Soldier thwarts terrorist attack at Palestine Hotel

Courtesy Photo | BAGHDAD -- Two Task Force Baghdad Soldiers look at the burned-out shell of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device shortly after it detonated near the Palestine Hotel in central Baghdad Oct. 25. (U.S. Army photo)  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

10.31.2005

Courtesy Story

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Spc. Adam Musil
2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO

BAGHDAD -- The smoke had barely cleared from an earlier explosion near the Palestine Hotel Oct. 25 when a U.S. Soldier saw a cement truck bearing down on his position. Knowing the truck presented an immediate danger, he took aim with his weapon, fired and potentially saved countless lives.

Spc. Darrell Green, a machine gunner with 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, was pulling security from an observation post at the Sheraton when terrorists launched a coordinated attack at the Firdos Square traffic circle in downtown Baghdad.

The attack which occurred in three phases began at 5:25 p.m. when, under the cover of small-arms fire, a vehicle packed with explosives tried to pierce the defensive barriers between the Sheraton and Palestine hotels.

Seconds later, a vehicle moving toward the traffic circle from the east was engaged by a private security firm and immediately detonated.

Upon hearing the explosions of the first two vehicles, Green stood ready for what was to come. As dust and debris from the explosions subsided, he noticed the defensive barriers had been breached and a cement truck was heading through the gap, toward the Sheraton and Palestine hotel complex, a home for many international journalists in Baghdad.

The vehicle was 50 feet past the breach when Green took aim and engaged the truck with his machine gun. As he shot and killed the driver, preventing the vehicle from going any further, the truck detonated.

"He was trying to kill people," Green said. "It was good we stopped him because he would have killed more people and destroyed the building."

At the same time, the opposite side of the hotel was being bombarded with small-arms fire and what Soldiers believed to be rocket-propelled grenades.

"I don't think capturing journalists was the goal," said Capt. John Newman, B Company, 3-15 Inf., commander, when asked if the terrorists were trying to capture journalists from the hotel. "They were just trying to cause death and destruction, and get on the news."

Once the attack was over, the area was secured by Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces.

Soldiers worked into the early hours of the morning repairing the breach in the wall. Newman said there is still a lot of cleaning up to be done, but Soldiers and local residents are starting to get back into their regular routines. This includes Green, who plans on continuing his job of securing the hotel.

"My heart goes out to the Iraqis who were injured in the attack and I'm just glad the Coalition Forces were ready for this and we were able to stop any further destruction," he said.

• Date Taken: 10.31.2005
• Date Posted: 10.31.2005 12:49
• Story ID: 3521
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