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Latest News Regarding Charlie Company as of January 15, 2005
From KCEN Television
Task Force Lancer – made up mainly of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment – has been working hard to improve the living conditions in eastern Baghdad for more than ten months. Sometimes, those efforts meant ridding the streets of insurgents and thugs,
Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, came to recognize the efforts of some Task Force Lancer Soldiers during an awards ceremony, whose heroism has made a difference in the lives of the people in Sadr City.
In all, Chiarelli awarded five Bronze Star Medals, five Army Commendation Medals with Valor Device and ten Purple Heart Medals to Task Force Lancer troops for their heroism during combat operations in Sadr City in August.
For one recipient, it was a proud, but humbling experience.
Staff Sgt. Joshua York, Company C, 2-5 Cavalry, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for exceptionally meritorious achievement as a Bradley Fighting Vehicle section leader during operations in Sadr City. Several rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) gunners ambushed his vehicle while he was securing a weapons cache. Upon securing the cache, York repelled the attack and destroyed the insurgent fighters. Two days later, he bravely defended a destroyed Bradley section, inflicting heavy losses to the enemy until his unit could recover the vehicle.
“I am really proud to receive the Bronze Star, but I wish I hadn’t,” York said. “I’m glad I did what I did in Sadr City and I‘m proud to be with a bunch of great guys in Charlie Company.”
The surprise of the day shocked everyone, especially the task force’s commander, Lt. Col. Gary Volesky. The division commander awarded Volesky the Silver Star Medal for heroism.
On Aug. 16, Volesky personally led an ad hoc element of two tanks and 11 Bradley Fighting Vehicles to rescue a Bradley Fighting Vehicle section that was isolated and in heavy contact in Sadr City.
Insurgent RPG gunners had earlier ambushed a tank section. They then ambushed a Bradley Fighting Vehicle when it was dispatched to secure the damaged tank.
The 1st Brigade Combat Team’s commander directed Task Force Lancer, at the time were refitting and conducting maintenance in preparations for Operation Iron Fury, to mount up immediately and fight its way to the cut-off section.
The crew and dismounted section from the stricken Bradley cleared a building and established a defensive position on its rooftop. Sensing the urgency of the situation, Volesky immediately mounted his Bradley Fighting Vehicle and departed Camp Eagle at the head of the column.
While receiving small arms fire, RPGs and detonations from improvised explosive devices along the route, Volesky continued on and arrived at the site. He secured it and evacuated the wounded.
Iraqi police reported that a 500-man Madhi Army strike force was moving in on the location of the ambushed section. After recovering the damaged vehicle, now engulfed in flames, and the wounded, Volesky called in AH-64 Apache attack helicopters to provide close air support to cover their withdrawal.
The rescue resulted in recovery of the damaged vehicles, 100 percent accountability and 10 insurgent fighters killed.
“I’m extremely honored to receive the award,” Volesky said, “but there are 700 other guys who deserve it more than me.”
Latest News Regarding Charlie Company as of January 2, 2005
From the Spanish news agency Noticias:
Forward Operating Base Al-Amal, Baghdad, Iraq -- Under the cover of darkness on Dec. 28 Soldiers of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment and Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, both of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, circled their Bradley Fighting Vehicles -- type of armored troop transport -- around an insurgent target deep in East Baghdad’s Sadr City.
The target, an alleged recruiter of anti-Iraqi fighters, and his brother, another wanted criminal, were apprehended by the Iraqi Police while the two cavalry companies supported the raid by forming an outer cordon, standing by to move in if the lightly equipped police came under enemy fire.
“We ended up getting the target and his brother, who was also a target,” said 1st Lt. Nicholas Auletta, the leader of C Company’s 2nd Platoon. “Getting someone that’s [against us] off the streets is always a good thing. Unfortunately, you never get all of them, but every one helps.”
A testament to the value of interacting with the community and always having an interpreter available while on patrol, the intelligence that led to the raid came from a random citizen while Auletta and his men patrolled the city.
Auletta said his unit was doing a regular patrol on Dec. 23 when a local told them some people from Fallujah had moved into the area. They had operated against Multi-National Forces there, and now they were trying to recruit others to fight them within Sadr City.
First Brigade Combat Team Commander Col. Robert Abrams said the origins of the two insurgents weren’t clear until they had been questioned.
