Photo By Sgt. 1st Class James Wilt | Sgt. Jeffery S. Mersman, an infantryman with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne...... read more read more
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Pfc. James Wilt
82nd Airborne Division
Soldiers in the U.S. Army train vigorously everyday to hone their war fighting skills in the event that they may have to use them one day.
For many soldiers, that day may never come, but for the paratroopers of the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, that day has come many times during their last two deployments.
Once again, the "White Falcons" showed their training and combat experience to the Iraqi people during their third deployment to Iraq, Sept. 30, 2005.
Paratroopers from Company C engaged three Iraqi insurgents marking the first direct contact with insurgent forces here.
The insurgents were engaged after they conducted a grenade attacked on an Iraqi Security Force's position a few blocks from the Co. C compound.
"It was a cowardly attempt by the enemy to engage and kill Iraqi army and they underestimated the Iraqis" ability to counter the attack and they severely underestimated the U.S. forces ability to immediately close width and destroy the enemy," said Cpt. Andrew Gallo, commander of Co. C.
"My team was on guardâ?¦ and I heard the initial explosion, it sounded like an IED," said Sgt. Jeffery S. Mersman, an infantryman with C Co., 2nd Bn. 325th AIR.
Staff Sgt. Chad D. Megginson, an infantryman with the company, said his unit was off mission when he heard the explosion.
He immediately put on his equipment and moved to the roof top of his building, he added.
Mersman said he couldn't see what happened from his initial position overlooking the front gate of his company's compound so he quickly moved to a different position in hopes of having a better view.
Once at his new position, Mersman said, he could see smoke billowing from an Iraqi Security Forces position and began to radio in a report.
"At that time, all the small arms fire was going on from the ISF compound. They were more or less shooting in everyâ?¦direction."
While communicating with his team and trying to observe any muzzle flashes, Mersman said, small arms fire began passing his position.
"We had rounds coming overtop. We could hear rounds actually cracking overtop the compound," he said.
The company doesn't know if the rounds were from the insurgents or the Iraqi position, he added.
At first, despite the incoming rounds Mersman's team couldn't see any enemy forces, but that soon changed.
"I looked out to the southwest and at that time I saw two individuals running across [an] open area. I could plainly see [AK-47's] in their hands," said Mersman.
Instead of trying to relay the enemy's position to his men, Mersman said he took a M240B from the position and opened fire.
"I didn't have time to react," said Mersman. "I didn't have time to actually tell my guy, who's on the gunâ?¦"Hey there's two guys right there with AK's, shoot them." I knew exactly where they were at, I took the gun and I engaged."
"At the time, I believed one individual had [fallen] but I wasn't positive on that," Mersman said.
While Mersman was firing the 240, the company's weapons squad moved up in to his position to take over the weapons there, said Mersman.
After giving up the weapon to a member of the weapons squad, he began identifying targets for the new gunner.
The men in the position, including a new gunner, soon saw a blue car drive up in what they believe was an attempt to evacuate the dead insurgent that Mersman had shot, he said.
When Megginson first saw the car he looked through the scope on his weapon and noticed that the windows had been shot out of it.
The car did not pick-up any of the insurgents but sped off down the street.
Approximately five minutes later, the car returned to the insurgent's position and
began to help the two insurgents, Mersman said.
"Once the two guys were trying to [evacuate] the other soldier, I asked permission to fire on the guy on the right, and the [executive officer] gave me the okay. I fired twice hitting him in the chest", Megginson said.
Other shooters on the roof top and at second floor positions in the compound began to fire on the car after Megginson shot the one insurgent, he added.
As the guard positions were firing on the insurgents, dismounted paratroopers were soon moving onto the streets to engage the enemy and secure area.
"There were friendlies at that time moving across that field, so stopping that car was the main point at that point in time," Megginson said.
The paratroopers wanted to stop the car because they didn't know if the car contained any type of bomb and they wanted to protect the troops on the ground, Megginson said.
After receiving fire from multiple positions, the driver of the car fell out of the door with a gunshot wound in his leg after the vehicle caught fire, Megginson said.
"I knew I had two dismounted squads on the ground from my platoon. My whole thing was to protect them, provide covering fire if need be and precise fire with my M1 for any targets that exposed themselves."
Two dismount squads on the ground captured the wounded driver, he added.
"Once they brought the two KIA's back, I identified the one guy that I had shot at, he was down. Staff Sgt. Megginson was up on the roof with a M14, he shot at another guy," Mersman said.
"He got him," added Mersman.
The driver of the car was airlifted to Mosul, for treatment of his wounds, Mersman said.
One member of the Iraqi Security Forces was injured during the initial grenade attack, said Mersman.
The leadership of Co. C, are satisfied with the paratroopers" and ISF's ability to stop an enemy threat.
"They all did like they were supposed to," said Mersman. "They immediately started scanning their sectors."
He added, "Once I got over there, I didn't have to look for myself to find out what it was."
"My guysâ?¦demonstrated superior marksmanship and the ability to identify the enemy and kill him quickly," Gallo said.
The ISF also kept a good security posture after being attacked by the insurgents, Gallo said.
Gallo hopes the incident sent a message to the insurgents and to the Iraqi people.
"We believe that the word has gotten out that the Iraqi forces and U.S. Forces are not to be underestimated," Gallo said.
"By talking to Iraqi civilians within our sector, this incident showed Iraqi civilians that we are here to protect them and that [we] and ISF are well trained and ready to do just that," Gallo said.
"It showed the people that live here we are determined and resolute to stay the course until the end." Gallo added.
| Date Taken: | 10.11.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 10.11.2005 18:03 |
| Story ID: | 3289 |
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| Web Views: | 287 |
| Downloads: | 61 |
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