrilla attacks, 66, 102, 141, 181–82, 187–88, 192–93, 225–26, 277
Haiti, 30
Hajil (Iraq), 124, 140
hajj, Shi’ite, 286
Harding, Mike, 213, 221, 227
Harrier fighter jet, 177
Hathcock, Carlos, 23–24, 27
heat exhaustion, 217
helicopters, 4–7, 84, 96, 101, 135, 172
Hellfire missile, 88, 115
“Hells Bells” (song), 68
Hercules M88 tank recovery vehicle, 264, 267
Houston, Don, 148–49, 160–61
Howell, Dave, , 113–14, 171–72, 221–22, 240, 249, 252
Hue (Vietnam), 131
Human Exploitation Teams, 59, 120
human shields, antiwar, 261
Hummer, Steve, 43, 48, 181, 217
Humvees, 60–61, 69, 74, 85, 92–93, 108, 113, 117, 119–20, 135, 141, 201, 248
armament of, 61, 75
modified as CAATs, 68. See also CAATs
number of, on drive to Baghdad, 104, 106
rate of loss of, 121
as shooting platforms, 125–27
Hussein. See Saddam Hussein
infantry soldier, as dominant factor of victory, 26–27
innocent people, killing of, 225, 231–34, 251
insect problems, 150
Intelligence and Psychological Operations (Psy Ops), 137
Iran, in “axis of evil,” 49
Iraq
Americans as liberators of, 100, 133, 149, 240, 259–67, 279, 286
anti-Americanism in, 263
army of
Al Nida Division, 181, 189
Baghdad Division, 167, 175
command and control destroyed, 245
51st Mechanized Division, 67–68, 72, 83–84, 93, 95–97, 132
Medina division, 72, 80, 83–84, 104
Republican Guard, 72, 167, 175, 181, 187–88, 207, 245, 258
in “axis of evil,” 49
Desert Storm attack on, 72–73, 100–1, 111
economy of, helped by money given to U.S. troops, 193
flag of, 239, 265–66
historic invaders of, 82
oil in, 82–83
precision manufacturing facility in, 190–91
U.S. invasion of
Baghdad drive, 101–85
Baghdad occupation, 235–84
in Baghdad outskirts, 188–235
Basra attack, 60, 66–67, 79, 83–97, 100–1, 141, 235
casualties light, 286
Iraqi guerrilla attacks, 66, 102, 141, 181–82, 187–88, 192–93, 225–26, 277
jump-off from Kuwait, 67–77, 79–81
operational pause cancelled, 147–49
plan of attack, 79–80
as preemptive strike, 190
WMDs in, 55–56
Iraqi Freedom, Operation, beginning of, 76–77
Italian journalist. See Dagnino, Enrico Iwo Jima, flag-raising on, 266
“Jackals.” See news reporters
Javelin missile, 53, 215
Jennings, Peter, 273, 275, 277
Johnson, Bob, 155
joint patrol, 279–80
Karbala (Iraq), 101
Karbala Gap (Iraq), 163
Kevlar helmet, 93, 265
Khe Sanh (Vietnam), 199
Kipling, Rudyard, 97
Klimp, Jack, 1–3, 5, 9–10
Knickmeyer, Ellen, 191
Koopman, John “Paperboy,” 114, 145–46, 260, 264, 286
Kuhlman, Casey, xi
backround of, 36–37, 46–47
Coughlin described by, 44
as H&S executive officer, 50, 53–54
in Iraq war, 286
award and promotion, 287–88
in Baghdad, 237–38, 244, 248, 265–66, 270–74, 279–80
Baghdad drive, 103–6, 110, 112, 116–21, 126–32, 135, 139–43, 155, 160–65, 168–71, 180–85
Baghdad strike, 190, 192, 196, 201–6, 208–15, 217–23, 233, 235
Basra attack, 84, 88–89, 91–92, 97
Iraqi flag incident, 239, 265–66
on joint patrol, 279–80
Kuwait, 64–66, 68–69, 76, 81
return to Kuwait, 284, 287–88
training, 60, 74
on Okinawa, 43, 45–46
in ProMet war game, 37–38
return to civilian life by, 288
sniper support given by, 61
Kurds, gas attacks on, 83
Kuwait
4th Marines’ jump-off from, 67–77, 79–81
4th Marines’ transfer to, 51, 56–66
4th Marines’ return to, 283–88
Lake City Match ammunition, 87
lasers, in war games, 34
Lewis, Brian, 89, 176, 190, 264
Lima, Roger, 249
looting, 270, 278
loudspeakers for recorded messages in Arabic, 137–38
Lynch, Jessica, 103–4
M9 missile, 53
M16A4 rifle, 243
M40A1 sniper rifle, 63, 86, 158
M88 Hercules tank recovery vehicle, 264, 267
M203 missile, 53
M240G missile, 53
M249 SAW light machine gun, 53
Maas, Peter, 191
McCoy, Bryan P.
