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Authors: James R. McDonough
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2, but it appeared as if an obstacle was located there; they would have to move cautiously. Always heard artillery fire coming in over to his left in the vicinity of Echo Company. He terminated his conversation with Captain Baker and shifted back to secure in order to find out what was going on. He had not heard any of the conversations of the last few minutes because when he had left the secure mode to converse with Baker he had essentially left his own net. Each shift of mode on the radio necessitated a contortion by Always in his seat. The radios were located directly behind the small of his back; in the narrow confines of the commander’s cupola he had to drop down, swivel around, find the switch in the gloom of the vehicle interior, and change its position.
As he came up in secure he heard Captain Evans talking to the TOC. “… intensive fire coming in. I’m taking casualties. The enemy has a fix on my location. I’ve got to pull out of here or get chewed to pieces.”
Always approved the move, but neither battalion nor company commander was sure where Echo was going to go. To move forward would put it out in front of the attack. To move back would put it out of the direct fire range of its own guns, unable to reach to the suspected enemy positions. The precision of the incoming artillery indicated that the enemy had placed his own reconnaissance in position the night before, probably as the first elements of Always’ quartering parties were seen coming in. He had fixed E Company’s exact position, and even in the smoke had been able to bring Evans under effective fire. A minute later the mortar platoon reported that it was also taking artillery fire. Two tubes had been destroyed in the first barrage, and several of the mortarmen wounded. The mortar platoon, too, would have to pull out.
Captain Baker was calling in the clear. “The obstacles are covered. I’m taking small arms fire and incoming mortars. This is going to take awhile.”
Always needed some movement on his left. He attempted to call A Company’s dismounts directly, but they were either out of the range of their portable radios or an intervening terrain feature was interrupting the transmission waves. The colonel had now been operating in the clear for two minutes and he needed to get back to secure.
This was the moment that Brigade chose to call for a situation report. Even as he answered he found himself taking incoming artillery fire. He reached up to close the hatch cover as he responded to the call from higher headquarters. Simultaneously E Company reported in its new position as the TOC overrode Evans’ call to yell out that they were under artillery fire and would have to move. The noise had become deafening—theartillery fire, the roar of the Bradley engine as Spivey pulled them out of the fire, the chatter on both radio nets, and the conversations between the colonel and his crew on the intercom as the battalion commander tried to keep himself moving with Bravo Company. The artillery fire was eating them alive. He should have swept the area for enemy scouts. A mere one or two of them, situated close enough to observe the task force’s movements in and around the LD and the assembly area, was throwing the entire attack off balance.
Brigade was not happy with the report and encouraged Always to get moving. Now Alpha Company was calling for artillery support as it neared CP 1. It had picked up a report of Bravo’s fight at CP 2 and was proceeding with caution. The artillery was now having to choose between supporting Bravo and Alpha or concentrating on countermortar or counterartillery fire to ease the dilemma of the task force. Always was hard pressed to give guidance, not because he did not know what he wanted to prioritize (it was crucial that B Company break through the obstacle) but because his artillery officer was caught in the dislocation of the TOC and was momentarily off the net. That left him only the mortars to turn to,
As he came up in secure he heard Captain Evans talking to the TOC. “… intensive fire coming in. I’m taking casualties. The enemy has a fix on my location. I’ve got to pull out of here or get chewed to pieces.”
Always approved the move, but neither battalion nor company commander was sure where Echo was going to go. To move forward would put it out in front of the attack. To move back would put it out of the direct fire range of its own guns, unable to reach to the suspected enemy positions. The precision of the incoming artillery indicated that the enemy had placed his own reconnaissance in position the night before, probably as the first elements of Always’ quartering parties were seen coming in. He had fixed E Company’s exact position, and even in the smoke had been able to bring Evans under effective fire. A minute later the mortar platoon reported that it was also taking artillery fire. Two tubes had been destroyed in the first barrage, and several of the mortarmen wounded. The mortar platoon, too, would have to pull out.
Captain Baker was calling in the clear. “The obstacles are covered. I’m taking small arms fire and incoming mortars. This is going to take awhile.”
Always needed some movement on his left. He attempted to call A Company’s dismounts directly, but they were either out of the range of their portable radios or an intervening terrain feature was interrupting the transmission waves. The colonel had now been operating in the clear for two minutes and he needed to get back to secure.
This was the moment that Brigade chose to call for a situation report. Even as he answered he found himself taking incoming artillery fire. He reached up to close the hatch cover as he responded to the call from higher headquarters. Simultaneously E Company reported in its new position as the TOC overrode Evans’ call to yell out that they were under artillery fire and would have to move. The noise had become deafening—theartillery fire, the roar of the Bradley engine as Spivey pulled them out of the fire, the chatter on both radio nets, and the conversations between the colonel and his crew on the intercom as the battalion commander tried to keep himself moving with Bravo Company. The artillery fire was eating them alive. He should have swept the area for enemy scouts. A mere one or two of them, situated close enough to observe the task force’s movements in and around the LD and the assembly area, was throwing the entire attack off balance.
Brigade was not happy with the report and encouraged Always to get moving. Now Alpha Company was calling for artillery support as it neared CP 1. It had picked up a report of Bravo’s fight at CP 2 and was proceeding with caution. The artillery was now having to choose between supporting Bravo and Alpha or concentrating on countermortar or counterartillery fire to ease the dilemma of the task force. Always was hard pressed to give guidance, not because he did not know what he wanted to prioritize (it was crucial that B Company break through the obstacle) but because his artillery officer was caught in the dislocation of the TOC and was momentarily off the net. That left him only the mortars to turn to,
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