“It is hard to pin a label on somebody and say, ‘Hey, he’s a Fallujan fighter,” he said. “The only thing that’s clear for us is if someone is Mahdi Army or not. A lot of people like to say outsiders are doing it, but that’s really hard to pin down. Potentially, we might have picked some guys up from Fallujah, but two and a half million people live in Sadr City who don’t have anything better to do. All they like to do is fight, so someone offered them some money.”
Regardless of the brothers’ origins, the raid that caught them was executed perfectly, Abrams said.
This was “another great joint Iraqi Security Force and U.S. mission, executed to standard, in the middle of the night, in the deepest bowels of Sadr City, without incident,” he said. “It’s a great sign of the future. It’s all about the Iraqi Security Forces being able to do these types of missions by themselves, and if they need our backup support, we’ll give it to them.”
Unlike some past raids conducted by the 1st Cavalry Division in this volatile region, not one resident in the vicinity of the target building protested against the troops’ presence or the pair being arrested. In the past, Abrams said, hundreds might have protested the detention of the men. This time, residents told Soldiers in 2-5 Cavalry and local police that the two were bad men.
There was a “big, positive response from people in the neighborhood,” Abrams said. “There were no people milling around, no firefight, nothing. In fact, some people actually came out and said through our translators, they were glad we picked these guys up because they were really well known bad guys. It’s a pretty good sign.”
The city’s been really peaceful, quiet and very receptive when we provide services, such as rebuilding schools, giving clinics supplies and getting sewage out of the streets, Auletta said. People seem to be pretty happy with that. Very visible projects have been working well for us. People see that we’re here to help their way of life.”
Latest News Regarding Charlie Company as of November 16, 2004
First Sergeant Carson sent this email:
The footage on the news isn't Task Force lancer (2-5). Its been quiet since I came back from leave. We have been patrolling the streets here handing out frozen chickens and sheep to the Iraqis. The only contact we get is the kids throwing rocks at us. Captain Denomy is the only CO who hasn't been changed out. The philosophy is that "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Hope you and all the others had a good Veteran's Day - it was just another day for us here, but we know we are very well supported back home.
Latest News Regarding Charlie Company as of September 15, 2004
First Sergeant Carson has relayed the following information.
Things have been heating up since August 5th. We've had some near fatal casualties.
SPC Chapman is a Bradley driver from 1st Platoon who lost a leg to an IED (Improvised Explosive Device).
From 2nd Platoon, SSG Almarez nearly lost afoot, and SGT Granado had a broken foot - both from an IED.
In 3rd platoon, SGT Lisek suffered a concussion, broken arm, and a mangled foot and leg. Hopefully, he will keep his leg. He's still in Germany. SPC Moneymaker had both legs broken, and SPC Ajanic had a broken ankle - all from IEDs.
So far, Charlie Company has wracked up 47 Purple Hearts - and we're only half way through our tour. The Purple Heart is not the preferred medal around here.
A Company lost another one. The kid had been in Iraq two weeks when he took a round to the head. The First Sergeant in B Company lost a leg to an IED - and he was going to retire when he got back home.
There was a great report on CNN today about us. The school shown in the story was where we lived and defended for awhile.
Latest News Regarding Charlie Company as of August 21, 2004
First Sergeant Casey Carson sent this email after the webmaster asked him if Specialist Jacob Martir, who was identified in the news as being a member of 2/5 Cav, was with Charlie Company:
We've been kind of busy lately. As you know, all hell broke loose here on Wednesday, August 5th - it was just like April 4th all over again, and we've been fighting daily since.
Specialist Jacob Martir was with A Company. He was doing his job clearing an alley in Sadr City.
We've had a few wounded here and there, and a couple won't be back in the fight for a few weeks because they can't wear their Kevlar helmets because of head injuries.
Comanche rescued two chopper pilots on Sunday, August 8th. We actually saw the helicopter go down. I was with the team that secured the chopper until we could get a recovery vehicle to drag it out of there. It actually landed on a mosque wall, but fell outside the mosque. The scariest thing was that the pilots were not there. We immediately thought the worst. We had a couple of A Company Bradley Fighting vehicles attached to us. They got stuck in the mud on the way to the crash site, but they identified two armed men running away. When Captain Denomy asked for a description, he was told they had tan uniforms carrying M4 carbines, so we knew it was the pilots. They saw the Bradleys and ran to them. If you'd seen the chopper, you would think there there is no way these guys are running around here. Yeah, I received a small piece of shrapnel in the back of my calf at the crash site. Just thought I'd pulled a muscle, or hit some wire somewhere. Its all about healed now.
