Sunday, August 26, 2007

3-1 Cavalry Denies Enemy Sanctuary In Jisr Diyala

Staff Sgt. Nick McKearn, of Milton, Wis., 2nd platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, clears the chamber of a confiscated AK-47 during a mission in Jisr Diyala Aug. 23.

First Lt. Mike Barth, of El Segundo, Calif., 2nd platoon leader, Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, searches for contraband during a mission in Jisr Diyala Aug. 23.

First Lt. Mike Barth, of El Segundo, Calif., 2nd platoon leader, Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, briefs his troops before going on a mission in Jisr Diyala Aug. 23.

By Multi-National Division - Center PAO
Aug 26, 2007 - 5:03:24 PM
Blackanthem Military News

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq — Elements of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team’s 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, conducted a mission to deny extremists sanctuary in Jisr Diyala, southeast of Baghdad Aug. 23.

Insurgents engaged Soldiers from Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, a tank company attached to the 3rd Squadron, with small arms and rockets after Company D Soldiers infiltrated the objective and detained one suspected insurgent.

According to 1st Lt. Daniel Bell, of San Antonio, 2nd platoon leader, Company D, 1-15 Inf. Regt., speed was essential to the mission’s success.

“It helped a lot,” Bell said. “We got the cordon set at the same time as we were going in the house. It was a great asset.”

Catching the insurgent was the mission’s main objective, and Bell said his capture is key to the unit’s success in the area. Soldiers from 3-1 Cav. Regt. captured a high-value individual, believed to be a local insurgent cell leader, earlier in the month. The objective of this mission was to detain his potential replacement and leave extremists in the area leaderless.

“Getting him out of the picture took away a major source of money,” Bell said.

Coming under small-arms fire didn’t slow the unit at all, Bell added.

“Everyone knew what to do,” he said. “We (returned fire and) allowed the search teams to go about their business. My guys were very, very good (Thursday). I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Other Troops of the 3-1 Cav. Regt. participated in the operation as well.

“Missions are always chaotic,” said 1st Lt. Mike Barth, of El Segundo, Calif., 2nd platoon leader, Troop B, 3-1 Cav. Regt., currently attached to Company D, 1-15 Inf. Regt. “We had a great rehearsal, but when we got out here things changed and we had to adapt. It was a complex mission, but we got through it and accomplished our mission.”

No 3-1 Cavalry Soldiers were injured during the operation.

The 3-1 Cav. Regt. and the 1-15th Inf. Regt. are assigned to 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga., and have been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March, 2007.

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