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Quotes and Facts from Recent Operations
Quotes and Facts from Recent OperationsCannon artillery has played and continues to play a critical role in ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Here are a few quotes and excerpts from recent news clips that demonstrate the difference cannons are making in the current fight. The following excerpts taken from the USMC.mil, "Army Paladins Provide Added Firepower for Task Force Teufelhunden," April 7, 2007.
Coalition Forces fighting in the Habbaniyah region have a fearsome weapon in their arsenal that enables them to strike distant insurgents with deadly accuracy. This ace-up-the-sleeve is the M109A6 Paladin, a self-propelled 155mm Howitzer manned by the soldiers of Bravo Battery, 1-41 Field Artillery Battalion. It can launch its 96-pound projectiles up to a distance of 24,000 meters, enough to support nearly every unit in the outlying Al Anbar Province. The Fort Stewart, Ga., based unit is on call 24/7 to shoot any kind of mission ranging from illumination at night to troops in contact and counter-fire missions. “The observer on the ground contacted us," said Army 1st Lt. Quintin R. Durden. "The description we got was that there were insurgents in a building and they had eyes on. We fired 12 rounds total for that mission and partially destroyed the building. After we shot they dropped a 500 pound bomb on the building and blew it up.” The building was destroyed, along with the insurgents shooting at the Marines. “They provided timely fire support in support of our troops on the ground when they got into a situation that small arms fire alone couldn’t answer,” said 3/6’s artillery liaison officer, 1st Lt. Lawrence G. Ribble, 25, from Salem, Ore. “It makes you feel good when you get that feedback, saying that you stopped a cell, or a group from placing an IED that potentially could have harmed or killed another soldier or Marine.” The following excerpts taken from the USMC.mil, “Artillery Marines Stand Solid 24/7," March 30, 2007. Marines with India Battery, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, take the idea of being a Marine 24/7 literally. Mention “downtime” to these cannon-cocking leathernecks and you’re liable to get laughed at. “Fire missions can come at any time of the day or night,” explained Sgt. William A. Castellanos, a 25-year-old crew cannoneer section chief. “It doesn’t matter what time it is: We stay close to our Howitzers in case someone needs our support.” They are routinely woken up in the early hours of the morning to the sound of a voice on a radio notifying them about a fire mission. Within seconds of the call, Marines are bounding across the gravel toward the gigantic cannon, ready to load and fire. The gun can sling a high-explosive round a hair-scorching 23 kilometers. Throw a rocket-assisted projectile, or RAP round, into the lineup and you gain an additional 9km of range. The guns are also capable of putting out 1,000,000-candlepower illumination rounds to turn even the darkest night into pseudo-daylight for Marines in contact with the enemy. Whether the call comes for explosions or bright lights, the situation on the ground can change in an instant. “The Marines’ morale definitely gets a boost when we are finally able to fire,” explained Vincent. “It especially makes the Marines feel good when we find out if we hit our target. It lets us know we are helping the Marines out there patrolling.” The following excerpts taken from the FA Journal, "2006 Hamilton Award Winner: A/2-222 FA, UTARNG," Jan/Feb Issue 2007. “A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 222nd Field Artillery (A/2-222 FA) of Cedar City, Utah Army National Guard (UTARNG), part of I Corp Artillery, has won the Hamilton Best ARNG Battery Award for 2006. The battery was deployed to Iraq from July 2005 to June 2006.” “The battery had three primary missions during its deployment. It manned three observation points (OPs) along three main and alternate supply routes, provided counterfire and direct support (DS) fires for the 2-28th Brigade Combat Team (BCT) and conducted base defense for Camp Ramadi.”
“During a three and one-half month period, the battery processed 236 fire missions and fired 1,464 rounds in support of combat operations. Several mortar teams were destroyed, and more than 15 insurgents were confirmed killed in action (KIA) from the battery’s fires.”
“The accuracy of Artillery fires improved during this period. Special emphasis was placed on meeting the five requirements for accurate, predicted fires. The battery calibrated all powder lots, and crews practiced drills constantly to improve the consistency and timing of the fires. The efforts paid off. The accuracy of the fires improved, and maneuver units began using more Artillery while they were troops-in-contact (TIC).”