Well anyway, we were getting rocket propelled grenade (RPG) and small arms fire from a few directions while hooking this chopper up. (We don't leave anything behind to be seen on TV with these sons of bitches jumping up and down on it,) We dragged it out of the area about a mile to a flatbed truck.
Then we got called to the District Advisory Council (DAC) because it was getting attacked. After we showed up, the fight died down, but the Iraqi Army guys guarding it had 3 KIA and 6 wounded. Our company medic treated the wounded, then we evac'd them out of there. We kept a few Bradleys there so it wouldn't happen again. I stayed at the DAC until that night when we were relieved by one of our other platoons.
The daily mortar attacks have been going on too. There have been some spectacular shows from the roof of the barracks when the Apaches are lighting up their asses in Sadr City.
Latest News Regarding Charlie Company as of August 7, 2004
First Sergeant Casey Carson sent this email:
Not much going on here - until yesterday. 1st Platoon was ambushed again (April 4th all over again) with improvised explosive devices and RPGs. There weren't any casualties, and the Bradleys took minor damage. We got about 17 mortar rounds yesterday, with a couple of minor injuries on the other side of the Forward Operating Base. We killed about 14 anti-coalition forces, and wounded 6 of the bastards. We've been under a cease fire for about 6 weeks and were supposed to have a cease fire signed on Saturday, but I guess they couldn't bring themselves to the table.
Latest News Regarding Charlie Company in Iraq as of August 1, 2004
First Sergeant Carson's wife sent this email:
I talked with Casey last night and he said all was quite there for the time being. They recently had a rock concert from an all female group that played AC/DC music. He said they were good and it was a great break from the daily stuff. They a currently getting some rest days and some camps now even have in ground pools. Of course, it's never the Infantry FOBs or the way out one FOBs like the one where 2-5 Cav is located.
The guys have started coming back home for their 2 week R&R rotations. You will have some happy families around here for a short time. Charlie Company barracks finally have the generators working for their air conditioners now. That's great because it's still hitting the 120 degree mark there. They are getting hook up for room to room Internet, witch is optional for the soldiers room. They must pay about $150.00 for hook up and $50.00 per month. They say the Iraqi man has ran the cable but yet to hook it up. I don't know how many soldiers are doing it, but I know my soldier won't. They also are able to purchase cell phones there, but I don't know the details on that. All in all, the soldiers at Camp War Eagle are doing fine for now.
Latest News Regarding Charlie Company in Iraq as of July 5, 2004
The following article was published by The Washington Post:
Scott Wilson
The Washington PostFORWARD OPERATING BASE EAGLE, Iraq - Gathering on a small basketball court outside battalion headquarters, 450 soldiers of the Texas-based 1st Cavalry Division bowed their heads in prayer to begin Independence Day celebrations at this dusty outpost near Sadr City.
Then, as the morning warmed toward searing midday heat, 11 soldiers stepped forward to receive Purple Hearts for battle wounds suffered in the past few weeks, including the battalion commander. Hundreds more were given combat infantry badges before Sgt. Eric Bourquin, a lanky 24-year-old from College Station, stepped forward to accept a Bronze Star for meritorious service decorated with a small "V" pin for valor.
On April 4, Bourquin helped seize and hold a three-story building at a moment when it appeared that his platoon would be overwhelmed by members of a Shiite militia that had risen on the filthy streets of Sadr City, a Baghdad slum. Nearly a third of Bourquin's 35-member platoon was wounded that day; one was killed. Sgt. Yihjyh Chen, perched in the gunner's nest of a Humvee, died when a bullet passed through his lungs and heart. Six other soldiers from the battalion died in the ensuing battle.
"That's what patriotism is all about," said Bourquin, a member of 1st Platoon, Charlie Company.
The painful three-month anniversary overshadowed July 4 celebrations for much of the front-line battalion.
Along with Bourquin, two other Texans -- Staff Sgt. Joshua York, 26, of San Marcos, and 1st Platoon commander Lt. Shane Aguero, 28, of Temple -- were awarded medals for action taken during the April 4 battle in Sadr City. Aguero's Purple Heart was awarded several weeks ago, York's on Sunday.