assigns author to H&S, 50–51
description of, 44
in Iraqi war
in Baghdad, 237, 240–42, 245–46, 248, 253, 255
Baghdad advance, 114–15, 117, 135–37, 148, 165–66
Baghdad strike, 181, 190, 192, 194, 197, 199–201, 217, 234
Basra advance, 81, 83, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97
pep talks, 67–68, 72
snipers and, 61, 110, 126, 136–37, 185, 197, 199, 214, 237–38, 246
takes out a tank, 98–99
on television, 273
on treatment of prisoners, 189
machine guns
M249 SAW light, 53
RPK light, 7, 86, 125
240-Golf medium, 75
McMillan fiberglass, 63
Mao Tse-tung, 60
March Air Force Base (California), 17, 289
March Up, The (West and Smith), 131
Marine Corps
author’s training in, 14–17
rank insignia not worn in combat by, 3
Scout/Sniper School, 15–16
at 29 Nine Palms, 41–42, 289
Marine Corps Shooting Team, 32
Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, 29–30, 131
Marine Expeditionary Force in Afghanistan, 49
Mark 19 grenade launcher, 61, 75, 120
Marsh, Jerry, x, 76, 105, 120, 184, 215, 263–64
Mattis, James N., 217
Mawhinney, Chuck, 23, 24
Meeks, Eric, 171
MILES gear, 34, 37
Military Operations in Urbanized Terrain (MOUT), 29, 246
missiles
AT4, 53, 92
Hellfire, 88, 115
Javelin, 53, 215
M9, 53
M240G, 53
Patriot, 70
Roland, 92, 239
SMAW, 53
Tomahawk, 77, 93
TOW, 53, 94, 152
> Mk-82 bombs, 188
Mobile Sniper Strike Team concept, 22–23, 27, 43, 48, 114, 121, 207, 291
Mogadishu (Somalia)
author as sniper in, 1–10, 23, 30
Rangers dragged through streets of, 244
Mojave Desert, 31
mom-and-pop stores, Iraqi, 193
money given to U.S. troops to spend, 193
MOPP (Mission Oriented Protective Posture) suit, 70–71, 150, 166–67, 180, 196, 202, 206, 210, 216, 218
Moreno, Dino, 114, 155–57, 172, 221–22, 226, 227, 231, 249
Mountain Leaders Course, 51, 54
Mount Suribachi (Iwo Jima), 266
MOUT (Military Operations in Urbanized Terrain), 29, 246
MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), 98, 142, 160, 244, 272, 285
“Muppets, The,” 131
Najaf (Iraq), 101, 163
Navy Achievement Medal, 287
Navy Commendation Medal, 10, 287
Newbern, Clint, x, 75–76, 120, 201, 203, 211, 215
news reporters (“Jackals”), 191, 214, 220, 258, 263
in Baghdad hotels, 245–46, 255, 259, 270, 272–75
broadcast nest, 272–73
Marines’ calls home on phones of, 179
shooting-of-civilians incident reported by, 234
See also Dagnino, Enrico; Koopman, John
New York Times, 191, 279
night vision goggles, 4–5, 236
night warfare, 95
9/11, 42, 44–45, 48, 65
North Korea, in “axis of evil,” 49
North Little Rock (Arkansas), 30
nuclear weapons, 71. See also weapons of mass destruction
observation log, 272
Officer Bob,” 56, 64, 84–85, 94–95, 115–16, 140, 155, 168–71, 177–78, 185, 195–97, 200, 214, 217, 237–38, 248
award to and promotion of, 287–88
Okinawa, 42–43, 45–46
Omar (caliph), 82
OPFOR (Opposition Force), 29
Pachmayr recoil pad, 63
Palestine Hotel (Baghdad), 255, 259–60, 270–75
Panda Bear. See Fuentes, Orlando
Parris Island (South Carolina), 14–15
Patriot missile, 70
Pavlichenko, Lyudmila, 32, 36
pigeons for chemical detection, 71–72, 166, 285
Poultry Chemical Contamination Detectors, 71–72, 166, 285
Powell, Colin, 56, 111, 263
preemptive strike on Iraq, reason for, 190
prisoners, Iraqi, 87, 92, 157–60
4th Marines’ treatment of, 189
intelligence officer captured, 190
torture of, 189–90
ProMet (Project Metropolis), 29–39, 246
Psy Ops (Intelligence and Psychological Operations), 137
Quantico (Virginia), 29
Range 400, 42
Red Zone (area around Baghdad), 164, 166
Regimental Combat Team 7, 103
regiment, British, 1st Fusiliers (Desert Rats), 97
regiments, U.S.
1st Marine, 177, 188
4th Marine
advance regimental quartering party, 68–70, 99, 103, 164, 181, 236, 288
Shooter: The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper Page 26