The following excerpts taken from ABC News, "Battle in the Mountains, But Using More than Force," Sept. 11, 2006. Two 155m Howitzer artillery guns stand guard at Camp Blessing, their muzzles aimed at the high mountain peaks that surround the small forward operating base deep in the Pech River Valley. "The name of gun one is 'Osama Bin Lob In'" says Capt. Joe Hansen, commander of Blessing. "You always name your guns just like you name your ships. It brings good luck and makes them more accurate." The guns need to be accurate. Part of Operation Big North Wind, they fire day and night, supporting U.S. troops who are fighting in the mountains and valleys along the Pech River. Recently Rachman [District Governor] met again with the elders of the Korengal Valley trying to convince them that supporting the [Korengal] fighters operating in their area was not to their benefit. Until he does so, "Osama Bin Lob In" and the Howitzers of Camp Blessing will continue to fire as U.S. and Afghan forces fight the insurgents in the mountains of the Pech River Valley. According to Hansen, "They're going to be here for a while, I think." The following excerpts taken from Army Times, "Artillery Helps Penetrate Afghan Valley," Sept. 5, 2006. "NANGALAM, Afghanistan: The thunderous sound of an artillery gun roars through this deep river valley in eastern Afghanistan, as American troops lob shells, one after another, high into the rocky mountains. As NATO-led troops try to quash a raging insurgency in the south of the country, the U.S. troops in the eastern provinces keep hammering against Taliban, al-Qaida and other Islamic extremists hiding in the forbidding peaks they’ve long used as sanctuaries. U.S. troops from the New York-based 10th Mountain Division deployed here in March, among a community of 19,000 Afghans in Data Pech district of Kunar province.
The base nestles into the face of a mountain, and at its foot lie two artillery pieces that are used daily to support troops operating deeper in the mountains.
'This is a busy, restless valley,' said base commander Capt. Joe Hansen, 35, from Spokane, Washington.
While getting there on foot appears to be a torturous journey for troops, Hansen’s two big howitzer guns dominate the valley and can hit any point within eyeshot — and beyond — in a few seconds.
They have fired over 3,000 rounds since March, which fly around 18 miles toward their intended targets — called in by troops in the field. At least a dozen shells were fired Monday."
The following excerpts taken from Stars & Stripes, "Commander: 1st BCT Doing ‘Amazing’ Work in Ramadi – Germany-based Artillery Unit Leading the Charge," July 16, 2006.
"The 'hot guns' from Giessen, Germany, are giving insurgents the swiftest artillery payback in Iraq, if not the entire Army...Once Army radars detect incoming rockets or mortar fire, the unit often has artillery landing on the enemy mortar team within 30 seconds of them firing their last round.”
"The 2-3 Field Artillery is routinely responding to threats with their counter-battery fire 'in less than one-third of the time you’ll generally find elsewhere in training situations...It's amazing to me. Absolutely amazing.'"
- Col. Sean MacFarland, Commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division in Ramadi, Iraq The following excerpts taken from the Army News Service, "Counter Fire Platoon Keeps Terrorists on Toes," May 4, 2006.
“'We stand on call 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week. As soon as we get a counter fire, the adrenaline starts pumping.'” - Sgt. Kevin Hoople, Gunner for 1st Platoon, 1-320th FA "In the last seven months, the platoon has fired more than 100 missions to help deter terrorists, more than any other unit in the Baghdad area. Some days, the Soldiers have conducted up to five missions in an 18-hour period and fired as late, or as early, as 3 a.m." "Since the 1st Platoon’s arrival in Mahmudiyah, mortar attacks have decreased by 50 percent due to the counter fires and area-denial missions. Terrorists are not getting enough time to launch multiple rounds and are not as accurate due to the pressure the Counter Battery Platoon puts on its targets." “I believe we have been making a difference through area denials ... There are a couple of areas out there that are heavy in insurgent activity. We have shot some area denials into that area and the activity ceases for a while. It slows (the terrorists) down and makes (terrorists) stop and think about attacking Coalition Forces because we know where they are ... What that does is limit terrorists’ advancement … It disrupts their movement.” - Staff Sgt. Jonathan Brown, Platoon Sergeant, 1st Platoon, 1-320th FA
“I think our platoon has done excellent ... This mission has been a god-send for these guys. This is the real dream of field artillery. You get the real effect of field artillery getting to shoot anywhere at anytime. This is what artillery is all about.”
- Sgt. Kevin Hoople, Gunner for 1st Platoon, 1-320th FA The following excerpts taken from Knoxville News Sentinel, "The Last Outpost," March 13, 2006.