Webmaster note: The reporter obviously doesn't understand that the "V" on SGT Bourquin's Bronze Star is not for "meritorious service" but rather for "Valor."
Latest News Regarding Charlie Company in Iraq as of June 25, 2004
This from an email from First Sergeant Carson
On June 19th, SPC Fox was assisting in the recovery of a disabled Bradley Fighting Vehicle from A Company when his patrol took RPG fire. Fox sustained a skull fracture and was evacuated. He is currently recovering at Army Regional Medical Center at Landstuhl, Germany. He is expected to fully recover.
Visit for 2/5 Cav Families at Ft. Hood, June 2004
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On June 5th, the webmaster and his wife were honored to join some of the wives and families of today's 2/5 Cav at Ft. Hood, along with two of the men who were wounded on April 8th. Top: We joined some of the families and two of the wounded for lunch. Closest to the camera, one of the wounded shows the damage done by an AK round through the hand and wrist. He also was grazed on the right side of his head. The big guy in the center took a round through the leg, suffering some nerve damage. Center: The families of the entire battalion joined together for a prayer vigil at the empty battalion headquarters. They hold pictures of their fathers, husbands - and heroes. Of course, the children of Charlie Company lead the way by making a poster. Bottom: One of the biggest differences between the war in Iraq and Viet Nam is that entire units are rotated - not individuals. That means the entire unit trains together, goes to Iraq together, fights together, and returns together. They don't have "FNGs." This policy also is much better for the families as they can stay at Ft. Hood and support each other. The infant pictured here was born three days before Daddy left - but she has the support of all the other wives in the area. This is a remarkable group of women. They are deserving of your support and prayers. |
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Latest News Regarding Charlie Company in Iraq as of Thursday, May 20, 2004
This from an email to the Webmaster from 1SG Casey Carson
Our scouts just had a brush with a suicide bomber today in a VBIED (Vehicle Based Improvised Explosive Device), and a couple of the scouts were wounded, but these new HUMVs are hard to beat. We've also been buying weapons off the streets - our battalion alone has bought around $150,000 dollars worth of weapons of all sorts, from pistols to 73mm recoilless rifles, to AKs, to mortar tubes, to C4. Its only a dent, I'm sure.
Latest News Regarding Charlie Company in Iraq as of Thursday, May 11, 2004
This from an email to the Webmaster from 1SG Casey Carson:
I know the news is difficult, but if they say Baghdad or Sadr City, they are probably talking about us. Comanche is the one responsible for the capture of 2 top ranking punks in the Sadr Bureau. We took about 75 mortars the next day because his followers were pissed.
Also, a note of thanx from 1SG Carson's wife who wants to relay the First Sergeant's email thanking all the folks back home who have sent packages - they are much appreciated.
Link to News Article Published on Official 2/5 Cav Web Site
Much of the content published below is included in a Newsweek article, but it gives more details about Sadr City. The article appears on the official battalion web site.
Latest news regarding Charlie Company in Iraq as of Thursday, April 22, 2004
In emails from First Sergeant Casey Carson, his wife, and the wife of the Executive Officer, LT Spicer, we learn that some of the wounded from the Palm Sunday firefight are at the Ft. Hood hospital. During that fight, fourteen members of Comanche were wounded. According to Mrs. Spicer: All of our injured are currently home. I saw a few of them last night, and all made sure to tell me they will be going back as soon as the wounds heal. They are true soldiers! 1SG Casey gave this account of the Palm Sunday action (edited)
Operating out of Forward Operating Base "War Eagle", twenty two members of the 2/5 Cav were on patrol to protect Shia Muslim worshipers during the holy period of Arbayeen. The troopers were in heavily armored Humvees in the Sadr City slums of Baghdad when they were ambushed. SGT Chen was the .50 cal machine gunner on his Platoon Leader's Humvee, and was hit in the initial attack. The patrol tried to move out of the area, but was stopped by a road block about a half mile from the original attack. The fact that a roadblock was set up, and that the original ambush used RPGs and small arms from roof-tops and buildings indicate it was a planned attack, and not a spontaneous event. According to Paul Anderson, a reporter for Channel 8 News in Austin, Texas, "An estimated 50 members of the banned "Mahdi's Army," a militia loyal to the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr, are suspected of taking part in and planning the original attack. Army sources report, children as young as 8 years old were recruited for the assault." But though the Humvees are armored, they have soft rooks - - easily penetrated by RPGs. The troopers took cover in a nearby building, and in the course of doing so, protected an Iraqi family. Overall, the patrol quickly suffered 25 percent casualties.
