Weapons Cache Found in Wardia

By Pfc. Michael Schuch
2nd BCT, 1st Armored Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – U.S. Soldiers discovered a weapons cache belonging to a local criminal group known for targeting Iraqi security forces and coalition forces, while patrolling the town of Wardia, May 3.

Soldiers with Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, and Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, found the cache through a tip received from Sons of Iraq and national police sources.

Explosives ordnance disposal Soldiers confirmed the cache included three Iranian rocket propelled grenades, three RPG launchers, propellant, multiple trip flares, one heavy machine gun, ski masks and ISF uniforms.

The Soldiers from 1-15th Inf. Regt. are currently attached to 3rd Squadron,1st Cavalry Regiment, which is scheduled to redeploy soon to Fort Benning, Ga. They conducted the reconnaissance mission as part of a scheduled transition of the area to the 1-6th Inf. Regt. Soldiers, attached to 1st Squadron, 35th Armor Regiment.

A key element in the transition is that the relationship with the Iraqi NP brigade will stay in place, said Maj. Andrew Koloski, from Juneau, Alaska, the executive officer of 3-1st Cav. Regt.

“The national police have increased their abilities so they can provide the continuity in our area of operations,” said Koloski, adding the NP have given intelligence leading to several cache finds.

The 3-1st Cav. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and deployed to Iraq in March 2007.

The 1-6th Inf. Regt. and 1-35th Armor Regt. are assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, from Baumholder, Germany.