"It seemed like all they were firing were tracers (illuminated rounds) so it was easy to see what direction they were firing from. I shot a compass reading to the northwest and called in to the TOC (tactical operations center)." - Sgt. James Duke, Forward Observer "Within minutes from the start of the attack, five 105mm artillery rounds were arcing overhead in the direction of what the acronym-obsessed U.S. military, perhaps aptly, terms the 'POO.' It stands for the 'point of origin' of the hostile fire." "It was just perfect,'" Duke says. "'The rounds landed exactly where they were supposed to and the firing stopped immediately. The whole fight was over within 15 minutes." The following excerpts taken from DVIDS, "Right Back At Them," Feb. 3, 2006. "The 4th Infantry Division's 3-29 Sensor Battery is watching the airspace above Forward Operating Base Normandy to detect the distance and direction from which an indirect fire attack originates….Within seconds of an attack, the Sensor platoon is able to gather the point of origin and quickly relay the information to their counterpart, Alpha Battery 3-29 Field Artillery so that they can return fire and neutralize the threat of another attack." "Our mission is to provide force protection for the FOB by observing enemy weapons systems. We take our mission very seriously as far as protecting this FOB from indirect fire and it is something we all take great pride in. We have observed several rounds thus far in the deployment and have been able to direct fire back on those positions." - Warrant Officer 1 John Waterman, Commander of the 3-29 FA Sensor Platoon near Muqdadiyah, Iraq The following excerpts taken from Newsblaze.com, "Paladins Ready," Feb. 1, 2006.
"Members of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery, are ready at a moment's notice to support U.S. and Coalition forces in a powerful way…Manning their mortars and their M109A6 Paladin systems…soldiers from 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team are always prepared to provide an array of fire support against insurgent forces in northeast Iraq. Team members based at Forward Operating Base Normandy get called into action at all hours of the day and night." "When they need light, we give them light. When they need smoke, we give them smoke. Or when they just need stuff blown up, that's us." - Pfc. Talalasi Sao III near Muqdadiyah, Iraq Company A, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team "We do enjoy putting rounds down range. It's our primary duty. It's always a rush, plus (we) get the bad guys out there. We are here to keep Soldiers safe. Whatever we need to do to provide a safer route for the Soldiers, we'll do it." - Staff Sgt. Dwight Curtis, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team The following excerpts taken from Stars & Stripes, "Big Guns Reducing Insurgents' Attacks by Denying Them Terrain," Jan. 18, 2006.
"With a blast strong enough to blur the vision, the smoke-blackened Paladin sent yet another 100-pound bullet hissing downrange on an explosive, computer-calculated journey." "The outgoing round was just one of many that routinely rattles Camp Ramadi's mess hall and living quarters, earning Lt. Col. Richard Miller's 2nd Battalion, 222nd Field Artillery Regiment the reputation as one of the busiest in Iraq." "'We want the enemy to know that if he shoots at us, we're going to fire right back in a timely and accurate manner,' said Capt. Shawn Fuellenbach, Battery A commander." "Since the Utah National Guard unit arrived in western Iraq seven months ago in support of the 2-28 Brigade Combat Team, commanders say, the aggressive fire campaign has helped cut insurgent rocket and mortar attacks by more than one-half in Ramadi." "The unit's guns often are called upon to fire illumination rounds that help soldiers and Marines in Ramadi distinguish friend from foe. But, just as often, the unit will target insurgents who have just launched attacks, or drop explosives on insurgent real estate as a way of preventing them from returning. The following excerpts taken from DVIDS, "Paladins Fire from Speicher for the First Time," Dec. 21, 2005.
"Glory's Guns in the form of 1st Platoon, Battery A, are making their presence known at Forward Operating Base Speicher near Tikrit. The platoon, from 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, were stationed at FOB Summerall near Bayji." "The move was made soon after the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade took over the Bayji sector', said Cpt. J.T. Townsend, assistant fire support officer, 1st BCT." "They were brought down (to FOB Speicher) because of the increased indirect fire threat," said Townsend. "'Once Danger closed there was a higher indirect fire threat (to the Division Headquarters on Speicher)." "1st Platoon was busy during their tenure at Summerall. While there, Townsend said, they shot the second highest number of rounds in the 1st BCT area of operations." "During one raid, said Staff Sgt. Donnie Neal, a Memphis, Tenn. native and the 4th Section chief, the platoon rolled outside the gates of Summerall to the outskirts of Bayji." "It was fast and furious," said Neal. "We pulled in, shot and then left. Check out the quotes and excerpts from the OIF I and Battle for Fallujah sections to read more about cannon artillery's role in the initial stages of the invasion.
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