Back at FOB War Eagle, the word got around fast that the patrol was in trouble. According to CPT O'Malley, the Public Information Officer for the 1st Brigade Combat Team (and former member of 2/5 Cav), everyone in the battalion volunteered to go on the rescue operation: "They had guys who normally don't fight who volunteered to help their buddies," said O'Malley. "There were guys fighting to get on that convoy." The rescue was done by two columns of Bradley Fighting Vehicles and M-1 Abrams tanks - and both came under fire as they moved. It took them over three hours to reach the patrol. O'Malley credits the fast-acting medics for saving several lives. "Our medical personnel saved a lot of lives. It looked like a seasoned operation even though it was their first real battle," he said.
In the meantime, 1SG Carson says living conditions are improving, but still Spartan. FOB War Eagle does not have enough troopers to justify a PX Shopette, and it has been hard to get personal toilet articles, such as shaving soap, deodorant, toothpaste and other goodies. At present, packages can weigh no more than five pounds. The employees of Datatel have adopted Charlie Company and have begun sending packages. Datatel's Chief Executive Officer is the former SSG Russ Griffith who served with C 2/5 Cavalry in 1969. If you and your family and friends want to help, send packages to the address at the top of the page. If you are sending it to all the troopers, send it to 1SG Casey Carson, and he will be sure it is distributed.
Mrs. Carson sent this email - which seems to sum up how Comanche is doing: We received an email from C Co and they seem to be kicking some royal butts there. They are still being fired upon regularly, but are firing back with good results. They said after several days of attacks while guarding the police stations, the attackers groups are learning to go in smaller groups! C Co had 2 police stations and all the other companies only had one each. HOOAH!!!
Some things never
change - when the tough jobs need to be done, the Commander sends Charlie
Company to do it.
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Latest news regarding Charlie Company in Iraq as of Thursday, April 8, 2004 -
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SGT Yihjyh L. Chen, 31, a native of Taipei, Taiwan, who listed Saipan, Mariana Protectorate, as his home of record, was killed on Palm Sunday, April 4th, when his patrol was hit by RPGs and small arms in the Sadr City area of Baghdad. SGT Chen entered the Army on Jan. 20, 2000, and had been stationed at Fort Hood since June 20, 2000. Wounded in the same firefight, and evacuated back to the US were SSG Dumdie, SSG Reynolds, SSG Fowler, SSG Haulbert, SGT. Hayhurst, SGT Lorenzo, SPC Pardo, SPC Odell, SPC Torres, PFC Batchelor, and PVT Artega Four men from Company A, 2/5 Cav, were KIA in the same firefight. They were Specialist Robert R. Arsiaga, Specialist Ahmed A. Cason, Specialist Israel Garza, and Specialist Stephen D. Hiller. Wounded was SSG Elliot. |
A Note from the Webmaster:
To the Troopers of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) who served in Vietnam -
To their families and friends -
This site has always been about our history. Except for some stories and pictures of our reunions, it has been about those of us who were in combat thirty some-odd years ago.
But - Charlie Company is back in combat. The company was deployed to Kuwait in mid-March for acclimatization, and the 1st Cavalry Division is replacing elements of the 1st Armored Division in the Baghdad area. Their tour will be over a year long - and it will be a tough one. Like us, they won't always know the good guy from the bad guy, and they will see the green tracer of the AK-47. They, like us, will hear the whoosh of RPGs and try to avoid "improvised explosive devises" - what we called booby traps.
They have something else in common with us - - once again, the men of C 2/5 Cavalry are known as Comanche. A year ago, the troops voted to retake the name so proudly carried by the company for over three years in Vietnam. Prior to their deployment, 1SG Casey Carson designed a pocket coin to be carried in each trooper's pocket. Note the coin carries the name Comanche - as well as the logo used on this site.
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I also have 1SG Carson's email address. I will send it to you upon request. I have not posted it to the web site to insure his address is not spammed. Drop me an email at webmaster@tallcomanche.org.
Take pride guys - - the troopers of today's Comanche are well trained and highly motivated. The insurgents in Iraq will grow to fear "The Cav" just as the NVA did many years ago.
Pray for our troops in Iraq.
Webmaster
Updated January 15, 2005
